Going into Goodman’s sophomore novel, I wasn’t sure what to expect. While I didn’t love it, They Wish They Were Us was a debut with a lot of potential. And I’m happy to say: the potential delivered.
Goodman’s style of thrillers is completely different to, say, Holly Jackson’s. There’s not much focus on the actual crime aspect, nor is there any complex sleuthing. She does excel at creating a story that focuses on characters, human beings, much like a good true crime podcast episode. They’ll Never Catch Us is a story of running. It’s a story of sisters, of striving for success. Most importantly, it’s a story about girls.
Stella Steckler was bound for a full ride to Georgetown on a cross-country scholarship until one scandal took it all away. Now, she’s running to get that scholarship back. When she meets the famous running protege Mila Keene, she sees her as nothing but competition at first. What she doesn’t expect is to find a friend. Stella’s character is surprisingly well-written. We get certain reveals about her past in tandem to watching her actions in the present. Because of that, her character ended up feeling fleshed-out.
Ellie Steckler has always been one step behind her older sister. Now, it’s her turn in the spotlight, even as she balances out the shadows of her private life. Mila Keene is the only one who she trusts with her secrets. I really liked Ellie! She felt so kind, and so genuine. A toxic relationship eats away at the very bones of one’s life, and watching that happen to her was painful. One thing I really loved was her and Stella’s bond.
“The world breaks little girls. It stomps out our will, our joy, our curiosity – and replaces them with disdain, cynicism, and the need to fit into neat and tiny boxes.”
The actual disappearance of Mila Keene doesn’t happen until halfway through the book. This isn’t a mystery filled with tantalizing clues and clever detective work. Rather, this is a chilling story about girls who run, and the abuse, pressure, and fear they constantly face. In the Stecklers’s town, three female cross-country runners had gone missing and were murdered years ago. When Mila goes missing, the town goes on lockdown…but only the girls are forced to stop practicing and change their entire routine to protect themselves. This internalized misogyny was even represented in law enforcement: because the lead detective held a grudge against both Stella and another girl, the investigation was hardly ever taken seriously and given the attention it needed.
I did guess the big plot twists as more and more about each character was revealed. There wasn’t nearly as much build-up as I would have liked. However, for once in my natural-born life, the lack of mystery in a mystery novel didn’t bother me*. The deeper I fell into the book, the more I could see it for what it was.
*yeah, you read that phrase right. don’t worry, you’ll never read it from me again.
“We keep running anyway. Because we have no other choice. We run in spite of this. We run knowing the dangers, knowing who we are and why we could be targeted. But that won’t stop us.”
I won’t spoil anything, but this feels like such a deeply personal story of the constant abuse and pressure that runs in girls athletics. Every girl on the cross-country team deals with issues, whether it be racism, toxic romance, or broken trust. Yet, all of them still run. The murder of Mila Keene isn’t the focus as a mystery waiting to be solved. Instead, it’s evidence of how deeply intertwined jagged relationships are.
They’ll Never Catch Us is a surprisingly timely thriller that both resonates with and shocks you. Overall, I was impressed at both the vision of this idea and the execution, so I’ll give this 4/5 stars!
Goodman’s style of thrillers is completely different to, say, Holly Jackson’s. There’s not much focus on the actual crime aspect, nor is there any complex sleuthing. She does excel at creating a story that focuses on characters, human beings, much like a good true crime podcast episode. They’ll Never Catch Us is a story of running. It’s a story of sisters, of striving for success. Most importantly, it’s a story about girls.
Stella Steckler was bound for a full ride to Georgetown on a cross-country scholarship until one scandal took it all away. Now, she’s running to get that scholarship back. When she meets the famous running protege Mila Keene, she sees her as nothing but competition at first. What she doesn’t expect is to find a friend. Stella’s character is surprisingly well-written. We get certain reveals about her past in tandem to watching her actions in the present. Because of that, her character ended up feeling fleshed-out.
Ellie Steckler has always been one step behind her older sister. Now, it’s her turn in the spotlight, even as she balances out the shadows of her private life. Mila Keene is the only one who she trusts with her secrets. I really liked Ellie! She felt so kind, and so genuine. A toxic relationship eats away at the very bones of one’s life, and watching that happen to her was painful. One thing I really loved was her and Stella’s bond.
“The world breaks little girls. It stomps out our will, our joy, our curiosity – and replaces them with disdain, cynicism, and the need to fit into neat and tiny boxes.”
The actual disappearance of Mila Keene doesn’t happen until halfway through the book. This isn’t a mystery filled with tantalizing clues and clever detective work. Rather, this is a chilling story about girls who run, and the abuse, pressure, and fear they constantly face. In the Stecklers’s town, three female cross-country runners had gone missing and were murdered years ago. When Mila goes missing, the town goes on lockdown…but only the girls are forced to stop practicing and change their entire routine to protect themselves. This internalized misogyny was even represented in law enforcement: because the lead detective held a grudge against both Stella and another girl, the investigation was hardly ever taken seriously and given the attention it needed.
I did guess the big plot twists as more and more about each character was revealed. There wasn’t nearly as much build-up as I would have liked. However, for once in my natural-born life, the lack of mystery in a mystery novel didn’t bother me*. The deeper I fell into the book, the more I could see it for what it was.
*yeah, you read that phrase right. don’t worry, you’ll never read it from me again.
“We keep running anyway. Because we have no other choice. We run in spite of this. We run knowing the dangers, knowing who we are and why we could be targeted. But that won’t stop us.”
I won’t spoil anything, but this feels like such a deeply personal story of the constant abuse and pressure that runs in girls athletics. Every girl on the cross-country team deals with issues, whether it be racism, toxic romance, or broken trust. Yet, all of them still run. The murder of Mila Keene isn’t the focus as a mystery waiting to be solved. Instead, it’s evidence of how deeply intertwined jagged relationships are.
They’ll Never Catch Us is a surprisingly timely thriller that both resonates with and shocks you. Overall, I was impressed at both the vision of this idea and the execution, so I’ll give this 4/5 stars!