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Splinter
Sixteen-year-old Sami hasn't seen her mother in ten years--and neither has anyone else. The police suspect Sami's father had something to do with her mom's disappearance, but Sami's never believed that. Her mother chose to abandon her and start a new life. It's that simple.
But now, evidence has emerged about another missing woman who used to be involved with Sami's dad. Coincidence--or evidence that the cops have been right all along?
As Sami investigates, she's forced to question everything she thought she knew about the dad who's always been there for her and the mother who supposedly abandoned her. And if her dad didn't kill her mother, what did happen?
But now, evidence has emerged about another missing woman who used to be involved with Sami's dad. Coincidence--or evidence that the cops have been right all along?
As Sami investigates, she's forced to question everything she thought she knew about the dad who's always been there for her and the mother who supposedly abandoned her. And if her dad didn't kill her mother, what did happen?
304 pages, ebook
First published March 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
December 30, 2016
Release Date: January 1, 2017
Genre: Young Adult Mystery
There seems to be some confusion on the release date of this book. Amazon says the kindle version will be available on January 1, while goodreads and even netgalley says March 1. But, I am going to go with amazon on this one and say January 1.
With that being said, this is a really good YA thriller novel. I was pretty much glued to the pages all the way through until the end and I was unable to figure out the mystery that is involved in the story. Towards the end when all the pieces finally come into play and we do figure out what happened, I was shocked! So expect the unexpected because you will not guess "who dun it".
This story is about a girl named Sami whose mother went missing 10 years ago. To Sami, her mother just abandoned her but others (like the police) think that something more sinister has happened. This is because there has been no trace of her since she has been missing save for a few post cards here and there (anyone can send postcards though). So the case stays open because so many questions remain: Is Sami's mom alive? Is she dead? What happened? The number one suspect has always been Sami's father, but because officers can't place him at the scene or even find any clues or forensic stuff to link him to her disappearance, he stays out a free man. Sami of course doesn't think that her father had anything to do with it, but then again, the secrets he keeps and prior issues in his life leads her and everyone else to wonder... Did he do it?
Overall, this is a great story with a well rounded plot and interesting characters. However, I have to admit that the entire police investigation that goes on throughout the entire book got under my skin a little bit, and here's why. Sami is underage and the police seem to have no problem just showing up at her house and asking her questions whenever they need too. This also occurs whether she has a parent or guardian around or not. To me, this makes the story a little unbelievable because this wouldn't fly in the real world. And, because I like my stories to be as believable as possible, I had to downgrade my rating because of it. Other than this though, I would definitely recommend the book to fellow readers ESPECIALLY if you enjoy young adult novels and mystery or thrillers.
Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Young Adult Mystery
There seems to be some confusion on the release date of this book. Amazon says the kindle version will be available on January 1, while goodreads and even netgalley says March 1. But, I am going to go with amazon on this one and say January 1.
With that being said, this is a really good YA thriller novel. I was pretty much glued to the pages all the way through until the end and I was unable to figure out the mystery that is involved in the story. Towards the end when all the pieces finally come into play and we do figure out what happened, I was shocked! So expect the unexpected because you will not guess "who dun it".
This story is about a girl named Sami whose mother went missing 10 years ago. To Sami, her mother just abandoned her but others (like the police) think that something more sinister has happened. This is because there has been no trace of her since she has been missing save for a few post cards here and there (anyone can send postcards though). So the case stays open because so many questions remain: Is Sami's mom alive? Is she dead? What happened? The number one suspect has always been Sami's father, but because officers can't place him at the scene or even find any clues or forensic stuff to link him to her disappearance, he stays out a free man. Sami of course doesn't think that her father had anything to do with it, but then again, the secrets he keeps and prior issues in his life leads her and everyone else to wonder... Did he do it?
