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I’ve been on a lucky streak of suspenseful novels lately. This one absolutely fits the definition of a page-turner, as I read it one sitting.

There is very little to pick apart here. The plot was tight. There weren’t a lot of deep thoughts or angsty, twisted mind ramblings. The author gave us just enough information to whet our interest and kept things moving.

The story is told in alternating chapters between multiple characters. It never got confusing. Actually, it was one of the most effective uses of the “several narrators” style that I have read. It was also a great way to allow the reader to understand the different perspectives. This was important, especially as the layers of secrets start to unfold.

And boy, are there secrets galore in this one.

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I don’t want to give too much of the plot away (we know that’s a pet peeve of mine), but I thought the beginning with Mia going missing (and the added complication next door) was an effective starter and drew me in immediately.

Nobody is immune to hiding information from other characters. That’s not to say that it’s a great big mystery with people sneaking around corners (well, for the most part). It actually felt pretty natural, because everyone has secrets that they don’t want others to know, right?

In fact, the power of secrets and how damaging they can really be is the message that comes across loud and clear in this book.

I did think that there were a couple of characters and events that seemed to be more gratuitous than useful in advancing the plot (Coach Jacobs, for one). Although, that situation also served as a commentary on how quickly people will jump to a conclusion and run with it, and how easily rumors and harmful behavior can take root.

I also wish the author had given us a little bit more of Charlotte. I loved her whole backstory (I could relate), and she did have a couple of key points. But I think, given the pivotal part that she played, she could have had a few more chapters.

Overall, though, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend it for a quick, engrossing read. I can’t wait to read more from this author!

Author website: www.Georgina-Cross-Author.com
Twitter: @GCrossAuthor Facebook: GeorginaCrossAuthor
Instagram: GeorginaCrossAuthor

Author Bio:

Georgina Cross is the author of The Stepdaughter (publishing September 2020) and Book 2 (title to be released January 2021) and Nanny Needed (to be published 2021) which are works of domestic suspense, psychological suspense, and thriller.

She is represented by Rachel Beck with Liza Dawson Associates with her suspense fiction appealing to readers of The Good Girl by Mary Kubica, The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle, The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth, and Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.

Georgina has been writing since she was a child. Notebooks & floppy discs filled with stories: adventures growing up in New Orleans and tales from Malaysia & England where her family lives. After graduating from Louisiana State University, she pursued a career in marketing & communications and founded Susie’s Wish non-profit which sends patients with life threatening illnesses to the beach. She spends time with her husband and their combined family of four sons watching plenty of scary movies and is thrilled to be a full-time author.

I enjoy when a book gives a glimpse of events yet to come and then backtracks to recount what happened leading up to the event. It creates a sense of foreboding, and actually makes me read a little bit more carefully to see if I can pick up any hints along the way.

The action is told in alternating points of view between Louise and her daughter Katie, as they navigate their usual summer trip to Montauk. The addition of Katie’s best friend, Isa, throws the whole family a little off-kilter, and it quickly becomes apparent that there is a lot bubbling under the surface. I’ll come back to that in a little bit.

I thought that the plot was well thought-out. I especially liked that we got to the “main event” before the book was even half-way finished, because that meant that there was still a lot to unravel. And boy, was there.

After the incident, the author did a good job of following each of the main characters through their grief process. The result, however, was that there were a few areas that were long inner monologues and self-reflection. The action did drag during these periods, but the exploration of how people grieve differently was well-done.

I also thought that those passages went too long, because by the time we get to the next few “events,” they’re essentially wrapped up within a few pages. I would have liked to have read more detail about those and about James and Katie’s memories of the night in question. All of that could have used more time. It also seemed like a few plot points were more for convenience than for actually mattering to the plot itself.

I actually liked Katie the best; I thought her actions and reactions were very natural to a 17-year-old girl with even a bit of wisdom beyond her years. I didn’t particularly like Louise, especially as I read further. At one point, another character calls her daughter, Katie, “sanctimonious.” I think that fit Louise better (it’s obvious who Katie gets it from) because she came across as selfish and not very responsible.

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And that’s one of the things that was hidden below the surface. Her judgment on Sarah was difficult to stomach given her own actions. But, in a way this fit the stereotypical Upper East Side persona that Louise was somewhat scornful of; she just seemed to have very little self-awareness.

One thing that did stand out to me were some of the linguistic choices made by the author. Some are nitpicky (the Upper West Side is not a borough, it’s a neighborhood). However, others should have been caught.

No teenager from Manhattan or Long Island would say that they “fancy” something (especially not a teenage boy), high schools don’t have recess, they would say braids (not plaits) and would have cookies with tea or hot chocolate (biscuits are for breakfast or dinner). Those instances were scattered but jarring enough to me to notice that the lingo wasn’t correct.

The author did capture the overall atmosphere of a Montauk summer, and I liked how she tied it to the hope of making things better between the characters. The plot was nicely charted by the seasons. The story was good, the characters were intriguing (if sometimes unlikable) and there were a few “what the heck” moments. It’s a good book to pick up for the summer.

Author Bio

Jennifer Harvey is a Scottish writer now living in The Netherlands. She is the author of three novels. Someone Else’s Daughter will be published on June 18th 2020 with Bookouture.
Two more titles will follow in October 2020 and May 2021. Her short stories have been published in numerous literary magazines in the US and the UK, such as Bare Fiction, Litro Online, Carve Magazine, Folio, and The Lonely Crowd.

She has been shortlisted for various short story prizes including the Bristol Prize, the University of Sunderland Short Story Award and the Bridport Prize. Her radio dramas have won prizes and commendations from the BBC World Service. She has been longlisted twice for the Bath Novel Award.