Catherine McKenzie | I'LL NEVER TELL

Plot (via Goodreads):

What happened to Amanda Holmes?

Twenty years ago, she washed up on shore in a rowboat with a gash to the head after an overnight at Camp Macaw. No one was ever charged with a crime.

Now, the MacAllister children are all grown up. After their parents die suddenly, they return to Camp to read the will and decide what to do with the prime real estate it's sitting on. Ryan, the oldest, wants to sell. Margo, the family's center, hasn't made up her mind. Mary has her own horse farm to run, and believes in leaving well-enough alone. Kate and Liddie—the twins—have opposing views. And Sean Booth, the family groundskeeper, just hopes he still has a home when all is said and done. 

But then the will is read and they learn that it's much more complicated than a simple vote. Until they unravel the mystery of what happened to Amanda, they can't move forward. Any one of them could have done it, and all of them are hiding key pieces of the puzzle. Will they work together to solve the mystery, or will their suspicions and secrets finally tear the family apart?

Review:

As I approached adulthood, I realized quickly I absolutely loved two things; slasher movies and psychological thrillers. Something about a summer camp setting in a book reminds me of Friday the 13th and I am completely wrapped up in the story. Two other things that captivate me with a novel? Multiple character perspectives and dual timelines. Well, check, check, and check to you, Catherine McKenzie!

As soon as I opened this one and engulfed the first chapter, I knew this was one that was going to keep me completely immersed and I was not wrong - I also wasn't prepared. I absolutely loved the characters within this one, which was hard because they were all so present with their faults and likable attributes. I was floored that within each introducing chapter all of these characters had such a voice...and multiple voices are in this book. The pacing is ominous and meticulously calculated - almost as much as the characters in this striking novel that featured a cold case murder and some incredible charts to assist the reader with not only who was looking innocent, but who was looking guilty as we not only had multiple chapters of present time, but chapters from the victims perspective in the last night of her life. It was stunning and captivating and I devoured this one within the same night that I promised myself I would only embrace the first 50-100 pages.

I don't want to give away too much, but the second half of this one just flew by as revelation after revelation slapped me in the face and squeezed my heart simultaneously. I was an anxious mess as I got closer to the truth for a few reasons. One, I didn't want this one to end; it was spectacular and had zero duller or slow moments. Two, I began to really like all of these characters and didn't want them to be guilty. Three, I didn't want to witness the last dying breath of the victim; she was so incredibly honest and enjoyable to read. Well, once the ending came, I was breathless and full of heartache and stunned. McKenzie not only captivated me from page one, but kept me engrossed within this one for almost 400 pages. I cannot wait for whatever she comes up with next as much as I can't wait for the moment I have to pick up something else in her backlist.

Special thanks to Amazon Publishing for this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 5/5