Chris Writing Anything

My latest read, written by April Henry, was literally the fastest read of my life. The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die throws you right into the action. And, because there are so many questions unanswered, ones that are essential for the main character’s survival, you’re immediately drawn towards the high drama. Our hero doesn’t even know her name.

The first forty pages are a frantic, pulse pounding read. A teenage girl regains consciousness in a trashed Oregon cabin, apparently two of her finger nails have been pulled out by a pair of pliers. Then she’s drug into the woods, where, as she understands it, a man is going to kill her. She escapes.

She’s a totally confused teenaged girl, driving an SUV aimlessly. Miraculously, after she has learned that she can’t trust the police, she runs into a McDonald’s employee named Ty.

Ty is a sucker for hard luck cases, and, although her story suggests she’s crazy, his intuition tells him this girl is in some serious danger.

From there, the suspense continues to the end. Her pursuers have many resources, and they use them well.

I loved this book. The author’s first person voice is powerful and believable. As Cadence, who learns of her name through media outlets, tries to figure out who she is and, of course, what happened to her, the teenagers’ attempts to ensure Cadence’s safety are plausible.

The author is a virtuoso of pacing. The first forty pages felt as if I was sprinting down hill. I was out of breath, physically and mentally exhausted but I couldn’t stop reading. The story’s momentum simply carried me forward.

Only when you reach McDonald’s, and the hero has food in her belly, do you have a chance to catch your breath.

In the end, the teenagers discover a horrifying conspiracy, and though it’s a bit over the top, at least compared to the credible world, a world Henry has masterfully constructed through Cadence’s flight, the dark and sinister plot ratchets up the suspense, and gives greater weight to the actions of our heroes. Should they fail, the consequences would be utterly catastrophic.

I urge you to read this book. The novel, at least in e-book form, is only 191 pages long. I literally purchased it Friday. You might not have as much time to read as I do, but this can make for several entertaining lunch hours.

Take Care and Safe Travels.