Overall, this is a great story with a well rounded plot and interesting characters. However, I have to admit that the entire police investigation that goes on throughout the entire book got under my skin a little bit, and here's why. Sami is underage and the police seem to have no problem just showing up at her house and asking her questions whenever they need too. This also occurs whether she has a parent or guardian around or not. To me, this makes the story a little unbelievable because this wouldn't fly in the real world. And, because I like my stories to be as believable as possible, I had to downgrade my rating because of it. Other than this though, I would definitely recommend the book to fellow readers ESPECIALLY if you enjoy young adult novels and mystery or thrillers.
Rating: 4 stars
February 12, 2017
I was drawn to this book by the book cover. From the book cover I thought that this story was going to be dark and suspenseful. This may still be the case but I did not stick around long enough to find out. I got about a third of the way into the story and could not continue. The conversations between Sami and the detective with the repeating back and forth or between Sami and her father were painful. I had no faith in the detective solving the case without Sami's help. It was like he was just waiting for Sami to feed him all of the information she found. Example is when Sami and the detective were talking about why he did not find a piece of evidence and it was suggested that it may have been because it was put there after the search was completed.
From the little that I knew about Sami's father, he was not the friendliest. You would think for someone that wanted to prove they were innocent that they would be more helpful and talkative. The investigation that Sami was conducting was slow. If some of the things that I mentioned had been present, especially the suspense than I probably would have continued reading this book.
From the little that I knew about Sami's father, he was not the friendliest. You would think for someone that wanted to prove they were innocent that they would be more helpful and talkative. The investigation that Sami was conducting was slow. If some of the things that I mentioned had been present, especially the suspense than I probably would have continued reading this book.
May 13, 2018
Samantha lives in the shadow of her mother’s abandonment, her father as a suspect in her disappearance. Now, he’s linked to another missing, presumed dead ex, and she begins to question his innocence.
#SPLINTER has everything I love in a thriller: a compelling main character, interesting minor players, an interesting plot, multiple viable suspects and a conclusion that lives up to the story.
Samantha is so sympathetic. Is her father as guilty as he looks or a red herring? Her soon to be ex-stepmother, as much of a mother as Sam’s own, yet Heather never tried to take her place, is she too perfect? What about the kind neighbor who blamed Sam’s father? Or someone else?
Sasha Dawn has become a new must preorder writer. I loved #BLINK and can’t wait to read #OBLIVION tomorrow.
#SPLINTER has everything I love in a thriller: a compelling main character, interesting minor players, an interesting plot, multiple viable suspects and a conclusion that lives up to the story.
Samantha is so sympathetic. Is her father as guilty as he looks or a red herring? Her soon to be ex-stepmother, as much of a mother as Sam’s own, yet Heather never tried to take her place, is she too perfect? What about the kind neighbor who blamed Sam’s father? Or someone else?
Sasha Dawn has become a new must preorder writer. I loved #BLINK and can’t wait to read #OBLIVION tomorrow.
March 31, 2019
An enjoyable read
An engaging murder mystery that keeps you on your toes. A tale of a young girl trying to come to terms with the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.
An engaging murder mystery that keeps you on your toes. A tale of a young girl trying to come to terms with the mystery of her mother’s disappearance.
August 26, 2017
Not the best "thriller" I've ever read. As a matter of fact, there was nothing thrilling about it. It was very repetitive and more than a little dull the way the main character (I've already forgotten her name) spends most of her time alternating between suspecting her father and stepmother of the crime, and hating herself for suspecting them.
The ending is very anticlimactic. I was suspecting a big showdown with the culprit but there was nothing. It was more like "ok, we know who did it. Now what's for dinner?"
The romance seemed tacked on at best. I also don't think that the police would be so dependent on a 16 year old kid to solve a crime. Yes, she was a witness (at age 6) but they seemed to lean on her a little too much.
Underwhelming - 1.5
The ending is very anticlimactic. I was suspecting a big showdown with the culprit but there was nothing. It was more like "ok, we know who did it. Now what's for dinner?"
