14 years old Greer Dunning’s older sister, Eliza, was murdered. Since then, Greer and her parents are barely living as they wrestle with the ‘why’ of the murder. Greer, now living in Chicago, hasn’t been home since she left Ludlow after high school but when two teens are murdered the exact same way Eliza was, Greer knows she needs revisit Ludlow before any more victims turn up.
I adored Amy Engel’s last book The Familiar Dark. It was gritty, dark, and original. It was one of my favorite reads from 2020 and I can’t recommend it enough. So when Dutton offered me a copy of her upcoming release I Did It For You, I was stoked!
While the premise, the lost ‘daughter’ returns home to solve a decades old mystery isn’t unique, Engel is a fantastic writer and I love the way she writes. Unfortunately, this lacked the grittiness that we had in The Familiar Dark and seemed to be more a mainstream thriller. Which is fine, but just wasn’t what I was expecting.
I did enjoy this one but I just didn’t love it. While the depiction of grief and the aftermaths of a tragedy were executed excellently, I didn’t connect much with Greer and found her to be insufferable. I also just don’t want to accept the ending. I would still recommend this book, but it’s going to be your traditional thriller where the lead character is semi-gaslighting themselves. 3.5 stars rounded down to 3.
I Did It For You comes out July 25, 2023. Huge thank you to Dutton for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof.books.
Guess it’s a book I won’t read.