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catbookpurr's review against another edition
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
sangerald's review
5.0
This whole series was good! I wasn’t really expecting the twist like that at the end. I expected something but not like that at all. After reading pretty little liars and her other stuff. She will always be one of my favorite writers! Easy and thrilling read
hermoonreads's review against another edition
4.0
I didn't enjoy book 1, found book 2 far better, and am glad to say I found this one the best of them all.
I'm glad I read them all back to back, as there are common questions and situations running through them all and if I'd been left on the same cliff hanger twice waiting for the next book I think I'd have rated them lower.
No spoilers from me, but it is interesting to finally get some answers and backstory for several of our core characters!
I'm glad I read them all back to back, as there are common questions and situations running through them all and if I'd been left on the same cliff hanger twice waiting for the next book I think I'd have rated them lower.
No spoilers from me, but it is interesting to finally get some answers and backstory for several of our core characters!
missgrangerr's review
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Kidnapping
13iscute's review
4.0
Book Riot Read Harder 2019:
#9 A book published prior to January 1, 2019, with fewer than 100 reviews on Goodreads
Popsugar Reading Challenge 2019:
#4 A book you think should be turned into a movie
#9 A book you meant to read in 2018
#30 A book featuring an amateur detective
#35 A book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter
#37 A book with a two-word title
It was a good, fast-paced mystery, I thought. I liked the twists and turns and I only figured out stuff a couple of pages before the characters. I liked how. Nothing groundbreaking, but it was fun! I think this series would make a good movie or two.
#9 A book published prior to January 1, 2019, with fewer than 100 reviews on Goodreads
Popsugar Reading Challenge 2019:
#4 A book you think should be turned into a movie
#9 A book you meant to read in 2018
#30 A book featuring an amateur detective
#35 A book by an author whose first and last names start with the same letter
#37 A book with a two-word title
Spoiler
This book is an immediate continuation of the last book (which I didn't really remember, but the book summarizes well enough in the beginning that I was good to go!) The Amateurs are getting ready to head home after they solve their mystery, when they realize that Aerin has been kidnapped by Brett. Brett calls Seneca with instructions that they have to solve a different cold case by Monday, or else he is going to kill Aerin. Seneca, Maddox, and Madison have to find a boy who was kidnapped from the Catskills a couple of months ago. As they solve the mystery, they come to realize that this little boy has been kidnapped by the same lady who had kidnapped Brett many years ago. This lady lost her two children in a house fire, and has kidnapped multiple children over time in an effort to replace them. They find the house where the kidnapper is keeping the boy (along with a girl). They meet Brett to exchange Aerin for the location of the kidnapper, but they are caught by security at the funhouse where they meet. Aerin is united with the team, but Brett flees. They call the police and the kids are recovered and the kidnapper arrested. But Brett is still on the loose. He sends a cryptic message to Seneca that he is waiting at a place where she had been before. She figures out that when Brett was being held hostage at the kidnapper's as a child, he escaped and ran for house two doors down, but that woman just returned him to the kidnapper, thinking him a "troubled child". That woman, who could have saved Brett but didn't, was Seneca's mom. Seneca's family was staying there on vacation when Seneca was 2 years old. This is why Brett tracked down and killed Seneca's mom. Seneca tracks Brett down at the beach house, where they come to a confrontation and Seneca has to physically defend herself. But Maddox and Madison have been tracking Seneca's phone and the police come to the rescue and arrest Brett. Everything is good... Seneca and Maddox get together, Seneca is going to the University of Washington to study criminal justice while Maddox goes to Oregon on his track scholarship. But Brett is shown in prison already having won the favor of the guards and having hacked past the prison firewall to get on the Case Not Closed message board... to be continued?It was a good, fast-paced mystery, I thought. I liked the twists and turns and I only figured out stuff a couple of pages before the characters. I liked how
Spoiler
it was two mysteries wrapped into one, so even once the kidnapping was solved, we still had a ways to go to find Brett.thereadrose's review
3.0
This book was ok. I did like the way they tied everything up and I personally didn’t guess (spoiler alert is next)
Seneca annoyed me throughout the entire series and I couldn’t understand why Maddox was so in love with her.
After reading the trilogy... I felt the second book was not needed in this series! I think this book would’ve been a lot more successful as a duology.
I usually have a “meh” feeling whenever I finish a book by Sara Shepard. They tend to be entertaining and fast reads, but her mysteries are very simple with dramatic twists (that don’t always make sense) and problematic characters... but there’s something about them where I keep coming back whenever I need a light read.
Spoiler
that Seneca’s Mom was the one who returned Brett back to his kidnapper.Seneca annoyed me throughout the entire series and I couldn’t understand why Maddox was so in love with her.
After reading the trilogy... I felt the second book was not needed in this series! I think this book would’ve been a lot more successful as a duology.
I usually have a “meh” feeling whenever I finish a book by Sara Shepard. They tend to be entertaining and fast reads, but her mysteries are very simple with dramatic twists (that don’t always make sense) and problematic characters... but there’s something about them where I keep coming back whenever I need a light read.
megancrusante's review against another edition
4.0
Dang this was a great end to the series! All 3 are quick and fun reads.
tesslinnebank's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
covbear's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
In the series this was my least favorite. I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending and I felt like the other at one point just made Brett give out free information to them which I didn’t like. Overall I am really pleased with the series and would honestly recommend to others.