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cbneary's review against another edition
4.0
Excellent! Couldn't wait to see how it was going to end!
jmj697mn's review against another edition
3.0
The second half of this book was amazing, 4 stars. The first half was meh, 2 stars.
rmarcin's review against another edition
4.0
Anna Winger has been running from her past for 13 years. She and her son, Joshua, are constantly on the move. She has now settled into a small town in Parks, Indiana. Anna is a handwriting expert, and because of these skills, her FBI friend, Kent, has asked her to help on the abduction case of a 2 year old boy, Aidan Ransey.
The sheriff is skeptical of Anna and her skill, but he lets her look at the case. He continues to ask her assistance on other cases. Anna is getting involved in the town, which is very unlike her, as she likes to keep her distance.
Her son, Joshua, is starting to ask questions about Anna's past and his family. This terrifies Anna.
This all leads to a terrifying clash of situations, Anna's past, and the many people she never wanted to face again. Additionally, there is an underlying story of drugs and seediness that needs attention.
I thought the book went on a bit too long, and the ending was a little far-fetched, but all-in-all, it was an enjoyable read and one that kept you interested. The author did a nice job tying all the threads together.
The sheriff is skeptical of Anna and her skill, but he lets her look at the case. He continues to ask her assistance on other cases. Anna is getting involved in the town, which is very unlike her, as she likes to keep her distance.
Her son, Joshua, is starting to ask questions about Anna's past and his family. This terrifies Anna.
This all leads to a terrifying clash of situations, Anna's past, and the many people she never wanted to face again. Additionally, there is an underlying story of drugs and seediness that needs attention.
I thought the book went on a bit too long, and the ending was a little far-fetched, but all-in-all, it was an enjoyable read and one that kept you interested. The author did a nice job tying all the threads together.
tateetot's review against another edition
Very slow moving. I’m not sympathetic to Anna or Josh. I’m a bit bored
hmbb99's review against another edition
3.0
Anna is on the run from her abusive
ex-boyfriend. She has spent the last thirteen years trying to protect herself and her son Joshua, while working for the Feds as a handwriting analyst. Anna settles in a town in Indiana where her Fed contact sets her up to help out the local sheriff on a child abdution case. While investigating the missing kid, Anna finds herself in conflict with her son, who wants to know about his father, and finds herself in a romance. When Joshua disappears, Anna takes off to confront her ex and her past and stumbles upon the solution to the missing child.
This story starts off slow and confusing, which was intentional and designed to slowly reveal Anna's past. Unfortunately it doesn't go over very well as you are left feeling a little bored and you have to read passages more than once to understand what you are reading. Once you get through the slow parts the story progresses rather quickly as you learn about the mess that is Anna's life. You feel sorry for all that she went through but you feel like she did not come out better for it because she is so annoying and unlikable.
I enjoyed the story but it was difficult to follow in parts and sometimes really slow. I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I found Anna to be someone to root for rather than someone who annoyed me.
Thanks to Netgalley, Lori Rader-Day, and Book Club Girl Early Free Friday program for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.
ex-boyfriend. She has spent the last thirteen years trying to protect herself and her son Joshua, while working for the Feds as a handwriting analyst. Anna settles in a town in Indiana where her Fed contact sets her up to help out the local sheriff on a child abdution case. While investigating the missing kid, Anna finds herself in conflict with her son, who wants to know about his father, and finds herself in a romance. When Joshua disappears, Anna takes off to confront her ex and her past and stumbles upon the solution to the missing child.
This story starts off slow and confusing, which was intentional and designed to slowly reveal Anna's past. Unfortunately it doesn't go over very well as you are left feeling a little bored and you have to read passages more than once to understand what you are reading. Once you get through the slow parts the story progresses rather quickly as you learn about the mess that is Anna's life. You feel sorry for all that she went through but you feel like she did not come out better for it because she is so annoying and unlikable.
I enjoyed the story but it was difficult to follow in parts and sometimes really slow. I think I'd have enjoyed it more if I found Anna to be someone to root for rather than someone who annoyed me.
