A Book A Week

I'm back from an extended trip to Europe, and boy do I have some reviews to share! I decided not to take my MacBook with me on the trip, so reviews have been stacking up, waiting to be shared. Rest assured, I read plenty on my travels and have been inspired to read even more based upon the places I visited. So without further ado, I'll kick things off with my review of Someone Knows the latest novel from author Lisa Scottoline.

Someone Knows is a novel built upon the guilt of its main character. Teenage Allie is already facing guilt after her older sister inevitably succumbed to a chronic illness. Allie struggles to hold her family together and blames herself for not being able to do more. Her father is brimming with optimism over a charity event built to honor her sister's legacy. Allie doesn't have the heart to tell him that it won't be successful. Meanwhile, her mother is slowly losing control of her emotions, falling into a depression that threatens to remove her from the immediate family unit.

All things considered, Allie is excited to potentially make some new friends in her neighborhood. The suburban development has several areas that are yet to be constructed that provide perfect hangout spots for a group of teens. She quickly becomes part of a group who are eager to explore the subdivision. Things go from innocent fun to serious when one of the teens reveals a buried pistol. Allie is cautious of the weapon but eager to impress her new friends. Despite her best judgment, she stays silent about the gun, a decision that will haunt her for the rest of her life.

This was my first time reading a novel by Lisa Scottoline, and I was instantly drawn into the depth with which she crafted each character. The novel shifts perspectives amongst the various characters, providing the reader snapshots into the motivations and emotions of each one. The first half of the novel, in particular, sucked me into the story of each teen as the plot progressed to the impending tragedy. The scenes with the characters in the past were so engaging that I was a bit disappointed when the novel shifted into the present day. It seemed that not as much time was taken to update each character with the same detail and thoughtfulness that was used in the writing of their past. Still, I was so invested in the story at this point that this was only a minor grievance. In Someone Knows Lisa Scottoline presents a coming of age story that tackles the guilt and regret of youthful mistakes while weaving a thread of suspenseful dread to a satisfying conclusion.