The Amateur

by Chris Bohjalian

When a young woman, a golf prodigy, accidentally kills a caddy with a stray ball at the country club, the investigation of this freak accident reveals a dark and shocking tale of secret affairs, predatory men, and a teenager on trial in this spellbinding novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Flight Attendant.

1978: It is the first Thursday in August and temperatures are flirting with ninety when Mira Winston, eighteen years old, drives a practice ball from her tee with a wooden club. The golf ball, weighing 1.6 ounces, tears through the net, travels 150 miles per hour for fifteen yards and slams, with sickening force, into the forehead of a high school junior named Kenny Foster, causing a traumatic rupture in the frontal lobe of his brain. Kenny brings his right hand to his forehead, then topples to his side. He is dead before the ambulance even arrives.

In the wake of this terrible accident—and everyone, at first, agrees it was an accident—Mira looks for comfort in all the wrong places: In her lover, Theo Catton, a married man forty years her senior. In her mother, a well-kept woman with secrets of her own. In the dead caddy’s little sisters, girls bewildered by grief. But when Henry Fallows, the golf pro, looks more closely at the torn net, when the detective investigating the case recalls Mira’s history of recklessness, and when Kenny’s father spies Mira with her married lover, the affluent and mannered community turns on this once promising young woman. A gripping story that takes the reader from the sun-soaked greens of a tony Westchester country club to the fluorescent-lit stand of a district courtroom, The Amateur What happens when one small moment—a swing, a ball, a piece of string—changes the course of an entire life?

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Historical Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense

336 pages, Hardcover

First published August 4, 2026

About the author

Chris Bohjalian is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of 26 books. His new novel, THE AMATEUR, arrives on August 4, 2026. He writes literary fiction, historical fiction, thrillers, and (on occasion) ghost stories. His goal is never to write the same book twice. He has published somewhere in the neighborhood of 3.7 million words.

His work has been translated into 35 languages and become three movies (MIDWIVES, SECRETS OF EDEN, and PAST THE BLEACHERS) and an Emmy-winning TV series (THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT). He has two other novels in development for TV series as well.

He is also a playwright, including THE CLUB in 2024; MIDWIVES in 2020; and GROUNDED (now WINGSPAN) in 2018.

His books have been chosen as Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Hartford Courant, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, Kirkus Reviews, Bookpage, and Salon.

His awards include the Walter Cerf Medal for Outstanding Achievement in the Arts; the Sarah Josefa Hale Award; the ANCA Freedom Award for his work educating Americans about the Armenian Genocide; the ANCA Arts and Letters Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS, as well as the Saint Mesrob Mashdots Medal; the New England Society Book Award for THE NIGHT STRANGERS; the New England Book Award; Russia’s Soglasie (Concord) Award for THE SANDCASTLE GIRLS; a Boston Public Library Literary Light; a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for TRANS-SISTER RADIO; a Best Lifestyle Column for “Idyll Banter” from the Vermont Press Association; and the Anahid Literary Award. His short story, SLOT MACHINE FEVER DREAMS was a finalist for Best Short Story from the International Thriller Writers Association and the audio production was an Audie Finalist. His novel, MIDWVES was a selection of Oprah’s Book Club, and his novel, HOUR OF THE WITCH, was a Barnes & Noble Book Club pick. He is a Fellow of the Vermont Academy of Arts and Sciences.

He has written for a wide variety of magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, and The Boston Globe Sunday Magazine. He was a weekly columnist in Vermont for The Burlington Free Press from 1992 through 2015.

Chris graduated Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude from Amherst College. He has been awarded Honorary Degrees as well from Amherst, Champlain College, and Castleton University.

He lives in Vermont with his wife, the photographer Victoria Blewer.

Reviews

[Brady Lockerby · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved this!! it’s so fun and exciting when you find a new-to-you author that you just can’t get enough of. this book is written memoir-style and it’s about Mira who’s life is completely thrown off track when she’s involved in a freak accident. definitely some heavy subject matter through out, keep that in mind if any tws pertain to you! i loved the narrator, her wit, and also her ability to see her own flaws. if you’re interested in the audiobook, it’s narrated by the ever-talented Jan Levinson-Gould (minus the Gould 😉) ((Melora Hardin!))

