I give Keep Quiet 4 out of 5 stars. This mystery novel is a fast read and quite the page turner, but emotionally it was tough to read as you see the difficult choices the characters make.
Overall, I thought the mystery story was good. I began predicting aka solving the mystery about half way through the story, but it wasn't completely predictable in any sense. There were parts that surprised me up until the very end.
I did think the turmoil Jake and Ryan felt from their choices seemed quite realistic. Though, I can see why they made the choices they did. I feel the book was so emotionally difficult to read b/c the choices the characters made were in the "gray" area. Life isn't always black and white. Actually, life is frequently full of gray choices.
I think the decisions the characters made realistically portrayed how they can and usually do tear people and families apart. All around, the choices that are made grip at your heart strings and keep you emotionally invested or at least distraught.
However, I did take a star from the book b/c parts of the story, the characters, and the dialogue seemed a bit unrealistic at times. The writing also seemed a bit choppy at times.
Though, if you don't analyze it too deeply you will thoroughly enjoy this mostly clean book. I say mostly clean b/c there is some violence, in context, as well as reference to drug use.
Amazon had the following book review:
"Busy father Jake Whitmore is finally enjoying some quality time with his 16-year-old son, Ryan, when the boy convinces him to let him drive, even though he only has his learner’s permit. Tragically, Ryan hits a jogger. What happens next causes their lives to spiral out of control. Jake’s immediate instinct is to take the blame, but then when he realizes Ryan had been smoking marijuana earlier in the day, he makes the split-second decision to simply leave the scene. The two are wracked with guilt. Jake’s wife, Pam, is suspicious and worried. And unfortunately, there was a witness, who decides to blackmail Jake—and that’s when things start to get really complicated. Scottoline keeps the tension high while portraying a family in turmoil. A heck of a twist ending wraps everything up neatly—maybe too neatly—and caps a satisfying, suspenseful read. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: This blend of domestic drama and criminal suspense from best-selling Scottoline is sure to hit the holds lists and may even find her a new audience among fans of issue-driven women’s fiction."
Now, if you have not read the book stop reading the review and go check this one out then come back and tell me what you think.
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Below, I included a few more thoughts on the book. However, the section below contains SPOLERS!
- From about one-third of the way through the book I started to predict that Kathleen was already dead. When did you predict it?
- I wasn't completely sure about Dr. Dave from the beginning; I knew something was amiss. Scottoline did a pretty good job making him a questionable character but not completely giving it away.
- I was surprised and annoyed with Pam. She was selfish and didn't seem to see any fault or take any blame with her affair which was clearly a wrong choice. However, Jake's split second decision and choice in a "gray" area was so very wrong in her eyes and deserved all the blame.
- I did appreciate the ending where the reactions from the town/city members and the impact from the choices made seemed realistic. The family gets shunned, but I appreciate the "glass half full" outlook that was made by the family by saying, "Nothing like a public shunning to bring a family closer together." True, but funny.
So, for those that have read the book, what did you think?
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