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We Are All the Same in the Dark
We Are All the Same in the Dark
Julia Heaberlin | 2020 | Crime, Mystery
9
9.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Stunning, shocking thriller filled with dark twists
Ten years ago, Trumanell Branson disappeared, along with her no-good daddy. But it's beautiful Trumanell her Texas town remembers and mourns. And, despite no arrests, they blame her brother, Wyatt, who lives alone on the old Branson homestead, hated by the entire town. When Wyatt, a trucker, finds a girl in a field of dandelions, he thinks it's a sign. As for the town cop, Odette--who has a long history with Wyatt--she fears the discovery of this girl will only turn the town against Wyatt fully and permanently. But when she goes to retrieve her, she feels drawn to the girl. Odette is haunted by Trumanell's disappearance, and now, the arrival of this mystery girl. As she digs into the past and the present, she uncovers shocking secrets about her town and the night that forever changed it.

"She has a bad, bad mystery to her. I can feel it deep in the hollow of my spook bone, the one my dad broke when I was a kid. My arm is never wrong."

This is an amazing, absorbing thriller that draws you in from the first page. Heaberlin writes so beautifully and lyrically--all these dark and horrific moments unfold in such beautiful prose. Her words astound me.

"There's no chatter about why I'm alone, scared, speeding on a prairie road with trees scattered like sailboats, thinking how my daddy, the town's late great top cop, told me to never come back to this little Texas hellhole unless it was to bury his ashes. Don't try to find the truth about Trumanell. Some answers are left to the by and by."

The characters here are beautiful--flawed, damaged, tender, and painted with a depth that will astound you. Troubled Odette, lost Wyatt, and Angel, the girl found in the field. They form a trio that one is unlikely to forget for quite some time.

This is a dark read--atmospheric and sad, and not always easy to read. Bad things happen in this town. Heaberlin's twists are true stunners. It's rare when a thriller takes me by surprise, but wow, I found myself shocked several times, and even better, unaware of the true culprit. How nice to read a mystery without guessing the ultimate ending.

Overall, this is a superb tale of a town held captive by its own secrets and tragedy. The characters come to life before your eyes through Heaberlin's elegant writing. It's shocking and twisted and one that shouldn't be missed. 4.5 stars.
  
Long Bright River
Long Bright River
Liz Moore | 2020 | Crime, Fiction & Poetry, Thriller
8
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
A Tale of Two Sisters
An engaging story of two sisters whose lives take very different paths. I loved the writing in this book and felt I was drawn into seeing the run-down Philadelphia neighborhood this book is set in.

Less a thriller and more a very character-driven tale of Michaela (Mickey,) a cop and her complicated relationship to her drug-addicted sister. When women start turning up dead on Mickey’s patch her concern for her sister intensifies. The book switches between the present day with Mickey’s search for a killer and her sister in a neighborhood suspicious of police and the tale of their growing-up in less than ideal circumstances.

Part police procedural/mystery/thriller I wouldn’t pick this book up if that’s what you are really craving as this isn’t done in a particularly satisfying way with what felt like a slightly rushed resolution after a slow-burn start to this aspect. I would, however, recommend picking it up if you fancy a gritty emotional look into the world of a neighborhood ravaged by drugs and the strong family ties that persevere.

Many thanks to the publisher, author and Netgalley for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
  
Flight Risk
Flight Risk
Cara C. Putman | 2020 | Contemporary, Romance, Thriller
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Flight Risk was a fun romantic legal thriller!
     This book was filled with so many layers that flowed together flawlessly, keeping my mind engaged through its entirety. It did not read like your typical legal thriller as most of the mystery takes place outside the courtroom so to speak. Cara C. Putman explains the legal terms used in an easy to understand verbiage without the information losing its intended meaning. All the while weaving several different plots together for the makings of one cohesive story.
     I loved the main character Savannah; she showed a strength that I want to have in my own life. Her reactions to the situations presented were genuinely believable and seemed to fit the situations well. Jett was also a good character who had an encouraging spirit and would do anything to find the truth; something I admire. I enjoyed the themes of learning from our past mistakes and never judging a book by its cover, I though Cara C. Putman did a great job putting those themes at the forefront throughout the book. I did feel that the end was rushed, as everything happened so quickly, there was just something missing at the end; that is not to say that there isn’t a good ending