[Maren’s Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Any book that leaves me in tears is most likely going to end up being a five-star read. And this book did just that. While not a thriller (although it has psychological thriller components, it’s very much a genre-blend heavy on the lit fiction part), I was completely captivated by the story of Mira and Kenny, and how just one small moment altered the course of their lives and those around them.

I loved the format. It breaks the fourth wall as a “memoir” of sorts, which makes it feel both more formal and more casual at the same time. And I loved the inclusion of court procedural, which ups the ante as we near the conclusion that incorporates one fantastic twist.

“You took advantage of my disadvantage” is a central theme throughout the story. Set in the late 1970s, Chris Bohjalian does a remarkable job of showcasing just how marginalized young women were both in and out of sports. It was painful to read about Mira’s young adulthood, but watching her unravel following the accident is almost unbearable.

🎧 The Amateur is also fantastic on audio, narrated by Melora Hardin, who adds a sense of emotional laissez-faire that works so well with Mira’s character. I chose to do an immersive read to be able to enjoy both formats and they compliment each other perfectly. I highly recommend it if you can.

Thank you Doubleday Books and PRH Audio for the advanced copies.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up
Chris Bohjalian is known for writing disturbing stories. He lives up to that reputation with The Amateur. The premise is that a young golfer is practicing her drives at the country club when a ball gets through the safety net and kills a caddy. Initially, everyone says it was just a tragic, freak accident. But things have a way of snowballing because society always wants someone to blame. And who easier to blame than an 18 year old girl unaware of how society can eat you up and spit you out?
Mira was messed up well before that accident. An incident of sexual assault caused her to seek her own sort of justice. In fact, her whole family is a hot mess. Her parents treat her as an also ran compared to her older brother. They drink excessively, they have affairs.
The book is written as if an older Mira has written a memoir. She tells her reader she is a “reliable narrator”. There are parts of the story that are definitely difficult to read especially as it pertains to her “affair” with a 47 year old married man that began when she was 15. Decades before the #MeToo movement, Mira doesn’t blame him for taking advantage of her and sees herself as a willing participant. The book has lots to say about guilt and “karma”. Mira believes she deserves all the bad things that happen to her.
The book also delves into social entitlement and mental health issues. Yes, it’s a legal thriller but it’s also historic and social commentary. It’d be easy to say this was 1978 and things have changed. The question is how much have they really. Bohjalian also gets his digs in about readers’ opinions on unlikeable main characters.
I listened to this and Melora Hardin did a great job as the narrator.

[Meagan (Meagansbookclub) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5

Audiobook was PHENOMENALLY done. Highly recommend going that route!

This is a unique story mainly because the story is told to you as the reader from the main character. The main character is sharing the horrible story that happened in her teenage years by accidently killing a boy while swinging her driver and the ball hit his head and killed him instantly. The story is hard to hear because the trauma of that experience was extremely difficult for her and she coped through sex, drugs, and even had a suicide attempt. We reach the end in part 3 with the court procedure finding blame with either Mira, the golf course, or the net manufacturer.

By the end, I felt very immersed in the storytelling and found Chris Bohjalian's writing to be absolutely impressive and sharp in details.

[chantalsbookstuff · Rating 2 out of 5]

It pains me to say this because I really wanted to like this book, especially after enjoying other books by the Chris, but unfortunately it just didn’t work for me. The first half felt incredibly slow and repetitive, with so much detail about golf that I found myself losing interest, and although things picked up a little towards the end, it was far too late for me. I also found the way Mira was written really difficult to connect with, and I struggled with how she spoke and viewed some of the situations she was in. The biggest problem for me was that I figured out very early on what had happened, so there was never really that mystery or suspense I was hoping for. I ended up trudging through the book just because I needed to know how it finished, but honestly, I wish I had given myself permission to DNF it.

[Dawn H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never in my life did I think I would love a book about an unlikable teenage golfer but I was completely wrong. This book is fantastic! The author has created a story about a spoiled girl from a wealthy family and the reader actually cares deeply about her.

Mira, an 18 year old golf prodigy, drives practice balls at the country club she has played golf at since she was a child. One golf ball goes through the practice net and accidentally strikes a teenage caddy in the head killing him. This tragedy reveals secrets that destroy Mira’s life.

The Amateur is an outstanding, well written, thought provoking novel. One doesn’t need to play golf or even understand the game in order to enjoy this book. Highly recommend to readers everywhere. It’s a winner.

