Actual Rating: 3.0
*Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the e-copy. This review is my full and honest opinion.*
I think I might have read too many mysteries and thrillers to be surprised by this book and its plot twists.
Bring Her Home takes place in the aftermath. A year-and-a-half after Julia Price’s death, her husband Bill finds himself facing another tragedy: the disappearance of his daughter Summer. Summer was with Haley when they both disappeared, and a few days later, both of them crop up again, one dead and one severely injured. Investigators make a few assumptions about the victims and well, you already know that in these stories assumptions are never good. It turns out that Bill knew his daughter less than he thought he did, and as questions arise about Summer and everyone around him, it looks as though the answers will be found only if Bill is brave enough to confront both family tragedies.
Bill was not a likable character for me, by any means. But I’m sure his flaws are what gave the book its voice, realistically speaking. He did feel more balanced than other protagonists I’ve read, and though his paranoia was warranted, I became quickly frustrated when he continually jumped to conclusions. Still, there is something about having limited knowledge, provided by unreliable narrators, that make a story interesting.
For me, the plot itself was average. There are a few twists given away in the official blurb itself, which is a bit of a shame because I would’ve liked it more if I hadn’t seen it coming. The build-up was sufficient, and the reveal was well thought-out, but it was a bit predictable, as I had read my fair share of mysteries.
The writing style was definitely fluid, though, and it did make the book an interesting read. I liked the individuality in the voices each character contained, and I thought this especially added to the dialogue. Overall, I thought this was a pretty good thriller (with a beautiful cover, by the way), but it wasn’t mind-blowing for me.
etherealpages 