(4.5 stars rounded down)
I’ve been thinking this book over for about a week now, and I’m still not completely sure of how I feel about it. This is one of the most complicated books I’ve ever read. The amount of thought and detail that went into every single aspect of this book is mind-blowing. It did take me a while to get through it, but that was completely my fault and had nothing to do with the book itself.
This was my first book by Nora Roberts, and I believe I picked the perfect book to start out with. When I was at Walmart, I noticed this cover almost immediately. I love anything that focuses on such serious and important topics, so I ultimately chose this one and my expectations were extremely high. She surpassed the expectations I had.
The storyline itself – mass shooting leading to a serial killing – was what completely sold me on this book, and it did not disappoint. The first few pages focused on the shooting, which was described in such detail I had to take a break for a couple hours before continuing. The entire shooting was completely heartbreaking and eye-opening. I’m not sure I’ll be visiting either a mall nor movie theatre – especially one in a mall – for quite a while. The rest of part one was about the healing of those affected in the shooting, which again, was rather heartbreaking. Nora Roberts truly captured what trauma feels like and how it can change a person.
The second part was focused on the years following the shooting and the time leading up to the string of murders. The ability of the murderer did seem a little too strong, however, it also felt extremely possible; psychopaths and sociopaths are smart and plan things out in so much depth and detail it’s a bit terrifying. This is also when the romance started.
The third part focused more on the relationship and downfall of the murderer. This part held my attention, and I could hardly put it down once I reached part three. I personally found it interesting to watch the murderer slowly lose control and patience, which leads to being caught.
The characters were very complex, had a lot of depth that I wasn’t really expecting. I loved Reed and Cici so much. Cici reminded me a lot of my mom, and her relationship with Simone reminded me of ours. The dedication and love they put into their careers and relationships was beautiful, and the entire time the story was focused on one of them, I was just in awe.
Simone was also an amazing character, and I found her personal growth inspiring. I’m a sucker for a female MC who can bring herself out of struggling and completely strive, and that’s exactly what Simone was. She went through pure hell, yet she still ended up in a healthy relationship and with a healthy coping mechanism.
As for the main romance of the book, I found it both cute and also annoying. Reed joking about running away with Cici started out as funny, but over the course of their relationship, it got kind of annoying. I also thought it was a predictable relationship. From the second the book started, I sort of assumed who the relationship mentioned on the back of the book would be between, and to my disappointment, I was correct. There were times when I loved their relationship, though; they could be pretty cute together.
Overall, I really did love this book. The only thing keeping it from being a five star book is the relationship. Otherwise, it’s one of the best thrillers I’ve read. If the subject of mass shootings and serial murders don’t trigger you, I highly suggest reading this book.
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P. Christie
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