I first saw this book on Reedsy, but it was taken by another reviewer before I got the chance. I looked it up on Amazon and realised it was on promotion, so I got it from there.

The Premise

When Kate’s 13-year-old sister disappears at the lake and a body is later found, Kate doesn’t believe it was Emily. Seven years later, Kate returns to her hometown for a work event. When she sees a familiar face at a nearby house, she believes it is her sister. The sighting leads her down a rabbit hole to investigate what happened to Emily. With the help of longtime boyfriend Lucas, she starts asking questions. She discovers shocking secrets from her past, and confronts her own guilt at the events she barely remembers as a very young child. Can she figure out what really happened to Emily?

The Pros

This was a great read that combined mystery with a psychological thriller. I liked the relationships it explored with her family, and the way the past is interwoven to keep the reader guessing — really, how much do we remember from when we were so young? I also enjoyed the revamp of romance between Kate and Lucas, and how easily she fell back in with his family. The descriptions are done well, mounting the tension and drama as we try to imagine all the different scenarios that could have happened to Emily. When the truth finally is revealed, it leaves us with the lingering message of how easy a parent can lose a child through death or disappearance, and how careful we must always be as parents.

The Cons

I really enjoyed this book, but I admit that I felt like I had seen it or read something similar before — perhaps I just watch too much TV! I quickly forgave that though, as I got into the story. My only real major issue that detracted me was that the pacing was a bit unsettling for me the way the tense shifts to recap something that just recently happened. From the coworker she hangs out with, to the recap of a night with Lucas’ family directly before, to the father’s conversation at the end when she confronts him about the past — there were so many bits and pieces that felt like they were jumping back and forth and really didn’t need to be “flashback” since they had literally just happened.

Conclusion

This was overall a compelling read, despite my own niggles of personal preferences (bear in mind, I am a picky reader). I liked the way the story is told and pieces everything together by the end, with parts hinted at for the reader to help assemble it along with the character. I like the writer’s style for the most part, and would love to read more from her. I would recommend this book to any reader who appreciates a good mystery/thriller.

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