Thanks to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Amateur is set in 1978 and follows our protagonist and narrator, Mira, an up-and-coming golfer and LPGA hopeful who is preparing to start at Yale in the fall. Early in the book, she does the unthinkable: she hits a golf ball that, against a one-in-a-million chance, strikes a 17-year-old caddy in the head, resulting in his death.

While the premise is super intriguing, the novel is ultimately a coming-of-age story about Mira coping with the tragedy while navigating an illicit relationship with a much older man. At its core, the book explores how manipulative, abusive men take advantage of young women, and the journey of overcoming that trauma.

My main issue with the book was Mira's point of view. Written as a memoir where she looks back to come to terms with her past, I simply could not stand Mira at times. She often came across as completely insensitive, your classic young, rich, spoiled brat.

Additionally, I wish the book had truly immersed us in 1978. Instead, it relied too much on a modern lens as she tells the story, which ultimately made Mira rather unlikable.

Overall, a decent book, when that should be read in a day.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m a longtime Chris Bohjalian fan, so it was no surprise that I was instantly hooked with this story of a young woman who accidentally killed a caddy while hitting balls at a golf course. However, two things about this multifaceted story did surprise me. First, that the author was somehow skilled at telling a story centered around a golf prodigy, and that such a story was somehow captivating to a person like myself, who has absolutely no interest (or basic knowledge) in the area of golf. Don’t let the premise or the description of this novel fool you— it is so much more than just a golf story. The reader quickly discovers that the golf course is merely the backdrop for the incident that shapes the story, which already began to unfold before the incident occurred, as Mira grew up in this small and somewhat exclusive community..

The real story lies in the heartbreaking but somehow relatable series of events that the main character, Mira, experiences in her formative years as a young woman who is planning to enter college before her life gets derailed. Which brings me to my second surprise: Chris Bohjalian is somehow incredibly skilled at writing from the voice of a young woman. There is an art to this, as your stereotypical country club brat is not typically the most likable individual. But just like the multi-layered story, there are layers to our protagonist, and the reader quickly discovers that she’s got issues and she’s been taken advantage of and she’s not just an entitled golf star.

As with the best mysteries, we are thrown a shocking turn of events, but not before we begin to understand Mira more deeply. This is a story of suspense, but there are other themes at play through the entirety of the novel, which are difficult to touch on without spoiling some of the best parts. Just know that this is the 70s, and times, they were different.

I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy crime and suspense fiction works, And if you’re like me and don’t particularly care for golf, don’t let that discourage you from giving this book a chance. It’s so much more than what it may appear. Just like Mira. If you’re like me, it will have you thinking about how a single brief moment in time can completely change one’s life, for good or for bad. And how every action has an equal and opposite reaction,

Thank you NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review this novel in advance of its publication

[Cortney - Bookworm & Vine · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I skimmed some of the reviews, I kept seeing people say that Mira was an unlikeable character, I completely disagree. She went through a lot of bad stuff and is telling her story with candor... not excusing her behavior or playing the victim (though she absolutely is one). To me, that makes her honest, vulnerable, and understandable.

This was my first book by Chris Bohjalian, and while I'm not sure his writing style is for me, that's not going to stop me from picking up another book by him. 4.5 stars rounded up!

[Strega Di Gatti · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you already know how unfair the world is to teenage girls, you don’t need this book. In The Amateur, posh kid Mira Winston accidentally kills a young caddy due to a faulty net at the driving range. The fallout from the incident exposes the secrets of her WASPy upstate New York town. When I say secrets, I mean, only two or three. Mainly Mira’s affair with a much older married man.

The plot unfolds so slowly it takes over half the book for Mira (as an adult narrator) to note she wasn’t drawn to older men, wait for it, middle-aged creeps are drawn to young girls. Not much of a revelation when the narrator has been referencing Lolita's "you took advantage of my disadvantage" since chapter one.

Mira worries her readers don’t like her, and some of the Goodreads reviews here call her unlikeable. Damn, what are the standards like for acceptable female leads with some of you folks???

As a narrator, Mira is level headed and almost too passive. In terms of driving the plot, she doesn’t do anything all that crazy; a bit of drugs, trashing a rapist’s car. All of which is disclosed in the opening paragraphs and mentioned so many times it loses its power. 

