Eight stars
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Ashley Tate, and Penguin Random House Canada, for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Always up for a great thriller, I turned to this piece by Ashley Tate. With a story that spans three days in the narrative, Tate tells the story of a young man who waited a baffling about of time before calling the authorities, as his sister lay dying. As the story gains momentum, the reader learns more of the dark secrets that surround that night, as well as the decade's worth of guilt that has haunted one man. Tate offers up a twist in the closing pages, when things finally come together for all.
It has been a decade and the small community of West Wilmer still ponders how Grant Dean could have waited an excruciating twenty-seven minutes to call for emergency assistance while his sister, Phoebe, lay dying. The car accident that took Phoebe was significant, but with no injuries of his own, Grant could easily have helped his sister. He did nothing and has held onto the reason for all this time.
As the ten year anniversary approaches, Grant is subsumed with guilt and memories about that night and his little sister. He knows that the secret that he kept will soon take him over, but it is too crippling to share it with others. He struggles, but knows that he cannot keep it to himself for too much longer. There was another passenger there that night and Becca knows what really happened. Will she keep the secret or tell the truth when asked?
While she was not there, June also remembers that Becca was in the car with Phoebe and Dean. Everyone remembers the tragedy that befell Phoebe, but June's own brother, Wyatt, also went missing around that time. Now, alone and with no family to console her, she is thinking that she ought to reveal what she knows, if only to shed light on the truth as the anniversary approaching. Told over three days, with great flashbacks, Tate tells this story and ends with an impactful twist that no reader could have seen coming.
Ashley Tate does a great job at developing a strong story, filled with twists and just enough secrets to keep the reader intrigued. With strong characters and a number of keen perspectives, the story advances and develops with ease, without getting too bogged down in minutiae. The struggles of Deran, June, and even Becca come to life in this piece, which pushes the limits and keeps the reader fully involved.
The reader is left to grasp for any shed of evidence they can in this thriller, but ends up at the whim of a great writer and the narrative that guides them along through a number of red herrings. Tate keeps things on point and I could not have asked for more. I hope to return for another Ashley Tate adventure soon.
Kudos, Madam Tate, for providing me with a great story and a wonderful twist at the end.
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