CW: rape (prior to the story, but mentioned) and suicide

What a good book to start the year with.

I loved Lydia’s Control duology and was curious to see how she’d handle something in an entirely different genre. I wasn’t disappointed. This was an intriguing historical fiction, set in a period I’ve yet to read about, accompanied by a gripping murder mystery.

There’s often talk of whether we as readers prefer character- or plot-driven stories. It’s a wonderful thing to find a book with both. The story was full of twists and turns, and the characters were very complex. I loved Allene, Jasper, Birdie, and sweet little Holly. I loved the dynamics of each relationship, and that each one meant something.

The first half sets up for the second half, though both are entertaining. As I read I found myself suspecting almost everyone for some time, and each time I thought I was sure, new evidence was discovered and a new person was suspect. I never expected the final plot twist, not one bit. It was very well done.

Edit: I wrote this really late and forgot to mention one thing. This book does have cheating, though it’s not the main feature. I didn’t find it prominent enough to be bothered by it, but thought it was worth mentioning.

While not quite a favorite, I really enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait to see what Lydia writes next.