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Here Lies Daniel Tate
When ten-year-old Daniel Tate went missing from one of California’s most elite communities, he left no trace. He simply vanished.
Six years later, when he resurfaces on a snowy street in Vancouver, he’s no longer the same boy. His sandy hair is darker, the freckles are gone, and he’s initially too traumatized to speak, but he’s alive. His overjoyed family brings him home to a world of luxury and comfort he can barely remember. In time, they assure him, he’ll recover his memories; all that matters now is they’re together again.
It’s perfect. A miracle. Except for one thing.
He isn’t Daniel Tate.
He’s a petty con artist who accidentally stumbled into the scam of a lifetime, and he soon learns he’s not the only one in the Tate household with something to hide. The family has as many secrets as they have millions in the bank, and one of them might be ready to kill to keep the worst one buried.
Six years later, when he resurfaces on a snowy street in Vancouver, he’s no longer the same boy. His sandy hair is darker, the freckles are gone, and he’s initially too traumatized to speak, but he’s alive. His overjoyed family brings him home to a world of luxury and comfort he can barely remember. In time, they assure him, he’ll recover his memories; all that matters now is they’re together again.
It’s perfect. A miracle. Except for one thing.
He isn’t Daniel Tate.
He’s a petty con artist who accidentally stumbled into the scam of a lifetime, and he soon learns he’s not the only one in the Tate household with something to hide. The family has as many secrets as they have millions in the bank, and one of them might be ready to kill to keep the worst one buried.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published June 6, 2017
183 people are currently reading
11346 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,029 reviews
January 24, 2018
it's 12 am, my head is actually hurting from all this tense fucking shit and this every emotional mindfuck I just experienced. I fucking hate this book, I hope it chokes in the deepest pits of hell, fucking bitch ass book I'M SCREAMING I FUCKING HATE IT. goodbye and here lies me, dying.
BUT BITCH I PREDICTED SOME MAJOR TWISTS SO HAH SUCK MY DICK.
somebody call 911 I literally can't even function right now, I need to sleep, everything hurts, wow bye!!!
rtc when this book stops existing because it's torture and I loved it, so I guess that means no review!!!!!!! have a nice day y'all !!!!!
BUT BITCH I PREDICTED SOME MAJOR TWISTS SO HAH SUCK MY DICK.
somebody call 911 I literally can't even function right now, I need to sleep, everything hurts, wow bye!!!
rtc when this book stops existing because it's torture and I loved it, so I guess that means no review!!!!!!! have a nice day y'all !!!!!
November 26, 2017
I have a serious problem and that is CONTINUING TO READ BOOKS THAT I KNOW WILL RUIN MY LIFE
But like I’m not actively doing anything about it so…
- This story is fricken weird as hell and the narrator is so obviously unreliable its fantastic
- So the mc is a con-artist who lives off the streets and sorta, accidently, conned his way into a very…undesirable situation
- Its wild start to finish kids, just keep that in mind
- What I really loved about the book was the WRITING was so easy to read, it’s fast paced, it had my heart thrashing at moment, everything a thriller needs to have
- There are a lot of characters are they all stand out in their own way, I love that
- The mystery builds along the way and when you figure it out along with Daniel its like AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA for 45 hours
- Bc hell, this book just got morbid quick
- Also, we got some Canadian rep my ice cold heart
- Another thing…there are //no// chapters
- Which usually I would find annoying but for this book it just worked so well, nothing was broken up and it was like one stream of conscious and it just made everything so much MORE!!!
- It also handles a lot of issues at the same time which is great
- AND. THE. ENDING.
- I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND NO ANSWERS AND I KEEP THINKING ABOUT THE ENDING AND BE LIKE DUDE WHAT IS THE TRUTH PLZ EXPLAIN IN A FULL FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY
- Also I know a lot of people complained about the romance, how it was like unnecessary and ish and I kinda disagree bc even though it wasn’t //necessary// for the novel, it did push things along and add another character in there, I liked it
- And I SOOOOO called the first reveal. So. totally. Called. It. Right from the start
- I kinda wish we got to see what happes //after// bc my mind cannot accept the ending for what it was afjoidafjiudasfads
- The only reason it’s not a full 5 star rating is bc well, it’s great and all but I think it lacked that BEDAZZLEMENT that 5 stars require, like bruh I ain’t here throwing out 5 stars for nothing, you gotta prove yourself
- That said, this was a total memorable thriller/mystery and I’m still thinking about it and how it ruined my life :’)
“All of my life I'd tried to be invisible, and that gave the power to everyone else.”
4 stars!!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
hi, i'd like a refund on my emotions bc this book was manipulative as hell and i'm emotionally exhausted and i don't know what to think or believe and im going to spend the next 36 hours curled into a little ball in my bed questioning everything
have a good day
September 24, 2024
OMGOMGOMG this book is such a twisty mindfuck like I'd think I know what was happening but then it'd throw me off after which I'd change my mind and it would start all over so towards the end I was like WHICH IS IT.
There's nothing better than a thriller with an unreliable narrator (and love the lies pun in the title since all the main character does is lie). Ugh, totally my kind of a thriller with almost all of the characters being so terrible and the ending is just so 'holy shit, it really is that level of sick?' and so satisfying and FEELSY AND GAAAAH.
Lastly, this book has NO chapters, just these little dividers throughout so you just can't stop reading it which a little rude but I liked the setup.
I NEED MORE CRISTIN TERRILL BOOKS IN MY LIFE, WORLD.
There's nothing better than a thriller with an unreliable narrator (and love the lies pun in the title since all the main character does is lie). Ugh, totally my kind of a thriller with almost all of the characters being so terrible and the ending is just so 'holy shit, it really is that level of sick?' and so satisfying and FEELSY AND GAAAAH.
Lastly, this book has NO chapters, just these little dividers throughout so you just can't stop reading it which a little rude but I liked the setup.
I NEED MORE CRISTIN TERRILL BOOKS IN MY LIFE, WORLD.
June 13, 2017
I CALLED IT I CALLED ALL OF IT HAHAHAHA.
That was brilliant.
That was brilliant.
June 11, 2017
Someday I'll realize that the - albeit fake - instant gratification YA thrillers offer me (IamsocleveramInot) doesn't make up for the extreme annoyance at guessing everything early and I'll stop reading them.
Do you believe me?
As for Here Lies Daniel Tate, the only reason I finished it was my undying love for All Our Yesterdays. Don't be like me.
Do you believe me?
As for Here Lies Daniel Tate, the only reason I finished it was my undying love for All Our Yesterdays. Don't be like me.
June 17, 2017
I loved Cristin's other book, so I was dying to get my greedy hands on this one.
I don't know how much I can say without ruining anything, so this will be vague. I loved the characters, the story, the constant guessing, and the ending was mind blowing.
Do yourself a favor and pick it up asap. Especially if you like mind fuckery.
I don't know how much I can say without ruining anything, so this will be vague. I loved the characters, the story, the constant guessing, and the ending was mind blowing.
Do yourself a favor and pick it up asap. Especially if you like mind fuckery.
July 2, 2017
do i believe?? i don't know anymore.
such a lying narrative. i didn't realise an imposter, a liar, a con artist can be such an addictive narrative of this story. talk about messed up family & mystery.
such a lying narrative. i didn't realise an imposter, a liar, a con artist can be such an addictive narrative of this story. talk about messed up family & mystery.
November 17, 2021
"People are always their most beautiful when you know you're never going to see them again"
I'm crying ......I'm not ok
God, this book had me screaming and crying and thanking my life choices for landing me here. And the fact that only 4300 people have rated this breaks my heart.
ADD THIS TO YOUR TBR NOW!!!
Hey Alexa play Arcade
I swear that song makes so much sense when you've read the book 😭😭😭
THIS IS HITTING ME LIKE A TRUCK
"I've spent all of the love I saved
We were always a losing game
Small-town boy in a big arcade
I got addicted to a losing game"
AHHHHHHHHH MY HEARTTTTTTT ╥﹏╥
(I'm being too dramatic, this isn't even that sad but whatever.... )
♥*♡∞:｡.｡Synopsis｡.｡:∞♡*♥
Six years ago, ten-year-old Daniel Tate went missing from an elite family in California. Six years later, he is found in Vancouver too traumatized to speak. His family is extremely happy and overjoyed to take him back home to California.
Everything is amazing and everyone is happy.... except of course he's not Daniel Tate
"The first question everyone always asks is, what’s your name? I won’t tell you, because I don’t want to lie to you. I want to tell the truth for once; no fake names like the ones I used to give when people asked me. I had no choice back then. I was a born liar and, by the time everything began, I barely remembered my real name anyway."
He's just a con artist with a tragic backstory trying to survive and realizing.....he's got the wrong family. The Tate family is full of dirty secrets and one or all of them might even kill to keep them buried.
This book has
-An unnamed unreliable narrator
-Con artists main character who already warns us at the beginning of the book he's gonna LIE
-Messed up rich family
-Rich people drama
-An amazing narrative
-No chapters
♥*♡∞:｡.｡Plot｡.｡:∞♡*♥
"I was a superhero captured by his evil nemesis. A king in the hiding. An outlaw from a small, snowy town who was running from the cops. Anyone but Daniel Tate"
This book unlike a lot of mystery books I've read is not plot driven I LOVE the fact that it focused more on its characters and their very messed up lives. So the plot wasn't the best part of this book.
