We follow Jodie as she searches for the truth about her teenage boyfriend's disappearance. Now a grown woman with a teenage son herself, Jodie struggles with bringing up old hurt or keeping on with her normal life. While the plotline is interesting, I think the suspense part fell flat for me. I was not too thrilled or anxious about the twists and surprises. I did not feel too attached to the characters because they were all monotone. I genuinely liked the premise, but it did not connect throughout the story. The most emotion I felt was at the very end. I felt frustrated and wanted to scream at Jodie for her decisions. Without spoilers, it was a tug-of-war with emotions at the conclusion. Overall, this was entertaining but not a favorite of mine. ( )

Another outstanding psychological thriller

I am a huge fan of Kerry Wilkinson’s books and his latest did not disappoint. Jodie’s father was a hero in their small town, the local mayor who volunteered for every committee, helped every citizen in need and just days after his death is about to have a community center named after him. Jodie is going through the unenviable task of cleaning out his house and getting it ready to put on the market when she discovers a t-shirt that belonged to her boyfriend Ben—the same boyfriend who went missing and died over 20 years ago. Someone else was arrested and served time for that crime. But could Jodie’s dad have really been involved?

This novel is about long held family secrets and is very much a character led narrative. I loved watching the individual stories unfold. There’s Fiona, the best friend in a troubled marriage. Jodie’s son, Owen, who has a gaming addiction and is in trouble at school, and the troubled relationship with his father, who has remarried and is devoting all his time and energy to his shiny new family. Jodie’s relationship with her brother Mike and his wife Samantha is also fractured, both in the past and the present and the way that comes into play is cleverly crafted. Perhaps most intriguing of all is the man who was accused of the crime of murdering Ben and served years in jail… he’s now free and a pariah in the community. I loved the way clues to what really happened all those years ago were slowly revealed as Jodie seeks out the truth. 5/5 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary ARC copy of this book from Bookouture and NetGalley for review purposes. ( )