This felt like a YA mystery at heart, even though the main character is 30. The tone, pacing, and introspection reminded me more of young adult literature. I liked it but I think I’d only recommend this for readers of YA, mystery enthusiasts, or those who like multimedia in narratives.

 

Energy: Reserved. Nimble. Melancholic.

 

I listened to parts of the audiobook. While italics worked for flashbacks in print, the audio transitions weren’t as clear. Without the visual cues, it got confusing, especially since flashbacks often shared settings and characters with the present-day narrative.

 

The tone and writing had me picturing the protagonist as a teen or recent graduate, but I can see an argument for her being less mature because of what happened in her life, it was just maybe too effective when combined with the writing style!

 

Having media posts, formatted and with pictures, integrated into the narrative. The guilty-pleasure-skirting-problematic-but-so-entertaining podcast banter. The plot with big reveals early on and smaller mysteries and twists sprinkled throughout, some of which genuinely surprised me. The pacing was good. The repetitive musings of the main characters felt natural given their age and struggles, instead of coming across as filler. Using withholding effectively to build suspense – just enough was kept back to keep me interested without feeling manipulative. How the conclusion delivered all the tea without resorting to cheap thriller tropes. 

 

Scene: 🇺🇸 Set in Mt. Randall, North Carolina, USA

Perspectives: We mainly follow two siblings across time: a 30-year-old who never moved out, preferring to be close to their family after their sibling disappeared in the late 1990s and was never found. And the sibling as a local college student in the 1990s. We also get partner and parent perspectives as needed. There are snippets of podcast transcripts, flyers, articles, and social media posts. 

Timeline: Current (2022). 1998 to 1999 (September to April).

🔥 Fuel: What happened to the missing sister? Can Lindsey trust the journalist who wants to cover the discovery of bones nearby? Who killed the four women? Is it related to the sister’s case? 

📖 Cred: Like a ripped from the headlines, truth-is-stranger-than-fiction type story.

 

Boss 429 Mustang. Dining hall. Keg stand. Textbooks. Lake side. Jasmine perfume. Vinegar. Peppermint. 

 

Content Heads-Up: Predatory relationships (power dynamic, teacher-student, adult-teen). Loss of sibling. Alcohol (intoxication, partying). Infidelity, serial cheating. Emotional incest (parent-child). Toxic relationship. Emotionally immature parent. Police ineptitude. Nicotine (cigarettes). Driving while intoxicated (brief memory). Murder (on page).  

 

Rep: American. Cis. Hetero. Ambiguous skin tones.

 

📚 Format: Library Digital + Everand Audio