The romance seemed tacked on at best. I also don't think that the police would be so dependent on a 16 year old kid to solve a crime. Yes, she was a witness (at age 6) but they seemed to lean on her a little too much.
Underwhelming - 1.5
February 24, 2017
This book is mindblowing. It is an entrancing and captivating book that kept me on the edge of my seat. This is possibly the best young adult thriller I have ever read.
April 23, 2019
I personally was not a fan of this book. I didn't feel like I really knew the main characters. I didn't know much about her, I didn't know her story, or her relationships in the book. I also felt that the story jumped to the resolution very quickly. since it was a murder mystery the whole story was kind of the climax, everything was happening quickly and then everything changed abruptly and we knew who the murderer was right away, there wasn't much build up. I think the story could have been better with more character development and a lot more build up to the resolution.
February 16, 2017
*Review copy received from publisher*
As a thriller, I thought the story is predictable and over-descriptive. This disrupted the flow of the storyline and build-up to the climax.
Sami has an incredible, and totally unrealistic, memory of her first six years. This fact kept nagging at the back of my mind spoiling my enjoyment of the book.
As a thriller, I thought the story is predictable and over-descriptive. This disrupted the flow of the storyline and build-up to the climax.
Sami has an incredible, and totally unrealistic, memory of her first six years. This fact kept nagging at the back of my mind spoiling my enjoyment of the book.
June 6, 2017
16 year old Sami has not seen her mother in 10 years, although an occasional postcard will arrive in the mail. Her father has been under police scrutiny for years, but nothing has tied him to any crime. When new evidence appears that points to a missing person from her father's past, will Sami's faith in her father waver? Will her stepmother and stepsister be lost to Sami, just like her mother? Will a friend from the past return just in time?
Splinter is a good mystery suspense thriller, taking readers on a journey with Sami to discover the truth surrounding her mother's disappearance. I liked the progression of the story, in that the author realistically showed how an investigation would work. The testing of theories, the collection of evidence, and the constant rehashing of the timeline are methods deployed by police officers every day. Although I did find some of the book to be transparent, there were surprises to keep it interesting. I would recommend Splinter to readers who like YA mystery thrillers and I look forward to the next book by author Sasha Dawn.
Splinter is a good mystery suspense thriller, taking readers on a journey with Sami to discover the truth surrounding her mother's disappearance. I liked the progression of the story, in that the author realistically showed how an investigation would work. The testing of theories, the collection of evidence, and the constant rehashing of the timeline are methods deployed by police officers every day. Although I did find some of the book to be transparent, there were surprises to keep it interesting. I would recommend Splinter to readers who like YA mystery thrillers and I look forward to the next book by author Sasha Dawn.
July 20, 2019
Engaging. Not too pretentious. I appreciated how right to the point the book was and it kept me interested.
September 8, 2018
Where were all these talented YA authors when I was a teenager?
First you have the Hunger Games trilogy, which I read ages ago, but still remember fondly. Then, you have "Winning," which I read very recently and loved. Now we have "Splinter," which is even better than "Winning." All I had was the "Twilight" series, and that didn't even come out until I was 19.
Actually, I think I was still reading juvenile fiction when I was that age.
Anyway, "Splinter" is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl, Sami (short for Samantha), whose mother disappeared when she was six. The police, as well as most of the town, think her father killed her, but Sami is certain that he's innocent. But now, while her father and her stepmother are in the middle of a divorce, new developments on the decade-old case are springing up from here to Atlanta, Georgia. As Sami's world begins to crumble around her, she must come to terms with the fact that there's a lot she doesn't know about some of her dearest friends and family.
I'm a sucker for mysteries if they've got a good plot and a good author. I wasn't entirely sure how I'd like this one, since I'd never read anything by Sasha Dawn, and so many mysteries are hit-or-miss, even with a decent premise. But Dawn immediately drew me in with her descriptive and evocative writing. I could see the scenery and characters, hear the sound of the wind and footsteps on pavement, smell the scents of late summer and early autumn. Dawn has a gift for describing the world where her book takes places, and that is something I have always envied in other authors.
