A mystery and friendship drama that involves a woman's obsessive quest for closure after her best friend is murdered.
Hannah Jones and April Clarke-Clivedon (as per my copy) met at Oxford and were roommates and best friends as they began their college days in a centuries old institution with a very rich history. The pair become part of a group of other students and they are having a grand time. Until April is murdered. Ten years later, Hannah is married and expecting a baby but has never moved on from that event. A journalist contacts her when the man convicted dies in prison. It all comes rushing back.
What I liked about this book: the setting and descriptions of Pelham College and Oxford.
What I did not like: everything else.
I was so happy to get out of Hannah's head by the time this was over. The narrative is a constant stream of consciousness and so banal and inane and repetitious that I almost DNF. I absolutely could not stand the character and have no clue how anyone else could bear to be around her or in a relationship with her. It took FOREVER to get to the gist of the mystery with all of Hannah's dithering. The story flips back and forth between "Before" (the college days) and "After" (10 years later). The author dangles all the red herrings and it was easy to tell by the order in which they dropped who the bad actor was going to end up being. I was totally bored and this all went on way too long.
I have read most all of this author's other books and this is certainly not her best work. I should have skipped it but I see that all the fans have a different opinion about this novel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Gallery/Scout Press for the advance copy to read and review.
This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Genre - mystery, friendship drama
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