Emma Healey | WHISTLE IN THE DARK

Plot (via Goodreads):

Jen and Hugh Maddox have just survived every parent’s worst nightmare.

Relieved, but still terrified, they sit by the hospital bedside of their fifteen-year-old daughter, Lana, who was found bloodied, bruised, and disoriented after going missing for four days during a mother-daughter vacation in the country. As Lana lies mute in the bed, unwilling or unable to articulate what happened to her during that period, the national media speculates wildly and Jen and Hugh try to answer many questions.

Where was Lana? How did she get hurt? Was the teenage boy who befriended her involved? How did she survive outside for all those days? Even when she returns to the family home and her school routine, Lana only provides the same frustrating answer over and over: "I can’t remember."

For years, Jen had tried to soothe the depressive demons plaguing her younger child, and had always dreaded the worst. Now she has hope—the family has gone through hell and come out the other side. But Jen cannot let go of her need to find the truth. Without telling Hugh or their pregnant older daughter Meg, Jen sets off to retrace Lana’s steps, a journey that will lead her to a deeper understanding of her youngest daughter, her family, and herself.

Review:

WHISTLE IN THE DARK was a novel that I was really anticipating reading. I loved the idea of this girl missing for days, coming back with no memory of what happened, and then her mother setting out on a journey of her own to find out the truth behind what really happened in the woods.

Emma Healey is an excellent writer. Her detail, her timing, and the way that she writes her characters gives them personality and definitely featured some moments where the characters really had their time to shine equally. I just felt that this one was moving way too slow for me and I really couldn't connect with the story. There was just too much back and forth between it seeming like it was going to pick up and then not really much happening. 

While I didn't particularly care for this one and felt the pacing was too slow, I did really enjoy the ending to this one. It made sense and gave the reader a sense of hope that eventually all would be okay. 

Special thanks to Harper Books for this copy in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 2/5