I fell in love with Sami and her mother immediately. It's hard not to like a woman whose favorite color is "sugar-cookie yellow," who calls her daughter "Sami-girl," and who loves sunflowers and caterpillars. Sami herself was also very likable and sympathetic, and I appreciate that she's vegetarian or possibly vegan, because I don't feel like there's a lot of good representation of people who don't eat meat for ethical reasons. They're either portrayed as overly self-righteous and constantly needing to inform everyone that they're vegan, or (in the rare positive portrayals) as actually being better than everyone else. In this story, Sami makes no qualms about stating why she doesn't eat meat, but she doesn't try to guilt-trip anyone into doing what she does, either.
There are some pretty frightening parts to this book, especially if you're going to be reading them at night during a thunderstorm. There's no explicit violence in it, however, so it's great for anyone who wants to be a little spooked out, but doesn't want to have trouble sleeping. There are times where Sami's short-tempered father might be scary to survivors of abuse, but aside from shouting and pounding a table or wall, he does not do anything abusive. He never hurts Sami physically, humiliates her, or calls her names. He does take Sami's phone at one point, but returns it to her the next day without having read any of her texts.
The other characters are interesting, if not as much as Sami's mother. There's Ryan, a childhood friend who was also the boy who found Sami after her mother disappeared; Schmidt, the enigmatic next-door neighbor who had a close friendship with Sami's mother; Heather, Sami's New Age stepmother who owns a hippie store called "The Funky Nun"; Cassidy, Heather's daughter and Sami's sister in all but blood; Brook, Cassidy's bubbly, slightly ditzy friend; Sami's alcoholic, cantankerous grandmother; and Lieutenant Eschermann, who believes Sami's father knows more about his wife's disappearance than he's letting on.
We see the story through Sami's eyes, and there are a lot of possible suspects. I had fun trying to guess whether or not Sami's mother was still alive--and who either convinced her to leave or killed her--and as secrets and answers are revealed, nearly everyone who's not Sami's age has a turn at looking guilty. And while most of us can't relate to having a disappeared parent who may or may not have been murdered by our other parent, I still found Sami to be a relatable character. After all, haven't we all gone through a point in our lives where it seemed that nothing was what we thought it was, especially during our teen years? Every teenager must learn to re-examine things they assumed were true, and sometimes the results can be troubling.
"Splinter" is an excellent read, a real page-turning, with a plot and a mystery that kept me guessing to the very end. I definitely think that anyone who loves mysteries and emotional YA books should give this one a shot.
First you have the Hunger Games trilogy, which I read ages ago, but still remember fondly. Then, you have "Winning," which I read very recently and loved. Now we have "Splinter," which is even better than "Winning." All I had was the "Twilight" series, and that didn't even come out until I was 19.
Actually, I think I was still reading juvenile fiction when I was that age.
Anyway, "Splinter" is the story of a sixteen-year-old girl, Sami (short for Samantha), whose mother disappeared when she was six. The police, as well as most of the town, think her father killed her, but Sami is certain that he's innocent. But now, while her father and her stepmother are in the middle of a divorce, new developments on the decade-old case are springing up from here to Atlanta, Georgia. As Sami's world begins to crumble around her, she must come to terms with the fact that there's a lot she doesn't know about some of her dearest friends and family.
I'm a sucker for mysteries if they've got a good plot and a good author. I wasn't entirely sure how I'd like this one, since I'd never read anything by Sasha Dawn, and so many mysteries are hit-or-miss, even with a decent premise. But Dawn immediately drew me in with her descriptive and evocative writing. I could see the scenery and characters, hear the sound of the wind and footsteps on pavement, smell the scents of late summer and early autumn. Dawn has a gift for describing the world where her book takes places, and that is something I have always envied in other authors.
