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A review by ingridreads
The Monsters We Make by Kali White
4.0
If you don’t like open-ended endings, you probably won’t like this book. But since it was based on true events, I was able to accept it because it made sense and fit the tone of the story.
The Monsters We Make was an atmospheric thriller that reeked of ‘80s nostalgia, which I enjoyed. It told the story of Crystal and Sammy Cox, siblings living in Des Moines during a time when paperboys were being kidnapped. After a second boy disappeared from the same street, Crystal began noticing Sammy behaving oddly and secretively. She was in her last year of high school, an ambitious and inquisitive-minded girl who was determined to go to journalism school in Miami, but her single mother wasn’t able to afford it. I really liked her—she was a caring and bossy sister and daughter with a mind of her own.
Next up was Dale, a cop struggling with panic attacks and other psychological issues. He worked the case of the first kidnapped paperboy and was now tasked with investigating the second. It was clear right away that he himself was also a victim of childhood abuse. We see him decline as pressure mounts on the police force to solve the case. I felt bad for him—he was utterly alone and couldn’t talk to anyone about his troubles.
Overall, the story was well paced and effectively created a sense of foreboding. I was sufficiently creeped out till the very end. And for those who are concerned about the subject matter, there weren’t any graphic or explicit scenes.
The Monsters We Make was an atmospheric thriller that reeked of ‘80s nostalgia, which I enjoyed. It told the story of Crystal and Sammy Cox, siblings living in Des Moines during a time when paperboys were being kidnapped. After a second boy disappeared from the same street, Crystal began noticing Sammy behaving oddly and secretively. She was in her last year of high school, an ambitious and inquisitive-minded girl who was determined to go to journalism school in Miami, but her single mother wasn’t able to afford it. I really liked her—she was a caring and bossy sister and daughter with a mind of her own.
Next up was Dale, a cop struggling with panic attacks and other psychological issues. He worked the case of the first kidnapped paperboy and was now tasked with investigating the second. It was clear right away that he himself was also a victim of childhood abuse. We see him decline as pressure mounts on the police force to solve the case. I felt bad for him—he was utterly alone and couldn’t talk to anyone about his troubles.
Overall, the story was well paced and effectively created a sense of foreboding. I was sufficiently creeped out till the very end. And for those who are concerned about the subject matter, there weren’t any graphic or explicit scenes.