She’s a perfectly average sister, daughter, and friend. So much so that this book becomes boring. Mira does us a solid and explains early on: "Hey, I’m not one of those unreliable narrators so don’t expect some kind of big character reveal." I appreciated the heads-up. 

This book is billed as a mystery, but it's more of an exploration of how trauma and shitty men can derail your personal growth. We don’t get to the trial concerning the golfing accident until 80% into the novel. Mira’s (Bohjalian's??) confident assertion that rich people who lie aren’t likely to get a fair shake in the justice system was worth a chuckle. You'll probably guess what actually happened that day on the driving range before it's revealed. 

Ultimately The Amateur is about a decent young woman with above-average golf skills who is sad for understandable reasons. Every character in this book will vanish from your mind the minute you close it.

[Kevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Amateur by Chris Bohjalian is one of those novels that hits hard but never feels heavy‑handed. The subject matter is undeniably harrowing — the kind of real‑world darkness that makes you pause, breathe, and sometimes wince — yet Bohjalian handles every difficult moment with such care, clarity, and surprising humour that you never feel overwhelmed. He knows exactly when to soften the blow, when to let the tension sit, and when to let a sharp, perfectly timed joke cut through the gloom. It’s a delicate balance, and he absolutely nails it.

What really keeps the book grounded is Mira. She makes some genuinely bad life choices — the kind that make you want to reach into the page and say “please don’t do that” — but she’s still deeply likeable. Bohjalian gives her enough vulnerability, wit, and self‑awareness that you end up rooting for her even when she’s spiralling. She’s flawed in a way that feels human rather than frustrating, and her voice carries so much warmth that you stay with her through every misstep.

Despite the tough themes, the novel is strangely uplifting. Bohjalian’s trademark humour threads through the darkest chapters, giving the story a kind of resilience. You feel the weight of what’s happening, but you also feel the author’s compassion — his insistence on seeing people as complicated, funny, hopeful, and worth caring about.

It’s gripping, emotionally sharp, and unexpectedly funny. A tough read handled with real heart.

[R L HERSKOWITZ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Upstate New York - a small upscale town.
Late 1970s.
[ I enjoyed the memories of the music.]
Reliable (???) narrator.
Unique premise.
Upcoming young woman golfer.
Police procedural & courtroom drama.

Coming of age, golf, justice.
Sex, drugs, rock & roll.
🎸 💪 ⛳️ ✌🏼

[Lydia Hephzibah · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

setting: new York
rep: n/a

this is one of those odd times where I take ages to read a book because when I'm reading it I'm loving it, but when I'm not reading it I don't feel much need to pick it up, but then I do and it's great again. I don't know why. but I did really enjoy this one. Mira was a surprisingly well-written protagonist both as a 17-year-old girl and the 50-something woman writing her memoir considering the author is a man, which I usually find icky. he did good though, so I'll let him off! I enjoyed Mira's voice and I do often enjoy a fictional memoir/biography!

[Courtney Autumn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1978, 18-year-old golf prodigy Mira drives a ball through a practice net, fatally striking junior caddy Kenny. Initially dubbed a freak accident, an investigation into the torn net begins to raise more questions. After Mira's affair with a married man decades her senior is then exposed, public scrutiny shifts their opinion. Years later, Mira is finally ready to tell her whole story.

I always appreciate how Bohjalian doesn't create your run-of-the-mill thriller but instead crafts this intriguing sort of character study that still has a mysterious air. Mira's journey is filled with drama and trauma, the least of which is causing the death of Kenny. Watching her come to terms with some highly uncomfortable truths in her past is as compelling as hearing about the case itself. The memoir-style narrative of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘂𝗿 creates a sense of intimacy that blurs the lines of fiction and grips you to the end.

🎙 Once I got over picturing her as Jan from The Office, Melora Hardin absolutely aced the narration. She embodied Mira so fully that I felt like I was listening to a memoir or podcast of a real person.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping story of a tragic accident, culpability, privilege, and a razor-sharp snapshot of a very particular time in suburban America, where parents were oblivious, and teenage girls were preyed upon by older men. It also has a LOT of golf !

I loved Mr. Bohjalian’s meta-insert where he dropped Easter eggs of two of his own books!

“ This is, pure and simple, the story of just another amateur, a person who tried once too often to play above her game. I flew too close to the sun- like so many others before me- believing I could escape that sort of flight unscathed “.