I fell in love with Sami and her mother immediately. It's hard not to like a woman whose favorite color is "sugar-cookie yellow," who calls her daughter "Sami-girl," and who loves sunflowers and caterpillars. Sami herself was also very likable and sympathetic, and I appreciate that she's vegetarian or possibly vegan, because I don't feel like there's a lot of good representation of people who don't eat meat for ethical reasons. They're either portrayed as overly self-righteous and constantly needing to inform everyone that they're vegan, or (in the rare positive portrayals) as actually being better than everyone else. In this story, Sami makes no qualms about stating why she doesn't eat meat, but she doesn't try to guilt-trip anyone into doing what she does, either.
There are some pretty frightening parts to this book, especially if you're going to be reading them at night during a thunderstorm. There's no explicit violence in it, however, so it's great for anyone who wants to be a little spooked out, but doesn't want to have trouble sleeping. There are times where Sami's short-tempered father might be scary to survivors of abuse, but aside from shouting and pounding a table or wall, he does not do anything abusive. He never hurts Sami physically, humiliates her, or calls her names. He does take Sami's phone at one point, but returns it to her the next day without having read any of her texts.
The other characters are interesting, if not as much as Sami's mother. There's Ryan, a childhood friend who was also the boy who found Sami after her mother disappeared; Schmidt, the enigmatic next-door neighbor who had a close friendship with Sami's mother; Heather, Sami's New Age stepmother who owns a hippie store called "The Funky Nun"; Cassidy, Heather's daughter and Sami's sister in all but blood; Brook, Cassidy's bubbly, slightly ditzy friend; Sami's alcoholic, cantankerous grandmother; and Lieutenant Eschermann, who believes Sami's father knows more about his wife's disappearance than he's letting on.
We see the story through Sami's eyes, and there are a lot of possible suspects. I had fun trying to guess whether or not Sami's mother was still alive--and who either convinced her to leave or killed her--and as secrets and answers are revealed, nearly everyone who's not Sami's age has a turn at looking guilty. And while most of us can't relate to having a disappeared parent who may or may not have been murdered by our other parent, I still found Sami to be a relatable character. After all, haven't we all gone through a point in our lives where it seemed that nothing was what we thought it was, especially during our teen years? Every teenager must learn to re-examine things they assumed were true, and sometimes the results can be troubling.
"Splinter" is an excellent read, a real page-turning, with a plot and a mystery that kept me guessing to the very end. I definitely think that anyone who loves mysteries and emotional YA books should give this one a shot.
July 17, 2018
Since I got behind on my review writing, it’s been over two weeks since I finished reading the book, Splinter. Now, as I’m finally sitting down to write its review, I find I can’t remember anything about it. Not a good sign. A quick review of the summary reminded me that Splinter is a mystery revolving around Sami’s mom who has been missing for 10 years. When the police uncover evidence that ties Sami’s father to another missing woman, Sami begins to question her father’s innocence. Sami investigates on her own to find out what really happened. Meh. I really don’t enjoy books that focus on a teen character’s parents so, from the very beginning, my interest was not peaked. The last place Sami’s mom was seen was at home (in the house that Sami and her father still live in) which housed a former speakeasy, complete with underground tunnels for liquor running. The parts of the book that had to do with the house, tunnels, etc., were my favorite thing about the book. I wish I would have read this one before I purchased it for my library. I do not think it will be popular.
May 8, 2017
Review will also be posted on my book blog, www.addictedtonovels.blogspot.ca
My rating for this book went up the farther I got into it. I LOVE mysteries, so Splinter quickly became one of my favorite mystery novels.
Originally I had thought that Splinter was going to be super predictable and easy to figure out but it wasn't! The author did a really good job of making it seem like it was totally obvious that it was this one character that was the reason behind the main character's mother missing, when really, it turned out to be someone nobody expected. At all. Even when I was SO SURE it HAD to be one of the characters, I was so wrong!
