My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I've had this book on my Kindle for a very long time. While sorting my bookshelves during the weekend, I started reading and couldn't put it down.
Mia Dennett is the daughter of a judge in Chicago. A man who cares only about reputation. He married a trophy wife, his eldest became a lawyer, but the youngest disappointed him because she's an artist who also teaches.
When Mia goes missing, her mother Eve is devastated and starts to question her shortcomings as a mother. She also resents becoming a silent partner in her marriage to an overbearing man. All she wants is to find Mia, and with Detective Gabe Hoffman by her side, they just might...
I really enjoyed this book! It's sold as a thriller, which really isn't accurate. I mean, there are a bunch of psychological thriller traits throughout, but mostly it's a mystery full of family drama--from all angles.
An estranged daughter goes missing. The father doesn't give a shit. The mother breaks because of it. The sister is too obnoxious to care. The detective assigned to the case gets a bit too involved. And the circumstances behind her kidnapping are dubious.
The story is told in the Before and After POVs of Eve, Gabe and Colin. Each adds a new layer to the overall story, while bridging together the past and the present to fill in the blanks. I found each POV interesting, as the main characters go through their own personal transition.
Eve's story was interesting and what happens to her daughter actually helps her confront the problems in her own life.
Colin's story is filled with violin moments dripping with self-pity. I didn't like him one bit. He's a douche who wants to make quick money and pretends it's all for his sick mother, but he's just a criminal. An asshole who decides to kidnap a girl so someone else doesn't, just because she's pretty. I mean, seriously. Let's not kid ourselves, it's why he does everything.
Mia is another character I didn't like. Even though she's the supposed victim, it wasn't hard to dislike her. She's too self-involved and falls for her kidnapper too easily. Seems like she's been treated so badly by men--her dad and boyfriend--that the simple act of not shooting her in the head is enough for her to relax. o.O Yeah, not so bright. Though she is conniving.
My favourite character was actually Gabe Hoffman. I liked his easy manner, his determination to solve the case, and his kindness. What he does for Colin's mother, how he gets close to Eve because of her grief and loneliness. He's a nice guy without having to advertise the fact.
I love solving mysteries, so I have to admit that I worked out the big twist at the end. Still, the getting there was a surprise, and I didn't guess where Colin ends up.
Another thing that I liked was the writing style. It was smooth and to the point, revealed as much as it had to when it was absolutely necessary. Even with having to juggle all the different POVs and multiple timelines, everything fit. And I thought the pacing was good, too. This isn't an action-packed story, it moves to a different beat.
I'm looking forward to reading more from this author.
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