“ It wasn’t that I was drawn to older men. It was that a certain type of middle-aged creep was always going to be drawn to young girls like me”

[Laura Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+🌟This book!! Y’all… I feel like whatever your preferred genres, you’re going to enjoy this one. I listened to the audiobook and could not turn it off. I’m completely obsessed with Mira, our FMC high school golf prodigy. A tragedy happens in the beginning and we follow Mira as she navigates her way through the aftermath. Her shallow mother advises her to treat it like a car wreck on the other side of the interstate. Just keep going and soon it will be in your rear view mirror and then forgotten. As if she could just erase it like that. So many secrets and illicit affairs are uncovered along the way. And of course I loved the late 70s setting. Melora Hardin was simply outstanding as the narrator. I had the ebook teed up on Libby, but the audio was just too good. I’m highly recommending this one.

[Jamie Rosenblit · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been reading Chris Bohjalian's work for close to two decades and I can confidently say that The Amateur is probably my favorite as of yet - set in a posh area of Westchester in the late 70s, I loved reading this story about a talented female golfer and how that gets washed away in the face of tragedy.

Thank you to Knopf for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

[Pav S. (pav_sanborn_bookworm) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars!

Honestly, this book was all over my Instagram feed, so of course I felt the FOMO and had to pick it up when I noticed my library had a copy just sitting there. What an intriguing read!

What really grabbed me from the start was the immediate hook that made it hard to put down! The chapter titles were catchy and offered a sneak peek into what you were about to learn. The story’s core, focused on eighteen-year-old golf prodigy Mira Winston, was difficult to grasp; the devastation and lifelong struggles she faced felt all too real. It initially seemed like a freak accident when Kenny Foster was struck by a stray golf ball and tragically killed. Yet, hidden beneath this incident were layers of personal trauma that haunted Mira, with a trial that seemed to drag on forever.

The affair with an older married man while she was still a minor added complexity to her already troubled relationships. Despite the incident being clearly an accident, the community turned against Mira, completely overshadowing her life and her dream of playing golf. It’s striking how one day everything seems fine, and the next she is vilified for Kenny’s death, with only his parents showing any understanding of the long-term consequences this would have on her life.

Mira is such a relatable and likable character, her dreams mapped out before her, but everything changes with one unexpected swing of the golf club. I felt like I was right there, watching her world crumble around her. The author thought through every detail, pulling me in and keeping me on the edge of my seat, eager to find out how it would all unfold.

This story truly makes you reflect on how everyday accidents can have profound, long-lasting effects. Just imagine accidentally causing someone’s death and watching your entire life change in an instant. Mira’s parents, cold and focused primarily on avoiding lawsuits, barely acknowledge the emotional toll on her. Meanwhile, the community is quick to accuse her of willingly killing Kenny, which is mind-boggling. Her dreams of college and golf were shattered in seconds, and the prominent country club wanted to deflect blame onto her. She had just started her journey and was friends with Kenny.

It was heartbreaking, dreadful, and impossible to put down! Bravo! If you’re interested in exploring the ramifications of a freak accident, courtroom drama, and the deep impact on the main character, then this book is for you. I didn’t see the reveal coming, yet I found myself hoping for some relief for Mira, given the immense pressure, expectations, and isolation she faced. Be sure to add this one to your TBR. It’s a story that could genuinely happen to anyone. It was just a tragic accident!

[Nico · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up after seeing a piece in the NYT calling it one of the best thrillers of the summer. Unfortunately it wouldn’t make my personal list; in fact, I’m not sure I’d call it a thriller.

The big inciting incident is when Mira, a high school golf prodigy, hits a drive into a practice net and it goes right through and hits a caddy in the head, killing him. There is, at worst, some potential minor negligence here. Even low grade manslaughter seems like a reach. But that’s what the entire book revolves around. Or at least what the flap copy claims it revolves around.

The bulk of the book is written from Mira’s perspective, looking back from years later, as she pontificates about the rogue drive incident, and also about how many drugs she was taking back then and how many older men she was sleeping with.

In fact, in my reading, Mira’s affairs with older men—one of which started when she was 15 and lasted for nearly four years—are the real heart of the book. She writes at length about how much she liked screwing these older men and how she fully consented to everything, and how boys her age were the ones who took advantage of her, and she was too mature for them.

