4 stars out of 5
If he writes it, I will come. That's my conclusion after reading three books by this talented author. This one, my third, held my attention from start to finish - just as the other two did.
This story centers around a missing girl named Sadie Saunders; her five friends - and for that matter, the entire town - are convinced that she's been murdered, but no body has been found. Most folks think they know who did it as well, but the friends - one Sadie's boyfriend and another her brother - reluctantly decide to form a search party to comb the woods near the river where her backpack was found.
The beginning actually starts closer to the end as Detective Inspector Robin Fleet and his partner, Nicola Collins, are called in when the young people call in a rather gruesome story. From there, most of the chapters detail police interviews with each of the five friends, thus gradually revealing what really happened and why. The more they talk, the more complicated the story gets - until the end, when the truth finally emerges (with a not totally unexpected twist).
Fleet is a very interesting character with issues of his own, and I wish he'd been more of a player here (hopefully, he'll be back - maybe as part of a series, hint, hint). The teenagers were interesting as well, although it seemed to me they possessed mental processing and verbal abilities far beyond their years. And as I bounced back and forth among their interviews, I couldn't help but feel as if I was in the middle of a game of Clue (was it Mason in the tree with a bottle? Cora in the river with a rock)? After all is said and done, though, I really enjoyed the book. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read a pre-publication copy.
The Search Party by Simon Lelic (Berkley, August 2020); 352 pp.
4 stars out of 5
If melodrama's your thing, you'll absolutely love this book. But even if it isn't, chances are you'll enjoy it anyway. I did, getting so caught up in it that I read for nearly two hours straight just because I "had" to get to the end before putting it down.
The reason isn't that I loved the angst-ridden characters who have almost unbelievably over-the-top "secrets" they've been trying to hide (and lie about) for years; rather, it's an artfully written story that draws the reader in and simply won't let go. It's much the same feeling I had at the conclusion of another of the author's books, The New Neighbors, which I also very much enjoyed and, nearing the end, couldn't put down. And you can be sure that I'll be chomping at the bit to get the next one as well.
This one centers on Susanna Fenton, who for a reason unknown at the beginning left her former self in the wind some 14 years earlier, studying to become a mental health counselor. She's got a daughter Emily (who, hint, hint, is around 14 years old), and good friend Ruth, a dentist who has a practice right next to Susanna's counseling office. One day, Susanna opens her door to a mysterious but vaguely familiar-looking young man who's made an appointment for help. But quickly, the roles change - and it's no longer Susanna who is in charge. Worse, he knows way more about Susanna's carefully hidden past life than she's willing to remember. But remember it she must if she's to save her precious daughter.
Chapters shift between what's happening with Susanna and Emily (in their past and present), all leading up to revelations and admissions about what happened in Susanna's life 14 years ago and why she tried so hard to escape. Thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review it.
The Liar's Room by Simon Lelic (Berkley, January 2019); 352 pp.
5 stars out of 5
For openers, rating this book isn't easy; it's just different enough to leave me a little bit unsure of whether I loved it or simply liked it a lot. But for sure the plot is intriguing and the story well written - and in the end, after I'd stayed up an hour beyond my usual bedtime because I wanted (make that needed) to finish it, I had to go with 5 stars.
Chapters switch between "writings" by London friends with benefits Jack Walsh and Sydney Baker; together, they've bought a house and are striving for a life like any other couple. Except, that is, they're not; even the purchase of the house - a surprise since they were far from the most qualified bidders - isn't what it appears to be. Jack has misgivings from the start, especially when it comes to all the "junk" left behind by the former owner (like stuffed birds, things that go bump in the night and a few beyond-strange things in the attic that he keeps secret from Syd because he doesn't want to upset her).
That's only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to secrets, though. Jack encounters issues (of his own making) at his job as a social worker; Syd comes from an horrific childhood, the details of which she's never shared with Jack. While she has few misgivings about the house - loves it, in fact - she's seeing her childhood play out before her eyes in the form of Elsie, a 13-year-old neighbor who lives with her ne'er-do-well father. Bottom line? Jack needs Syd and Syd needs Jack - but each is afraid of alienating the other if their former and current lives are fully revealed.
It is when a dead body turns up near their back door that they decide to keep journals, of sorts - resulting in the chapters that reveal bit by bit what really happened, how it all relates to the here and now and depicts a fast-unraveling relationship. The ending isn't too surprising - and for some (in particular, those who view life in right or wrong, black or white terms), I suspect it may not be a satisfying outcome.
But as they say, hey, it works for me. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
The New Neighbors by Simon Lelic (Berkley, April 2018); 349 pp.
If he writes it, I will come. That's my conclusion after reading three books by this talented author. This one, my third, held my attention from start to finish - just as the other two did.
