The Silence

by Mary McGarry Morris, Cassandra Campbell (reader)

There was the moment eight-year-old Ruth Corrigan ran away from playing in the woods with her best friend, and then the moment after, when Ceely was gone. Murdered. Now the silence of that day lives within Ruth. Lives in the judgment she sees in the faces of so many in the small town she still calls home. Ruth may be older now, tougher, a cop by trade, but her life has been unraveling ever since that tragic day in the woods. Alcohol, sex, broken marriages—nothing can lighten the truth she knows inside.

Until the child-killer returns, free and unencumbered, having already paid for his crime. A predator who will act again unless Ruth can prove him guilty. Only no one will listen to a police officer on suspended duty, a woman whose life has been one personal disaster after the next, not even Maddie Pardeau Klein, her dead playmate’s older sister. It’s up to Ruth alone to trap the vicious criminal before he strikes once more. No matter what it takes. Or who gets hurt.

Genres: Audiobook, Literary Fiction, Fiction

Audio CD

First published September 19, 2023

About the author

Mary McGarry Morris is an American novelist, short story author and playwright from New England. She uses its towns as settings for her works. In 1991, Michiko Kakutani of The New York Times described Morris as "one of the most skillful new writers at work in America today"; The Washington Post has described her as a "superb storyteller"; and The Miami Herald has called her "one of our finest American writers".
She has been most often compared to John Steinbeck and Carson McCullers. Although her writing style is different, Morris also has been compared to William Faulkner for her character-driven storytelling. She was a finalist for the National Book Award and PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. As of 2011, Morris has published eight novels, some of which were best-sellers, and numerous short stories. She also has written a play about the insanity trial of Mary Todd Lincoln.

Reviews

[Diane S ☔ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruth and Ceely are best friends, eight years old. Ceely comes from a family with money, while Ruth comes from one which struggles financially. Ceelys mother really doesn’t approve of Ruth and sets very stringent rules for when the girls are together. But rules are meant to be broken and Ruth is very persuasive. They go together into the woods and down by the water where Ceely is forbidden to go. Ceely tells Ruth a secret and makes her promise never to tell. The two girls get into a fight, names are called and Ruth runs away and goes home. Ceely never comes home and her body is found a few days later. Ruth is the chief suspect, but she didn’t do it and knows who did, but she made a solemn promise not to tell.

Twenty or so years later, after years of drug and alcohol abuse, promiscuous sex, Ruth is now a cop. Then he comes back and Ruth will do everything and anything to bring him and those who covered for him to justice.

The reason I liked this so much, despite the many triggers,is because I believe it realistically portrays the effects of childhood trauma. Guilt, loss, memories, and yes, even shame, that she had never spoken out. Ruth is a hard character to like, but by books end I found her admirable.

[Maxine · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Silence by Mary McGarry Morris began very well. Two children in the woods. One reveals a terrible secret. They have an argument. One leaves. Later the second child is found murdered.

Unfortunately, as the story jumps to twenty eight years later with the surviving child, Ruth, now a cop, the story becomes frustrating and repetitive. Ruth’s actions are irrational and, frankly, annoying. But, in fairness, none of the characters are particularly likeable. Perhaps it’s the subject of this tale but I really felt it needed a better protagonist and, well, if I’m honest, a better story. However, I should note that many other reviewers disagree so this is one I leave to potential readers to decide for themselves. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Cassandra Campbell who does an admirable job.

Trigger warnings: child abuse, both sexual and physical, alcoholism, ptsd

I received an audiobook of this novel from Netgalley and Highbridge Audio in exchange for an honest review

[CAROLYN Wyman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Silence By Mary McGarry Morris

The book begins with Ceely and Ruth walking through the woods. Ruth is allowed to do anything she wants, to an extent. Her mom isn't very strict and because they struggle financially, a large part of her freedom is due to her mom working to make ends meet. Ceely has had many benefits in life compared to Ruth. Ruth likes Ceely but at the same time resents her life, until Ceely lets a secret out, the priest from their local church creeps Ceely out. But not only that, but he touches her, and he just drove by, Ceely believing that he want her alone again. After they get into an argument because Ruth wets Ceely and she knows she will be in big trouble when she gets home, Ruth pushes her and leaves her alone in the woods. Shortly afterwards, Ceely’s body turns up, bludgeoned and wet.

