If you're looking for a unique thriller, folks, this is it. Psychologist/Author R. J. Jacobs has crafted a premise and plot that I haven't experienced yet; our protagonist is a young woman who suffered unimaginable abuse at the hands of her foster parents, which caused permanent cognitive and developmental damage to Jess, both physically and emotionally. Based on the synopsis, I wasn't sure if our leading lady would be someone we are supposed to root for, or someone who would end up passing on the cycle of abuse, which was the greatest thrill a reader can anticipate. The two-fold storytelling nature that vacillates between Jess's past and the current murder case at hand, coupled with the snappy, short nature of the book, really had my attention held from beginning to end, and the emotional component on top of the suspenseful story truly gave this book a compulsive nature. I really appreciated how the author chose to include, not only his knowledge of psychology to provide an authentic nature to the story, but also dove deeply into normalizing the importance of mental health care in a time where America still, unfortunately, considers such topics taboo. There are quite a few disturbing components to this tale, so those sensitive to disturbing content might want to pass, but if you enjoy a dark mystery with a unique spin, I highly recommend picking this one up!

*Many thanks to the author for providing my review copy.