by Tracy Sierra

A Mystery/Thriller, 2024 by Pamela Dorman Books, 368 Pages

What I Didn’t Like:

There are some parts of this that change so drastically in tone that they actually stall the story for a beat. While I think it’s intentional, it is jarring for the reader.
The overall perception of men in this one is pretty bad. The main character doesn’t trust them and since we’re with her in POV, we don’t either. This comes through strongly and may make some readers uncomfortable.
Parts of this one, like the reveal near the end, felt rushed. These are the parts of a thriller that are normally slowed down, dragged out, and pay off. So the fact that they were rushed in this one felt odd.

Starting when this one starts is a good call. If it had started any earlier or later it would be too much like other stuff on the market. As it is, opening on the NIGHT OF THE BREAK IN is brilliant. You are immediately in danger and that scenario takes center stage. From the start this isn’t a story just about this family, it’s a story about this moment. Beautifully done.
The contradictory realities section is really amazing. Most police mysteries touch on this but let it linger without calling it out directly, meaning readers who are rushing might miss it. Choosing to have the main character confront this one head on, in her mind, is excellent work. Although it’s a short paragraph, it packs a PUNCH for the reader.
In general, I’d say this one shines because it intentionally changed so many tropes for the genre. The pacing changes to stop your momentum, the obvious bias of your main character seeping into your mind, the highlighting of different moments, and making you question the sanity of your main character and yourself. This book challenges expectations in a great way.

Readers who like to think. Readers who like when tropes are turned on their heads and manipulated. Readers who want something that isn’t a cookie cutter psychological thriller.

Books like this make our rating system tricky, so I’ll explain. I AM the target reader for this book. I ADORED it. I will probably reread this one. But it’s not for every reader. I’d have to figure out if a thriller fan likes books that challenge stereotypes before I could hand them this book. For that reason, it’s niche and that means it’s 3 stars.