JESS JUST READS

A BOOK REVIEW BLOG

The Girl from Widow Hills by Megan Miranda

Everyone knows the story of the girl from Widow Hills.

When Arden Mayes was six years old, she was swept away in terrifying storm and went missing for days. Against all odds, she was found alive, clinging to a storm drain. A living miracle. Arden’s mother wrote a book, and fame followed. But so did fans, creeps and stalkers. It was all too much, and as soon as she was old enough, Arden changed her name and left Widow Hills behind.

Now, a young woman living hundreds of miles away, Arden is known as Olivia. With the twentieth anniversary of her rescue looming, media interest in the girl who survived is increasing. Where is she now? The stress brings back the night terrors of Olivia’s youth. Often, she finds herself out of bed in the middle of the night, sometimes outside her home, even streets away. Then one evening she jolts awake in her yard, with the corpse of a man at her feet.

The girl from Widow Hills is about to become the centre of the story, once again.

Megan Miranda’s The Girl from Widow Hills is a fast-paced psychological thriller about a young woman forced to face her traumatic but mysterious past when a dead body is discovered on her property.

At 6 years old, Arden Maynor got caught in a flash flood whilst sleepwalking. She miraculously survived in a storm drain for three days and was found clinging to a grate. Fame followed her for years and so when she got older, she changed her name to Olivia Wells and moved to rural North Carolina.

Now 26 and a hospital administrator, Olivia works hard to keep her past hidden. Until that body ends up outside her house and she’s thrust back into the spotlight once again, the media circus returning to her front door.

“I was too young to really remember, and too much time had passed anyway, the trauma buried under so many layers that it existed only in the psychological reactions: the flutter of my pulse as the doors slid shut in an elevator; a ringing in my ears in the darkness of a movie theatre before the first trailer kicked in…”

A lot of this book explores unprocessed trauma — memory loss, murky childhood events, and the unreliability of Olivia’s mind. The Girl from Widow Hills also explores the media’s obsession with these survival stories, people who escape the inescapable. And then the media feel they’re owed updates in the years to follow. They don’t always care for the life that person is trying to lead, away from the limelight.

The writing is sleek and effecting. Narrative devices propel the story forward, red herrings keep you guessing, and the carefully woven twists and turns keep you enthralled. The cast is large enough that there’s room to suspect just about anyone of anything, and there’s enough mystery to keep the readers guessing.

The book is scattered with additional narrative elements that help carve a bigger picture surrounding Olivia’s childhood, such as newspaper articles, interview transcripts, police reports, and publicity coverage. Slowly, we’re able to piece together what happened to Olivia as a child, and how that connects to the dead body she found on her boundary line.

“There was a visceral reaction to speaking about the past. Something I’d long gone out of the way to contain. A shaking that started in my fingers, a tremor that worked its way through my body, though no one seemed to notice but me. The precursor to panic; something that seized my mind and body alike.”

Truthfully, I think there’s a bit of disconnect between the reader and Olivia. You spend so much of the book trying to understand her past, and her memories from when she was six, that I don’t feel like you really get to connect with her as an adult. Olivia comes across as distant — a little stiff and boring. You never really feel a huge range of emotions coming from Olivia, it’s mainly an observant kind of POV, assessing the events around her. Readers will follow along for the mystery, not for the characters.

“Everyone tried to act normal when I arrived at the hospital. Faces that were either too friendly, or people who averted their gaze entirely, pretending to be absorbed in their phones. I had found a dead body outside my house, and everyone knew it.”

Admittedly, the ending is a little far-fetched and rushed but by then you’re so seduced by the story, you don’t really care.

Recommended for fans of thrillers, crime and psychological suspense novels.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Girl from Widow Hills
Megan Miranda
August 2020
Allen & Unwin Book Publishers

The Bluffs by Kyle Perry

When a school group of teenage girls goes missing in the remote wilderness of Tasmania’s Great Western Tiers, the people of Limestone Creek are immediately on alert. Three decades ago, five young girls disappeared in the area of those dangerous bluffs, and the legend of ‘the Hungry Man’ still haunts locals to this day.