The story continues with Ruth bow being an adult. She’s a police officer with an alcohol problem, and has kept quiet about what Ceely told her all those years ago. But when the predatory priest returns, Ruth finds she can no longer keep quiet. But no one believes the rankings of an alcoholic troublemaker. Especially when her accusations are against a valued member of society. To prove her accusations, she uses her detective skills to try to find concrete proof of his misdeeds, and prove the wrong man was sent to jail. But a master of lies, deceit, and manipulation has already laid the groundwork to discredit anything Ruth provides.

I disliked Ruth for most of the book. In the beginning she was just a kid who was from a poor family, looked down by everyone, and the smooth talking priest was easily able to manipulate circumstances to make both Ruth and the man accused of killing Ceely look culpable. As an adult and a police officer, her poor choices, such as drinking and driving, make her unreliable. I do like the way her character changes during the book. I also felt the end was a bit rushed and would like to have more of something in the end.

I loved the narrator and was quickly pulled in. She kept me engaged and hanging on to hear what happens next.
Overall the book was a three and a half but I rounded it up to four. I liked the fast pace of the story. The book has some mystery or hunting for proof, but I wouldn’t classify it as a mystery. It’s a thriller, but not in a conventional style either as you know who the perpetrator is from early on. I did enjoy the book and would recommend it - after you check the trigger warnings. I couldn’t wait to see just how justice would ultimately be delivered.

This book has a bunch of triggers and should have trigger warnings
A few include:
Child predator / molestation
Grooming
Child loss
Alcoholism
Drunk driving

[Ghoul Von Horror · Rating 4 out of 5]

TW: Language, child sexual abuse, alcoholism, death of child, cheating, divorce, depression, anxiety, homophobia, drunk driving, abortion, miscarriage, grieving, grooming, gaslighting, toxic relationships

*****SPOILERS*****
About the book:There was the moment eight-year-old Ruth Corrigan ran away from playing in the woods with her best friend, and then the moment after, when Ceely was gone. Murdered. Now the silence of that day lives within Ruth. Lives in the judgment she sees in the faces of so many in the small town she still calls home. Ruth may be older now, tougher, a cop by trade, but her life has been unraveling ever since that tragic day in the woods. Alcohol, sex, broken marriages—nothing can lighten the truth she knows inside.

Until the child-killer returns, free and unencumbered, having already paid for his crime. A predator who will act again unless Ruth can prove him guilty. Only no one will listen to a police officer on suspended duty, a woman whose life has been one personal disaster after the next, not even Maddie Pardeau Klein, her dead playmate’s older sister. It’s up to Ruth alone to trap the vicious criminal before he strikes once more. No matter what it takes. Or who gets hurt.
Release Date: September 19th, 2023
Genre: Psychological thriller
Pages: 301
Rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

What I Liked:
1. I liked the writing
2. Loved the characters
3. Loved the tone

What I Didn't Like:
1. Repetitive at times
2. Confusing at times

Overall Thoughts:
I hate that there is real cops in the world that will pin a murder or something on and innocent person just because they are at the outcast. It's so weird to me because it's like not the person who committed the crime but just someone to fill the image of someone who would commit the crime. But you're still letting the real killer go so it's frustrating to me. Outcasts are the ones who are usually blamed.

Oh Philip was sexually abused too.

I love how everybody wants her to let go of what happened to Sealy but when she tries to figure out the past they all get annoyed with her. It's so weird. I don't think it's so odd that a police officer would want to figure out about who killed her friend when she was a child, but the whole town seems to think this is so weird.

It does get a bit annoying that everyone doesn't want to talk to her over and over.

Absolutely frustrating how no one believes that this preist could even possibly abuse the kids. Even as Maddie admits it to her parents as an adult they side with the priest and call her a liar. I just wanted to scream. I felt for Maddie having to hide that secret of being molested and her sister being abused too.

Oh they aren't hiring Ruth back. That sucks.

So the ending felt rushed and almost unfinished.

Final Thoughts:
I found this book confusing at times with the different timelines and countless characters. Sometimes there would be a clear definition of what timeline we were in and then we would just randomly be dropped into one. Same with characters. One minute we would have a chapter dedicated to those characters and out of the blue get a random character talking.

The back and force of the town not talking to Ruth started to feel so repetitive and drawn out. I feel like at times this book could have been at least 100 pages shorter had the author trimmed the meat off of a lot of things that didn't matter to the case or characters.

