Believe it or not, I have never read a book by Tami Hoag before. I have heard good things about her books, but until her latest arrived for review, I had never actually picked up one to read. I’ll just say that if the rest are half as good as this one, she will definitely get added to my ‘someday when I have time’ pile.
This is not a mystery novel, not in any way. Everybody knows from page one whodunit, the cops, the survivors and even the crim. No this is a psychological thriller on a grand scale. Be warned, it will catch you and hold on until almost the last page. Give yourself time to read this all at once.
Leslie Lawton, 16, disappeared 4 years ago. She left home to attend a softball game, and never returned. Days later her abandoned bicycle was found down an embankment. This crime, more than any other, is tough on a family. Father, Lance, couldn’t cope with the guilt of his final argument with the girl or the suspicions of the cops, and solves his problems by driving off the edge of a very high bridge. The cops know who abducted and murdered her, but without a body or any evidence, nothing can be done. So as her younger daughter is about to turn 16, Lauren accepts the offer of accommodation in another city in an effort to keep this daughter safe. But, it just so happens that the girl’s abductor has moved to the same city.
The story is told from Lauren’s point of view, and Hoag has created a very sympathetic character. The reader is drawn into her anger and frustration and even if we don’t agree with her decisions, we understand them. Who among us could be sure we wouldn’t respond the same way? This is a woman on the brink of disaster and has very few options to pull back from the edge. Contrast this emotional wreck with the steady stability of Tony Mendez. Apparently he is a repeating character and Hoag has a very firm grasp of his story. I hope the gentle teaser at the end is followed up in another book in future.
I must applaud the twists and turns of this plot. Saying much more will risk spoilers, so I can only say, buckle up for a thrilling ride. I was caught unawares so many times it is embarrassing.
