After the death of her grandmother, Ryan Shipley must move in with her aunt in Starling, Tennessee on the 10th anniversary of the Gabriel Thorn murders. The problem is that Ryan Shipley is actually Gabrielle Thorn, Gabriel’s daughter. Gabriel pled guilty to the murder of 7 women, including Ryan’s mother, and is set to be executed by lethal injection. Ryan must conceal her true identity in order to protect her aunt and cousins from further harassment – the town has a grim fascination with the murders, which includes teens throwing house parties to celebrate the execution, and a particularly zealous podcaster/forum poster by the name of Zed. Ryan attempts to live a normal life, but secrets have a way of getting out. Especially after the families of the victims offer a $1m reward to whoever can locate the remains of the victims.

The novel is clearly interested in critiquing true crime fervor. Positioning Ryan as the main character gives the reader a rare moment to consider the family of the perpetrator, who are often victims themselves. Though the premise at times strains credulity (surely sending her back to her hometown where she has to conceal her identity is not safe for Ryan?), the number of times Ryan has to hear classmates and neighbors callously discuss the crimes should be an eye opener for readers, and allow them to reflect on real life discussions. Ryan’s own PTSD, including recurring nightmares, is thoughtfully explored without feeling voyeuristic. Descriptions are at times gruesome. Multiple 3rd act twists muddy the resolution, but the core of Ryan’s story and healing will stick with a reader.

The novel also has one more secret: the identity of its author. E. Kennedy is the YA thriller pen name for adult romance author Elle Kennedy of Off Campus fame. This background becomes clear in a romance subplot between Ryan, Everett, the handsome star quarterback, and Chase, the motorcycle-riding bad boy with a heart of gold. The romance at times feels too tropey for the greater story about grief, but it does provide some levity between extremely tense scenes. Kennedy’s time in romance lends itself well to pacing emotional tension, romantic or not. There is one sex scene in the later half of the book that gestures toward specific actions without being overly explicit.

Recommend to thriller readers who enjoy Karen M. McManus and Holly Jackson ready for dark commentary on the genre and more psychological themes.

Three stars.

Reviewed by Kristin Arsenault, Mountain Valley High School, Rumford.