All that said I absolutely positively loved this book. I was so drawn in on the case and the characters, and everything going on that I just had to keep reading. There are some utterly heartbreaking moments in this book that dealt with sexual assault of children in the priesthood. I could see if you were a very religious person this would be bothersome to you, but to me it speaks volumes about how religion can cover up crimes in the name of God.

Ruth can come off very annoying with her persistent pursuit of finding out what happened with her friends and trying to come to terms with what was still going on in the town. Some moments felt very unbelievable in how she was able to continue despite not having her badge at the moment, but I found Ruth's actions very endearing. She is definitely a character who is flawed and has a lot of problems, but who wouldn't have issues after dealing with something like that. She blamed herself for her friend's death. Also no wanted to talk to her and she was blamed for it (her therapist telling her she came back and hurt her).

IG | Blog


Thanks to Netgalley and Highbridge Audio for this advanced copy of the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Jessica Webber · Rating 2 out of 5]

⭐️2.5 stars⭐️
I was drawn in at the beginning of the story. The tragic tale of 2 young girls running through the woods from an untrusted adult, but only 1 makes it out alive.

However, once it got into the present time with Ruth grown, I started to lose interest. Ruth frustrated me so much. I know she was traumatized by the death of her friend but she was incredibly irresponsible and reckless.

I also wasn’t a huge fan of this narrator. Some of the character’s voices were a little too whiny for me.

Thanks NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the opportunity to review this audiobook.

[Marci Heath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a gripping book that tackles a rough, raw subject. A little girl is being molested by her priest and ends up dead. Who did this ugly thing to a sweet little eight year old? Was it the town drunk who admitted to this crime? Was it the priest trying to keep his deep dark secret? Was it the other little girl who was her best friend, take was with her just minutes before the murder? Or was it someone no one would even suspect? This book is well written and brings out strong emotions. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

[Isabel · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Silence, Mary McGary Morris paints a sad and vivid picture of the ramifications of a horrific crime. Ruth is a self-hating and self-destructive woman who cannot come to terms with what happened to her childhood friend when they were out exploring. No one believes Ruth’s interpretation of what happened on that tragic day, which is not surprising as Ruth’s demeanor is erratic, manic, and frantic as she attempts to force her version of the truth on whoever will listen. The audiobook's narrator does a great job voicing the various characters, but I was irked by the voice she used for Ruth. However, about mid-way through the book, I began to question whether it was the narrator’s voice I did not like or if I was reacting negatively to the voice because Ruth is not a sympathetic character. The final resolution reminded me that as a society we often disregard the stories told to us by vulnerable victims in exchange for blindly following and believing those in power-- and that alone makes this book a worthwhile read. - AMC

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been awhile since I gave a five star rating, but this one earned it to me.
This is a highly triggering book - so be warned that child abuse, molestation, ptsd, and murder are all here.

That said, I feel like Morris made this almost too possible. This book could easily be in true crime as opposed to a thriller. The doubts, the wrongly accused, easily manipulated moments, and of course the betrayals.
I was hooked by how real it all felt - even if you don’t end up liking any of the characters - and honestly they weren’t all that likable. It was the story arc that had me from beginning to end in an incredibly morbid way.

[Shauntelle (myglamorousreads) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the premise of this book, as it possessed a plot that was different than the normal thriller. With that being said, there were long periods where nothing really happened. I found myself bored during certain points. There was a lot of time wasted where things were repetitive with no one believing the main character and her being frustrated with no one listening to her.

The characters were very hard to connect to. There was not much character development, so I struggled to get to know any of the characters or to truly care about what happened in the end. When the ending came, it was in an abrupt manner. I was also hoping for a twist that would blow me away, but that didn't happen.

Thank you to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[♛ Garima ♛]

Somewhere around my trip to Scotland, I can't seem to get into this again...maybe later...

[Charlene Schram · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written, but a depressing subject matter. The physical description of Ruth wasn't anything like Deb from the series Dexter, but that is who I pictured all the way through. I also got a little tired of absolutely everyone thinking she was crazy!

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Master storyteller Mary McGarry Morris' THE SILENCE is a dark and twisty psychological suspense/literary fiction about a young woman, Ruth, now a cop, who has been tormented, traumatized, and guilt-ridden by the death of her childhood friend, Ceely, at age eight.

