(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:

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!   

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

When Kate Baron, a 38-year-old lawyer working for a prestigious firm in Manhattan, receives a call from her daughter's high school, she's stunned.  Amelia's always been a model student.  She can't possibly be guilty of plagiarizing; the administration's obviously made a huge mistake.  When Kate reaches the school, she gets an even worse shock—Amelia's not waiting in the headmaster's office because her dead body is sprawled on the ground outside the school.  The police are quick to rule the 15-year-old's death a suicide.

Kate can't believe her only child is dead, can't fathom why someone as beautiful and smart as Amelia would take her own life.  It just doesn't add up.  Then, Kate gets an ominous text:  She didn't jump.  It's obviously some monster's idea of a sick joke, but what if it's not?  What if someone pushed Amelia?  As horrible as the idea is, it makes more sense than a girl like Amelia killing herself.  Kate can't imagine who would want to hurt Amelia, but she's determined to find her daughter's murderer.  She doesn't care if voicing her concerns makes her sound like a desperate, grief-crazy psycho—she will find out what really happen to Amelia.       

As Kate searches through her daughter's texts, emails and Facebook statuses, she begins to wonder if she knew her daughter at all.  Did Amelia's involvement with a secret campus club twist her into a lying, cheating bad girl?  Or was she the victim of extreme hazing?  Was her death caused by someone she knew or was it a random crime?  The closer Kate gets to the truth, the more disturbing the answers become.  Can she handle knowing what really happened, especially if it shows how largely she failed as a mother?  Kate's no longer sure ...

I've said many times that I love a nice, twisty psychological thriller and Reconstructing Amelia certainly qualifies.  The debut novel by Kimberly McCreight offers a murder (or not?) mystery that takes plenty of surprising, sinister turns.  Although it does get cliché in spots, the plot's tight construction as well as its alternating viewpoints keeps the story tense and edge-of-your-seat interesting.  It's well-crafted, for sure.  Not that there weren't times when it felt a little far-fetched or when Amelia acted a lot older than 15, but overall, the plotting's tight.  That being said, Reconstructing Amelia is a dark, disturbing novel that's deeply unsettling.  Let's just say, it's R-rated for a reason.  There were lots of times throughout the novel when I thought, "Why in the world am I still reading this?"  So yeah, beware.  The story made me that uncomfortable, but it was also that compelling.  Once I started reading, I couldn't stop. 

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult)  

Grade:  B-

If this were a movie, it would be rated:  R for strong language, sexual content (including homosexual encounters), and depictions of underage drinking/drug usage 

To the FTC, with love:  I received an ARC of Reconstructing Amelia from the generous folks at Harper Collins via those at TLC Book Tours.  Thank you!