by: Liz Moore
Goodreads description:
When a teenager vanishes from her Adirondack summer camp, two worlds collide.
Early morning, August 1975: a camp counselor discovers an empty bunk. Its occupant, Barbara Van Laar, has gone missing. Barbara isn’t just any thirteen-year-old: she’s the daughter of the family that owns the summer camp and employs most of the region’s residents. And this isn’t the first time a Van Laar child has disappeared. Barbara’s older brother similarly vanished fourteen years ago, never to be found.
As a panicked search begins, a thrilling drama unfolds. Chasing down the layered secrets of the Van Laar family and the blue-collar community working in its shadow, Moore’s multi-threaded story invites readers into a rich and gripping dynasty of secrets and second chances. It is Liz Moore’s most ambitious and wide-reaching novel yet.
Helen says: 🤓🤓🤓 1/2
(Reader note- I have been feeling hyper and not really into reading this past month…nothing has particularly kept my attention lately…so take my reviews with a grain of salt).
I liked this one, but I didn’t fly through it. I had a hard time keeping this story straight. It required concentration as there were a lot of characters going back and forth in time. The beginning was compelling, but there was a lull in the second half. It picked up at the end and had an unpredictable ending. In a month of reading many books about missing girls, this one was worthwhile.
Holly says: 🤓🤓🤓1/2
Of the abduction/missing girl selections this month, this was probably my least favorite, as it was the least suspenseful and least surprising. I picked up on a couple of things pretty early, so I just didn’t think it was that entertaining. This was kind of reminiscent of The Yohnalossee Riding Club, if you remember that one – maybe because they were both set at a summer camp? Anyway, it was still a fun read. I actually thought they were all pretty entertaining this month!
Helen and Holly Hit the Books 