The Lucky Ones by Tiffany Reisz

The Lucky Ones

by Tiffany Reisz

They called themselves "the lucky ones". They were seven children either orphaned or abandoned by their parents and chosen by legendary philanthropist and brain surgeon Dr. Vincent Capello to live in The Dragon, his almost magical beach house on the Oregon Coast. Allison was the youngest of the lucky ones living an idyllic life with her newfound family...until the night she almost died, and was then whisked away from the house and her adopted family forever. Now, thirteen years later, Allison receives a letter from Roland, Dr. Capello's oldest son, warning her that their father is ill and in his final days. Allison determines she must go home again and confront the ghosts of her past. She's determined to find out what really happened that fateful night -- was it an accident or, as she's always suspected, did one of her beloved family members try to kill her? But digging into the past can reveal horrific truths, and when Allison pieces together the story of her life, she'll learns the terrible secret at the heart of the family she once loved but never really knew.

Reviewed by kimbacaffeinate on

4 of 5 stars

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In a nutshell, The Lucky Ones, shares the story of seven children who lived in the Dragon House, a beautiful home on the coastal shore of Oregon with their foster parent, Dr. Capello. Some of the children were adopted, and Allison expected to be one of them until she was whisked away under mysterious circumstances. Now twenty-five and at a crossroads, Allison receives a message from Roland, one of the boys Dr. Capello adopted. It seems the Doctor is dying and the note asks her to come.

The tale that unfolds shared a taboo romance and a suspenseful, gothic mystery that held me spellbound. When Allison was thirteen a fall down the stairs left her in the hospital with a memory gap. Was she pushed and who made the frantic call to her aging Aunt that caused Allison to be ripped from the home and people she loved? While saying her goodbyes and reconnecting with her siblings Allison begins questioning events around her mysterious fall. Lies, omissions and startling discoveries will make her question everything.

Reisz shares a chilling tale while exploring the human mind and the minds of sociopaths. She dabbles in scientific questions and theories while enlightening the reader on studies and experiments in the field. I have a macabre fascination with serial killers and sociopaths and found this exploration interesting. It also gave the story a bit of chilling realism.

I found myself connecting with the characters particularly the siblings. Secondary characters like Allison's Ex added interest and humor while aiding her in her investigations. Reisz did an excellent job of introducing the siblings, casting doubt and evoking emotional feels from the reader.

The ending delivers answers and our main character makes decisions that will have the reader asking themselves what they would have done. The ending left me pondering the story for days after I closed the book. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 25 January, 2018: Finished reading
  • 25 January, 2018: Reviewed