A Book A Week

Most of my yearly reading tends to fall into the thriller genre. There's just something about these stories' quick pace and twisted plots that I find irresistible. Reading so many works within the genre isn't without its problems. You see, I have read so many similar stories that it has become challenging to find one that genuinely thrills or surprises me. I'm always on the lookout for the next great one. Lisa Jackson's latest The Girl Who Survived, provided to me by the publisher, is my latest candidate. 

Kara is no stranger to tragedy. She was orphaned at the age of seven when her family fell victim to a brutal killing spree. Her mother and father were murdered. Her elder sister Marlie hid Kara in a closet and instructed her not to make a sound. Marlie hasn't been seen since. Worst of all, Kara's brother Jonas was tried and convicted of the crime. Horrified by what was unfolding in her home, Kara escaped and began to run across a frozen lake. The girl fell in but was rescued and left the scene with her life intact. 

Twenty years later, Kara is still grappling with the traumas of that fateful night. As the anniversary of that crime nears, one of the officers who were on the scene that evening has a change of heart and makes a damning claim. There was a break in the chain of custody on the weapon that was used to convict Jonas of the murders. As the investigation reopens, it becomes apparent that Jonas is not the only, let alone most likely, suspect. He's set to be released, calling into question everything Kara has believed about the night that has haunted her entire life. 

The initial setup of The Girl Who Survived is extremely compelling. Lisa Jackson immediately sets the scene as our main character attempts to come to terms with her trauma while surprising new details set to dismantle every truth about the scenario that she thought she knew. It isn't the most original premise, but it certainly sets the scene for what is to come. As the novel progressed I was hopeful for a good deal of twists about the truth to be revealed. While those revelations do come to fruition, I can't say that I was satisfied by them. As more and more of the story comes to light, it becomes clear that The Girl Who Survived employed a kitchen sink approach to throwing in just about every cliche of the thriller genre that has come before it. Unreliable narrator? Check. "Shocking" family secrets? Check. A set of investigators whose career rests on the success of the case? Check. A final reveal that belies everything that comes before it? Check. To be fair, the book is briskly plotted and is adequately entertaining. There's just very little substance to encourage me to recommend it to you. It is a fine read for what it is, but it will not be among my favorite thrillers of the year. 

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2022, 41)