Thanks to Netgalley, Lori Rader-Day, and Book Club Girl Early Free Friday program for the advanced copy of the book. The opinions are my own.
bookslifeandeverythingnice's review against another edition
4.0
I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways. As always, an honest review.
The Day I Died starts off with an eye catching title. There's a missing child, dead nanny, missing mom, and a deadbeat dad. Who died? Where's 2 year old Aiden? Is he okay? I was pulled into this mystery of imperfect families and hoping the worst didn't happen to Aiden. The story is a mystery, but the themes of motherhood run strong throughout. The Day I Died centers around Anna, a woman who analyzes handwriting for a living. People from all over send her samples of handwriting with questions they want answered. Questions ranging from is someone cheating, lying, should I marry them, or should I hire them? She also consults with the local police occasionally, which leads us to the current mystery of Aiden's disappearance. Anna analyzes the handwriting on notes from Aiden's disappearance to determine anything that might help find him. Anna also has some secrets of her own that she even keeps from her 13 year old son Joshua. She's incredibly secretive, has moved around a lot, and we want to find out if her past will catch up with her. The book is a true mystery novel; mostly detective work and minimal gore. The theme of motherhood and what mothers will do to protect their children is intriguing as it unfolds. Also, do secrets hurt us or protect us? Definitely recommend if you're a fan of true mysteries that make you think.
The Day I Died starts off with an eye catching title. There's a missing child, dead nanny, missing mom, and a deadbeat dad. Who died? Where's 2 year old Aiden? Is he okay? I was pulled into this mystery of imperfect families and hoping the worst didn't happen to Aiden. The story is a mystery, but the themes of motherhood run strong throughout. The Day I Died centers around Anna, a woman who analyzes handwriting for a living. People from all over send her samples of handwriting with questions they want answered. Questions ranging from is someone cheating, lying, should I marry them, or should I hire them? She also consults with the local police occasionally, which leads us to the current mystery of Aiden's disappearance. Anna analyzes the handwriting on notes from Aiden's disappearance to determine anything that might help find him. Anna also has some secrets of her own that she even keeps from her 13 year old son Joshua. She's incredibly secretive, has moved around a lot, and we want to find out if her past will catch up with her. The book is a true mystery novel; mostly detective work and minimal gore. The theme of motherhood and what mothers will do to protect their children is intriguing as it unfolds. Also, do secrets hurt us or protect us? Definitely recommend if you're a fan of true mysteries that make you think.
romancingthereader's review against another edition
3.0
You ever invest a few days in a book and at the end you're like "what?"? That's this book. The author suffered from a few things: First, there was a LOT going on. So many story lines and plot points. Second, none of them wrapped up with a bow. It could have used another 50 pages just to wrap it all up. The ending was horribly mediocre as well.
robynryle's review against another edition
5.0
Another great thriller/mystery from Lori Rader-Day, the kind you need to set aside a whole day for, because you won't be able to put it down.
kbranfield's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day is an intriguing mystery about a missing young boy.
Anna Winger is a handwriting analyst who assists federal and local law enforcement with a variety of cases. When two year old Aidan Ransey goes missing, she is asked to aid Sheriff Russ Keller with the investigation. Keller reluctantly turns documents relevant to kidnapping over to Anna but the two continue to clash over his lack of cooperation with her requests. Anna is also growing increasingly concerned over her thirteen year old son Joshua's increasingly troubling behavior. When Joshua begins asking difficult questions that she is reluctant to answer, Anna eventually has no choice but to face the past she has been running from for over thirteen years.
Anna was forced to make a rather decision years earlier which has resulted in an itinerant, solitary lifestyle for her and Joshua. Having recently relocated to Parks, Indiana, Anna is already second guessing whether or not she made the right choice to settle in the small town. Seriously lacking the anonymity she desperately needs to feel safe, the missing person's case attracts far more attention that she desires. She is also rather troubled by the parallels between herself and Aidan's mom, Leila Ransey. She is already struggling to maintain her objectivity as she examines the documents associated with the disappearance when she meets Aidan's father, Bo. Their encounters bring back unpleasant memories of her own past and Anna continues to worry about whether or not she can remain impartial during the investigation.
