Amy K. Green | THE PRIZED GIRL

Plot (via Goodreads):

Days after a young teenager named Jenny is found murdered, her small town grieves the loss alongside her picture-perfect parents. At first glance, Jenny’s tragic death appears clear-cut for investigators. In the murder of a former pageant queen from a safe and loving family, the most obvious suspect is a fan who got too close for comfort. But Jenny’s sarcastic, older half-sister Virginia isn’t so sure of his guilt and takes matters into her own hands to find the killer.

But for Jenny’s case and and Virginia’s investigation, there’s more to the story. Virginia, still living in town and haunted by her own troubled teenage years, suspects that a similar darkness lay beneath the sparkling veneer of Jenny’s life. Alternating between Jenny’s final days and Virginia’s determined search for the truth, the sisters’ dual narratives follow a harrowing trail of suspects, with surprising turns that race toward a shocking finale.

Review:

What an immersive story. I really, really enjoyed The Prized Girl by Amy K. Green. Featuring a dual timeline with two character perspectives, this one was definitely a read that kept me guessing and was really hard to put down. I loved how Green would end every other chapter or so with a mini-cliffhanger that left me promising myself "one more chapter..." only to be found completely devouring this one in two sittings (during a work week mind you). Green is realistic with some of the ugly truths of teenage life in our modern time, exposes some other darker elements of pedophilia, and crafts together a poignant picture of a family that may not be as perfect as they seem and when a murder occurs, the cracks begin to form and all hell breaks loose.

This one is definitely more a psychological thriller with some domestic aspects in it as we are focusing on the death of a former beauty queen who recently strayed into going on her own path in life and her sister that has a darker past of her own and a rather sarcastic outlook on life. What I really enjoyed about these two characters that become the voice of this story is how realistic they are. Jenny isn't some bimbo cliche beauty queen that is stuck-up and a victim and Virginia isn't some genius vigilante with a clear head on her shoulders and a heart full of emotion. They are both beautifully written with their flaws exposed and their hearts on their shoulders at time. The contrast and similarities between these two women run beautifully along the pages and pair wonderfully with the suspenseful aspects of this story.

I loved the pacing and all of the directions this story went in. Right from the beginning, I found myself hooked and the red herrings were introduced in such a great manner. I didn't think this one had any cliches (except for one small minor one that made more sense in the end) and found it to be a breath of fresh air when it comes to handling a murder case in an emotional and unsettling way that kept a realistic light on how people deal with death. There are definitely some darker sides to this novel and I was really stunned at how it progressively got darker and still found myself invested and eager for more. I cannot wait to see what Amy does next.

Special thanks to Amy K. Green for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4.5/5