Now, authorities can determine that the teacher, Eliza Ellis, was knocked unconscious, so someone on the mountain was up to foul play. Jordan Murphy, the local dealer and father of missing student Jasmine, instantly becomes the prime suspect. But Detective Con Badenhorst knows that in a town this size – with corrupt cops, small-town politics, and a teenage YouTube sensation – everyone is hiding something, and bluffing is second nature.

When a body is found, mauled, at the bottom of a cliff, suspicion turns to a wild animal – but that can’t explain why she was discovered barefoot, her shoes at the top of the cliff, laces neatly tied.

Eerie, mysterious and utterly gripping, The Bluffs is the debut novel from Australian author Kyle Perry, set amidst the mountains of Tasmania’s Great Western Tiers. The novel blends the real and the supernatural, drawing readers in with a page-turning mystery and keeping them trapped until they get to the final page.

A group of teenage girls go missing in the remote mountains of the Great Western Tiers; the entire town is on edge because three decades earlier, a different group of young girls went missing and they’ve never been found.

“Eliza had grown up without a father. She’d hated it, she still felt broken hearted whenever she thought of it. She wanted Wren to grow up healthy and happy. Not just with a father, but a father she could respect.”

The Bluffs is heavy with police procedure; robust Sydney detective Con Badenhorst is tasked with finding the missing girls. He’s determined and desperate, but he’s also holding on to some pretty triggering baggage from his work back in Sydney.

Local drug dealer Murphy is one of the strongest characters in the book — flawed and morally ambiguous, but also really likeable. He’s driven by his love for his daughter and his protective nature adds depth to the story.

Local teacher Eliza is a pretty fascinating character. At first, she appears to be a weak character, easily confused or fooled. But over time we come to understand her as a little unreliable, a little mixed up in the information she’s telling us.

“Being dismissed by a 16-year-old was not an experience Con enjoyed, but Gabriella grabbed his arm and he let her drag him outside. His mind was turning, carefully putting observations and facts into boxes, listing options and priorities and questions he needed answered.”

Tension builds with every passing chapter. Writing is crisp and quick; the dialogue is realistic and spurs the story on. There are a lot of characters in the story, but their characterisation is unique and you can tell Kyle spent a lot of time really crafting each and every one of them.

Setting plays a strong part in this novel. The weather is unpredictable and unforgiving — you can feel the cold rain and the harsh environment as it builds up in the mountains. Sometimes setting feels like another character, adding intrigue and mystery. What secrets is that fog hiding?

The blend of supernatural elements into this story was an interesting choice. Personally, I hated the final chapter. When a novel is a standalone and the final chapter hints to some other world, there’s no way for a resolution and I end up incredibly frustrated. But I’m sure not everyone would have the same reaction.

“Something roared in Murphy’s ears. He wrenched against the cuffs on the table, shouting profanity. He was barely aware of the words leaving his mouth as he kicked the chair over behind him, kicked against the metal legs of the table.”

I will admit, there were a few moments — twists — that felt predictable to me. Spoiler alert. The letters KUN being etched onto the police car felt significant, and identifiable as a clue; Madison mentioning the ‘game’ when they were atop the mountains also signalled some kind of forward planning; Jake being tasked with driving himself to the police station when he was acting suspicious — no surprises when he drove off and tried to make a break for it.

I don’t think I fully understood why the author crafted Tom and Monica the way he did. Monica doesn’t have much real estate in the story, so I’m not really sure why we were positioned to feel sorry for her when she also was very aware of Tom’s behaviour. To be honest, I didn’t feel like Eliza and Monica’s acceptance of Tom’s behaviour was very realistic.

The twist about a certain character being related to another certain character was also signposted too many times. I saw that one coming and I imagine other readers might as well.

Despite some predictable moments, The Bluffs will please any crime or mystery reader. Recommended for fans of Stephen King.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Bluffs
Kyle Perry
July 2020
Penguin Random House Publishers

The Half Sister by Sandie Jones

Her arrival will ruin everything.