It's slow and it's focused more on Daniel aka our unnamed protagonist's inner struggles as he pretends to be Daniel Tate + trying to figure out what ACTUALLY happened to the real Danny Tate. That's basically the mystery of this book and I really enjoyed it
"I knew about deception, I had underestimated people’s ability to fool themselves when it suited them"
I believe I could have guessed it if I was trying because at a point I was like "Damn all of this, I'm just gonna sit back and enjoy the ~ drama~" (or maybe that is just my way of declaring I am dumb 🤔)
The pacing is pretty slow and it takes time for everything to unravel, and this is one of the longest mystery books I've read (400 pages)
The plot twist and the aftermaths of it got me and reallllly made me think "This shit is so messed up 🤯, I'm NEVER EVER pretending to be the long lost kid of a family like that"#stillcryingoverit
♥*♡∞:｡.｡The unamed protagonist｡.｡:∞♡*♥
"If you don't speak for long enough, people eventually stop seeing you as an oddity and start seeing you as a piece of furniture which suited me just fine. I liked to blend into the chaos they caused until I as good as disappeared"
Danny..... oh Danny I loved him. I loved him from page one. I loved SO MUCH he quickly became one of my favourite mystery protagonists second ONLY to Stevie Bell from Truly Devious.
He is a con artist who's been on the run for his entire life and his real family doesn't even care about his life or death 😭😭. ALLL he ever wanted to be was to have someone to call "family" 😭😭
AHHHHHHHHHHHH I LOVE HIM.
"All I wanted was a family. All I wanted was to be loved. But I guess we don’t always get what we want."
And why wouldn't I love him, he's extremely smart, manipulative, logical and knows what to do in every situation but at the same oh so human. I wasn't rolling my eyes at anything he did because IT MADE SENSE and he only relied on himself to take care of things. In my opinion, one of THE BEST protagonists I have ever seen in a mystery book.
"She didn’t seem to want me to be anyone but whoever I was, and I wasn’t anyone, not really. I’d spent a lifetime becoming a mirror that just reflected back the person others wanted to see, but she didn’t want anything. So I was nothing."
And the fact that con artist or not, he wanted to give the real Daniel Tate justice.....
"When someone hurts a child, that person should pay. I was a liar and a con artist and probably a terrible person, but I still believed that."
♥*♡∞:｡.｡Writing｡.｡:∞♡*♥
Remember when I said I wasn't a fan of the first person POV?? SCREW THAT because I loved the writing. It's amazing how anything can be enjoyed if done well enough. It felt so rich, emotional and suddenly you realize Danny has been lying to you all along BANGGG
"I smiled and tried to save a piece of the feeling for later.
♥*♡∞:｡.｡Romance｡.｡:∞♡*♥
This does happen much much later in the story so I'm not gonna say too much except the fact that it made Daniel more "human" and made me love him more. It's not the epitome of a good romance obviously when you know Daniel Tate is not Daniel Tate but I did really enjoy it and maybe even shipped them.
♥*♡∞:｡.｡Conclusion｡.｡:∞♡*♥
🆗✅Plot - A bit slow but still good.
🆗✅Romance - Not the best romance but it made sense for Daniel and made me love him more.
✅Plot twist - Can you hear me screaming??
✅Characters - I WOULD KILL FOR HIM
✅Writing - Chef's kiss
---------------------------------------------------
Rating system
❌= I did not like it
🆗= It was ok, I have nothing against but it doesn't stand out
✅ = It was great and I wouldn't change anything about it
❌🆗 = Somewhere between I did not like it and ok
🆗✅= Somewhere between ok and great
June 19, 2017
UPDATED COMPLETE REVIEW:
If you can read that synopsis and pretend you’re not 1000 percent interested in this novel then you’re a better liar than Daniel Tate…
...Or -- more accurately -- the con artist that’s impersonating him.
"The first question everyone always asks is, what's your name?"
This simple truth provides a simple start for Terrill’s incredibly addictive and twisted tale of a prematurely jaded impostor who quickly finds himself on the wrong side of the con. The story, told through the eyes of a nameless, unreliable narrator, presents the “facts” in a thoughtful, intricate, and creative fashion, which challenges the reader to constantly doubt whether they’ve been duped.
"I know I said I was going to tell you the truth. But I lied. It's just what I do. Frankly, you have no one to blame but yourself if you believed me for even a second."
As someone who usually “ruins the curve” when it comes to plot twists, I wasn’t expecting to be mesmerized by this book or its damaged narrator. And even though I uncovered some of the dirty details – including the big twist, which I won’t reveal for obvious reasons – within the first hundred pages, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this electrifying ride. The layering of surprises and reveals coupled with a cast of broken and flawed characters truly hooked me in and didn’t release me until the very last sentence. And let me tell you that last sentence...well, let’s just say you should probably buddy read this one so you have someone to scream with immediately.
Ultimately, whether you call yourself a sleuth or not, I’d highly recommend adding this thrilling read to your summer TBR! As one of my favorite reads of the year, I promise you won’t be disappointed...do you believe me?
Original Review:
Y'all its been two days and I'm still not confident I know the truth...
RTC...
If you can read that synopsis and pretend you’re not 1000 percent interested in this novel then you’re a better liar than Daniel Tate…
...Or -- more accurately -- the con artist that’s impersonating him.
"The first question everyone always asks is, what's your name?"
This simple truth provides a simple start for Terrill’s incredibly addictive and twisted tale of a prematurely jaded impostor who quickly finds himself on the wrong side of the con. The story, told through the eyes of a nameless, unreliable narrator, presents the “facts” in a thoughtful, intricate, and creative fashion, which challenges the reader to constantly doubt whether they’ve been duped.
"I know I said I was going to tell you the truth. But I lied. It's just what I do. Frankly, you have no one to blame but yourself if you believed me for even a second."
As someone who usually “ruins the curve” when it comes to plot twists, I wasn’t expecting to be mesmerized by this book or its damaged narrator. And even though I uncovered some of the dirty details – including the big twist, which I won’t reveal for obvious reasons – within the first hundred pages, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this electrifying ride. The layering of surprises and reveals coupled with a cast of broken and flawed characters truly hooked me in and didn’t release me until the very last sentence. And let me tell you that last sentence...well, let’s just say you should probably buddy read this one so you have someone to scream with immediately.
Ultimately, whether you call yourself a sleuth or not, I’d highly recommend adding this thrilling read to your summer TBR! As one of my favorite reads of the year, I promise you won’t be disappointed...do you believe me?
Original Review:
Y'all its been two days and I'm still not confident I know the truth...
RTC...
October 27, 2017
i'm suing all authors for emotional manipulation, including this one
RTC
RTC
October 17, 2024
Un milion de răsturnări de situație. Nu spun că nu s-au potrivit, dar unele mi s-au părut forțate. Mai ales finalul, efectiv ultimele pagini, a fost ciudat tare. Nu simțeam nevoia să ne mai dea peste cap autorul încă o dată.
Dar o recomand. O familie în care parcă toți sunt nebuni. Un tânăr care caută cu orice preț o familie, dar despre a cărui viață reală nu avem prea multe detalii, deși cred că ar fi fost util.
Dar o recomand. O familie în care parcă toți sunt nebuni. Un tânăr care caută cu orice preț o familie, dar despre a cărui viață reală nu avem prea multe detalii, deși cred că ar fi fost util.
October 5, 2017
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the author
Summary (from Goodreads):
A young, street-savvy runaway looking for a place to call home realized he might have conned his way into the wrong family in this fast-paced and thrilling novel from award-winning author Cristin Terrill.
When ten-year-old Daniel Tate went missing from one of California's most elite communities, he left no trace. He simply vanished.
Six years later, when he resurfaces on a snowy street in Vancouver, he's no longer the same boy. His sandy hair is darker, the freckles are gone, and he's initially too traumatized to speak, but he's alive. His overjoyed family brings him home to a world of luxury and comfort he can barely remember. In time, they assure him, he'll recover his memories; all that matters now is they're together again.
It's perfect. A miracle. Except for one thing.
He isn't Daniel Tate.
He's a petty con artist who accidentally stumbled into the scam of a lifetime, and he soon learns he's not the only one in the Tate household with something to hide. The family has as many secrets as they have millions in the bank, and one of them might be ready to kill to keep the worst one buried.
What I Liked:
This book was trippy! It's a thriller and mystery novel, though it sort of reads as a psychological thriller (maybe it is one?). We have an unreliable narrator here, in the form of "Daniel Tate" who isn't actually Daniel Tate. I really enjoyed this book, though I want more. I couldn't believe it, when it ended!
Our protagonist, "Daniel Tate", isn't actually Daniel Tate. One day, to escape some trouble at a shelter for homeless kids, he gets into a tough spot, and he decides to impersonate a boy who has been missing for six years - Daniel Tate. This boy was ten at the time, the fourth child of a very rich family. It's the perfect scam for our protagonist, especially since he and Daniel would be around the same age, and their appearances are pretty similar. The family seems to welcome him back, though his mother and second older brother are a bit hostile. But as each day passes, he begins to realize that things are a little too perfect, and that he is in too deep to leave again. Things in this household are not as they seem, and something big is building up, waiting to explode.
Here Lies Daniel Tate is nothing like All Our Yesterdays, a book that I read and loved several years ago. The two books are so different, yet equally as strong standalone novels. It's a true mark of an author's creativity, when he/she can write across different genres, and he/she does it well.
