Play Book Tag discussion

Nicolette "Nic" Farrell lives in New York where she has a great job and a perfect fiance. When she gets a call from her brother about the mental health of their father she decides to head back to her home town of Cooley Ridge, North Carolina, to put the family home on the market. Almost as soon as she arrives her neighbor, Annaleise Carter, goes missing having last been seen with Nic's former boyfriend, Tyler. Is it just coincidence that ten years ago Nic's best friend, Corinne, vanished one night after a county fair and has never been heard from since? Nic's father, suffering from dementia, is convinced he has seen Corinne.

Once Nic arrives in Cooley Ridge, the book fast forwards to Day 15 and is then told in reverse order, from Day 15 to Day 1. As Nic tries to find out what happened to Annaleise, we also find out what happened to Corinne that night ten years ago. I found this extremely confusing at first. I originally started listening to the audio, but then switched over to the physical book, which eventually made it less confusing for me. I think the literary device was well executed but admit I'm not a fan of the “story told in reverse order” club.

Overall, the story was filled with tension and full of suspense. After my initial confusion with the reverse order, I liked the story and appreciated the way the author brought everything together in the end. Most of the characters were less developed at first, but I think that was so we could get to know more about them as the story progresses. Everyone has something to hide in this story. If you are looking for a suspenseful novel with a very different approach I think you will enjoy this one.

Nice review.