leave it to the last book I read in may to be the most captivating, thrilling read!! charlie donalea writes so fast-paced it makes my head spin, and those twists? remarkable 👏🏼

when I first started this story, I truly thought this was a sequel & I missed the first one because it jumped right into the characters and recapping information from their pasts 🤔 I wanted more backstory from them in a showing manner rather than just telling what happened to them…

however, the format of the plot itself was brilliant! a retired detective is pulled back into the throng of a missing person cold case to dig up any details & new information… and boy, was it full of surprises! it kept me on my toes the entire time!

even when it seemed all of the pieces were scattered and different (how does a former 🥣 killer who unalived the detective’s dad link up with the governor’s missing daughter from ten years ago?!), they all fit together! not as neat as a jigsaw puzzle, but a messy collage (which I loved) 😳

and that ending? those last chapters? FLOORED 

this story is super dark and depressing, especially for those suffering from child and parent losses, so take that into consideration when picking this one up! but it’s definitely a shocker and winner from me!

#gifted by kensington press 

rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: napa valley merlot