First, can I talk about the title of this book? I love it so much. It implies death - "here lies ___" is a phrase associated with death and cemeteries and tombstones. BUT. It is perfect because our protagonist, "Danny", is not actually Danny Tate, and he is such a liar. So it's like, here (at this place) lies (not telling the truth) Daniel Tate (not Daniel Tate). I love it!
I don't know what to call the protagonist other than "Danny", because we never find out his real name. The first thirty or so pages of the book show Danny's life in Vancouver, how he is homeless and destitute, living off help from shelters and temporary homes with other homeless boys. But it doesn't last, because he gets into some trouble at one place. He does a little research and decides to impersonate Daniel Tate, at least for a little bit, until he can run again. But things get a little out of hand when the family of Daniel Tate believe him, take him in, and completely integrate him into their lives. Danny is a petty con artist by circumstance, forced to survive in any way he can, but he didn't plan for everything to go so far.
Danny is a hard character to crack. We know from the start that he isn't Daniel Tate - we get to see exactly how he "chose" Daniel Tate, but we don't really get to know much about him. He is a good actor, and a skilled liar. He looks out for himself, but as the story goes on, he finds that he can't just walk away from this family.
The family is made of four siblings (not including Daniel) and Jessica, their mother. Patrick and Lex are from Jessica's first marriage, and Nicholas, Daniel, and Mia are from her second marriage. Patrick and Lex are both in their twenties; Patrick is a lawyer and handles all of the legal work for Danny's return, and Lex is a 24-year-old on-and-off college student who is a stand-in mother for Danny, since Jessica is not interested in being anyone's mother. Mia is eight (I think?) and the cutest and most accepting sibling. Nicholas is seventeen and it's clear that he doesn't like Danny. Despite that, familial relationships are pretty important in this book (and not just in the way you think), even if Danny isn't actually related to any of these people.The family is dysfunctional at best, but Danny grows to care about each family member.
Until things take a dark turn.
I won't share too many details about the rest of the story (which is about half or more). I don't want to spoil a thing, because it is rather twisted and I was guessing wrong the whole time. I love how Terrill set things up that way! I'm impressed by how well the mystery aspect of the story was constructed. And how much I grew to like many of the characters - that was surprising, because each one of them had something to hide.
Romance takes a backseat in this book, and so it's there but not really. Danny meets a girl and they hang out from time to time. Ren is really cool and a little odd in her own way, but I like how free-spirited she is. I wish the romance had gone deeper or further, but at the same time, I like that the author didn't take it further. It makes sense, given who "Danny" is.
The ending does not disappoint, in that it is just as trippy as the whole book! Seriously, you will be just as surprised and perplexed. Read the book to find out what I mean!
What I Did Not Like:
No real complaints from me! This book is very different compared to my usual, and I liked it a lot!
Would I Recommend It:
If you're into thrillers and mystery novels, this is a good one! It's a combination of both and it will leave you questioning everything. Danny is the most unreliable narrator I've ever come across, which was amusing, rather than frustrating. Like I said above, this isn't my usual type of read, but I liked it and I wouldn't mind reading more books like this!
Rating:
4 stars. I wonder what the author will come up with next! I'm still hoping for a sequel to All Our Yesterdays, but I'm actually not crying for a sequel to this book. Given the ending, I think this book works really well as a standalone. But I think I need more Terrill stories!
Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: June 6, 2017
Rating: 4 stars
Source: ARC sent by the author
Summary (from Goodreads):
A young, street-savvy runaway looking for a place to call home realized he might have conned his way into the wrong family in this fast-paced and thrilling novel from award-winning author Cristin Terrill.
When ten-year-old Daniel Tate went missing from one of California's most elite communities, he left no trace. He simply vanished.
Six years later, when he resurfaces on a snowy street in Vancouver, he's no longer the same boy. His sandy hair is darker, the freckles are gone, and he's initially too traumatized to speak, but he's alive. His overjoyed family brings him home to a world of luxury and comfort he can barely remember. In time, they assure him, he'll recover his memories; all that matters now is they're together again.
It's perfect. A miracle. Except for one thing.
He isn't Daniel Tate.
He's a petty con artist who accidentally stumbled into the scam of a lifetime, and he soon learns he's not the only one in the Tate household with something to hide. The family has as many secrets as they have millions in the bank, and one of them might be ready to kill to keep the worst one buried.
What I Liked:
This book was trippy! It's a thriller and mystery novel, though it sort of reads as a psychological thriller (maybe it is one?). We have an unreliable narrator here, in the form of "Daniel Tate" who isn't actually Daniel Tate. I really enjoyed this book, though I want more. I couldn't believe it, when it ended!
Our protagonist, "Daniel Tate", isn't actually Daniel Tate. One day, to escape some trouble at a shelter for homeless kids, he gets into a tough spot, and he decides to impersonate a boy who has been missing for six years - Daniel Tate. This boy was ten at the time, the fourth child of a very rich family. It's the perfect scam for our protagonist, especially since he and Daniel would be around the same age, and their appearances are pretty similar. The family seems to welcome him back, though his mother and second older brother are a bit hostile. But as each day passes, he begins to realize that things are a little too perfect, and that he is in too deep to leave again. Things in this household are not as they seem, and something big is building up, waiting to explode.
Here Lies Daniel Tate is nothing like All Our Yesterdays, a book that I read and loved several years ago. The two books are so different, yet equally as strong standalone novels. It's a true mark of an author's creativity, when he/she can write across different genres, and he/she does it well.
First, can I talk about the title of this book? I love it so much. It implies death - "here lies ___" is a phrase associated with death and cemeteries and tombstones. BUT. It is perfect because our protagonist, "Danny", is not actually Danny Tate, and he is such a liar. So it's like, here (at this place) lies (not telling the truth) Daniel Tate (not Daniel Tate). I love it!
I don't know what to call the protagonist other than "Danny", because we never find out his real name. The first thirty or so pages of the book show Danny's life in Vancouver, how he is homeless and destitute, living off help from shelters and temporary homes with other homeless boys. But it doesn't last, because he gets into some trouble at one place. He does a little research and decides to impersonate Daniel Tate, at least for a little bit, until he can run again. But things get a little out of hand when the family of Daniel Tate believe him, take him in, and completely integrate him into their lives. Danny is a petty con artist by circumstance, forced to survive in any way he can, but he didn't plan for everything to go so far.
Danny is a hard character to crack. We know from the start that he isn't Daniel Tate - we get to see exactly how he "chose" Daniel Tate, but we don't really get to know much about him. He is a good actor, and a skilled liar. He looks out for himself, but as the story goes on, he finds that he can't just walk away from this family.
The family is made of four siblings (not including Daniel) and Jessica, their mother. Patrick and Lex are from Jessica's first marriage, and Nicholas, Daniel, and Mia are from her second marriage. Patrick and Lex are both in their twenties; Patrick is a lawyer and handles all of the legal work for Danny's return, and Lex is a 24-year-old on-and-off college student who is a stand-in mother for Danny, since Jessica is not interested in being anyone's mother. Mia is eight (I think?) and the cutest and most accepting sibling. Nicholas is seventeen and it's clear that he doesn't like Danny. Despite that, familial relationships are pretty important in this book (and not just in the way you think), even if Danny isn't actually related to any of these people.The family is dysfunctional at best, but Danny grows to care about each family member.
Until things take a dark turn.
I won't share too many details about the rest of the story (which is about half or more). I don't want to spoil a thing, because it is rather twisted and I was guessing wrong the whole time. I love how Terrill set things up that way! I'm impressed by how well the mystery aspect of the story was constructed. And how much I grew to like many of the characters - that was surprising, because each one of them had something to hide.
Romance takes a backseat in this book, and so it's there but not really. Danny meets a girl and they hang out from time to time. Ren is really cool and a little odd in her own way, but I like how free-spirited she is. I wish the romance had gone deeper or further, but at the same time, I like that the author didn't take it further. It makes sense, given who "Danny" is.
The ending does not disappoint, in that it is just as trippy as the whole book! Seriously, you will be just as surprised and perplexed. Read the book to find out what I mean!
What I Did Not Like:
No real complaints from me! This book is very different compared to my usual, and I liked it a lot!
Would I Recommend It:
If you're into thrillers and mystery novels, this is a good one! It's a combination of both and it will leave you questioning everything. Danny is the most unreliable narrator I've ever come across, which was amusing, rather than frustrating. Like I said above, this isn't my usual type of read, but I liked it and I wouldn't mind reading more books like this!
Rating:
4 stars. I wonder what the author will come up with next! I'm still hoping for a sequel to All Our Yesterdays, but I'm actually not crying for a sequel to this book. Given the ending, I think this book works really well as a standalone. But I think I need more Terrill stories!
March 24, 2019
This book was... something. I had really hard time figuring out how to rate this one, because I absolutely loved it... right up to the last few pages. But the ending. The ending. This had one of the most UNSATISFYING endings I have EVER read. I am SO disappointed! Because I was absolutely loving this!
Things I Loved:
- This book was so INTENSE! I never knew what was coming next, and I was on the edge of my seat.
- And the PLOT TWISTS. This book left me absolutely SHOOK so many times!
- It was super well written too. Cristin Terrill is clearly a very talented writer.
