by Freida McFadden

A Mystery/Thriller, 2022 by Bookouture, 329 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

Content Warning: Adultery, graphic scenes of abuse
The entire cast of this one is just awful people. They treat each other poorly, talk bad behind each other’s backs, and generally just get up to nonsense. With the exception of (maybe) Enzo, there aren’t many characters here for you to like and root for.
Some lingering questions that could be explained away or could be plot holes. Some of them are small (like the Italian translation apps little use) and some are larger (like the bathroom question). While they’re not HUGELY important to the plot, they niggle into your mind and bother you.
Some big coincidences manage to sneak their way in to make the ending wrap up nicely. Suspend your disbelief a little and you’ll be fine.

The tone of the book is quickly “oh girl, you in danger” which works! Everything makes you cringe, everything tells you to GET OUT, and that creates this high stress environment. It mirrors Millie’s high stress environment when Nina is around so that is well done.
Each part provides more intrigue, more danger, more answers, and yet more questions. This couldn’t have been told in any other order. The brilliance is really in the delivery.
The book is intended to shock and it does that. There are things that don’t go as you planned and that’s always fun! Plus, you have to appreciate the way things all tie together.