Have I seen you? I wish I hadn't. I'm giving this book two stars because the author made sentences, put them together, and got the whole thing published somehow! Hey, that's more than I can do.
*SPOILERS AHOY*
God, this book is just so STUPID. Let me give you some reasons why!
Ally's job -- okay, she apparently does some writing and podcasting about personal finances and how best to be a frugal young woman! She is also going to write a book about the subject, which will clearly be a New York Times bestseller. Meanwhile, she and her insufferable dial-tone of a husband order $50 takeout every single night. Also, this woman takes more Ubers and taxis in one book than I have in my entire life. If I can get around Seattle without a car for a couple of years, you can do it in NYC, bitch! Get your entitled ass on the subway.
The dead kid. So, when Ally was 9 years old, she took a shortcut through the woods and discovered (gasp!) a dead kid. Instead of, you know, telling someone, she kept it a secret for a few days because she thought her parents would be mad at her. I'm pretty sure finding a dead kid is more important than having to sit in the corner facing the wall for a few hours. She was 9, not 5. Jesus. So, this story line is basically a giant red herring because someone could be out to kill her now because of this thing that happened 25 years ago. See, adult Ally has a startling realization that the dead kid was in rigor mortis when she found her, which would have changed EVERYTHING for the investigation. EYE. ROLL. Then the kid killer finds her and tries to drown her, even though her testimony (as a 9-year-old) would be swiss-cheesed by any decent defense attorney. Unfortunately, she survives the attack.
That leads us to the real climax of the story (I guess). Look, if your therapist invites you to her house at night because she needs to talk to you, that therapist is obviously going to murder you. If any of my clients are ever invited to my house, it's going to end in a murder-suicide. There is literally NO other reason I would agree to see a client outside work hours.
Turns out, Ally's disassociated state/amnesia began because she walked into her therapist's house and found a dead body. The therapist is a murderer, see? It's been three hours since I finished the book and I already can't remember why. Anyway, now that the therapist is sure Ally remembers, she has to kill Ally too! (Also, Private Investigator Mulroney is dead. You were a ridiculous caricature, but RIP). Thankfully, Ally is such a bad ass because she manages to throw a pitcher of water at someone holding a gun on her. Guess what, guys? She gets away!
Dial-tone lawyer husband has been fucking around with an old law school classmate, so Ally gets to dump his ass; and, although not specifically stated, she gets back together with her old flame, Damien. Damien crops up through the whole book, despite the fact that they haven't talked in five years, because he is just SO CONCERNED about her. All this time, Ally thought he dumped her, but Damien sees it the other way around. He loves her!
I hope the divorce settlement with Dial-Tone is good, because I'd love to see practical little Ally live in Manhattan on a podcast salary. Enjoy the subway, bitch.