AUDIOBOOK: Cassandra Campbell is one of my long-time favorite authors, and I was delighted to see she was narrating THE SILENCE! A perfect voice for Ruth, and the cast, she gave a stellar performance and brought the characters to life. I highly recommend the audiobook. I was glued to my AirPods from beginning to end.

Ruth Corrigan and her friend Ceely (her best friend) were playing in the woods at age eight, and then a moment later, Ceely was gone. She was murdered and left in the river near the woods.

However, her friend had told her a secret. Could this have something to do with the murder?

Now, twenty-five years later, the silence of that day still haunts Ruth as an adult. People in the town always blamed her since she was with her before her death.

Ruth has spiraled out of control from alcohol and broken marriages. Now, she has been suspended from the police force due to drunk driving and drinking. However, this will not keep her from investigating and sleuthing to find the real killer.

Years ago, they arrested a drunk who happened to be near the woods and coerced him into confessing to close the case. However, the person stating they saw the drunk that was sent to jail was a priest. Ruth believes the real killer is still doing damage and hiding in plain sight.

The priest has a suspicious past. Ruth suspects he might be the abuser and murderer. However, how will she prove it? Is he a predator? Has he done evil things to other little girls who kept silent, and does the parents know, or are they being blackmailed? Will Ruth be able to get them to talk and confess?

Ruth begins digging, and some people in town do not like her bringing up things, causing trouble due to things they have put behind them. But she will stop at nothing until she has justice for her friend and all the victims and their families.

Her family even suspected she may have done something to her friend, an argument, or an accident that she had forgotten. Ruth knows this is not true.

She must go back years to find witnesses willing to speak up before they are silenced. However, no one believes a suspended cop with no credentials they think has gone mad compared to a priest. There is a predator still out there, and she thinks an innocent man was sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. Who is the real murderer?

There is a predator still out there, and she thinks an innocent man was sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. Who is the real murderer?

Even her former friend's family does not believe her. As she gets closer to the truth, she is in danger, and some (his family) will do anything to keep their dark secrets hidden.

THE SILENCE is a dark, twisty, and psychologically rich crime suspense thriller with a tenacious protagonist you will root for to the end. When the past collides with the present, it is a deadly game of obsession and murder—from trauma, abuse, murder, evil, and highly charged topics. A fitting title.

My cons: Almost every other line/word throughout the book was the F* bomb—it was too much, over the top, and unnecessary. Also, the book is a slow burn and drags while everyone thinks Ruth has gone mad. Then, when all the action occurs near the end—when all the puzzle pieces come together—it is rushed, abrupt, and over very quickly. I would have liked to have spent more time with the ending wrap-up and the conclusion. There were also no likable characters, and the book is sad and moody with TW: SA of children, murder, foul language, priests, drugs, drunk driving, and alcohol.

Otherwise, I highly recommend the audiobook. I am looking forward to reading some of the author's impressive backlist. For fans of Aime Austin's Without Consent.

Thanks to Highbridge Audio and NetGalley for a gifted ALC for review purposes and the intro into this talented author's work. This is why I love NetGalley!

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Mar 12, 2024
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[Jayna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ruth has never gotten over the tragic death of her childhood friend when she was eight. She has long since blamed herself for leaving. Her life is a mess- she is an alcoholic, behaves erratically, multiple divorces. She is barely hanging on to her job as a cop. And then a person from her childhood comes back to town. She begins to question everything. She desperately searches for answers. The more she learns, the more she is certain that she knows the truth. But as her behavior escalates, she begins alienating everyone in her circle. No one believes her. How can she get them to listen before another tragedy occurs?

While I enjoyed the plot in a general sense, there were some elements to the book that made it less enjoyable. For one, it stretches on without any progress for a while. You are stuck in the cycle of Ruth being erratic, no one listening, Ruth spiraling. She really gets no where for a while. It dragged for me during those times.

Also, everyone is pretty deplorable. Normally you are at least sympathetic to the victim or their family- not here. Even they suck(ed) as humans. It made me care about justice a bit less.

Then, there was the end. It was kind of abrupt. And the last few chapters were not satisfying in terms of a conclusion.

Overall, I'd say that I enjoyed it. I didn't love it for the aforementioned reasons.

