The audio review version of this book will be out on the book review Podcast 'Reading in Bed' (Available from all the usual places at the start of January 2022)
Blurb:
Seven
friends. One killer. You can run, but you can’t hide…
The
winter hike is meant to bring their nature group together.
Emily,
the sister who never lets her hearing loss hold her back.
Lauren,
the sister who always feels a step behind.
Morna,
who doesn’t get on with Lauren.
Ben,
whose feelings for Emily border on obsession.
Dan,
the quiet newcomer to the group.
Kai,
who isn’t just on the hike to enjoy the wildlife.
And
Alec, the one who knows all their secrets.
As
the sun sets, a gunshot rings out on the nature reserve.
One
of the seven is dead. And one of their number killed them…
Strengths:
First of all, great to see the use of a deaf character in this book. I read somewhere else that the writer does this in all of their books and here it works well as Emily, the character you learn a lot about her character without it dragging out too much.
Second, I go on about this all the time with books but settings are key and in this book, the Author really gets this spot on as the mood with the location adds marks to the book.
Thirdly, there is a flaw for me with the characters but the set up is spot on as unlike another book I did for Reading in Bed recently, this book sets out the characters fairly quickly, and you are certainly left wondering after the first character dies, is that it? Will the killer strike again? And the pacing certainly picks up as the book carries on.
*
Weaknesses:
Well, to be honest I only really liked Emily among the characters. Some of the others I won’t name were two one D and despite what the book blurb says they are certainly not friends, with all having issues or lingering hatred towards at least one other member in the group.
Secondly, information dumping. There was a lot of hints in the first third or so, and at this point I think the writer wrote them into a bit of a corner here after one of the characters died (I won’t name) part from all the running around in the dark and snow with people suspecting first one person then another. I found it all quite silly and unrealistic in particular when the information dumping started coming in from a number of the characters. As a poet, I am always a believer in show not tell and this does not work for me taking a lot of the built up tension from the earlier part of the book.
Thirdly, somebody else on Good Reads raised the point that it felt like the characters were running in circles after the first killing which I think they certainly did which was hidden to a degree by the constant Point of Views changing, but if you look carefully I am of the point of view here that there is not a lot there really.
Fourth, the mention on the book in the blurb they were friends is no where near the truth if you look at it and is very naughty as they are far from friends and after the book, it is clear that most of them are not friends and will not be friends or anything else. Poorly done by whoever did the blurb there.
Fifth, the last chapter – to be honest, this really did not work and was creepy for the sake of being creepy. The two characters had tension, but this seemed a step too far for me personally and completely took me out of the narrative and the mixed work it had produced by that point.
Conclusion:
This was one of the books which should have being a lot better than it was, and although it has its good points, the negatives over load this completely. A shame
4/10
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