Lots of drama in this psychological thriller mashup.
An oft used trope is involved here -- innocent young woman is taken to meet wealthy future in-laws at a secluded mountaintop retreat in the middle of winter. Theo doesn't know her fiance, Connor, very well as they've had a whirlwind romance. His entire family is there to celebrate Christmas but Theo knows she's going to be tested. Immediately upon arrival, and in addition to threatening messages she has received on her now useless phone (no signal), Theo feels that she's actually been to this place with the cabins in the woods before.
As the suspense is supposed to build, you will have to suspend an incredible amount of disbelief at the coincidences and plausibility of the plot. I might have been more invested had I liked any of the stereotypical characters. I couldn't even fake that much interest in Theo or feel empathetic to her situation. The endless red herrings, Theo's angst, and the repetition of the fact that her memories are hazy got on my nerves. Sure there were revelations as the secrets and lies were finally revealed, but I bet you guessed most of them already.
This is the second I've read by this author and doubt there will be more. There's just nothing new to see here. It wasn't a bad book per se, but it was just too similar a story to so many others I've read.
I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book, both provided by the publishers. The narrator was OK but her attempts to voice all the characters sometimes fell flat and the extra oomph she put into the really dramatic scenes seemed a bit too much. This is a production that could definitely have been enhanced by a larger cast.
This is a standalone and is not part of any series.
Tags - murder, family, secrets and lies, drama
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