Forgotten Toys by Ashley Laino

Release: September 16, 2019
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Shadow House Press
Source: Random Things Tours
Find it at: Amazon UK, Kindle

When you look in an empty pool, you don’t usually expect to see a body at the bottom. But in a a small town in eastern Pennsylvania called Pikesville one summer, that is exactly what happens.
Pikesville is quaint community. But, the disappearance of a local teenager Jenna Hayes poses a problem for the community . As a result, the town goes topsy-turvy. Further, the brutal murder of Jenna at the bottom of the town’s abandoned pool devastates the town.. But to Sarah Moore, Jenna was just a girl whose name she heard around sometimes, in some circles.
What does this have to do with her? She is dealing with her own issues, anyway. But when Sarah’s sister, Chloe, goes missing, Sarah must uncover a murderer before he gets to her, too, or before it’s too late.

About the Author:

Ashley Laino has currently resides in Bangor, Pennsylvania with her husband and two adorable cats. Her other works include the psychological thriller “Forgotten Toys.” When she is not writing, she enjoys running, reading, and watching weird documentaries on Netflix.

Twitter | Goodreads

Forgotten Toys Review:

Forgotten Toys is a gripping psychological thriller with a strong plot, and I enjoyed it!

Firstly, I really enjoyed the main mystery theme of the missing girls. The author throws in a few red herrings and adds twists and turns where you don’t really know who the killer is. Sarah seems to do a better job than the police force as she investigates the cause of Chloe’s disappearance. Some of the scenes are pretty graphic and shocking, which gave the story an edge. The author wrote the story in a nice and simple manner that was easy and quick to read.

There are also a few side plots which I enjoyed in addition to the mystery. Mainly, I was invested on Sarah’s relationship with her mother. Both of them share a toxic relationship and I supported Sarah. Her mother is a very difficult character to like and I hated the way she never listened to her daughter. Similarly, the author wrote the characters in such a manner that made them stand out, and make you strongly react to them.

I also found Sarah’s struggles with her weight issues interesting. In many suspense thrillers, the authors usually focus primarily on the plot. However, I liked how this story spent considerable time to focus on Sarah’s bulimia and other personal problems.

However, the story felt a bit short and I wished it had been longer. While I loved the way the author wrote the story, I felt there was room for more details. Moreover, the author introduces characters like Tyler and Bridget, who have a lot of potential. However, once the story progresses, the characters get pushed to the side and are forgotten.

But overall, this was a quick, yet gripping thriller and I enjoyed it a lot.