Reviewed by Sam@WLABB on
Whew! That was a wild ride, and I loved every second of it. Searcy did an incredible job setting the tone for this gritty mystery-thriller starting from the very first page, and she kept me in a constant state of anticipation from that point forward.
The book followed two girls, Kayla and Betsy, who were separated by geography, but shared one common goal - survival.
Kayla was trying to adjust to life back with her finally clean and sober mom. She was working a dead-end job as she kept her eyes on the prize, which was escaping her downtrodden life for one with possibilities. Her POVs sort of broke my heart, because she lost so much, when she was returned to her mom. I admired her keep-your-head-up attitude, but my heart ached for all she could have had.
Betsy was more of a mystery. Taunted by the burner phone, and the person on the other end, who held her life in their hands, she was in a constant state of distress, always looking over her shoulder. My curiosity was piqued, and I was compelled to keep reading in order to get some answers. Betsy's chapters were the ones that really got my heart pumping. Her harried mental state was well written, and her emotions and fear jumped off the page. There were times that her stress was so palpable, I found myself actually biting my nails.
I really enjoyed searching for the clues and assembling the truth behind this story. My first objective was to figure out the connection between Kayla and Betsy, which I did. Then I needed some answers regarding the serial killer, and I was also right there (but it was very close to the end of the book). However, there were several major reveals that left my mouth slightly agape, as I just didn't see those parts coming.
I really loved the ending, because Searcy did so many things right. Most importantly, she gave me answers. I don't think there were any loose ends by the last page of the book. She also gave me hope. Hope for Kayla and Betsy, and that is my one requirement when I read a darker book. I can walk on the dark side, as long as I am given some hope for the future of the characters, and Searcy definitely left me in a positive state.
Overall: A fantastic thriller, where Searcy masterfully wove Kayla and Betsy's lives together seamlessly, and drop us piece after piece of this complex puzzle.
*I would like to thank the publisher for the advanced copy of this book
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Reading updates
- Started reading
- 12 November, 2017: Finished reading
- 12 November, 2017: Reviewed