Análisis de diario de la biblioteca
Hannah's husband of two years, Owen, disappears amidst a work scandal; the only things he leaves her are a duffel bag full of money and a cryptic note that says "protect her," referring to his teenage daughter Bailey. When investigators reveal that Owen is not who he says he is, the mystery deepens, and Dave (Hello, Sunshine) heightens the stakes with the dynamic between Hannah and stepdaughter Bailey. Will Bailey come to trust her? Will Hannah be able to protect her as Owen asked? Dave focuses the action by filtering it through only Hannah's perspective, which keeps the plot tight where it could have been complicated, as Hannah chases leads to figure out who her husband used to be and meets people from his past. The first-person, present-tense point of view makes the pace quick; readers will be hooked from the start. Skillfully woven into the present mystery are flashbacks of scenes between Hannah and Owen, showing their tender relationship and Owen's behavior that hints at his past. VERDICT For readers who like a resilient, resourceful heroine and a compelling domestic suspense story.--Sonia Reppe, Stickney-Forest View P.L., IL |
Análisis semanal de editoriales
In Dave's suspenseful latest (after Hello Sunshine), a Bay Area woman copes with her husband's sudden disappearance. Owen Michaels, a coder for a prominent tech company, vanishes just before his boss is arrested for corruption, leaving his 16-year-old daughter, Bailey, over half a million dollars in cash. Bailey and her stepmother, Hannah Hall, aren't close, but they work together to uncover what made Owen flee, convinced he is innocent. Still, Hannah remains uncertain, and after she remembers how a man claimed to have recognized Owen from high school in Austin, Tex., despite Owen having said he's from the East Coast, Hannah and Bailey travel there in hopes of triggering Bailey's early childhood memories. Bailey does remember Texas, though her memories don't track with what Owen had told both of them. Meanwhile, a U.S. Marshal who's familiar with Owen's past encourages Hannah to cooperate as Hannah and Bailey find themselves in danger. The first two-thirds are riveting, with mysteries unspooled at a steady pace and believable stepfamily angst, but unfortunately the final act slips into some loopy turns. The author's fans, though, won't have a hard time forgiving the flaws. Agent: Suzanne Gluck, WME. (May) |