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2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


30 / 30 books. 100% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

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My Progress:


51 / 51 states. 100% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

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52 / 50 books. 104% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


36 / 50 books. 72% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

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52 / 52 books. 100% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


51 / 52 books. 98% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


37 / 40 books. 93% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


18 / 40 books. 45% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

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25 / 25 cozies. 100% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

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5 / 26.2 miles (4th lap). 19% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

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51 / 100 books. 51% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


98 / 109 books. 90% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

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52 / 52 books. 100% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

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139 / 165 books. 84% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

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88 / 100 names. 88% done!

The Life Skills Reading Challenge

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40 / 80 skills. 50% done!
Friday, May 01, 2015

Compelling Mystery Would Have Benefited From Subtlety, Tighter Structure

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Ridgedale, an idyllic New Jersey college town, has its share of minor crimes.  Break-ins, domestic squabbles, robberies, etc. aren't uncommon, but murder?  In the last two decades, there have been only two.  When the body of a dead baby is found in a wooded area on university property, it appears as though that stat may be changing.  Cause of death will take some time to determine, but in the meantime, everyone has a theory.  

As a reporter for the local newspaper, Molly Sanderson covers the fun, artsy side of Ridgedale.  Focusing on lively arts/lifestyle/human interest stories has helped lift her out of the oppressive grief she's felt ever since the loss of her own child.  It's only a fluke that she's assigned the story of the newborn's death, but Molly's determined to find out what happened to the infant.  Even if it kills her.

The more clues Molly uncovers, the more sinister the story becomes.  Ridgedale may look like a peaceful little hamlet where nothing bad ever happens, but she's beginning to see the truth—the townspeople are keeping some pretty dark secrets.  Unlocking them will put everything Molly holds dear at risk.  It may even cost her her sanity or, worse, her life.

Where They Found Her, Kimberly McCreight's sophomore novel (Reconstructing Amelia was her debut), tells a chilling, suspenseful story about a grieving mother's desperate search for redemption.  The sorrow and guilt that plague Molly make her a sympathetic character, one with whom it's easy to identify.  As for the supporting cast, they all seem pretty stereotypical and bland.  Plotwise, Where They Found Her has a clumsy, choppy structure.  While some of its twists are well-crafted, others seem to come totally out of left field.  The novel could definitely benefit from tighter plot structure and more subtlety.  Although it's depressing, Where They Found Her is a compelling novel.  It kept me turning pages, but in the end, I just didn't love it.

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't think of anything.  Can you?)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:


for strong language, violence, sexual content, and depictions of underage drinking and illegal drug use

To the FTC, with love:  I received an e-ARC of Where They Found Her from the generous folks at HarperCollins via those at NetGalley.  Thank you!   

3 comments:

  1. Well at least it was a page turner. I've had very few of those lately.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I want to read this one, love the premise but I'm glad I'm forewarned about the bland secondary characters and not sure I'll like the twists that come out of the blue.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have this one, but haven't read it yet. It's a bummer that the story wasn't as structured as it could have been. This wasn't super high on my TBR list, and now I'm not sure I will bother. Thanks for the honest review!

    ReplyDelete

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Reading

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Dumb Witness by Agatha Christie

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The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth



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