Local author Lisa Scottoline has once again brought thrills and chills
to me while I read her latest book, After Anna. Suburban blended
family, sweet son Caleb, super-helpful and loving mom Maggie, caring and quiet dad
Dr. Noah.
Enter the long-lost bratty and mysterious long-lost daughter? Yep- Maggie gets to fawn over the daughter she never got to enjoy, and boy does the
family dynamic go wrong- it’s shattered, and somehow dad Noah is blamed for it.
What is portrayed as a tragic, horrifying murder becomes a skillfully
crafted mystery reaching far beyond the comforts of home in Southeastern PA. Who is Anna
really? Who was she? How will her mom cope with her death as her family gets
torn apart?
After Anna follows the mystery genre formula, yet shocks you with a few
surprises that gives you serious anxiety, cringe-worthy situations, happy feel-good moments, and at the end, a masterful climax that leaves you feeling intense,
whew…I need to read that again! But first I need some rose’ to take it all in.
The format of the book starts in the future by chapter and goes back
and forth in time until the two halves make the whole. I feel like with each
chapter the book was revealing itself to me…and then I’d turn the page and was
slapped with another anxiety-ridden scene.
Some books go out of the way to pepper the chapters with red herrings,
with After Anna, Scottoline so skillfully intertwines the details you don't see the ending until you're on top of it.
As always, reading about local places is fun, and knowing the security
of home yet with a masterful mystery surrounding you with each page, yes, After
Anna brings the apprehension, the heartache, and a host of other emotions.
Settle in with a good cup of coffee or glass of Sav Blanc, and get ready for
this ride.
Find After Anna at your local book store.
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