- THE CHARACTERS!! I loved our main character (whose name we never learn). He was sort of a terrible person, but you sort of can't help yourself, and end up loving him anyways. And he's SUCH a well developed character! And just such a PERFECT narrator for the book. PERFECT I TELL YOU! PERFECT!
- What's his face. I can't remember his name, but Daniel's brother, who's his age. Whatever his name was, I loved him! He was my favourite, and I should REALLY be able to remember his name, but despite the fact that his name clearly wasn't memorable, I ADORED HIM! Seriously, I would like a whole book about him. Please? Please?!
- All the side characters! Particularly the love interest and the little girl! (Look I'm bad with names, okay?) They were great, as was everyone else!
- The messy family dynamic! I mean, it was VERY messy, and not exactly in a good way, but... I just ADORED reading about it!
Things I Disliked:
- The romance. I loved the love interest (WHAT IS HER NAME?!?!??), but I just... didn't feel their relationship was that great. They didn't really have much chemistry. Oh well, the romance barely even existed, so it wasn't too bad.
- Okay but the ending. THE ENDING! WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?!?!?! I sort of think the ending was supposed to be emotional and heartbreaking, but honestly all I felt was disappointment. Did it make me sad? Yes. Was that sadness completely overwhelmed by the feeling that it was one of the worst endings I'd ever read in my life? Also yes.
Look, I have a lot of feelings about this ending, and NONE of them are positive. It just felt... cheap. Like it wasn't really the right ending, but the author just didn't know how else to end it.
And I was really, really disappointed.
Also I saw the ending coming from a mile away, just saying.
Overall? I don't know how I felt about this book. Because truly, I adored this book, up until maybe the last five or six pages. And then it just... went REALLY downhill REALLY fast. And I'm bitter.
Would I recommend this book? I don't know. Nobody else seems to hate the ending, so maybe it's just me. But I really, really was not satisfied with it. BUT the rest of the book was amazing. So you're really going to have to make up your own mind about this one.
***Initial Reaction, September 11, 2018***
What the heck?! That was quite possibly the most unsatisfying ending I have ever read. What. The. Actual. Hell. And it was so good until then too. RTC.
Things I Loved:
- This book was so INTENSE! I never knew what was coming next, and I was on the edge of my seat.
- And the PLOT TWISTS. This book left me absolutely SHOOK so many times!
- It was super well written too. Cristin Terrill is clearly a very talented writer.
- THE CHARACTERS!! I loved our main character (whose name we never learn). He was sort of a terrible person, but you sort of can't help yourself, and end up loving him anyways. And he's SUCH a well developed character! And just such a PERFECT narrator for the book. PERFECT I TELL YOU! PERFECT!
- What's his face. I can't remember his name, but Daniel's brother, who's his age. Whatever his name was, I loved him! He was my favourite, and I should REALLY be able to remember his name, but despite the fact that his name clearly wasn't memorable, I ADORED HIM! Seriously, I would like a whole book about him. Please? Please?!
- All the side characters! Particularly the love interest and the little girl! (Look I'm bad with names, okay?) They were great, as was everyone else!
- The messy family dynamic! I mean, it was VERY messy, and not exactly in a good way, but... I just ADORED reading about it!
Things I Disliked:
- The romance. I loved the love interest (WHAT IS HER NAME?!?!??), but I just... didn't feel their relationship was that great. They didn't really have much chemistry. Oh well, the romance barely even existed, so it wasn't too bad.
- Okay but the ending. THE ENDING! WHAT WAS THAT ENDING?!?!?! I sort of think the ending was supposed to be emotional and heartbreaking, but honestly all I felt was disappointment. Did it make me sad? Yes. Was that sadness completely overwhelmed by the feeling that it was one of the worst endings I'd ever read in my life? Also yes.
Look, I have a lot of feelings about this ending, and NONE of them are positive. It just felt... cheap. Like it wasn't really the right ending, but the author just didn't know how else to end it.
And I was really, really disappointed.
Also I saw the ending coming from a mile away, just saying.
Overall? I don't know how I felt about this book. Because truly, I adored this book, up until maybe the last five or six pages. And then it just... went REALLY downhill REALLY fast. And I'm bitter.
Would I recommend this book? I don't know. Nobody else seems to hate the ending, so maybe it's just me. But I really, really was not satisfied with it. BUT the rest of the book was amazing. So you're really going to have to make up your own mind about this one.
***Initial Reaction, September 11, 2018***
What the heck?! That was quite possibly the most unsatisfying ending I have ever read. What. The. Actual. Hell. And it was so good until then too. RTC.
July 2, 2017
3.5 stars. I don't know if the ending was quite as fabulous as the 300 pages of buildup. But darn it, the experience of reading this book was so fantastic. I can't possibly give it less than four stars.
Man, what do I even say about pages 1-300? Terrill's style is truly so compelling and unputdownable. I don't know how she does it, but I was hooked.
I feel suspense is the best when it causes me an emotional reaction. This book certainly fits that criteria. So many scenes went so far as to viscerally horrify me. I was so involved in the characters and their moments of moral disgust.
Speaking of which, I loved these characters! Nicholas was my favorite. Definitely. Lexi is cool too; she's very complicated. I do take issue with the forced romance plot, but I liked the love interest's character a fair amount.
What I don't get is how you can take such a fabulous suspense novel and make the ending so obvious. Admittedly, I didn't totally anticipate one of the final twists. I felt Terrill showed her hand too early and too far from the end; by 85%, we have a fairly close picture to what happens. Yes, there is a final twist of sorts, but that twist didn't have the impact it needed.
Let's discuss the final twist's problems. I will still avoid explicit spoilers, but if you want to go in knowing nothing, move forward. First of all, I just feel it didn't have much shock value. The way the twist plays out, it's more a cheap explanation of whose idea the murder was, rather than a real change in what happened. If that first point were acting alone, the book would've been fine. Unfortunately, I found the twist laughably easy to guess. I had that twist in my head as a batshit absurd possible solution idea at the 70% mark. And then I turned out to be correct. Disappointing.
I do have to give props for a perfect open ending, though. That last line gave me the creeps.
VERDICT: while the ending isn't amazing, this was truly a great book. Can't wait to read more by Terrill.
Post-Read
I don't know what I just read
who am I
what
RTC when I figure out what the hell I just read
Man, what do I even say about pages 1-300? Terrill's style is truly so compelling and unputdownable. I don't know how she does it, but I was hooked.
I feel suspense is the best when it causes me an emotional reaction. This book certainly fits that criteria. So many scenes went so far as to viscerally horrify me. I was so involved in the characters and their moments of moral disgust.
Speaking of which, I loved these characters! Nicholas was my favorite. Definitely. Lexi is cool too; she's very complicated. I do take issue with the forced romance plot, but I liked the love interest's character a fair amount.
What I don't get is how you can take such a fabulous suspense novel and make the ending so obvious. Admittedly, I didn't totally anticipate one of the final twists. I felt Terrill showed her hand too early and too far from the end; by 85%, we have a fairly close picture to what happens. Yes, there is a final twist of sorts, but that twist didn't have the impact it needed.
Let's discuss the final twist's problems. I will still avoid explicit spoilers, but if you want to go in knowing nothing, move forward. First of all, I just feel it didn't have much shock value. The way the twist plays out, it's more a cheap explanation of whose idea the murder was, rather than a real change in what happened. If that first point were acting alone, the book would've been fine. Unfortunately, I found the twist laughably easy to guess. I had that twist in my head as a batshit absurd possible solution idea at the 70% mark. And then I turned out to be correct. Disappointing.
I do have to give props for a perfect open ending, though. That last line gave me the creeps.
VERDICT: while the ending isn't amazing, this was truly a great book. Can't wait to read more by Terrill.
Post-Read
I don't know what I just read
who am I
what
RTC when I figure out what the hell I just read
September 30, 2017
I really enjoyed Cristin Terrill's debut, All Our Yesterdays, so I was excited when I learned she had a new book out.
Where AOY was sci-fi, this Here Lies Daniel Tate had none of that. What it does have is a great unreliable narrator, an engaging cast of characters, a good mystery, and a pace that borders on brutal. Because there are no chapters, it was insanely easy to lose myself in this book.
I liked that one of the major characters is gay, has a boyfriend, and it's a part of who he is rather than a part of the plot. That said, I would have liked to have seen greater diversity throughout.
All in all, HLDT delivered exactly what it promised, and I'd definitely recommend it.
Where AOY was sci-fi, this Here Lies Daniel Tate had none of that. What it does have is a great unreliable narrator, an engaging cast of characters, a good mystery, and a pace that borders on brutal. Because there are no chapters, it was insanely easy to lose myself in this book.
I liked that one of the major characters is gay, has a boyfriend, and it's a part of who he is rather than a part of the plot. That said, I would have liked to have seen greater diversity throughout.
All in all, HLDT delivered exactly what it promised, and I'd definitely recommend it.
July 11, 2017
I thought about writing a full review for this one. I have quite a lot to say about it. But alas, spoilers. So, I'll just say that this was one thrilling, twisty, fucked up book, and I COMPLETELY LOVED IT. An unreliable narrator is my favorite because you just never know. I read so much that books are typically pretty predictable for me, but that all falls by the wayside when the narrator is this ballsy, sociopathic con-artist. I mean, there were definitely clues and my theory did ultimately pan out, but there's just no way to guess it ALL. And that's what makes this book so great, so unbelievably captivating, despite the tragic circumstances. And Cristin Terrill is so amazing at putting the reader IN the story, making us empathize with characters because they're so multi-faceted and just downright intriguing. Please, book gods, I beg of you, do NOT let it be another four years before we get another book from this woman.
