I like it when an author creates a location that is as much a character as the people. That is certainly the case with the town of Gothic in Point Last Seen, a new thriller by Christina Dodd.
Nestled between the Coastal Range and the Pacific Ocean somewhere along the California coast, Gothic is difficult to get to. Perfect for the inhabitants of the town, who all seem to be seeking isolation for one reason or another.
There’s a tortured artist, a former movie star, a transgender psychic (more on that later), and a whole host of other quirky characters. At times they verge on being cartoonish, but once I realized how the author was crafting the story, it didn’t really bother me.
The plot is pretty straightforward. as much as it tries to be a thriller, there is too much given away near the beginning to make it too enthralling. There are some moments of “what will happen” but not as many as expected.
In fact, the whole book reads more like a romance with some suspense instead of a straight-out thriller. I think if you go into the book with that perspective, you will enjoy it more. As a thriller, it is a little disappointing.
However, the romance is not that strong either. It is difficult to believe that a person with amnesia who was dead for all intents and purposes is suddenly more focused on her rescuer’s body and what she can do with it.
There are more than a few parts that are jarring like that. They left me thinking, “sheesh, this woman must be really frustrated.” If you know the publisher is Harlequin, I guess readers can just expect it?
The villains are not very evil. So, there is no suspense from them. And as to the transgender psychic, it appears as if there is some misgendering along the way. It seems to be an odd choice anyway because it really doesn’t add anything to the story itself.
I suppose if you’re going to try to be timely and include a character to show diversity, you should probably make sure you’re correct in all aspects of that character’s beliefs. I couldn’t care less about it, but I know that it is important to a portion of society.
Anyway, as I said at the outset, the town is atmospheric on its own, and that’s not because of the characters. It just seems like a cool place to visit. Point Last Seen is a good story, and I’ll definitely read more from Christina Dodd.
Facebook: Christina Dodd
Instagram: @christinadoddbooks
Author Bio:
New York Times bestselling author Christina Dodd writes “edge-of-the-seat suspense” (Iris Johansen) with “brilliantly etched characters, polished writing, and unexpected flashes of sharp humor that are pure Dodd” (ALA Booklist). Her fifty-eight books have been called “scary, sexy, and smartly written” by Booklist and, much to her mother’s delight, Dodd was once a clue in the Los Angeles Times crossword puzzle. Enter Christina’s worlds and join her mailing list at www.christinadodd.com.
