5 stars This book was on my TBR list for a while, because I’m a member of the Carey Lewis fan club (unofficial), and the plot sounded intriguing. I was not disappointed. In fact, there was only one part where I thought, “hey, that doesn’t make sense,” but then it turned out it didn’t matter. I won’t explain why as that might spoil the surprise.The characters were well-developed and relatable, and the sense of being overwhelmed and confused (Charlotte) was believable. Jack was the grifter that you can’t help but love, even if you’re not entirely sure if he’s on the up and up, and you’re pretty sure he’s not. It ended in much the way I expected, but it was touch and go, and there were lots of unexpected and very clever occurrences. One of the things I like about Carey Lewis’ books is his sense of humor. For example: “The Polish guy’s name was Mateusz, a name Charlotte couldn’t pronounce because it always sounded like she was faking a sneeze.” And as the narrator described a route through the city, he threw in, “...Avenue Road, probably the stupidest name for a street she ever heard.” And when one of the characters was asked whether his mother would mind someone bunking in the basement, he said, “...she wouldn’t mind because she wouldn’t know because she never comes downstairs.” But it’s not all fun and games and Lewis also knows how to cut through the mundane to the heart of the conflict characters sometimes feel within themselves. As Charlotte questions her life choices, she looks out the window of her car. “As she waited for the light to change, she couldn't avert her gaze from the buildings. They seemed to lean forward, out of breath, out of life. They hadn’t changed in awhile, and now looked like they wanted to give up. They were something past the point of... what? Beauty? Use? Youth?” Personification may be one of my favorite literary devices (my favorite being alliteration), and it is not used nearly often enough. This example will have to fuel me for a while. A suspense/mystery plot requires a level of planning that not all books need. Not only is the pacing of this book perfect, but it also unravels the suspense at a rate that keeps the reader guessing right until the very end. I highly recommend this book. Until now, my favorite Carey Lewis book was Bestseller (which is mentioned in this book in a roundabout way), but I think I may even like this one better. Both are worth reading. March 23, 2021
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Elizabeth J ConnorWriter. Editor. Proofreader. Archives
September 2022
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