October 21, 2018
This review & others can also be found at The Regal Critiques.
I purchased Here Lies Daniel Tate shortly after its publication, but then my dumb ass proceeded to put it aside for MORE THAN A YEAR, which yes makes me want to slap myself with the book.But softly because we don't damage books here. As you might have guessed by now, this novel is bloody excellent, and I'm so mad we collectively let it flop after its publication, because I want MORE like this by Terril. I can't/won't tell you much about the story, because I believe it is best to go into it with as little info as possible, BUT I'll do my best to sell this dark yet emotional novel to you.
Our narrator, whose name we never actually learn, so I'll just call him Daniel, was delightful to read about. Not in the "haha, that's so fun and lovely" kind of delightful, rather that he was an absolute delight to meet with, because he was so unique and excellently written. Seriously, I desperately want another book narrated by him please and thank you. This is the guy who is conning a whole damn family, telling them he is the kid they lost, BUT at the same time he is quite lovely and he just WANTS TO BE ACCEPTED AND LOVED, OK. ASKJFKSJSE adore him.
The family Daniel gets to live with, aka the real Daniel's family, was bloody intriguing to read about - if you enjoy weird or downright fucked up family dynamics I *highly* recommend this novel. But also, most of the family tries SO HARD to be nice and supportive, and they grew on my so quickly, so if you like that thing? ALSO READ THIS. Basically, just read this no matter what.
I purchased Here Lies Daniel Tate shortly after its publication, but then my dumb ass proceeded to put it aside for MORE THAN A YEAR, which yes makes me want to slap myself with the book.
Our narrator, whose name we never actually learn, so I'll just call him Daniel, was delightful to read about. Not in the "haha, that's so fun and lovely" kind of delightful, rather that he was an absolute delight to meet with, because he was so unique and excellently written. Seriously, I desperately want another book narrated by him please and thank you. This is the guy who is conning a whole damn family, telling them he is the kid they lost, BUT at the same time he is quite lovely and he just WANTS TO BE ACCEPTED AND LOVED, OK. ASKJFKSJSE adore him.
The family Daniel gets to live with, aka the real Daniel's family, was bloody intriguing to read about - if you enjoy weird or downright fucked up family dynamics I *highly* recommend this novel. But also, most of the family tries SO HARD to be nice and supportive, and they grew on my so quickly, so if you like that thing? ALSO READ THIS. Basically, just read this no matter what.
October 22, 2017
This book has all the ingredients for a perfect YA mystery:
- 1 Unreliable narrator.
- 1 Missing boy.
- 1 Imperfect family ( four unique siblings, one dead parent, one imprisoned parent, one absent parent).
- 1 Runaway boy who was never loved.
The author mixed them well and put all the characters together in a fancy house . Then added:
- Several cops
- A pinch of romance
- An old bicycle
Before serving, she sprinkled it with some orange dust . The novel has a bittersweet flavour that will certainly appeal to most YA fans.
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com
- 1 Unreliable narrator.
- 1 Missing boy.
- 1 Imperfect family ( four unique siblings, one dead parent, one imprisoned parent, one absent parent).
- 1 Runaway boy who was never loved.
The author mixed them well and put all the characters together in a fancy house . Then added:
- Several cops
- A pinch of romance
- An old bicycle
Before serving, she sprinkled it with some orange dust . The novel has a bittersweet flavour that will certainly appeal to most YA fans.
www.theleisurediaries.blogspot.com
December 15, 2018
Review posted on Fafa's Book Corner!
Beware spoilers ahead!
Trigger warning: Murder, mention of abusive parent, neglectant parent, self-harm to create a birth mark, drug addiction, overdose, mention of cheating, mention of divorce, incest, blackmailing, and physical violence.
This was not how it was supposed to go. It should've been so easy. Pretend to be some recently found rich kid and fit in. He didn't expect all the problems that come with the Tate name. But hey it's worth it. He has a family, access to school and other necessities. The cherry on top is that the Tate's are rich. How long could he keep the act up? What if the killer came for him?
I have read the author's debut All Our Yesterday's and thoroughly enjoyed it! When I heard that she was writing a mystery I didn't hesitate to add it. I am happy to say that I loved it!
Here Lies Daniel Tate is written in first person limited following our main character. There aren't any chapters. It just starts and ends. You don't know the name of the main character. He never mentions it. Which worked really well seeing as he is an unreliable narrator.
Our main character has been pulling cons for years. He gets into a foster care system temporarily and then leaves. It's just a cycle. Of course he doesn't want to be found, so he never reveals his name. Hence the running.
The book begins with him doing just that. Except it doesn't quite work out. Whilst running away one of the other children notice him. And tell the people in charge. Out of desperation, he looks into a missing children database. On there Daniel Tate's information is recorded. Thus he pretends to be Daniel. And then the whole mess begins.
I was really impressed by this book! I didn't know that the author would be so good at writing mysteries. I truly hope she writes more. I saw nothing coming! And let me tell you there are a lot of reveals. In order to maintain the appearance of Daniel, our main character does some digging into the Tate's secrets. And there were so many. I also really liked how there weren't any chapters. It was a unique reading experience.
Once they hear that their brother is alive Lexi and Patrick (the eldest siblings) rush to pick him up. Nichalos is in shock that his brother was even found. And Mia is just happy to have another family member. She was a baby when Daniel disappeared. Their mother seems very cold. And Daniel's father is in jail, so he can't visit him. A childhood friend of Daniel's does also email him.
The FBI get involved in hopes of finding Daniel's kidnappers. The school board is also informed of Daniel's mental state and keeps on eye on him. He is assigned a counselor, who he has to report to.
I actually liked our main character! While everything he does is questionable, all in all he just wanted to belong. And a place to call home. It was really something to read about his attempts to become Daniel. There are vague hints into his real life as a child. But nothing concrete. Just enough to keep you guessing.
I loved the main character's relationship with Mia! She was so sweet and pure. Like the only one in the family with good intentions. Mia couldn't walk that much. She had some problem, that the Tate's say she was born with. I don't remember the name anymore. If anyone else does please mention in the comments! And I'll mention you in the review.
Patrick wasn't home that much. He actually lived on his own somewhere else. Though he was there when our main character had to meet with the FBI. Patrick was a lawyer. Lexi also has her own apartment, but upon the return of her brother she stays in her family home frequently. Lexi was also fantastic! Really great sister. Patrick was too, when he visited.
Our main characters relationship with the Tate's mother was complicated. She left all the mothering to Lexi or the maid. Barely existed her room to even say hello. Our main character feels like she knows that he's not actually Daniel. But for whatever reason does nothing about it. Unless you count avoiding him.
The relationship with Nicholas was also very rocky. See Nicholas and Daniel never got along. Of course our main character doesn't know about this, and constantly screws up in conversations with Nicholas. Hence how Nicholas figures out that he isn't Daniel. He does threaten to do something about it. But it would be pointless. At this point our main character wants to do some digging and uncover the whole mystery. Thus the two teamed up.
I also liked Nicholas! Especially his boyfriend. He had a no-nonsense attitude which I loved. Our main character also has a love interest. Whose name is Ren (correct me if I'm wrong). And I'm pretty sure she was Japanese. They were so cute together! I really liked the slow burn romance.
The reveals were something. If you think about it some of them were obvious. Most of them weren't. Specifically what happened to Daniel. I didn't consider it would be those characters. I didn't think they had a motive. Turns out they did. It was a bitter sweet ending. And I can honestly say that this book will stay with me.
Overall I loved this! I highly recommend.
Beware spoilers ahead!
Trigger warning: Murder, mention of abusive parent, neglectant parent, self-harm to create a birth mark, drug addiction, overdose, mention of cheating, mention of divorce, incest, blackmailing, and physical violence.
This was not how it was supposed to go. It should've been so easy. Pretend to be some recently found rich kid and fit in. He didn't expect all the problems that come with the Tate name. But hey it's worth it. He has a family, access to school and other necessities. The cherry on top is that the Tate's are rich. How long could he keep the act up? What if the killer came for him?
I have read the author's debut All Our Yesterday's and thoroughly enjoyed it! When I heard that she was writing a mystery I didn't hesitate to add it. I am happy to say that I loved it!
Here Lies Daniel Tate is written in first person limited following our main character. There aren't any chapters. It just starts and ends. You don't know the name of the main character. He never mentions it. Which worked really well seeing as he is an unreliable narrator.
Our main character has been pulling cons for years. He gets into a foster care system temporarily and then leaves. It's just a cycle. Of course he doesn't want to be found, so he never reveals his name. Hence the running.
The book begins with him doing just that. Except it doesn't quite work out. Whilst running away one of the other children notice him. And tell the people in charge. Out of desperation, he looks into a missing children database. On there Daniel Tate's information is recorded. Thus he pretends to be Daniel. And then the whole mess begins.
I was really impressed by this book! I didn't know that the author would be so good at writing mysteries. I truly hope she writes more. I saw nothing coming! And let me tell you there are a lot of reveals. In order to maintain the appearance of Daniel, our main character does some digging into the Tate's secrets. And there were so many. I also really liked how there weren't any chapters. It was a unique reading experience.
