I’m not going to lie- I really didn’t like this one. I recently listened to another audiobook by Holahan and I felt like that made the ending of this one slightly easier to predict. Overall, I felt like the breadcrumbs leading me to the ending were pelted at my face. While there were definitely some late twists and turns, nothing was a complete shock. In some ways, I really like how everything tied together. In other ways, I wish that more had been left to the imagination and a “big reveal”.
What I did really like about this book was the chapter structure. I loved the alternate voices, especially listening to the audiobook version. I felt like it added a layer of complexity to the book that was really enjoyable. The one thing I will say is that at the beginning, when Liza says she doesn’t invent characters, she borrows them from reality, I knew exactly what the alternate voices were doing and that took something away for me.
I would say that if you read a lot of thrillers for the puzzle, this is probably not a book for you. If you read thrillers and just enjoy the story line and the writing style, then absolutely give this book a chance.
***Spoiler Alert***
Some of the particular things that turned me off were even just the names of the narrators. I realized, rather suddenly, that Liza and Beth were both nicknames for Elizabeth. If I hadn’t been listening to the book, this totally would have been my DNF point. I had a feeling the whole time that Beth was a repressed version fo Liza, and the second I put the names together I was confident in that.
The other thing was the flashback to Liza’s childhood. I found it relevant to the story, particularly in hiding the weapon, but I also felt like it took something away. The dream/flashback felt incredibly forced and I wasn’t a huge fan, though it did help things make sense.
Finally, the ending felt super drawn out. I felt like I was waiting for forever to have the author just get to the point. In the end, I was surprised at the additional murder (if we call it that), but I also felt a little unsettled by the main character being responsible for three murders, even if the first was only as a witness. I did know from reading other Holahan novel that there was no way the main character would be convicted for any of her crimes. The tone of the story and the knowledge of the other ending made this an expectation for me, which ultimately just made the ending fall flat.
She’s Got a Whole PhD 