Tuesday, February 27, 2018

Girl Unknown (Book Review)

Title: Girl Unknown
Author: Karen Perry
Publication: Henry Holt & Co., hardcover, 2018
Genre: Suspense

Plot: David and Caroline Connolly are an ordinary couple in Dublin with two children when their lives suddenly go wrong. One minute, David is expecting a big promotion at the university where he has taught history for many years and Caroline is doing well in a new job covering for someone on maternity leave. It's true there has been a slight rift in their marriage but they agreed not to let their children, teen Robbie and 11-year-old Holly, know anything was wrong as they work past it. Then everything changes when David is approached by a lovely blonde student who says he is her father. It is unclear exactly what Zoe wants but her every existence is an immediate threat to the Connolly family . . .

Audience: Fans of psychological suspense; authors such as Clare Mackintosh, S. J. Watson, and Emma Healey

Quote: "Explores emotional danger with relentless, surgical accuracy," bestselling author Tana French

My Impressions: This was a fast paced novel full of believable (if unlikable) characters and told in alternating chapters from David's and from Caroline's points of view. Perhaps not so coincidentally, the author is really a male/female team. I was reminded, however, of something my sister said recently when I had recommended a book to her - that she really doesn't enjoy reading novels where the characters do such stupid things. There were certainly a number of poor choices made by a variety of characters. David is not a very nice guy but even he does not deserve the downward spiral Zoe brings in her wake to his family. While some aspects of the story were predictable (and I wished for more of a sense of place for Dublin) there were enough twists and surprises to keep me entertained - and the light on until the wee hours.
Source: I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and TLC Book Tours for review purposes. You can visit other stops on the tour and read the reviews below:

Tuesday, February 6th: Tina Says…
Thursday, February 8th: Write – Read – Life
Friday, February 9th: No More Grumpy Bookseller
Monday, February 12th: Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile
Wednesday, February 14th: Instagram: @ACaffeinatedBibliophile
Friday, February 16th: Into the Hall of Books
Friday, February 16th: Not in Jersey
Tuesday, February 20th: Novel Gossip
Wednesday, February 21st: Sweet Southern Home
Thursday, February 22nd: What Is That Book About
Monday, February 26th: Helen’s Book Blog
Tuesday, February 27th: Instagram: @hollyslittlebookreviews
Thursday, March 1st: Dreams, Etc.
Friday, March 2nd: A Bookworm’s World
Monday, March 5th: The Ludic Reader

1 comment:

Heather J @ TLC Book Tours said...

Thanks for being a part of the tour!