Book Review - Too Close to Home
This might be an understatement considering how much the book is based on these characters and these secrets. The progression of the book basically hinges upon one revelation to the next. The fallout from one uncovering lasts until you find something new from another character. The neat thing though is the fact that you have stay pretty quick on your feet, so to speak, as every single snippet - not just a detail - is vital to the story line. So if you feel a random information is just part of passing by information, think again.
As for the characters they are given a real amount of attention to detail. All of them, and literally all, have more than meets they eye. Pretty much each of them have a mild mannered personality that makes you underestimate their capabilities. But as the story progresses, you come across more of what's made them who they are and the reason for why they seem so unattached. The main character is the most simple all of them. A usual Dad type figure who you instantly sympathize, it is his point of view through the book which is a mild shame as it would have been interesting to sift through the minds of the rest of the people present. A fair warning to everyone who reads is to never get to attached to one person as they aren't who they seem to be. The wife character shows these attributes more so than anyone else. However, unlike the father she isn't one you'd end up liking as she's an innately cowardly person with hardly any redeeming qualities, and by the end you feel as if she needed somewhat of a comeuppance, more so than she gets.
The mystery starts out as gripping as could be seeing that the characters are so simple-minded that the reader would marvel as to how they haven't figured out the killer's intentions. So you'll be reading further to see when they crack that. Once things spiral further out of control - both during the murder mystery and personal struggles - the killer comes across as one with unclear motives and the red herring presented through all this is hardly one people should fall for no matter how much focus is put into it. Near the end, identifying the antagonist is quite simple once circumstances present themselves in such a way that piecing them together wouldn't be much difficult. If you're careful, you'll even discern the motive behind the killings beforehand as well by which point the only reason to read through the end is see the final fallout.
This is fun to engage yourself in. Very few times does it fell dragging but the resolution doesn't feel enough and the revelation of the reason for the murders and the uncovering of the red herring don't compensate for the time invested by the reader. That's not to say this was badly written or not enjoyable. I commend the writer for devising the overarching plot and the tie-ins at the end. I'd recommend this book to those who enjoy reading a mystery but if you have other options give those a tread first before returning here.
