Libby Day was seven years old when her brother massacred her family. Her testimony helped put him away. Now at the age of 31, she has doubts. Did he really do it? And if not, who did? What happened that day?
“The Days were a clan that mighta lived longBut Ben Day’s head got screwed on wrong
That boy craved dark Satan’s power
So he killed his family in one nasty hour
Little Michelle he strangled in the night
Then chopped up Debby: a bloody sight
Mother Patty he saved for last
Blew off her head with a shotgun blast
Baby Libby somehow survived
But to live through that ain’t much a life
—SCHOOLYARD RHYME, CIRCA 1985”
I inhaled this book. I would recommend beginning this book early in the day so that you can sleep at a semi-reasonable hour, or over a weekend where it does not matter if you don't get much sleep. It is not a book that is put down easily.
I enjoyed the alternating timelines. It really added to the suspense as the reader learnt what happened in little pieces as Libby was learning other stuff in little pieces. I also really appreciate Flynn's descriptions of dark things. My favourite quote from this book (although I will admit that I was so engrossed in the story that I was not really paying attention to quotes by page 2) is right there on page one: “Draw a picture of my soul, and it’d be a scribble with fangs.” I also enjoyed watching Libby's character develop and become more responsible and adult. I did feel that her progress was too fast - too fast perhaps to honestly believe that she was so incapable and unreliable initially.
If you enjoy dark and twisted, then this is a book you could enjoy.
This is the 25th book I have read for the 2015 TBR Pile Reading challenge.
I gave this 4 stars on Goodreads. I think any fan of crime thrillers will enjoy this one. I would suggest that having a strong stomach is a requirement for some scenes.
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