3.5 Stars - A solid thriller with brilliant representation
3.5 stars: ‘Parris, the island where it seems girls go to die.’ I love a mystery/thriller novel where the story starts with eerie, unsolved deaths. It creates a spooky atmosphere from page one and instantly hooks the reader. Mix this with an isolated island, home to an exclusive community, and you have the perfect start to a thriller. The writing flows well and the book is well plotted, with fun investigation scenes as Luca tries to find out what happened to her sister and friend. The representation included is great, with LGBTQ+, mental health and Black/biracial characters.
However, I was a little disappointed by the end. I was surprised by the resolution to the mystery, but, although you find answers, it felt very melancholy with a lack of a hope. I was hoping for more for Luca, as she was such a great character. I was also hoping for more of a resolution to Polly’s death, although I appreciate that this mirrors reality as we often don’t get the answers we are hoping for. Overall, a solid thriller and I am looking forward to this author’s next book.
However, I was a little disappointed by the end. I was surprised by the resolution to the mystery, but, although you find answers, it felt very melancholy with a lack of a hope. I was hoping for more for Luca, as she was such a great character. I was also hoping for more of a resolution to Polly’s death, although I appreciate that this mirrors reality as we often don’t get the answers we are hoping for. Overall, a solid thriller and I am looking forward to this author’s next book.