Let’s go hiking!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⏰ 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫: Cutter’s Pass, NC has a long history of missing hikers. Add one more with the disappearance of Landon West, journalist, and now his brother has shown up seeking answers. Abby Lovell has lived in the town for 10 years and feels like she will never be an insider in this small town. As the manager of the local inn at the center of the controversy, she also uncovers question upon question. Is someone in town responsible for the disappearances or is someone else out there, lurking?
💡𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: This is my 5th Miranda book and I am most definitely a fan! Enjoyed this book and most definitely recommend it. This novel is a stretch – different, slower, and less “twisty”, but still intriguing with an entertaining character dive into Abby Lovell, who I liked as the protagonist. I live in the Carolinas (nope, this is a fictional town) but I totally relate to the town because my bro is a major hiker and I’ve accompanied him on hikes before so I KNOW this town – built for hikers but the people who live there are insular and secretive. I found that plot angle engaging and enjoyable and accurate in portrayal.
The plot is slower than Miranda’s usual works, but I don’t mind that. I enjoy descriptive writing like that of the town, the inn, etc as it helps a reader understand the dynamics of small town life.
My reticence in rating this higher is mostly based on a huge plot point – where a HUGE piece of information that the protagonist storyteller KNOWS isn’t revealed until later. So in a way, it feels like a “cheat” rather than a twist. There wasn’t a REASON for this lie by omission, thus my feelings of being cheated – like “oh well if I knew THAT earlier…”. The other peevish eye-roller is that Celeste is in her 50’s but all the descriptions would have the reader believing she’s an 80 yr old with a cane and some Bengay.
𝗔𝗹𝗹 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆𝗠𝗮𝗴𝘀.𝗰𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.
📚𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞: Mystery
😍𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: Miranda fans and mystery lovers, just don’t expect the usual.
🙅♀️ 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨: Those seeking quick reads, those who hate descriptive writing.
Thank you to the author, NetGalley and Scribner/Marysue Rucci Books for my advanced copy in exchange for my always-honest review and for now making hiking a scary endeavor (in a good way!)