Once they hear that their brother is alive Lexi and Patrick (the eldest siblings) rush to pick him up. Nichalos is in shock that his brother was even found. And Mia is just happy to have another family member. She was a baby when Daniel disappeared. Their mother seems very cold. And Daniel's father is in jail, so he can't visit him. A childhood friend of Daniel's does also email him.
The FBI get involved in hopes of finding Daniel's kidnappers. The school board is also informed of Daniel's mental state and keeps on eye on him. He is assigned a counselor, who he has to report to.
I actually liked our main character! While everything he does is questionable, all in all he just wanted to belong. And a place to call home. It was really something to read about his attempts to become Daniel. There are vague hints into his real life as a child. But nothing concrete. Just enough to keep you guessing.
I loved the main character's relationship with Mia! She was so sweet and pure. Like the only one in the family with good intentions. Mia couldn't walk that much. She had some problem, that the Tate's say she was born with. I don't remember the name anymore. If anyone else does please mention in the comments! And I'll mention you in the review.
Patrick wasn't home that much. He actually lived on his own somewhere else. Though he was there when our main character had to meet with the FBI. Patrick was a lawyer. Lexi also has her own apartment, but upon the return of her brother she stays in her family home frequently. Lexi was also fantastic! Really great sister. Patrick was too, when he visited.
Our main characters relationship with the Tate's mother was complicated. She left all the mothering to Lexi or the maid. Barely existed her room to even say hello. Our main character feels like she knows that he's not actually Daniel. But for whatever reason does nothing about it. Unless you count avoiding him.
The relationship with Nicholas was also very rocky. See Nicholas and Daniel never got along. Of course our main character doesn't know about this, and constantly screws up in conversations with Nicholas. Hence how Nicholas figures out that he isn't Daniel. He does threaten to do something about it. But it would be pointless. At this point our main character wants to do some digging and uncover the whole mystery. Thus the two teamed up.
I also liked Nicholas! Especially his boyfriend. He had a no-nonsense attitude which I loved. Our main character also has a love interest. Whose name is Ren (correct me if I'm wrong). And I'm pretty sure she was Japanese. They were so cute together! I really liked the slow burn romance.
The reveals were something. If you think about it some of them were obvious. Most of them weren't. Specifically what happened to Daniel. I didn't consider it would be those characters. I didn't think they had a motive. Turns out they did. It was a bitter sweet ending. And I can honestly say that this book will stay with me.
Overall I loved this! I highly recommend.
February 3, 2019
Actual rating: 1.5 (but potential subject to change to a full ‘one star’)
I’m struggling right now with my final review for this mystery/thriller. On the one hand, I’m disappointed. It could have been so much better—
•the MC was not nearly as good at being a con artist as he thought/could’ve been (that’s all I’ll say to avoid heading into spoiler territory).
•the whole “romance” angle was pointless, and admittedly creepy as fuck. “Daniel” is a 23 year old MAN, wooing a high school girl who’s either 15 or 16. It’s just so goddamn wrong. I don’t know why no one else seems to have a problem with this...
•the ending was predictable to a certain extent. While most of my theories turned out to be correct, there was one I didn’t call at all.
•the idea of all this working out in the first place is beyond me... It just doesn’t happen that way (not speaking from personal experience, but couldn’t suspend my disbelief any time the story wanted to be convenient for plot progression)
The reason I’m battling with myself over the rating, is mainly because I did actually like the main character at times. I wanted to know more; and it’s hard to take someone who’s a cagey criminal, and seemingly devoid of emotion, and make you empathize with them. He could have been so much more fleshed-out, though. The unreliable narrator (a trope I enjoy very much) was given away too early on in the book. I wish we hadn’t been told and were kept guessing on that front, but oh well.
Again, I don’t know what to make of this one just yet. It’s either I loathe it completely, or I can look past how the ending made me feel cold and cheated, to see the (very) few positives to the story itself.
I’m struggling right now with my final review for this mystery/thriller. On the one hand, I’m disappointed. It could have been so much better—
•the MC was not nearly as good at being a con artist as he thought/could’ve been (that’s all I’ll say to avoid heading into spoiler territory).
•the whole “romance” angle was pointless,
-AAAAND, especially given the fact that “Daniel” was self-described as an emotionless and pretty aloof individual. I think the author should have stuck with that route, instead of for some banal reason giving him all these “feelings”. I prefer my sociopaths and con artists to remain morally ambiguous, thank you.
•the ending was predictable to a certain extent. While most of my theories turned out to be correct, there was one I didn’t call at all.
•the idea of all this working out in the first place is beyond me... It just doesn’t happen that way (not speaking from personal experience, but couldn’t suspend my disbelief any time the story wanted to be convenient for plot progression)
The reason I’m battling with myself over the rating, is mainly because I did actually like the main character at times. I wanted to know more; and it’s hard to take someone who’s a cagey criminal, and seemingly devoid of emotion, and make you empathize with them. He could have been so much more fleshed-out, though. The unreliable narrator (a trope I enjoy very much) was given away too early on in the book. I wish we hadn’t been told and were kept guessing on that front, but oh well.
Again, I don’t know what to make of this one just yet. It’s either I loathe it completely, or I can look past how the ending made me feel cold and cheated, to see the (very) few positives to the story itself.
August 28, 2019
3.75.
Solid read!! I read this in a day. It's fast paced and suspenseful. While I wouldn't technically call it a thriller, it still did a great job with the tempo and plot.
The book premise is also very intriguing: "the con artist turned detective". A fun take on a mystery novel. The con artist finds himself actually wondering what did happen to the lost boy he's pretending to be? While looking for answers he starts to wonder who's conning who!
Solid read!! I read this in a day. It's fast paced and suspenseful. While I wouldn't technically call it a thriller, it still did a great job with the tempo and plot.
The book premise is also very intriguing: "the con artist turned detective". A fun take on a mystery novel. The con artist finds himself actually wondering what did happen to the lost boy he's pretending to be? While looking for answers he starts to wonder who's conning who!
August 16, 2017
Wait.....WTF just happened?
February 18, 2022
4.25/5, FINALLY something which isn’t mediocre and made me excited.
From the unreliable narrator to the impossible scam he pulls…this was a wild ride. Just enough mystery and thriller to hook me up until the last page.
Would definitely recommend this to everyone.
RTC
From the unreliable narrator to the impossible scam he pulls…this was a wild ride. Just enough mystery and thriller to hook me up until the last page.
Would definitely recommend this to everyone.
RTC
July 18, 2017
THIS BOOK
SO GOOD
ME SPEECHLESS
I felt so bad for "Daniel". This book is definitely much more complex than it seems. There was always some reason for what each does and by the end it all makes sense. All you should know before reading this book is the synopsis because it feels so good to keep guessing. The romance was blah but it does not take away from the book. I can't say much more without spoiling anything. Really good thriller suspense which leaves you guessing at the end.
SO GOOD
ME SPEECHLESS
I felt so bad for "Daniel". This book is definitely much more complex than it seems. There was always some reason for what each does and by the end it all makes sense. All you should know before reading this book is the synopsis because it feels so good to keep guessing. The romance was blah but it does not take away from the book. I can't say much more without spoiling anything. Really good thriller suspense which leaves you guessing at the end.
January 15, 2024
Stau cu ochii în ecran și încerc să scriu câteva cuvinte despre această carte și nu stiu cum să incep.
Uneori descopăr povești care mă șochează tare, și-mi fac mintea prastie si acesta este rezultatul!
Mi-a plăcut! Doamne, ce mi-a plăcut!
E atât de mind fuck cartea asta, încât nici nu știu ce să spun despre ea. E clar că o recomand, este una de citit.
Este un roman bun. Nu este o carte pe care să o citesti și să o uiți prea curând. N-ai cum.
Dispariția lui Daniel Tate intră direct în topul cărților mele preferate. Este o carte cu o poveste ciudată, întortocheată, dar foarte antrenantă. Mă gândesc ce fel de minte are autorul care a putut născoci o asemenea poveste? Bănuiesc că genială!
Din primele pagini am dat piept cu trăirile unui tânăr destabilizat emoțional, cu un caracter șocant și un pic confuz, dar care pe măsură ce actiunea evoluează, se lasă descoperit ca fiind un om sensibil și capabil de multă iubire.
Băiatul pleacă de acasă, trăiește o perioadă pe străzi, dar sătul de această viață ajunge într-un centru de asistență socială. Își spune că e numai pentru o scurtă perioadă, însă contextul îl pune într-o situație inevitabilă. Nu stim mare lucru despre băiat... autorul îl creionează ca fiind un maestru mincinos, acest lucru inducându-mă destul de mult în eroare, așa că nu mai înțelegem ce e adevarat și ce nu.
Cred că de fapt asta mi-a plăcut cel mai mult. Felul în care autorul a împletit povestea și trăirile personajelor, a fost absolut minunat.
Nu voi povesti cartea, voi spune doar că dacă doriți să citiți un thriller incitant, fără violență ci mai degrabă psihologic, ăsta e.
Îi dau 5 stele + și dacă ar fi fost posibil ar fi primit mai multe.
Uneori descopăr povești care mă șochează tare, și-mi fac mintea prastie si acesta este rezultatul!
Mi-a plăcut! Doamne, ce mi-a plăcut!
E atât de mind fuck cartea asta, încât nici nu știu ce să spun despre ea. E clar că o recomand, este una de citit.