The farther I got into this book, the more entranced I became, and the more I HAD to know who actually did it! I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good mystery!
My rating for this book went up the farther I got into it. I LOVE mysteries, so Splinter quickly became one of my favorite mystery novels.
Originally I had thought that Splinter was going to be super predictable and easy to figure out but it wasn't! The author did a really good job of making it seem like it was totally obvious that it was this one character that was the reason behind the main character's mother missing, when really, it turned out to be someone nobody expected. At all. Even when I was SO SURE it HAD to be one of the characters, I was so wrong!
The farther I got into this book, the more entranced I became, and the more I HAD to know who actually did it! I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good mystery!
August 25, 2019
When sixteen-year old Sami’s mother disappeared ten years ago, Sami was convinced that she had deserted her, even though the police suspected foul play that they couldn’t prove. After Sami was found wandering in the passageway of the neighbors, the Schmidts, no amount of questioning could restore her recollections of that day and no investigation turned up answers—or a body. Each November on the anniversary of her mother’s disappearance, Sami receives a postcard that she turns over to the local sheriff. When new evidence surfaces that involves another missing person, a box of stained clothes, and old photographs, her father is back in the spotlight as a suspect. With the new investigation under way, her dad and stepmother separated, and the Schmidts’ teenage nephew in town for the summer, it isn’t long before Sami’s world will be splintered in ways she could never have imagined.
August 10, 2017
She's holding out hope that her mother, who disappeared years ago, is still alive because she gets mysterious postcards every so often with 11/7 or 7/11 on them that was a "thing" between her and her mother. But she's doing pretty good for herself with her step-sister, stepmother, and father. It's about uncovering where her mother is.
What happens to unravel the story is a bit of a slog, but the resolution ended up making this a decent thriller. I'd have to have a few teens read it to really decide whether it's a good read to recommend versus an okay thriller just to have a thriller on the shelf. I wouldn't compare it to April Henry who is a bit more fast-paced (and more my speed) for a thriller. Tragic end.
What happens to unravel the story is a bit of a slog, but the resolution ended up making this a decent thriller. I'd have to have a few teens read it to really decide whether it's a good read to recommend versus an okay thriller just to have a thriller on the shelf. I wouldn't compare it to April Henry who is a bit more fast-paced (and more my speed) for a thriller. Tragic end.
January 4, 2021
Okay.... So one BIG no-no for really ANYONE who publishes a book.
Don't use a cover that doesn't make sense!
When looking at this cover I thought the story was going to be dark, suspenseful, full of danger....
And it was a teenager walking around in hysterics most of the book.
The romance wasn't even worth reading ir.
Now, for what it was (a mystery novel) it was pretty good... But there's a reason I don't read mystery. I figure it out way too far. I knew at page 200 who it was and had an idea of why, I just didn't have the details.
Dawn did do a good job of showing how a life like that would be and how it would effect someone. But the progression of the book was so very slow and again.... Non suspenseful.
It was an okay book. Just okay *insert shrug here*
Don't use a cover that doesn't make sense!
When looking at this cover I thought the story was going to be dark, suspenseful, full of danger....
And it was a teenager walking around in hysterics most of the book.
The romance wasn't even worth reading ir.
Now, for what it was (a mystery novel) it was pretty good... But there's a reason I don't read mystery. I figure it out way too far. I knew at page 200 who it was and had an idea of why, I just didn't have the details.
Dawn did do a good job of showing how a life like that would be and how it would effect someone. But the progression of the book was so very slow and again.... Non suspenseful.
It was an okay book. Just okay *insert shrug here*
August 18, 2017
This book had me thoroughly entranced from very nearly the first page. It's a freebie I picked up somewhere and was a bit uncertain of it. I took it on vacation and if it weren't for the fact that I'd been so busy during vacation, I would have finished it a couple of days earlier. The mystery is a good one, the characters are realistic and likable. The family dynamics are nice and when I thought I had it all figured out, there was a piece I was missing. If you're looking for a YA mystery that isn't too dark, this one is a good one.