Cassandra Campbell narrates the audiobook. No complaints.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Stormy Shadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
Thanks to Netgalley for this arc. Right from the beginning this was so interesting. We follow two little girls Ruth and Ceely, they have a complicated "friendship" but it was so interesting to learn about how the act around each other and how they felt about certain things. Later that one day when they went into the woods Ceely ends up dead and we follow Ruth in her older years after becoming a cop herself and solving this murder that happened 25 years ago but she's determined to find put the slimy person behind bars and get justice for Ceely even though Ruth is reliving the memories she blocked away and living with survival's guilt as everyone around her believe it's her fault that Ceely died although she thinks she did nothing wrong at all. I loved the progression of this story and we get to see how Ruth deals with her life and job day by day and dealing with unravelling the mysteries behind Ceely's death. This audiobook was awesome and I highly recommend listening to it if you can, I wasn't expecting this at all, it really is worth the read.

[lori pennington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Many thanks to NetGalley and HighBridge Audio for the free audiobook in exchange for my honest review. This is narrated by Cassandra Campbell, the author.

Eight year old Ruth Corrigan and her best friend, Ceely, were playing in the woods when Ruth left Ceely, who then vanished. She was later found in the river near the woods. Fast-forward 25 years and Ruth, who never recovered from Ceely's death, finds herself as an alcoholic cop with a string of divorces and currently suspended from the force. That does not stop her from investigating the death of her childhood friend. Ruth is convinced the perpetrator is still on the loose despite several having gone to jail for the crime.

Told from the past and present, this is a gritty, psychological mystery. I loved the secrets and Ruth's tenacity despite many close to her not believing her claims of innocence. I gave this a 3 star as it drug quite a bit for me from the start and I had to really rally to keep reading. I was glad I did and think this is worth the read if the above ticks the boxes for you.

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eight year old Ruth and her best friend, Ceely have just had a big fight. Ruth runs off and leaves Ceely in the woods. The next thing you know, Ceely is dead. The police arrest a town drunk. But, Ruth knows he did not do it. So, now as an adult, she has decided to do something about it and find the real murderer.

I was so excited when I saw that this author had a new book coming out. I have read quite a few of her books and enjoyed them. However, this book was very slow and a bit repetitive.

Ruth is a character that frustrated me on so many levels. She oversteps on more than one occasion and just does not play it smart on others.

All of that being said, there are parts of this story which I found compelling. As a reader, you knew Ruth was on to something and it needed to be brought into the light.

This novel is narrated by Cassandra Campbell. She did a very good job. I enjoyed her cadence and her seriousness.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

[Linsey Toney · Rating 5 out of 5]

really enjoyed this book. It has a great storyline, flowed well, and was well written. That said please read the trigger warnings I listed below because this book may not be for everyone. I 100% recommend reading if your not bothered by the TWs!!

I have never read books this author before but she is definitely on my radar now! LMK which of her books you recommend for me to read next! I did listen to the audiobook version and again another first as I have never listened to narration by Cassandra Campbell but she was superb!. I am looking forward to hearing more audiobooks she narrated in the future!

Trigger warnings: SA of children, murder, language, priests, drugs, drunk driving, cat death, house fire

#MaryMcGarryMorris, #TheSilence, #NetGalley, #Goodreads, #CassandraCampbell, #booktok

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Silence is a slow-burn psychological thriller about a woman unable to put her unresolved past behind her. Ruth's best childhood friend was murdered and she believes the wrong person was convicted for the crime. Suspended from the police force for drunk driving, she struggles to find anyone who will believe her story and put the right man behind bars.

I typically enjoy a crime drama like this, though I found it quite slow at times. The primary tension happened because no one in this small town would believe Ruth, which became tedious after a while. I was hoping for a nice twist at the end, which is typical for a mystery suspense, but unfortunately, there wasn't one.

