Author: Anne McAneny
Published: January 28th 2013 by Farrington Press
(first published January 15th 2013)
Page Count: 332
Genre: Mystery
Shelf: Review Copy
Rating: ★★★★★
Synopsis from Goodreads:
What’s a girl to do when her imprisoned brother begs her to delve into their father’s sixteen-year-old murder conviction? How about peel back the lies, upend the fairy tales, and roil the populace of Lavitte—a sweet apple of a town with a wormy, festering core? That’s what Allison Fennimore chooses. Despite her infamous surname and people’s wilted memories, this jaded cynic of a daughter sinks her teeth in and refuses to let go. She can practically taste the bitterness of that long-ago, twisted night when two teenagers died, linked to her father by bad luck and a few strands of rope.
Ignoring the dense local atmosphere where image trumps substance and lies become legend, Allison stirs the pot. The more layers she discards, the more elusive the truth becomes. And when a key source of information turns up dead, the dark edges of resentment coil in around her like a slowly tightening noose. As revelations get ugly, Allison may wish she’d never ventured toward the forbidden fruit of truth.
My Review:
This is a very unique novel that makes you think and keeps you guessing throughout, while simultaneously drawing you into the plot. The author invokes a panorama of emotions in both the reader and in her characters to draw you through a very captivating novel that will leave a lasting impression on its audience.
This author uses a very light and flowing writing style that makes you want to keep reading. It contrasts with the content of the novel, giving the aura of greater intrigue. The very solid and well laid out storyline of this novel also melds intrigue and mystery with friendship and family to draw the reader into a very difficult and heart wrenching world that keeps you guessing and wanting more. The author also strives for accuracy in her writing. The storyline is based on events that could plausibly have happened, and the response from law enforcement and medical professionals is not made up, but rather true responses.
The author regularly switches character perspectives and time periods throughout the novel. This is a concept and technique that can be very detrimental or very instrumental in a story’s development. McAneny has nailed this technique perfectly. Not only does she differentiate between the sections by denoting the time and character at the beginning of each chapter, but she also uses various different writing techniques to further differentiate. She tactfully and subtly switches between the first and third person, as well as between the past and present tense without ever interrupting or disrupting the storyline.
The characters in this novel are quite interesting. To sum them up as a group, I’d have to say ‘holy town full of creepy people.’ This town is bound together in secrecy, based on events long past. The bulk of the character development surrounds this secrecy, aiding in the procession of the story. You begin to see how many of their actions are based on this. That said, character development does not end with this secrecy. The major characters in this novel are quite well developed. They are fully developed individuals who are dealing with real issues, even if they are events that many of us will never have to deal with. I also appreciate that the budding romance between two of the characters does not overshadow the main storyline.
It has been a very long time since I’ve read a novel with such a solidly built storyline. It draws you in and propels you forward with suspense and mystery. It was artfully done and a pleasure to read.
Buy your copy online here today!
Continue Reading...
