Bloggin' 'bout Books: Debut Novel in P.I. Series an Intriguing Beginning

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Debut Novel in P.I. Series an Intriguing Beginning

7:36 PM

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Twenty-eight years ago, Clea Spector got into a strange blue car and was never seen again. Her sister, Brenna, has never gotten over the loss. Ever since Clea disappeared, she has been both blessed and cursed with Hyperthymestic Syndrome. With perfect clarity, Brenna can recall everything she has ever experienced since age 11. While her neurological disorder is helpful in her work as a private investigator, it's not the easiest thing to cope with on a day-to-day basis. Brenna has learned how to harness her flawless memory to help her find missing persons and yet, she still can't figure out what happened to Clea.

In the meantime, Brenna is called in to help with the case of Carol Wentz, a 51-year-old woman, who has vanished. Oddly enough, Carol once lived next door to Iris Neff, a 6-year-old who walked away from a family barbecue eleven years ago and disappeared. She's been obsessed with the case ever since. Brenna knows the feeling. Like Clea's unsolved case, Iris' continues to haunt the P.I. As Brenna tries to figure out what happened to Carol, she discovers strange connections between the neighbors' disappearances. What do these new clues mean? Can Brenna find the missing persons before it's too late?

And She Was—the first book in Alison Gaylin's mystery series starring Brenna Spector—offers an intriguing, twisty plot that kept me glued to its pages. I also enjoyed the characters in this one; not all of them are likeable, but all of them are interesting. Brenna is both. She's a brave, funny, and real heroine whose unique disorder makes for interesting reading. Gaylin's a skilled thriller writer, one I'm just discovering. Since I've enjoyed both the books I've read by her so far, I'm definitely up for more. I'll for sure be continuing with the Brenna Spector series as well as checking out Gaylin's standalone novels.

(Readalikes: Um, no specific series or authors are coming to mind. Help!)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for language (a handful of F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and blood/gore

To the FTC, with love: I bought a copy of And She Was from Amazon with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger. Ha ha.

6 comments:

Kay25 November, 2018 05:08
I'm so glad you talked about this book, Susan! I've noticed it and others in by this author for many years, but have yet to pick one up. I honestly love hearing about authors that have been around for a while. Definitely keeping this one in mind.
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Mystica25 November, 2018 06:50
I read a book very recently about someone with total recall. It was not a blessing to the person in the story. This series and author is new to me so thanks for the update.
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Replies
Lark 25 November, 2018 13:59
Oh, yay. Another good series to try. I've never heard of Hyperthymestic Syndrome, but it sounds interesting. (P.S. Hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving, Susan!) :D
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Replies
Helen's Book Blog27 November, 2018 19:32
I do enjoy a good PI story; it's a nice change from the regular thrillers.
ReplyDelete
Replies

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2. She Doesn't Have a Clue by Jenny Elder Moke (Jan)
3. My Salty Mary by Brodi Ashton, Cynthia Hand, and Jodi Meadows* [audio] (Jan)
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11. All Over the Map by Lanie Jacobs (Jan)
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13. Elementary, She Read by Vicki Delany [audio] (Jan)
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16. A Dream of Death by Connie Berry (Jan)
17. The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments by Hadley Vlahos, RN* (Jan)
18. Red River Road by Anna Downes [audio] (Jan)
19. Janitors School of Garbage by Tyler Whitesides (Feb)
20. Something in the Walls by Daisy Pearce (Feb)
21. Janitors School of Garbage: Trials of the Trash by Tyler Whitesides (Feb)
22. The Brightwood Code by Monica Hesse [audio] (Feb)
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25. To Catch a Storm by Mindy Mejia (Feb)
26. Murder in Miniature by Katie Tietjen (Feb)
27. A World of Hurt by Mindy Mejia (Feb)
28. If Walls Could Talk by Juliet Blackwell (Feb)
29. Finlay Donovan Is Killing It by Elle Cosimano [audio] (Feb)
30. Wool by Hugh Howey (Feb)
31. Shift by Hugh Howey (Feb)
32. Two Parts Sugar, One Part Murder by Valerie Burns [audio] (Mar)
33. The Treasure Hunters Club by Tom Ryan (Mar)
34. Last Light Over Galveston by Jennifer L. Wright (Mar)
35. Murder on the Page by Daryl Wood Gerber (Mar)
36. The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (Mar)
37. The Housemaid's Secret by Freida McFadden (Mar)
38. The Last Lifeboat by Hazel Gaynor [audio] (Mar)
39. You Belong Here by Megan Miranda (Mar)
40. Asylum Hotel by Juliet Blackwell (Mar)
41. The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth* [audio] (Mar)
42. Reconnected: How 7 Screen-Free Weeks With Monks and Amish Farmers helped Me Recover the Lost Art of Being Human by Carlos Whittaker (Mar)
43. Famous Last Words by Gillian McAllister (Mar)
44. Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q. Sutanto* (Apr)
45. Her Last Flight by Beatriz Williams (Apr)
46. The Wind Called My Name by Mary Louise Sanchez (Apr)
47. What Happened to Nina? by Dervla McTiernan (Apr)
48. The Younger Wife by Sally Hepworth [audio] (Apr)
49. That Last Carolina Summer by Karen White (Apr)
50. A Pie to Die For by Gretchen Rue (Apr)
51. The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian (Apr)
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Debut Novel in P.I. Series an Intriguing Beginning

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Books Read in 2025 (asterisks denote favorites)