Please review content warnings before reading.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is pure thriller since you know the killer early on, and the whole story is the trajectory of a flawed and troubled woman seeking justice for her murdered childhood friend 28 years ago. I found this tense, fast-paced, and it kept my attention for the entirety. As Ruth (interesting biblical name choice) starts spinning out of control in a desperate need to make Father Woodman pay, you don't know if it will destroy her to do just that. There was a moment in this book where I gasped out loud in horror, and realized not all parents will react the same to finding out their child has been abused. Truly disturbing moment. In fact, all the parents acted very differently, and they all made me mad. My only real complaint about the book was the shifting first-person narratives. Otherwise, if the trigger warnings don't dissuade you, it's a taut and emotional read with a satisfying ending.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and rb Media for this ALC! This book was heartbreaking! It really shows the effects of trauma and how long it can linger and bleed into your daily life. I found the beginning of the book to be a bit confusing when it was going throughout Ruth’s life as the time changes were a bit abrupt to me - could have just been the audio version though. Additionally, I felt there were moments when parts of the story seemed to drag out, but I think the other parts of the book make up for those moments. The book features some hard and traumatic topics - the death of a child, sexual abuse, alcoholism and religious trauma. I think the majority of the book was well written, and really tells the story of how exactly trauma might affect one’s daily life, and how moving through that trauma can help someone heal.

[Ashley Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!!! Fantastic plot, storyline, banter, and well done with the narrator's performance! This is such a sad, morbid, and real story because this has happened to so many children which hurts me to my core. Please note this thriller deals with alcohol abuse, child abuse, sexual assault, and religious people hiding wrongs in the church. This story makes you realize that one bad person in a religion can make people turn away from it. We just have to remember that not all who believe in a greater power are bad and not all who believe are good either.

SA
SH
Ch!ld Death
Religious Leaders that are Evil

[Danielle Meier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was offered the opportunity to listen to this audio book through Netgally. There are definitely some triggers for some people, if you struggle with anything to do with children, please pass on this book. I throughout enjoyed this audio book it keep me on my toes and had my heart racing at times. I caught myself on the edge of my seat...literally. It can be a bit confusing and it really brushes over some stuff, but all in all I really enjoyed this book. I connected so much to Ruth, its been a super long time since I have connected to a character in a book this much. As an outcast myself, I really felt for her throughout the whole story.

[Marisol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a tough read. Not the writing, not anything with the book, just the story. Just a tough story that, unfortunatley has been a true story for 1 too many children and families. While reading the book I felt lilke the writing and story was a little chaotic, but it makes sense. Anyone in any of those positions of the characters would be chaotic, their life would be a mess. I could never imagine a life with that history or that story in my past and the way Mary McGarry puts you in each of their shoes is phenomenal writing.

[Marci Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good but sad and infuriating read! Also it was a fantastic commentary on the predatory pedophile priests and how they were protected by the church and community and how many lives they left ruined in their wake. So many people in this book were hiding things and lying about things and ruining Ruth's life - thinking she was a murderer her entire life! How rude! Like no one thought to wonder why the priest was so chummy with little girls all the time? WTAF!!

This was my 1st book by Mary McGarry Morris but will definitely not be my last!!


#TheSilence
#NetGalle

[Theresa Petty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this audio book ARC. It wasn’t my favorite. I felt like it was drawn out a ton. Like this book could have been half as long. I wish I could say it was worth the time, but I’m not quite sure yet.
Also, if you have child molestation triggers, trigger warning. Thankful it wasn’t crazy tragic, but it was traffic enough.
3 stars because it was interesting enough of a story but not my fave.

Thank you NetGalley for this advanced listen copy.

[Cathe Fein Olson · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning of the book about the two young girls and the setup and aftermath of the tragedy was well done, but the book suddenly shifts to grown up Ruth who is an incoherent mess and the book just repeated one out of control scene after another--which may have been realistic but didn't make for good reading. Maybe if we followed her gradual spiral we might have been more invested in her as a character.

[Hochan · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was an interesting start but it became quickly repetitive. The style of having incomplete sentences throughout also irritated me. I would understand if it was relegated to one character (like Ruth) to represent their frenetic energy and which could have easily been accomplished since chapters were divided by character stories (pov). But it just felt choppy and like a stream of consciousness diary entry.

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The start of this book was very engaging along with the end. The middle seemed a bit drawn out. I started to get bored during the middle but stayed with it because I wanted to know what happened. The ending was good, the narration was good. It was an enraging story line because of how much truth lied within it. Overall decent book that’s was entertaining.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This mystery was so gripping. There were so many points where I was questioning what Ruth remembered and if it was real or if she had killed her friend. This was a very entertaining mystery that had me gripped from the beginning.

[Lesley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very dark covering heavy subjects like alcoholism and child molestation. There were also almost no likable characters, everyone was incredibly flawed without many redeeming qualities. It was well written and narrated. The ending also could have used more details after that journey.