Someone We Know (Shari Lapena)

 

Someone We Know
Shari Lapena
⭐: 4/5

Just... WHOA.

Pros: tech isn't really my thing, but I was sucked in from page one of this! The story relies heavily on technology, but still also is character driven and well written.

I had my suspicions throughout about "who done it", though I was quite surprised at the ending! When I wasn't able to be reading, my mind was still soaked up into this twisted tale!

Cons: I really can't think of any. The writing style is unique when it comes to character povs and that might bother some, but it didn't me.

Conclusion: if you're interested in a twisty story with several plausible, get-to-the-point, of-course-they-think-the-husband-did-it, this is your book. Every question I'd have asked in others, this one immediately poses and answers. I loved the rawness of that aspect! This was definitely a great impulse grocery store buy!

All the Blood We Share (Camilla Bruce)

 

All the Blood We Share
Camilla Bruce
⭐: 5/5

Pros: AS ALWAYS, Bruce writes about such fascinating topics and this book is no different!

I had no idea the Bender Family existed until the very end. Bruce knows how to blend fact and fiction so convincingly that I never think to wonder, despite being familiar with her affinity with female true crime, if something is inspired by true events.

I feel she captured Kate Bender's psychopath personality brilliantly, but also really did well developing every character and giving them each their own traits that appeared in their dialogue and movement.

History doesn't know the truth of all the identities or how the murders happened, but I was, once again, sucked into how warped Bruce's mind could be to write such scenes and am always impressed with that imagination!

Cons: given the Bender Family was never found after leaving KS, this book is a bit of a cliffhanger, but at least for that, fiction meets fact.

Conclusion: if you're into twisted, well-developed plots with excellently written characters and hardly a single edit missed in the book... This is your read. Just be sure you don't end up playing the, "Just one more chapter... Yeah right" game that leaves you saying "what the..." at 1A when you finish reading. EASY five out of five stars! Bruce NEVER disappoints for me!