Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Rumors can take a life of its own or your life. It's a story about a child murderer, Sally Mcgowan. The rumor is that she's living right in this very small town. However, no one seems to know if she's really there or her story of how it came about that she was deem a murderer.

The story was very slow to develop even the characters were not fully developed. There was no true back story to any characters, it's just the here and now story of what they go through. However, that leaves a gap in the life of several major characters and it seems flawed. However, the ending was worth the pushing through and reading it.

Oh, I really enjoyed this book. This is a 4.5 star rating for me. The main character was relatable. She shared one piece of information, wanting to change the subject, and I didn't feel like she should've been blamed for other's actions. She didn't make up the rumor. She didn't add to it. She simply repeated what someone else said to her.
I enjoyed how it snowballed, and I didn't suspect the first reveal. I did the second, but at that point it was pretty obvious. I loved the ending. A little sad. A little...well, I can't say. I listened to it, and the only part that felt like it was dragging was at the end, in the attic. I wanted her to stop talking, thinking, and feeling and doooo something. :)

The first half of this book is slow. I found myself not caring about the characters. Did not predict the twists or the ending though!

I enjoyed the read. Was going to give it 3 stars but i really liked the last 3rd of the book. The ending was great!

Audiobook

While indulging in my guilty pleasure perusing of grocery store paperback book rack, I saw that Shari Lapena had blurbed this novel, and having discovered my love for Shari Lapena's writing when, a few weeks ago, I'd purchased on a whim my first grocery store paperback in more than a decade, I trusted that this should be good.

Look, let's face it, I have an addiction to paperback thrillers. And I'm okay with that.

This was, indeed, thrilling and well done, and I was surprised more than once --- which is surprising. I could do without the word "clamber" --- which, like thrum before it, seems required in every single novel at least once nowadays, but, that's a tiny cavil for a book that reads so fast, nice concise chapters, it moves like crazy and the characters are well defined and easy to differentiate.

I give it a three stars verging on four.

We've all been there. Unwittingly passing on information that may or may not be true. Joanna has moved back to her hometown to be close to her mom while she raises her son. Her mom convinces her to join a book club to make new friends, where she accidentally passes on a tidbit she overheard at her son's school. All because she was trying to diffuse an awkward turn in the conversation. But as the rumor gains momentum, Joanna starts to wonder: who can she trust? When her son's dad comes to live with her, are his motives pure, or as an investigative journalist is he just interested in the story? There were so many suspects I had whiplash! And enjoyed every minute of it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for a review copy.

Just ok

It was a great book! Had me guessing!