Suspicion and Saving Face
Ruby Fletcher was incarcerated over 14 months ago for the murders of Brandon and Fiona Truett, after the rural and tight-knit community of Hollow's Edge came together with the evidence to convict her.
So why would she choose to come straight back to Lake Hollow after her conviction was overturned, and what secrets has she been holding onto all this time?
Miranda is the queen of the slow reveal, and I was not disappointed in my expectation of layered surprises and multiple "Aha!" moments.
Once again, she layed out a brilliantly three dimensional cast of characters each of whom I couldn't help loving, hating and suspecting alternately.
I loved the small-neighborhood intimate setting of Such a Quiet Place and the fantastic irony that something so terrible can only happen somewhere as safe and insulated as Hollow's Edge, where people trust each other and nothing much ever happens.
Surface level relationships and the desire to fit in and look good always lead to white lies and open secrets. Harper and Ruby's story is just an overflow of that truth.
Harper's character drove me up a wall, because she was too real. Not the strong, determined heroine we want her to be, but a reflection of ourselves - a little unsure, a little scared, desperate to make the right choice, but too easily influenced and won over. She
made so many choices that made me want to shake her, but also resonated as the choice I might make were I in her shoes. Never fully open, never fully confident. Frustrating, but realistic.
I truly enjoyed this story, and rate it with The Girl From Widow Hills, which I loved last year. The sense of place and culture were spot on, and the intrigue kept me guessing all the way through. I flew through this book and would recommend it to thriller and mystery readers wholeheartedly. I look forward to many more stories from Megan Miranda!
