Review: He Will Be My Ruin by K.A. Tucker

Maggie Sparkes is the only child of a prominent family.  Growing up, her closest friend was Celine, the daughter of her family's housekeeper.  Though they haven't been close over the last few years, Maggie still considers Celine to be her sister...family.  When she learns that Celine has committed suicide, she's stunned.  Celine had dreams of becoming an antiques appraiser for a prominent auction house. Everything was just within her reach. Why would she end her life?

Celine's mother, battling cancer, asks Maggie to go to New York City to deal with Celine's possessions.  As Maggie begins to go through her best friend's belongings, she uncovers a photograph hidden in a box in Celine's apartment. The photograph alone is scandalous, but what is written on it confirms Maggie's suspicions that her best friend did not take her life.

As Maggie launches an investigation into Celine's private life, she uncovers shocking secrets about her best friend's life.  Secrets that some believe should be kept hidden.  No matter the cost.

This is Tucker’s first thriller and I certainly hope it won’t be her last! I was captivated by the beginning, immediately invested in uncovering what lead to Celine’s death.  The story is told through Maggie’s point of view, but also through entries in Celine’s journals.  This gave a well-rounded view of Celine, from her own perspective and that of Maggie’s. This vehicle of story-telling allows readers to get a well-developed glimpse of the lives of both young women.

Celine was a Hispanic woman raised by a single-mother.  Though she had to work hard for everything she had, she had a mother who loved her, unconditionally.  On the other side of the spectrum, Maggie is the only child born to an incredibly wealthy, though emotionally absent family.  She considers Celine and her mother to be more of a family to her than her own.  Where Celine had to work for everything in life, things were handed to Maggie on a silver plate. It was only in the last several years that Maggie decided to use her wealth for good.  These differences in status only recently had an effect on Celine and Maggie’s friendship.  Tired of having to work so hard to succeed, refusing to take handouts from Maggie, Celine reluctantly takes on a less-than moral side-career, desperate to make a name for herself before her mother passes away.  Unfortunately, that single decision has deadly implications.

As I indicated previously, I was immediately captivated by not only Celine’s story, but Maggie’s as well. I genuinely cared about finding out what happened to Celine, rooting for Maggie to get to the bottom of what (or who!) killed her best friend.  Tucker managed to keep me on my toes, for there were several times throughout the book when I was certain I’d uncovered the identity of the killer, only to be thrown off by what transpired in the following pages.   Yet what makes this different about a large number of thrillers I read is that I wasn’t only seeking closure in regards to the killer, but closure in the lives of the prominent characters. This was more than a whodunnit…I was genuinely invested in the characters.

Bottom line: this is a thriller that will reel you in, not only because of the conflict but also because of the truly genuine and dynamic characters.  Highly, highly recommended.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for providing the opportunity to take part in this tour.