It’s a strange theme to build a book around, and when I realized that the author is in fact an older man, it gave me an icky feeling.

The insight into this troubled main character is not bad, but it’s not good enough to overcome that icky feeling.

Likewise, the question of which way the jury will find in the eventual trial is well-crafted—I could see them going either way—but that doesn’t save the book from its terribly low stakes. It just doesn’t really matter, largely because we know the MC is writing this herself, after a long and fulfilling life.the melodramatic ending also doesn’t help

[Sheila Garry · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m not sure why I’m even giving this one Star. I guess because I can’t give it a thumbs down.

First of all, the book runs 311 pages….that includes double spacing and wide margins. So it is really more like150 pages when condensed.
The plot centers around a young woman in high school who is very talented at golf. She accidentally kills someone with an errant swing of her club and the ball sails into someone’s temple.
So many words were used to describe the game, the caddies, the club, etc. None of it germane to forwarding the plot.
Over and over the author rehashes the woman’s feelings, what has happened, reactions of those around her.There is no suspense. It just plods.
I quit after page 90.
This does not seem to have been written by the Chris Bohjalian I know.

[Karyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good! I loved the 1978 setting and couldn't put it down. Having read a couple of Chris Bohjalian's books now, I’m definitely going to search for more of his work. Highly recommend—5 out of 5 stars!

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Bohjalian is a wonderful storyteller and you never know what he will write about next. I adored Mira, who went through a lot of crap (some self-inflicted) and survived to tell about it. A lot has changed since 1978 but not enough.

[Zackary Ryan Cockrum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

Review: I really wanted to enjoy this book but it just turned out to not be for me (that doesn't mean it can't be for you). I think what I gathered from the synopsis made me feel like it was going to be like a legal type thriller into this abnormal case. That's not what this book is. It's more a lit fic about a young woman who experiences a significant amount of sexual trauma while navigating expectations from society. I didn't mind those things but it just became the majority of what the book was about and overtime, it felt repetitive. Just not what I expected.

[cyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Amy · Rating 2 out of 5]

As much as I enjoy this author (and golf) female protagonist Mira and this incredibly slow plot sadly did not retain my interest at all. I hope other readers enjoy this plot and its pacing more than I did. 2/5

[Landpomeranze · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quit at chapter 10.
The first disappointment for me was the fact that this is not a "thriller" as I had expected. But I liked the writing (mostly at least) so I continued.
At chapter 10 I gave up. I never disliked someone like I dislike Mira. So she is damaged but I don't care. I felt like she is flaunting her "damagedness", almost bragging about it. I don't even care what happens to her, I am not curious how this ends. And that is why there's just no reason for me to continue.

[Paige · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m sorry but this just didn’t land for me. I wanted it to go in a different direction than it did so it was a little disappointing. This is my first book by this author so maybe it’s not my fault for recognizing their style but the synopsis was originally interesting to me. I also found myself uncomfortable with how the female character viewed her own abuse by older men, specifically because this was written by a man. If this book had been by a woman I think I may have felt differently. Maybe that says more about me than the author but it’s just how I felt. Ended abruptly as well.

Thanks to Doubleday Books and the author for an arc from NetGalley

[Emily]

I was finding this book difficult to listen to due to a 15 year old girls disgusting language about an affair with a 40 some year old married man but then when the author tried to compare this relationship to Donald Trump's consensual relationship at 60 with a 27 year old woman? What? There is a big difference in a 15 year old girl's mind and a 27 year old woman's mind. If your obsession with a man are at the level that you need to insert that in the middle of a book for no apparent reason at all other than your own derangement that you may need to step back and evaluate yourself. It is irresponsible. I can not speak for the rest of the book because I had to end it there.

[Joni · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a thriller. More of a soap opera around one seriously screwed up teenager.

[Gary Parkes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chris Bohjalian never writes the same book twice and I love that! He can write all genres so eloquently, relatably, and with great respect for the reader. This is more than simply a legal thriller, a family drama, a coming-of-age story, a peek at life in the 1970’s but it is all that and so much more. It is a slow burn in some ways and a riveting page-turner in other ways with just the right twists and turns. The candor among the characters, along with the humor is welcome and appreciated. I highly recommend this novel but you will be hard-pressed to label it solely in one genre!