Adding to Anna's discomfort is Sheriff Keller's skepticism about the veracity of handwriting analysis. His office is on the periphery of the investigation but he continues to follow leads in an effort to locate the missing boy. A shocking murder adds another complication to the case and Keller reluctantly continues to seek assistance from Anna as they recover documents that are pertinent to the investigation. Their interactions continue to be a little adversarial as Anna offers her expert opinion on the evidence he provides for her analysis.
The pacing of the novel is somewhat slow as Anna becomes increasingly introspective during the investigation. Her self-confidence is gradually undetermined as she juggles her professional duties with the increasingly tense situation with Joshua. Completely out of her depth as she deals with her suddenly tumultuous relationship with Joshua, Anna is stunned when he takes matters into his own hands after she fails to give him the answers he desperately needs. With nowhere else to turn, Anna is forced to return to the place where her life went so tragically wrong but will she find what she is searching for?
With an unusual premise and a unique lead protagonist, The Day I Died is a compelling mystery with plenty of twists and turns. Despite the suspense surrounding Aidan's disappearance, the storyline quickly becomes bogged down in the secrets of Anna's past. However, the various story arcs finally come together in a rather unexpected (and far too coincidental) manner. Lori Rader-Day brings the novel to an action-filled conclusion that neatly ties up all of the loose ends.
The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day is an intriguing mystery about a missing young boy.
Anna Winger is a handwriting analyst who assists federal and local law enforcement with a variety of cases. When two year old Aidan Ransey goes missing, she is asked to aid Sheriff Russ Keller with the investigation. Keller reluctantly turns documents relevant to kidnapping over to Anna but the two continue to clash over his lack of cooperation with her requests. Anna is also growing increasingly concerned over her thirteen year old son Joshua's increasingly troubling behavior. When Joshua begins asking difficult questions that she is reluctant to answer, Anna eventually has no choice but to face the past she has been running from for over thirteen years.
Anna was forced to make a rather decision years earlier which has resulted in an itinerant, solitary lifestyle for her and Joshua. Having recently relocated to Parks, Indiana, Anna is already second guessing whether or not she made the right choice to settle in the small town. Seriously lacking the anonymity she desperately needs to feel safe, the missing person's case attracts far more attention that she desires. She is also rather troubled by the parallels between herself and Aidan's mom, Leila Ransey. She is already struggling to maintain her objectivity as she examines the documents associated with the disappearance when she meets Aidan's father, Bo. Their encounters bring back unpleasant memories of her own past and Anna continues to worry about whether or not she can remain impartial during the investigation.
Adding to Anna's discomfort is Sheriff Keller's skepticism about the veracity of handwriting analysis. His office is on the periphery of the investigation but he continues to follow leads in an effort to locate the missing boy. A shocking murder adds another complication to the case and Keller reluctantly continues to seek assistance from Anna as they recover documents that are pertinent to the investigation. Their interactions continue to be a little adversarial as Anna offers her expert opinion on the evidence he provides for her analysis.
The pacing of the novel is somewhat slow as Anna becomes increasingly introspective during the investigation. Her self-confidence is gradually undetermined as she juggles her professional duties with the increasingly tense situation with Joshua. Completely out of her depth as she deals with her suddenly tumultuous relationship with Joshua, Anna is stunned when he takes matters into his own hands after she fails to give him the answers he desperately needs. With nowhere else to turn, Anna is forced to return to the place where her life went so tragically wrong but will she find what she is searching for?
With an unusual premise and a unique lead protagonist, The Day I Died is a compelling mystery with plenty of twists and turns. Despite the suspense surrounding Aidan's disappearance, the storyline quickly becomes bogged down in the secrets of Anna's past. However, the various story arcs finally come together in a rather unexpected (and far too coincidental) manner. Lori Rader-Day brings the novel to an action-filled conclusion that neatly ties up all of the loose ends.