I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Darkest Corners by Kara Thomas Published by Delacorte Press, Random House on April 19, 2016
Genres: Thriller, YA
Pages: 336
Source: the publisher
Tessa left her home in Fayette, Pennsylvania when she was just nine. Now a teenager, living with her grandmother in Florida, Tessa only returns to say goodbye to her father, in prison, before he dies. It's not only her father's crimes that forced her away; it's what happened that last summer.
Tess and her friend, Callie, were witnesses to a murder, one in a string of killings by a serial murderer. At such a young age, did they really see what they testified they saw? As Tessa returns, reuniting with the girl who was once her best friend, she begins to question everything they thought they saw. The man convicted of the crime is in prison, but new evidence in the case means everything that was once perceived as fact is questioned. When a new murder occurs, with remarkable similarities to the previous killings, Tessa and Callie know they must face the truth so the true murderer may be punished.
There’s a lot going on in this book! Tessa has been dealt an awful card in life. Her father’s in prison, her mother and sister abandoned her. The girl who was once her closest friend is now a raging teenage alcoholic, unable to deal with the past. She’s returned to her hometown to say goodbye to her father…and suddenly finds herself mixed up in the case of a new murder in town. The locals are wearing blinders, unable to accept that the real killer has roamed free for all these years. Needless to say, there is quite a bit of intensity in this read!
While the beginning started out a bit slow, the pace quickened as more was revealed. There was a slow, deliberate built to the climax. My one complaint; there were key plot points thrown in that could have been expanded upon or better yet, thrown in when the pacing was slow to generate a more evenly balanced storyline.
Though the pacing was slow at times, this was an incredibly fast read. I could have probably read it in one sitting if I wanted. Additionally, the thriller aspect of this novel is a bit on the low end, so a perfect read for those that spook easily.
