A beautifully written debut from A.H. Kim that I really wanted to love, but in the end, while I didn't dislike it, I just found myself somewhere in the lukewarm middle. I kept reading that it was "a domestic suspense that will keep you guessing." While it is truly a domestic suspense ripe with secrets, lies and deception; unfortunately, it did not keep me guessing. If you read many suspense/thrillers, the ending will not really surprise you, as the clues were pretty easy to follow.
The book begins with the pretentious Min-Lindstrom clan gathering at their plush vacation home to say farewell to one of the family members, Beth, who is heading to prison as the result of a whistle-blower suit. Beth Lindstrom, wife to Sam Min, and mother to two young daughters, is also a top marketing executive at a big pharmaceutical company, who has been charged with deceptively marketing a popular attention deficit disorder drug, which led to at least one death. Held up as a public example of corporate greed and executive excess, Beth receives a lengthy prison sentence. The family all gathers to say good-bye and to discuss how to keep the family together for the girls' sake.
I thought it was all a bit confusing and jumbled from the get-go. The story is told in alternative POVs from Beth, and Hannah Min, Sam's sister. Hannah is a single, unassuming, legal librarian, and extremely devoted sister to Sam and aunt to Sam and Beth's two daughters. Once Beth goes to prison, Hannah also becomes Beth's lifeline to the outside world, and eventually Beth asks Hannah to help her figure out who in her inner circle betrayed her. There are numerous suspects - Beth's jealous sister, Eva; shady lobbyist brother, Martin; ex-lover Charlotte; and even Sam himself. This is where I found the waters just a bit too murky. The other characters all sort of blurred together, as none of their stories really stood out to me, and the relationship between Beth, Charlotte, and Sam was just bizarre.
I did enjoy Beth's chapters in prison - that is where Kim shines - they were believable, interesting, and not too over-the-top. While none of the characters are extremely likable, I grew to begrudgingly respect Beth. On the other hand, I couldn't stand Hannah, which I don't think was Kim's intent; but her character turned me off in every way. Eventually, the truth comes to light and motivations become clear, and everyone must come to terms with the consequences of their actions and how those actions impact their relationships with each other.
Overall, a well-written debut that has moments of brilliance, but I just couldn't fully embrace it for some reason. Most other reviewers seem to have found it much more compelling than I though, so take it for what it's worth, but for me, it was a solid 3-star read.