Thief River Falls: A Thriller by Brian Freeman
Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman
Genre: Thriller
Published February 2020; 314 pages
This was an Amazon First Reads book that has been on my Kindle for over 2 years! I picked it because I've read and enjoyed others by the author so it felt like a safe choice. And, it didn't disappoint.
First Sentence: "Down, down, down comes the rain of black dirt, landing in showers on the boy's small body and slowly burying him in the ground."
THE STORY
“Children had the gift, the second sight, the sixth sense. Sometimes she wondered if most writers were really just children who’d never grown up.”
This is a fast moving thriller with twists and an unreliable narrator that kept me guessing. Lisa, an author of thrillers, has suffered several tragedies in the last couple years and is currently struggling. One night she discovers a little boy wandering in her yard and when she brings him in, she discovers he doesn't remember who he is, but he is terrified and feels like his life is in danger. Together they try to piece together who he is and why he feels like someone is trying to kill him. Because of his fear Lisa is reluctant to turn him over to any authorities, so she hides him and tries to keep him safe. Are the police trustworthy? How about her best friend? Who can she turn to for help?
This is definitely a book that I don't want to reveal much of the plot because you should enter the book like I did - I knew it was a thriller and that's about it. I enjoy the surprises more that way.
MY THOUGHTS
“She wants to tell him that life is about leaving, but that love is about memories.”
Through the middle of the book there are times when things become a little hectic and hard to believe. Stick with it. Overall, I think the book has excellent writing and strong dialog. It is a sad story with a mention of suicide and a hint of traumatized child.
As I skimmed a few GR reviews after finishing the book, there seems to be a wide divergence of opinions. Seems people either loved or hated it. I'm in the 'loved' camp.
