Absolutely a 5-star read. This is, hands down, one of the BEST books I've read in 2020. Had I not been horrendously ill the day I picked this up, I would've devoured all 350+ pages in one day.
Not only is the mystery well crafted, but the characterization of the ENTIRE cast (even the side characters like the protagonist's college buddies, the waitress at the diner, the nurses, etc.) was done so well, I felt like I knew them each and every character by the time I was done reading. I loved how the writer was able to nail the narrative headspace of a college freshman; you can tell Finlay understood what it's like to be a 20-some-year-old in college -- the fact that he has kids really helps make the narration be realistic. I really loved seeing how Matt, our protagonist developed over the course of the story. Sometimes, with thrillers starring kids in college, you get really amazing plots with little heartfelt character development. In this, I felt like Matt grew up in ways he never could've imagined; it also helped that he had his friends with him for support (one of the BEST parts of this book).
The "whodunit" reveal at the end was well-paced and the hints were scattered pretty early on. There were so many layers to this family's story that at first it seemed almost impossible that there'd be a satisfying tie-up at the end, and it's amazing to experience how Finlay managed to not only wrap up every loose end in sight, but also manage to make you feel the right emotion for each tie-up. No plot holes here! (at least, from what I can think of; I could always be wrong).
Last thing: I usually don't like non-linear story-telling, but this book has convinced me that it's worth giving it a shot again because it was done so effectively. I can't imagine the story having a better impact without it. Kudos to Finlay and the editing team for making this work!
And thank you to BookishFirst for the chance to read this amazing book. I'm excited for when this comes out so I can make everyone I know get it! :P
Not only is the mystery well crafted, but the characterization of the ENTIRE cast (even the side characters like the protagonist's college buddies, the waitress at the diner, the nurses, etc.) was done so well, I felt like I knew them each and every character by the time I was done reading. I loved how the writer was able to nail the narrative headspace of a college freshman; you can tell Finlay understood what it's like to be a 20-some-year-old in college -- the fact that he has kids really helps make the narration be realistic. I really loved seeing how Matt, our protagonist developed over the course of the story. Sometimes, with thrillers starring kids in college, you get really amazing plots with little heartfelt character development. In this, I felt like Matt grew up in ways he never could've imagined; it also helped that he had his friends with him for support (one of the BEST parts of this book).
The "whodunit" reveal at the end was well-paced and the hints were scattered pretty early on. There were so many layers to this family's story that at first it seemed almost impossible that there'd be a satisfying tie-up at the end, and it's amazing to experience how Finlay managed to not only wrap up every loose end in sight, but also manage to make you feel the right emotion for each tie-up. No plot holes here! (at least, from what I can think of; I could always be wrong).
Last thing: I usually don't like non-linear story-telling, but this book has convinced me that it's worth giving it a shot again because it was done so effectively. I can't imagine the story having a better impact without it. Kudos to Finlay and the editing team for making this work!
And thank you to BookishFirst for the chance to read this amazing book. I'm excited for when this comes out so I can make everyone I know get it! :P