This book was presented to me as a thriller. While there are thrilling elements, I wouldn't classify it as one. There is also a second chance romance in the book, but that doesn't give it a romance or even a romantic suspense classification. It is a straight mystery. in my opinion.
Jamie, our lead character, starts as a teenager in this story. She and her older sister are both in high school. The town they live in only has the one high school, so everybody goes there. Toward the end of the school year, Jamie gets an invite to a senior party. She's supposed to babysit that night. She trades part of the babysitting gig with her sister.
That year there was a cluster of attacks on babysitters. Speculation had one evil serial attacker. True to this sort of story, Jamie's older sister, Emma, is attacked and left brain damaged. Jamie feels guilty and leaves town just as soon as she can.
Flash forward some 15 years. Jamie's mother has died and Jamie returns to settle the estate and care for her sister. The person who attacked Emma has never been found. The serial attacker theory had been disproven years ago. Emma can function, but still needs help. Jamie also has a teenaged daughter.
Way back in high school, Jamie had a crush on Cooper Hayes, where we get our romance from. He has a teenaged step-daughter the same age as Jamie's. He's also a police detective. When strange things start to happen, he starts to re-investigate the old attack on Emma.
Like I said, this is a mystery, complete with multiple crimes, not all by the same person just to throw res herrings all over everything. There are multiple motives for all and sundry. I did think it ran a little long, pulling in elements of both relationship books and cozy mysteries. Other than the slow pacing, I liked the book.
I received the copy of the book I read for this review from BookishFirst.
Jamie, our lead character, starts as a teenager in this story. She and her older sister are both in high school. The town they live in only has the one high school, so everybody goes there. Toward the end of the school year, Jamie gets an invite to a senior party. She's supposed to babysit that night. She trades part of the babysitting gig with her sister.
That year there was a cluster of attacks on babysitters. Speculation had one evil serial attacker. True to this sort of story, Jamie's older sister, Emma, is attacked and left brain damaged. Jamie feels guilty and leaves town just as soon as she can.
Flash forward some 15 years. Jamie's mother has died and Jamie returns to settle the estate and care for her sister. The person who attacked Emma has never been found. The serial attacker theory had been disproven years ago. Emma can function, but still needs help. Jamie also has a teenaged daughter.
Way back in high school, Jamie had a crush on Cooper Hayes, where we get our romance from. He has a teenaged step-daughter the same age as Jamie's. He's also a police detective. When strange things start to happen, he starts to re-investigate the old attack on Emma.
Like I said, this is a mystery, complete with multiple crimes, not all by the same person just to throw res herrings all over everything. There are multiple motives for all and sundry. I did think it ran a little long, pulling in elements of both relationship books and cozy mysteries. Other than the slow pacing, I liked the book.
I received the copy of the book I read for this review from BookishFirst.