Edwin Hill (1) (1970–)

Who to Believe by Edwin Hill

Brilliant, well-crafted, riveting read ~ drew me in, grabbed hold, and wouldn’t let me go ~

What I liked:
* Superb story telling
* The plot, pacing, and setting
* Multiple – seven – viewpoints all sharing new elements that build the suspense
* That characters are more than they appear to be on the surface
* Thinking about what it might have been like to have been any one of the characters in this story and deciding which one, if any, I could most relate to or might find myself willing to call friend
* Thinking about what would have motivated the murders and what would create a person willing to kill someone – or more than one person
* The few more sane characters that helped balance out those who were less so
* The dark, twisted, deviousness of the story and just how brilliant it truly was
* That it made me think and care and really hope that at least the teenagers might come out okay in the future

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about evil, murder, and the way some can appear so “good” but have rather rotten centers

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars… (mere)

I had so much fun with this book. It was filled with twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end (which is hard to do)… The Friday after small town restaurant owner, Laurel Thibodeau’s body was found brutally murdered, a group of friends gather to celebrate Alice’s 40th birthday. In attendance are the chief of police, the town’s psychiatrist, the town’s mechanic, the town’s preacher, an out of town true-crime documentarian and two of the town’s outcast teenagers. On the surface the party goes off without a hitch, but by the end of the weekend the body count will rise, and everyone will be a suspect. Gasp! I really liked the format of this book; each chapter covers one person’s perspective from Friday to Sunday. Person by person the pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place and things you thought you knew in the last chapter, are now shining in a new light. The entire story is fresh, and the small-town atmosphere gives it a claustrophobic vibe. Everyone knows everyone, but everyone keeps secrets. You will never guess the outcome of the story, but you will have fun trying. Fans of Gillian Flynn, Lane Moriarty and Ruth Ware will have a fun time with this book.… (mere)

4.5 stars.

Who to Believe by Edwin Hillis fiendishly clever mystery with plenty of shocking twists and unexpected turns.

This exceptionally well-written mystery has a great cast of well-developed characters. Each of the characters are well-drawn and easy to relate to. The chapters are written from different perspectives and each voice is quite distinct. Everyone seems to have a secret so when another person turns up dead, could one of them be the killer? And why would anyone want to kill the newest victim? Could the motive be tied to the still unsolved murder from the week prior?

Who to Believe is a suspense-laden mystery with an engaging storyline.The coastal setting springs vividly to life as do each of the characters. Tantalizing revelations keep the story moving at brisk pace. Edwin Hill brings this brilliant mystery to a unexpected yet highly satisfying conclusion.… (mere)