Tuesday, January 14, 2025

If I Tell: A Murder Mystery Thriller about a Girl and a Serial Killer

If I Tell: A Murder Mystery Thriller about a Girl and a Serial Killer was written by J. W. Lynne, an independent author.  The book was published in 2022.

Publisher's summary:

My name is Jenna.

I'm sixteen years old.

And I think my dad is a serial killer.

On a muggy summer afternoon in Upstate New York, sixteen-year-old Jenna Cooper is swimming in a lake when a murdered girl is found nearby, pulled from that very same lake.  The next day, the body of another girl is discovered a couple of miles away.  Soon, more bodies are found.  All are girls in their teens or early twenties, and they were all killed in the same distinctive manner.

As police race to solve these horrible crimes, Jenna finds clues that make her wonder if her father might be the killer.  Although she is terrified to believe her dad could be a murderer, she is determined to find out the truth, no matter what it is.

But her quest for the truth is about to land her in a makeshift prison, at the mercy of a serial killer.  Will she find a way to escape or will she be the next to die?

If you like fast-paced murder mysteries with short captivating chapters, intriguing family relationships, jaw-dropping twists and turns, a dash of clean romance, and an ending that brings everything together, you'll love this riveting thriller that will keep you guessing until the final pages!

The book has an interesting premise, and I did enjoy it overall.  When I finished the book, however, I felt depressed.  The story just didn't do much for me.  There are several problems.

The book has way too many characters, and I quickly decided not to keep track of them.  That reduced my enjoyment.  Furthermore, the characters are all flat.  The text is flat.  The book is missing that something that makes a book compelling and really good.

The book has a good story, but I wanted more from it.  If the story had been fleshed out more with more feeling shown by the characters, then it could have been an excellent story.

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