May 6, 2019
For two days I did almost nothing but read SPLINTER. Strong voice pulls you along relentlessly. The family situation is complex, adding depth and motivations to the mystery. Hard to discuss without spoilers, but the tension, twists, and suspense make it hard to put down. Never mind the YA label, it’s worth reading for any thriller fan. I am WAY beyond the demographic target audience and this is one of the best reads so far this year.
June 14, 2017
I debated between 3 and 4 stars but ultimately went with 4 because I liked the way the author so easily convinced me that whatever theory I had at the time was totally off-base. I liked constantly questioning what I thought I knew! Not super action-packed but definitely a page-turner. Recommend for mystery fans!
June 16, 2017
Yes there was the prerequisite good looking boy next door, but I honestly stayed up til three in the morning to finish this. Definitely worth the read. The suspense was well and truly done! A teenager comes to suspect her father and then step mother in the possible abduction of her mother when she was very young.
June 20, 2017
The suspense was SO good. The story kept me guessing the whole time. The character relationships felt kind of shoved in at the end, but was touching at the same time. The story had a mix of suspense, some lightheartedness, and some touching moments.
May 11, 2022
Very entertaining story. Complicated mystery involving a mother missing for ten years, her grieving daughter, ex-husband, other relatives and friends. Suspicions around the father, the step-mother, father's exes, the grandmother.... yep, complicated. A bit of suspense but not too stressful. (owned print copy)
September 22, 2023
The main character is the girl who’s mother went missing when she was little. The girls name is Sami.
My favorite part was when she finds out the postcards were from her mom who was missing.Since she was little she was getting postcards from a unknown person.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars its not to bad but it can get a little boring at times.
My favorite part was when she finds out the postcards were from her mom who was missing.Since she was little she was getting postcards from a unknown person.
I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars its not to bad but it can get a little boring at times.
August 5, 2017
I finished reading this one in the early hours of the morning - there was no possibility of sleeping in that last 100 pages. Lots of red herrings, lots of twists and turns, a little bit of improbability, but overall a pretty good YA thriller.
September 21, 2017
The story: Sami's mother disappeared ten years ago, but the teen refuses to believe she's dead. Yet now, a decade later, clues start to surface...clues indicating her mother is dead, cludes that point to her father as the killer. Sami doesn't want to believe it--can't believe it--but can she and her best friends track down the truth without slipping into the void themselves?
June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG-13; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (parental infidelity is a main theme; murder) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.
Liz's comments: An interesting mystery that kept me guessing till the end--and I STILL didn't figure out who did it until the big reveal. That's a nice change for a YA mystery. Hand this one to fans of Harlan Coban's"Shelter" series, or Kimberly Derting's "The Body Finders" books.
June Cleaver's ratings: Language PG; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse PG-13; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (parental infidelity is a main theme; murder) PG-13; overall rating PG-13.
Liz's comments: An interesting mystery that kept me guessing till the end--and I STILL didn't figure out who did it until the big reveal. That's a nice change for a YA mystery. Hand this one to fans of Harlan Coban's"Shelter" series, or Kimberly Derting's "The Body Finders" books.
February 6, 2019
Decent little murder mystery that did manage to keep me guessing! I also really appreciated that the romance was super minor and in the background. Nothing ruins a good book like a shoehorned romance.
May 23, 2025
Great book, ending was completely unexpected. I picked this book up with no expectations and it turned out to be an amazing book with a great plot. Great book if you're looking for something new to read.
May 19, 2017
Felt like it took forever for the story to take off and then when the climax finally came, it was dragged out too long. Overall wasn't my favourite book.
June 15, 2017
Solid mystery/thriller, kept me turning the pages, the twists were interesting, a little repetitive at times, but still worth the read.
July 30, 2017
Great mystery/whodunit for teens. Kept me guessing.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews