Book Review Wednesday: The Survivors by Jane Harper

I've been on a huge reading kick lately, one where it takes over my entire life and I want to read everything and anything. The need to read is in my soul and I cannot help it! I decided to sign up for Book of the Month again because I relish in getting hardcover books in the mail and I love being part of a community. 

For January's box, I chose a new novel, "The Survivors" by Jane Harper. The plot sounded interesting and I was keen for something slightly different yet still in the mystery genre. 

It took me a few weeks to start the book, to get out of my Kindle and Nook and read a hardcover and I'm very happy I did.

The book was confusing at first but I stuck with it and finished it in less than two days. I had another review planned for today but after finishing "The Survivors" this weekend, I knew I wanted to write about it.

Publisher's Summary

Coming home dredges up deeply buried secrets in The Survivors, a thrilling mystery by New York Times bestselling author Jane Harper... Kieran Elliott's life changed forever on the day a reckless mistake led to devastating consequences.

The guilt that still haunts him resurfaces during a visit with his young family to the small coastal community he once called home.

Kieran's parents are struggling in a town where fortunes are forged by the sea. Between them all is his absent brother, Finn. When a body is discovered on the beach, long-held secrets threaten to emerge. A sunken wreck, a missing girl, and questions that have never washed away...

My Thoughts

At first I wasn't sure I was going to like this book. It started off very abruptly, strange and just made me feel out of sorts. I wasn't sure what it was going to be about or where the plot was going but after the first few chapters, things picked up.

The plot centers around Kieran, his girlfriend Mia, and their daughter Audrey, coming back to their hometown of Evelyn Bay after years of being away. Kieran's father has dementia and is helping his parents with a move. While at home, tragedy strikes and Kieran, Mia, and their friends along with the entire town is thrown upside down. Secrets are revealed, stones are thrown, and people are accused. You will have your thoughts but your mind won't be able to pick up on anything. As the reader, this is one book where you are finding things out as the characters are and I can really appreciate that.

Being an avid domestic thriller/mystery reader, you get used to the tropes authors use in their novels so you can start to predict where a book is going as soon as you are presented with the question but "The Survivors" and Jane Harper didn't let up at all. 

I definitely think the book was confusing. There was a ton of characters and I couldn't ever get the visualization of Evelyn Bay in my head which didn't help. The placement of the caves, the beach, the water... it was a lot and that was half the plot. If you could get past not being able to visualize where the story is taking place and really just focus on the plot, you will like this book just fine.

I felt semi satisfied by the ending -- you find the missing piece but not everything is wrapped up in a neat bow, which always bugs me. I want a real ending, but I was happy to have everything figured out even if not all the characters did. 

This probably won't be a top read for the year but I did really enjoy it and I would recommend it to those who like mysteries. This wasn't a gory book, it wasn't extremely suspenseful but it does leave you guessing and second guessing; you want to know what happened to both girls who turned up dead, you know that there is something wrong with a few people in Evelyn Bay and Harper keeps you guessing until the very last chapter on just who or what happened. 

If you liked "The Guest List" by Lucy Foley, you will really like "The Survivors!" 

xoxo
B