Kate and Lauren. Sisters who are always there for each other. But as they gather for their weekly Sunday lunch, a knock on the door changes everything.

The new arrival, Jess, claims to be their half-sister, but that would mean the unthinkable . . . That she’s the secret daughter of their beloved, recently deceased father Harry. Their mother Rose is devastated and Kate and Lauren refuse to believe Jess’s lies.

But as the fall-out starts it’s clear that each is hiding secrets and that perhaps this family isn’t as perfect as they appear.

Where there was truth, now there are lies and only one thing is certain, their half-sister’s arrival has ruined everything . . .

Set in London, Sandie Jones’ The Half Sister is a psychological family drama that kicks off when an illegitimate sibling turns up to a Sunday lunch family gathering.

Until the tail end of the book, this reads like a family saga more than the thriller we’re promised. Kate and Lauren buried their father one year earlier, and are shocked when “Jess” turns up and claims to be their half sister. Kate refuses to believe their father was unfaithful to their mother Rose. Lauren welcomes Jess with open arms, desperate to believe her.

The premise is intriguing and will capture a reader, and there are elements to the story that readers will enjoy. The ‘psychological thriller’ doesn’t weave its way into the novel until at least halfway, but the tension between family members is engaging enough to maintain interest.

“When Simon was working, the pressure eased off a little, as Lauren didn’t need to worry so much about where the next penny was coming from. But on the occasions he was laid off, which as a labourer on a building site were often, both their purse strings and Simon’s moods, Lauren noticed, were more difficult to manage.”

Kate is envious of her sister’s life, because Lauren is married with three children and Kate is desperately trying to conceive a baby with her husband. Lauren is envious of Kate because Lauren’s husband is controlling and abusive, and Kate’s life seems incredibly glamorous and not weighed down by children. Each sister doesn’t realise just how much the other is struggling.

Kate and Lauren can both be pretty unlikeable. Lauren is trapped in a loveless marriage and clings to a complete stranger for friendship. Kate is incredibly dismissive to the possibility she has a half sister — her relationship with Lauren has no resemblance of chemistry or familial bond. I found both characters — and Simon — to be like cardboard cut-outs.

“Whilst Lauren worked twelve-hour shifts on nigh-on minimum wage, Kate had gleefully regaled her with regular jet-setting jaunts to meet the stars. If she wasn’t in LA interviewing A-listers, she was on tour with pop stars. Lauren has lost count of how many times Kate had attended the red carpet at the Oscars.”

Whilst the novel as a whole is interesting and you will keep reading to find out whether Jess really is who she says she is, there were some flaws that were hard to ignore. The ‘villain’ of the book was obvious from quite early on, so when the murder mystery does present itself the reader will already feel like they know who is responsible.

Not only did Simon feel stereotypical, but the climax and resolution of his character was brief and unsatisfying. There’s a lot of build up for his character to really explode, and then he disappears rather quickly — the ‘danger’ no longer present.

There was a distinct lack of believability to Jess and Lauren’s friendship. I believed Kate’s reaction more than Lauren’s, because Lauren’s decision-making felt farfetched and unrealistic.

Lastly, it’s awfully convenient that Lauren has a childhood memory of her Dad and a woman with a pram. That one memory pushed the story forward quite a few times and it seemed a little too good to be true.

“Lauren is on cloud nine when she wakes up and realises that the plethora of dreams she’d had were just a realistic extension of the evening she’d had. She smiles, desperate to stay in her happy cocoon for just a little bit longer.”

Recommended for fans of family sagas and family dramas.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Half Sister
Sandie Jones
June 2020
Pan Macmillan Publishers

Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay

It all started with one little lie . . .

Jane and Marnie have been inseparable since they were eleven years old. They have a lot in common. In their early twenties they both fell in love and married handsome young men.

But Jane never liked Marnie’s husband. He was always so loud and obnoxious, so much larger than life. Which is rather ironic now, of course.