Este un roman bun. Nu este o carte pe care să o citesti și să o uiți prea curând. N-ai cum.
Dispariția lui Daniel Tate intră direct în topul cărților mele preferate. Este o carte cu o poveste ciudată, întortocheată, dar foarte antrenantă. Mă gândesc ce fel de minte are autorul care a putut născoci o asemenea poveste? Bănuiesc că genială!
Din primele pagini am dat piept cu trăirile unui tânăr destabilizat emoțional, cu un caracter șocant și un pic confuz, dar care pe măsură ce actiunea evoluează, se lasă descoperit ca fiind un om sensibil și capabil de multă iubire.
Băiatul pleacă de acasă, trăiește o perioadă pe străzi, dar sătul de această viață ajunge într-un centru de asistență socială. Își spune că e numai pentru o scurtă perioadă, însă contextul îl pune într-o situație inevitabilă. Nu stim mare lucru despre băiat... autorul îl creionează ca fiind un maestru mincinos, acest lucru inducându-mă destul de mult în eroare, așa că nu mai înțelegem ce e adevarat și ce nu.
Cred că de fapt asta mi-a plăcut cel mai mult. Felul în care autorul a împletit povestea și trăirile personajelor, a fost absolut minunat.
Nu voi povesti cartea, voi spune doar că dacă doriți să citiți un thriller incitant, fără violență ci mai degrabă psihologic, ăsta e.
Îi dau 5 stele + și dacă ar fi fost posibil ar fi primit mai multe.
April 4, 2019
Кристин Террилл "Здесь покоится Дэниел Тейт"
9 из 10
Жанр: YA, драма, триллер
POV: от первого лица, мужской
Геометрия чувств: прямая (он/она)
Отличительные черты: ненадежный рассказчик, эмоциональная мясорубка
РЕЦЕНЗИЯ:
Роман «Здесь покоится Дэниел Тейт» можно оценивать с двух позиций:
1. Как триллер/детектив
2. Как драматический роман
Я, берясь за книгу, ожидала получить если не крутой, то просто интересный детектив, но в итоге получила глубокую и интересную историю, самую настоящую эмоциональную драму.
Это первое, о чем все спрашивают: «Как тебя зовут ?»
Главный герой истории – безымянный, бездомный подросток, который обманом занимает место некогда пропавшего без вести Дэниела Тейта в его большой и богатой семье. То, что как начинается, как небольшая и случайная афера ради спасения собственной шкуры перерастает в нечто большее. Лжедэниел впервые в жизни начинает чувствовать себя нужным и любимым. Впервые кто-то заботится и переживает о нем. Ему не нужно больше ночевать на улице, перебиваться случайными заработками и бояться неопределенности, здесь в новой семье у него есть шанс стать кем-то большим, чем просто юноша без имени.
И Лжедэниел решает рискнуть и остаться. Но правильный ли это выбор? Возможно, в семье Тейтов все не так уж и хорошо. Возможно у каждого в этом огромном доме есть свои темные и опасные секреты, которые могут стоить юноше жизни.
Начну с того, что как детектив книга вряд ли кого-то удивит. Несмотря на постоянное напряжение, развязка довольна предсказуема и «главные злодеи» и даже их мотивы опытному читателю становятся понятны довольно быстро. Но несмотря на это роман получился захватывающим и запутанным, с измученным и потерянным самозванцем, чье имя так и не раскроется читателю.
Но вот что насчет эмоций и чувств, прописанных автором, то тут прямо таки браво. Каким-то образом Кристин Террилл точно удалось донести до читателя все мысли и чувства главного героя. Его страхи, его надежды, его желание быть нужным и любимым. Вся его боль и тоска, жажда счастья и запутанность буквально окутывают читателя с первых строк. Не знаю, как у других, но у меня книга вызвала очень сильные и главное живые эмоции. А сам Лжедэниел чем-то напомнил Нила из «Лисьей норы», наверное это еще одна причина, почему разу в папочку book favorites. Плюс остальные герои тоже вышли интересными и глубокими, ни одного нельзя назвать картонным, настолько автор проработал всех.
Ну да, я обещал говорить правду. Но я соврал. Я всегда вру. Серьезно, если вы поверили мне хоть на секунду, вам некого винить, кроме себя.
Из стиля письма хочется отметить уникальный ход конем от автора, а именно тот факт, что история рассказывается от первого лица, но при этом рассказчик весьма ненадежный. Читателю очень сложно понять, когда он врет, а когда говорит правду. Не Дэениел Тейт любит запутывать читателя, развернуть историю и подать с противоречащими фактами, и это, дамы и господа, реально круто.
«Здесь покоится Дэниел Тейт» - тот вид произведения, после которого реально сложно взяться за что-то новое, потому что эмоции бурлят еще очень долго и в голове остается множество вопросов.
Моя оценка: 9/10
PS: герой такая булочка с корицей, все время хотелось его обнять и приголубить.
9 из 10
Жанр: YA, драма, триллер
POV: от первого лица, мужской
Геометрия чувств: прямая (он/она)
Отличительные черты: ненадежный рассказчик, эмоциональная мясорубка
РЕЦЕНЗИЯ:
Роман «Здесь покоится Дэниел Тейт» можно оценивать с двух позиций:
1. Как триллер/детектив
2. Как драматический роман
Я, берясь за книгу, ожидала получить если не крутой, то просто интересный детектив, но в итоге получила глубокую и интересную историю, самую настоящую эмоциональную драму.
Это первое, о чем все спрашивают: «Как тебя зовут ?»
Главный герой истории – безымянный, бездомный подросток, который обманом занимает место некогда пропавшего без вести Дэниела Тейта в его большой и богатой семье. То, что как начинается, как небольшая и случайная афера ради спасения собственной шкуры перерастает в нечто большее. Лжедэниел впервые в жизни начинает чувствовать себя нужным и любимым. Впервые кто-то заботится и переживает о нем. Ему не нужно больше ночевать на улице, перебиваться случайными заработками и бояться неопределенности, здесь в новой семье у него есть шанс стать кем-то большим, чем просто юноша без имени.
И Лжедэниел решает рискнуть и остаться. Но правильный ли это выбор? Возможно, в семье Тейтов все не так уж и хорошо. Возможно у каждого в этом огромном доме есть свои темные и опасные секреты, которые могут стоить юноше жизни.
Начну с того, что как детектив книга вряд ли кого-то удивит. Несмотря на постоянное напряжение, развязка довольна предсказуема и «главные злодеи» и даже их мотивы опытному читателю становятся понятны довольно быстро. Но несмотря на это роман получился захватывающим и запутанным, с измученным и потерянным самозванцем, чье имя так и не раскроется читателю.
Но вот что насчет эмоций и чувств, прописанных автором, то тут прямо таки браво. Каким-то образом Кристин Террилл точно удалось донести до читателя все мысли и чувства главного героя. Его страхи, его надежды, его желание быть нужным и любимым. Вся его боль и тоска, жажда счастья и запутанность буквально окутывают читателя с первых строк. Не знаю, как у других, но у меня книга вызвала очень сильные и главное живые эмоции. А сам Лжедэниел чем-то напомнил Нила из «Лисьей норы», наверное это еще одна причина, почему разу в папочку book favorites. Плюс остальные герои тоже вышли интересными и глубокими, ни одного нельзя назвать картонным, настолько автор проработал всех.
Ну да, я обещал говорить правду. Но я соврал. Я всегда вру. Серьезно, если вы поверили мне хоть на секунду, вам некого винить, кроме себя.
Из стиля письма хочется отметить уникальный ход конем от автора, а именно тот факт, что история рассказывается от первого лица, но при этом рассказчик весьма ненадежный. Читателю очень сложно понять, когда он врет, а когда говорит правду. Не Дэениел Тейт любит запутывать читателя, развернуть историю и подать с противоречащими фактами, и это, дамы и господа, реально круто.
«Здесь покоится Дэниел Тейт» - тот вид произведения, после которого реально сложно взяться за что-то новое, потому что эмоции бурлят еще очень долго и в голове остается множество вопросов.
Моя оценка: 9/10
PS: герой такая булочка с корицей, все время хотелось его обнять и приголубить.
Want to read
July 12, 2020
Finally Cristin Terrill writes another book. I have been waiting for this day since I first read All Our Yesterdays a million years ago. Granted, I'm 3 years too late to the party, but I cannot wait to read this book, I'm sure it's gonna be brilliant!
April 25, 2022
Aceasta carte m-a fermecat, la inceput nu ii dadeam prea multe sanse pentru ca nu intelegeam aproape nimic din ce se intampla. Cu toate acestea, in momentul in care actiunea a inceput sa aiba un fir logic, sa fie explicate anumite elemente, am vazut cu alti ochi povestea si asteptam cu nerabdare sa vad ce se intampla in continuare. Stiam ca trebuie sa fie ceva interesant, sa se intample ceva palpitant.
Recomand aceasta carte, chiar te prinde si nu poti sa o lasi din mana.
Recomand aceasta carte, chiar te prinde si nu poti sa o lasi din mana.
September 13, 2017
Well, uh..
*clears throat awkwardly*
That was more than a little messed up.
Because, the highly intelligent and scientific question I'm asking myself right now is this: What the hell did I just read?
Okay, I know I am that one reader that usually goes looking for the freaky and the mind-twisty but still. What ... what even was this.
