... ombines a darkly twisted plot with excellent character building, and the eerily realistic setting nicely supports the haunting narrative. This is psychological suspense with a gut-clenching finale, perfect for readers of Gillian Flynn and Brandon Massey.
As Stephanie’s condition worsens, Rena’s voice becomes increasingly unhinged. At times, though, LaCorte’s portrait of Rena veers toward cruel caricature, especially when contrasted with Claire. While the reluctant psychic is conventionally beautiful --- a tall, slim blond with eyes like 'fake emeralds' --- Rena is overweight with a bad dye job and a worse grasp of grammar ... an intoxicating cocktail that skillfully blends supernatural elements with ripped-from-the-headlines plot points and everyday human drama. The more lurid aspects of the story are tempered by LaCorte’s depiction of the complex relationship between mothers and daughters. But it’s also a troubling thriller with a villain whose crimes are particularly horrifying. As it becomes clear where things are heading, some readers might recoil. But the story is worth seeing through to the end, as LaCorte brings everything to a conclusion that satisfies, even as it draws attention to the fact that justice is not always served.
LaCorte splits the narration between Claire and Rena, alternating chapters, and she truly does create two very distinct and believable voices, a difficult feat. It’s easy to be sympathetic to Claire, while Rena seems immediately to be an unreliable narrator, but the voices complement each other, building two sides of the story that officially intertwine about halfway through ... Make no mistake: This is a dark, dark thriller, and the villain is absolute. But alternating voices allow for a more nuanced building of tension as LaCorte contrasts this darkness to Claire's own fragile optimism ... LaCorte delves deeply into horrible things that humans do—and, as in life, not all evil is punished—but still offers hope and healing in the end.
Mysticism and medicine intersect with dramatic results in LaCorte’s accomplished page-turning debut ... Those who like a dash of the supernatural in their thrillers will be well satisfied.
Call it Strangers on a Plane, with a twist ... LaCorte keeps the reader off balance early on — Claire and Rena are both so angry it’s tough to figure out where our sympathies should lie. But as the story’s suspense builds those roles clarify, right up to a chilly little twist at the end.
