Thank you to BookishFirst for the free copy of this book from a giveaway win in exchange for an honest review! We Thought We Knew You was my first foray into reading true crime, but it certainly won't be my last.
What I loved: I enjoyed every minute of this book! The short chapter length kept me super engaged as a reader. The author transitions seamlessly from past background to present facts of the case in a way that's very easy to follow as the story unfolds. Each chapter ending leaves you wanting more and had me turning the page to figure out what would be next. Throughout, the author builds adequate suspense. There are plenty of twists and turns in this case, and they unfold in a way that's very satisfying. Nothing is out of left field, but you're still turning the page just to confirm you're guessing correctly. The background information included doesn't interfere with "the good stuff" and the case unfolds without wasting time getting to the interesting facts.
What didn't work for me: The beginning did feel a little slow, but it built very helpful context and I imagine with true crime, it takes a bit of settling in for you to have the background needed to fully appreciate what is to come, so I didn't mind too much.
Trigger warnings in this book for a descriptive sexual assault story, suicidal ideations, depression, and emotional manipulation by a romantic partner.
Overall, I'd absolutely recommend this true crime read, and I would read more by this author as well.
What I loved: I enjoyed every minute of this book! The short chapter length kept me super engaged as a reader. The author transitions seamlessly from past background to present facts of the case in a way that's very easy to follow as the story unfolds. Each chapter ending leaves you wanting more and had me turning the page to figure out what would be next. Throughout, the author builds adequate suspense. There are plenty of twists and turns in this case, and they unfold in a way that's very satisfying. Nothing is out of left field, but you're still turning the page just to confirm you're guessing correctly. The background information included doesn't interfere with "the good stuff" and the case unfolds without wasting time getting to the interesting facts.
What didn't work for me: The beginning did feel a little slow, but it built very helpful context and I imagine with true crime, it takes a bit of settling in for you to have the background needed to fully appreciate what is to come, so I didn't mind too much.
Trigger warnings in this book for a descriptive sexual assault story, suicidal ideations, depression, and emotional manipulation by a romantic partner.
Overall, I'd absolutely recommend this true crime read, and I would read more by this author as well.