There’s something in KMM’s books that make them addicted. Like, you read one of them and then you have to read them all.
I did like this one more than some of the others, but let's talk about its big turn-off: Brynn and Tripp. You need a little bit of romance in YA Adult books, I get it, but it's kind of annoying when you can feel the author is forcing two characters towards each other.
Brynn and Tripp have no chemistry at all. One of them was in love with the other, then Brynn leaves town for five years and when she comes back they try to resolve this mystery in their life. One of them declares itself to the other, and the other thinks its look has improved with time. They kiss and then they live happily ever after.
What's the point, exactly? Why should they be together when they’re clearly better as friends? What’s supposed to happen now, they’ll have three fantastic months and then break up before college?
KMM has a pattern with the plot of her books: two characters that used to be friends - but now dislike each other - will have to work together again and they’ll realise they never stopped liking each other. This has to happen or, apparently, she's not happy.
About the actual mystery, there is a pattern too, but this one works every time.
Someone gets killed and only our friends can find out the truth. And after everything that can happen, when you're the most involved in the story and your jaw is wide open for the shock… the author will cut off the story. I know it sounds bad, but I love it. You're in the middle of the action, and then turn the page to find yourself two weeks after everything.
At first, it's normal to feel disappointed. But the mystery is not quite resolved yet, so there are still about twenty pages of “What will happen next?”. And in the last chapter - the best one, if you ask me - you’ll see if you got the right killer or if you got fooled.
I hope you'll still want to read and try to enjoy KMM’s books after this review. Some of you may be dissatisfied - I was, and more than once -, but I always come back because the truth is… KMM writes stories that I have no doubt could come from reality.
Her characters are young, naive teenagers who think they can save the world and mess with the wrong people without repercussions. They don't communicate with their parents, or even with each other, and this obviously leads to mistakes and, eventually, someone will get hurt.
Because this is what happens in the real world: the good guys get hurt and, sometimes, the bad ones get what they deserve. Sometimes.
But, anyway, the reality is never what it seems.
↠ 3.5 stars
p.s.: loved the references to The Bayview Four and totally agree with Ellie possibly being the next Maeve Rojas.