Release: January 5th, 2021
Format: Ebook
Publisher: Sourcebooks Landmark
Source: Amazon
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, Kobo.
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Who will you cross to protect your own?
When Hannah packs up her past and moves to the cottage next door to her sister, she hopes the luxe neighborhood and close family ties will be the perfect escape for her son and the shadows that trail them. But when a young girl goes missing days after they unload their final boxes and everyone suspects her son quickly, Hannah must do whatever it takes to protect her child.
Even if that means pointing the blame her sister’s way instead.
With investigators swarming and neighborhood scrutiny closing in, the divide between two sisters grows. As one fiercely defends her husband, the other shields her boy from the crime, keeping quiet the secrets that might unravel it all.
And all the while, one young girl has vanished, and someone is to blame.
About the Author:
Kelly is a former journalist and current novelist/advertising creative director. She is the author of Standing Still (2009) and The Bird House (2011), which received outstanding trade reviews. She lives outside of Philadelphia.
Her books have been applauded by bestselling authors like Megan Abbott, Caroline Leavitt, and Sarah Pekkanen. They’ve been hailed as “great titles for book groups who love strong female characters” by the Library Journal. Publishers Weekly called her first novel, Standing Still, “An electrifying debut” in its starred review.
Not My Boy Review:
“Not My Boy” is an interesting mystery thriller that tells the lengths a mother would go to protect her family.
The author distinguishes each family member nicely, where you feel a different emotion for each character. I still find Miles very creepy, even after finishing the book. Hannah got on my nerves at times because of her impulsive behavior. I did like Eva’s character and thought the author wrote her nicely. She remains in the backburner but has her moments where she drives the tale. I also liked how the author builds the tension between the siblings. Hannah and Hillary get on each other’s nerves, and it is up to Eva to calm them down. Some red herrings added nicely to the plot.
However, I felt that somewhere along the line, the story shifted focus. While the first half was suspenseful and eerie, the second half felt like a crime thriller. The story took a different turn after the Poker event and was not something I expected. While everything wrapped up nicely, I didn’t find the conclusion exciting as I had hoped.
There were still some parts that I found entertaining. For example, I enjoyed the scenes revolving around the ribbon, wondering how it connected to the murder. I also enjoyed Hannah’s friendship with Kendra and thought it was one of the story’s highlights. The conversations the two share about their lives and family were beautiful. The author also writes the story between alternating perspectives, which made it captivating. The story would have been perfect if the suspenseful theme of the story was consistent.
Overall, “Not My Boy” starts well with a bang but sizzles out in suspense towards the end.
