Many thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for gifting me a digital copy of the debut novel by Anna Bailey - 4.5 stars rounded up!
Small town Whistling Ridge, Colorado, is like many small towns - teenagers anxious to leave taking risks they shouldn't, small minds scared of people and things unlike them, and lots of secrets behind closed doors. When her best friend, Abigail, goes missing after a party in the woods, Emma feels guilty for leaving her and determined to find out what happened. Abi's family, the Blakes, are a product of their father's abuse and are all holding secrets, even while the town sees the signs on their bodies. The local preacher stirs up his own brand of hate.
This is a dark book, filled with characters behaving badly but sadly it feels so incredibly real. I loved the slow burn of discovering all the secrets in this book and thought Anna Bailey was masterful at teasing out this story, told in two timelines. You feel the tension and the suspense for all the characters as they both try to hide and uncover secrets. While the ending may not have been wrapped in a bow, I was a huge fan of how there were hints as to the futures of the characters without coming out and stating it all in an epilogue. Bravo for a fabulous debut novel - can't wait to read more from this author!
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