Because if Jane had been honest – if she hadn’t lied – then perhaps her best friend’s husband might still be alive . . .

This is Jane’s opportunity to tell the truth, the question is: Do you believe her?

Elizabeth Kay’s Seven Lies is a mystery thriller novel exploring two women and their incredibly complex bond. One woman’s desire to maintain their friendship quickly turns into a deadly, unpredictable obsession with frightening consequences.

Seven Lies explores jealousy, love and grief, and the thin line between devotion and obsession. The book is written from Jane’s perspective, who is an unreliable protagonist — she’s a compulsive liar and she twists events to make herself look better, so the reader is never really sure what’s true.

There is a frequent amount of foreshadowing in the novel, which successfully builds tension and anxiety and plants this seed of dread with the reader that just keeps on growing with every passing chapter. Honourable mention goes to the ending of every chapter — there’s always some plot progression or stylistic manipulation to keep the reader engaged and desperate to keep going.

“I had discovered the ring a few months earlier. Marnie and Charles were about to go on a holiday for a week. They were going to the Seychelles, I think — or perhaps it was Mauritius — and we were due to have a heatwave in London.”

Slowly, Elizabeth moves the plot towards present day so we come to understand all about Jane’s friendship with Marnie — their history — and Marnie’s marriage to the insufferable Charles.

The further we progress through the story, the more unhinged and dangerous Jane seems. But she’ll never know it. She’s conceited and self-centred, always making excuses for her behaviour. She lets her emotions control her, and she can never seem to understand her actions or what causes them.

Seven Lies is the kind of book you devour on a plane or on the beach, when you have a dedicated length of time and you’re in the right space to be sucked into a really great mystery. Is the story flawless? No, a couple of the secondary characters — including Marnie — feel like cardboard cut-outs and there’s an anorexia storyline that seems to heighten just for dramatic effect.

But Seven Lies will draw in a wide readership, and keep them hooked. Jane and Marnie don’t have a lot in common, but both of their husbands are dead. And that alone will make you want to know more.

“It had always been that way. I was loved too little and she was loved too much, and it might surprise you to know that both are equally unbearable. She was often seeking space, suffocated by being the favourite. I became her ally, her safe place.”

Jane is unapologetic. If she were an animal, I’d imagine her as a shark or a killer whale — intelligent, ruthless and quick. She thinks ahead and she plans, and she’s not about to trip up and derail all that she’s worked hard to build.

We see other characters through Jane’s perspective, so it’s hard to know if she’s giving us the entire picture. Is Charles as awful as Jane makes him out to be? Is Marnie really as naive as Jane thinks she is? Elizabeth Kay crafts a storyline and a protagonist that really forces us to doubt what we’re reading. What is the truth, and will we ever find out?

“I let myself into their flat that evening and stood again in the dark hallway. This would be my home now — just for the week, but my home nonetheless. I turned on all the lights — exactly how Marnie liked it — and made up their bed with my own sheets and pillowcases.”

Stylistically, the novel moves between past and present frequently and it’s often a little clunky. Chunks of prose will take you out of the present and to a time in Jane’s life from years earlier. And then just as quickly as we left the present, we’re back. The transitions were rarely seamless.

Additionally, and without giving too much away, I felt the ending and final climax was a little brief. The pacing of the novel is quite slow — careful, full of anticipation — but those final couple of chapters move through at speed. It’s unexpected, and doesn’t feel like a natural conclusion.

An impressive, whirlwind debut. Recommended for fans of crime, thriller and mystery novels.

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Seven Lies
Elizabeth Kay
April 2020
Hachette Book Publishers

Deep Water by Sarah Epstein

A gripping mystery about a missing boy and a group of teenagers, one of whom knows something but isn’t telling.

HENRY WEAVER IS MISSING
Three months ago, thirteen-year-old Henry disappeared from The Shallows during a violent storm, leaving behind his muddy mountain bike at the train station.