This is one of these books that I really can't say much for fear of spoilers but ... here goes. I'll have no spoilers in this review, and here's hoping it'll be comprehensible enough spoiler-free.
Let's do this. Via a pro/con list. Bless lists and their easily navigable format.
PROS
•The unreliable narrator aspect was pulled off fabulously. I mean, I don't even know the kid's name (so he shall be hereby referred to as "the MC" in this review of mine), and yet I feel compelled to trust him, only to have to be constantly reminded that he could literally be anyone and have all sorts of shady intentions. And, frustrating at this sounds, it's also so incredibly fun. I like being a bit confused and having no choice but to tear through this book trying to crack the case.
•The writing style is easy to follow along with, without being overly simplistic. The descriptions are short and snappy, but detailed enough? I'm having a bit of a hard time explaining this, because Cristin Terrill's style is a bit unique in this: I could picture the Tate house and the layout, for example, perfectly well, even though it was never extensively described. And this concise-but-detailed style flows so incredibly well.
•The characters, particularly the Tate family, is very well-rounded. I really like big-family books, and I love it when each member has their own quirks and flaws and preferences, and I believe this family was no different from what I wanted to see. My favorite would have to be, of course, the youngest, Mia. I looove little adorable kids capable of melting even the tough con artist's heart. Any scenes were Mia showed up were easily my favorite.
•As a thriller, this was sufficiently thrilling. I know I've said this about a hundred times already this year, but if you've got any YA thriller recs, please yell them at me at the top of your lungs because this is THE genre that i am searching for. Why? Because thrillers are just plain FUN.
•The play on the title is genius. Pure genius. (Yes, this needs to be said). If I could rate this thing on title alone, then I've found my top read of 2017.
Unfortunately, we've got some negatives to roll out so .. buckle up.
CONS
•I found the MC's personality (what little there was developed) to be quite unusual for a con artist. And maybe this is because I am used to toughened up kids living on the run (see: Kaz Brekker. Or Lila Bard), but the MC came off here as a bit .. sweet? A bit of a softie? And that was a little more than disconcerting (to me, at least), but I'd chalk this up to misplaced expectations. No, I'm not saying all con artists have to be knife-wielding sassy stabby people, but I wasn't expecting the MC to teach a little kid to swim and enjoy hugging people and tear up quite so easily. Where's the morally gray-ness? Not once did he think of robbing the Tate estate with all its apparent wealth, or flat-out killing the police sniffing around him, or eliminating anyone who doubts he's really Danny, or anything .. malicious. Not that there's anything wrong with that being, you know, a good person, exactly, (in fact, it is actually kind of cute), but it's just .. weird. For a criminal. With scars. And lies. And no name.
I can live with that, though.
•Ren was the most uselessly-added character in the history of Uselessly-Added Characters™. She was just brought up to serve as a convenient love interest, but in a way that felt as if Terrill wanted to push their romance down the reader's throat. It's not working, okay? Please skip to the mind games again, before I fall asleep of boredom.
•I predicted a whole bunch. And guys? This is unusual for me. The fact that I like thrillers partially comes from the fact that I am not thrillingly intelligent. Meaning: Im not smart. At all. I can't guess the mystery to save my life. (Example: everyone rolled their eyes so hard at One of Us Is Lying's great reveal while I was just sitting there going WAIT WHAT, THAT'S CRAZY even though the whole thing was as predictable as a kids show, apparently, so yeah. Not my greatest moment, but it pays to be a bit ignorant.) But here? Either I'm becoming a bit more experienced, or HLDT's storyline was a wee bit predictable.
So whoops. Big reveal revealed nothing.
This is, obviously, just me though.
But all in all? A nice, quick, entertaining read, if you're looking for that sort of thing. I personally wasn't, but when do books ever listen to what I want.
*shakes head sadly*
*clears throat awkwardly*
That was more than a little messed up.
Because, the highly intelligent and scientific question I'm asking myself right now is this: What the hell did I just read?
Okay, I know I am that one reader that usually goes looking for the freaky and the mind-twisty but still. What ... what even was this.
This is one of these books that I really can't say much for fear of spoilers but ... here goes. I'll have no spoilers in this review, and here's hoping it'll be comprehensible enough spoiler-free.
Let's do this. Via a pro/con list. Bless lists and their easily navigable format.
PROS
•The unreliable narrator aspect was pulled off fabulously. I mean, I don't even know the kid's name (so he shall be hereby referred to as "the MC" in this review of mine), and yet I feel compelled to trust him, only to have to be constantly reminded that he could literally be anyone and have all sorts of shady intentions. And, frustrating at this sounds, it's also so incredibly fun. I like being a bit confused and having no choice but to tear through this book trying to crack the case.
•The writing style is easy to follow along with, without being overly simplistic. The descriptions are short and snappy, but detailed enough? I'm having a bit of a hard time explaining this, because Cristin Terrill's style is a bit unique in this: I could picture the Tate house and the layout, for example, perfectly well, even though it was never extensively described. And this concise-but-detailed style flows so incredibly well.
•The characters, particularly the Tate family, is very well-rounded. I really like big-family books, and I love it when each member has their own quirks and flaws and preferences, and I believe this family was no different from what I wanted to see. My favorite would have to be, of course, the youngest, Mia. I looove little adorable kids capable of melting even the tough con artist's heart. Any scenes were Mia showed up were easily my favorite.
•As a thriller, this was sufficiently thrilling. I know I've said this about a hundred times already this year, but if you've got any YA thriller recs, please yell them at me at the top of your lungs because this is THE genre that i am searching for. Why? Because thrillers are just plain FUN.
•The play on the title is genius. Pure genius. (Yes, this needs to be said). If I could rate this thing on title alone, then I've found my top read of 2017.
Unfortunately, we've got some negatives to roll out so .. buckle up.
CONS
•I found the MC's personality (what little there was developed) to be quite unusual for a con artist. And maybe this is because I am used to toughened up kids living on the run (see: Kaz Brekker. Or Lila Bard), but the MC came off here as a bit .. sweet? A bit of a softie? And that was a little more than disconcerting (to me, at least), but I'd chalk this up to misplaced expectations. No, I'm not saying all con artists have to be knife-wielding sassy stabby people, but I wasn't expecting the MC to teach a little kid to swim and enjoy hugging people and tear up quite so easily. Where's the morally gray-ness? Not once did he think of robbing the Tate estate with all its apparent wealth, or flat-out killing the police sniffing around him, or eliminating anyone who doubts he's really Danny, or anything .. malicious. Not that there's anything wrong with that being, you know, a good person, exactly, (in fact, it is actually kind of cute), but it's just .. weird. For a criminal. With scars. And lies. And no name.
I can live with that, though.
•Ren was the most uselessly-added character in the history of Uselessly-Added Characters™. She was just brought up to serve as a convenient love interest, but in a way that felt as if Terrill wanted to push their romance down the reader's throat. It's not working, okay? Please skip to the mind games again, before I fall asleep of boredom.
•I predicted a whole bunch. And guys? This is unusual for me. The fact that I like thrillers partially comes from the fact that I am not thrillingly intelligent. Meaning: Im not smart. At all. I can't guess the mystery to save my life. (Example: everyone rolled their eyes so hard at One of Us Is Lying's great reveal while I was just sitting there going WAIT WHAT, THAT'S CRAZY even though the whole thing was as predictable as a kids show, apparently, so yeah. Not my greatest moment, but it pays to be a bit ignorant.) But here? Either I'm becoming a bit more experienced, or HLDT's storyline was a wee bit predictable.
So whoops. Big reveal revealed nothing.
This is, obviously, just me though.
But all in all? A nice, quick, entertaining read, if you're looking for that sort of thing. I personally wasn't, but when do books ever listen to what I want.
*shakes head sadly*
June 1, 2020
I know I said I was going to tell you the truth. But I lied. It's just what I do. Frankly, you have no one to blame but yourself if you believed me for even a second.
Though somewhat predictable (but kudos to that ending), this book is compelling. I was hooked, never bored, consuming page after page—all the questions I had pulled at me to continue reading it. And despite me being drawn to the genre—thus adding many books of it to my TBR—I don't ever recall reading a mystery. As this was my first go at one, it definitely makes me want to try more. So, in the foreseeable future, you'll probably catch me shamelessly reading a lot of mystery / thrillers. A lot. But that's all it was; engrossing. There wasn't any surreal experience in this book that would have made me give it a higher rating.
The protagonist made so many nonsensical It's like he became bored of keeping up the act of being Daniel Tate and just winged it after around page 100. He continued to make them again and again and it was so aggravating.
// RAMBLE ABOUT THAT ENDING // (not to say the entirety of this review isn't one)
The ending, was pretty much the end of me. Even though I guessed lots of the plot twists, I didn't see the last one coming. Like, wow. I don't think anyone other than Cristin Terrill would be able to pull off an ending as well as this one, me liking it. All the clues leading up to the last couple of pages effectively unraveled, and wrecked me.
Something I disliked, however, not tarnishing my overall rating of this book (as it wasn't a major aspect of it) was the romance. The protagonist, as told in the synopsis, is posing to be a 16-year old boy that disappeared 6 years ago. He's in his 20s, and a romance ensues between him and a classmate. That's really gross.
God, I wanted to kiss her. Kiss her and hold her close and show her all the worst parts of me and have her tell me it was okay, she liked me anyway. But I couldn't, because she wouldn't.
Yeah, no shit.
3.5 stars ✨
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