The Summer That Changed Everything by Brenda NovakMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
3.5 stars
I received this book for free, this does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review
“You told me something fifteen years ago,” she said, “something that's bothered me ever since.”
Fifteen years ago, when Lucy was seventeen, her father was convicted of murdering three people, an older couple that lived in their trailer park and a girl Lucy's age. The Summer That Changed Everything is about a now grown up Lucy going back to the small coastal town that railroaded her out and investigating the gut feeling telling Lucy that her father wasn't as guilty as everyone wanted him to be.
He had a sinking feeling this summer wasn't going to be the peaceful getaway he'd hoped.
Along with a murder mystery, there's some second chance romance with a boy that Lucy was dating at the time, Ford. Ford's also in town to repair his family's beach house because after his father's death, his mother and brother want to sell it. He hated how he let his parents and the town convince him to abandon Lucy and he's determined to now be there for her. He hires a private investigator to help them but he's also dealing with going through a divorce, with a wife who is pregnant with his child. As a romance reader, the addition of Ford was a nice romantic thread to throw in, I like how he showed up for Lucy this time and was apologetic for his teenage self that wasn't strong enough to be there for her. We don't really get solid flashbacks to show their younger romance, so, much of their romance depends on the reader going along with their stated past feelings and how that leads to them still feeling connected and attracted to each other. I liked them together but I can't say I fully felt a heat or heart pumping connection, especially since the third act breakup involves Ford's wishy-washy on returning to his ex because of the baby. The whole ex situation resolved future, seemed obvious a mile away and I felt myself wishing and thinking that whole side story wasn't even needed.
She still didn't know where this summer would lead---if she'd be glad she'd made the effort, or if the past would sweep her back out to sea, once again leaving her lost and alone and struggling just to survive.
For a beach read mystery, this moved a little slowly for me, I would have liked some pages cut for a more streamlined exciting, thrilling feel but if you're looking for more sedately moving mystery, this would fit the bill. The two murders of the older couple and the murder of the younger girl have connections and differences, as the reader, you'll get some quicker answers with this having multiple povs from different characters, while Lucy had to wait for answers until the end. There were some compelling and entertaining true crime additives, genealogical DNA, with hints and clues to help you make early guesses and be shocked at later reveals. This moved a little too slowly for me and had a lukewarm temperature to the romance and thriller aspect but I enjoyed the one year epilogue HEA and the true crime additives.
::wrinkles nose:: I am not sure I would read this, except to find out whether her father is innocent, and if so, what happens then. (I do want her father to be innocent, and the guilty party getting their comeuppance with a vengeance.)
ReplyDeleteIf you want the spoiler, let me know!
DeleteI'm not sure the book tackled deep conversation on some aspects of the murders but I think a book club reading this would have great discussion, because the book did lay it out there to be talked about.
As I don't see myself reading it, yeah, if you don't mind? Just to lay my nagging curiosity to rest.
DeleteSPOILERS
DeleteThe young girl murder the reader knows around 40% that the dad didn't do it because we get the pov from the killer. The murders happened 15yrs ago and the guy that did it was 17 himself and had a crush on the girl and got mad at her when she laughed at him and wouldn't be "quiet" so he strangled her. He's constantly thinking about how he's a "good" guy because he's since then never did anything wrong and has a new baby with his great wife and feels he shouldn't be punished for a "mistake" he made when young. This is where I wish the author would have delved more strongly into the other characters attacking this thinking really concerning this line of thought, its sort of there but not strong enough for me. Where that book club discussion could come in.
The other murders of the older husband and wife takes until the end of the book to be revealed and the dad turns out innocent there too. This reveal came out a bit rushed to me and even though the guilty parties (the chief of police and mmc's brother) were dealt jail time, I wasn't left with that satisfied feeling. I don't know, maybe because they were arrested off screen or I was feeling more bloodthirsty that day.
The dad that was in jail was released and then it talked about how he will be given $55,000 a year for the yrs he was incarcerated. The towns people do some weak apologizing and welcome him back into town.
I think I just felt some things while stated overtly or covertly, abuse of police power, public sway abuse, it was only that, stated not discussed, making it feel toothless. But my own opinion, I'm sure others enjoyed the more middle ground while stating.
Oh, no, I'm with you; I'm sure a lot of people would be happy with the pat resolution for both crimes, but as you say, there has to be a lot more pushback--generally as society, but definitely in fiction--about the idea that harm can be 'washed off' by being 'good' after the fact, or because "it's not like I planned to kill her", and so forth. And don't get me started on "well, he got ~lots of money~ and is free now, so all's well that ends well" for the person who spent years in prison, as if the trauma to him and his family magically vanishes. In real life, most people who are proven innocent have a hell of a time living outside, and often the stigma follows them for the rest of their lives, fair or not.
DeleteYeah, I'm better off skipping this, I already feel my blood pressure rising! :-P
(Thank you!)