MASON WEAVER IS TRAPPED
While Mason doesn’t know who he is or what he’s capable of, he knows the one thing binding him to this suffocating small town is his younger brother, Henry.

CHLOE BAXTER WANTS ANSWERS
Why would Henry run away without telling her? One of Chloe’s friends knows something and she’s determined to find out the truth.

As Chloe wades into dangerous waters and Mason’s past emerges, a chilling question ripples to the surface: how far would you go to keep a secret?

Sarah Epstein’s Deep Water is a young adult thriller novel set within a small town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales. The residents are reticent, the past is full of secrets, and the truth about a young boy’s disappearance is about to come out.

Deep Water captures a claustrophobic setting. Set in The Shallows NSW, the atmosphere of this small town is incredibly crowded and confined, making you feel like you’re trapped along with the characters. Stylistically, this helps build tension throughout the book, because there is nothing you can do but wait for secrets to reveal themselves.

Structurally, the book shifts between character POVs but also between ‘before’ Henry went missing, and the present. Over time, we come to understand just how hard life was — and is — for Mason and his younger brother. Their mother Ivy is an alcoholic, and she’s often violent, and Mason is left to pick up the pieces.

Deep Water illustrates the notion that you never really know what’s happening behind closed doors. People suspect, but no one in The Shallows really knows how violent Ivy is when she’s alone with Mason and Henry.

“Where the hell was Henry? Surely he’d heard their mother throwing her guts up. Would it kill him to attempt the clean-up himself for once? It’s not like he hadn’t watched Mason do it a hundred times.”

When I compare this with Sarah’s previous novel, YA thriller Small Spaces, I recognise an incredible difference in how Sarah reveals clues and red herrings. When reading Small Spaces, I felt there was too much foreshadowing and the plot was a bit predictable, but with Deep Water, I felt surprised and expectant the entire length of the novel. I had theories that all turned out wrong, I had suspicions that weren’t plausible, and when I came to the ending I genuinely felt satisfied with how the storyline was wrapped up.

Sarah implements the unreliable narrator incredibly well in her novels, particularly in Deep Water with the characters Mason and Chloe. Both are very different — Mason is the rebellious, misunderstood brother of Henry who Chloe suspects might’ve had something to do with Henry’s disappearance. Chloe is stubborn, relentless and refuses to let the mystery fade from people’s minds. Truthfully, she’s kind of annoying, but she’s meant to be. She doesn’t want Henry’s disappearance to remain unsolved for any longer. She hunts down clues until she discovers the truth about what happened the night that Henry went missing.

“Both of Tom’s parents were still around back then, before the court case and his dad’s prison sentence, before his mum fled to Queensland, promising to move her son up with her when she was in a position to do so. That never happened.”

The storm, and the constant mention of water, is symbolic of the pacing in the novel. Everything happens fast, quick and without pause. As the reader, you almost feel like you’ve been taken on a ride and there’s no chance of getting off before the end.

Identity and purpose are strong themes in the book. How well do these teenagers really know their friends, or even themselves? Some of them feel stuck in The Shallows, with no way out of the town. Some feel indebted to others, forced to stay to help their family or their friends. Each character has to learn to understand where they want their life to lead, and that can be a really hard thing to do when you’re also trying to solve a disappearance.

“Henry confided in me. I knew all about the accidents and the arguments, the lean weeks when they could barely afford milk and bread. I was aware of the smashed glassware and missed birthdays, how their power was cut the same week Ivy bought a fancy display cabinet for her collectable plates.”

Admittedly, there are a lot of characters to keep up with in this town. And it’s not just the characters, but their families and their relations and as the truth starts to unravel and you realise just how people are connected to the truth, I’ll admit it got a little confusing. Sometimes it felt like there should’ve been a smaller core cast of characters to allow for a more cohesive plot.

Gripping, suspenseful, engrossing and chilling, Deep Water will have you hooked from the first chapter. Recommended for readers aged 14+

Thank you to the publisher for mailing me a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Deep Water
Sarah Epstein
April 2020
Allen and Unwin Book Publishers