After a tragic accident in Mexico the Pine family is dead - except for the two oldest sons Matt and Danny. Matt is studying at NYU, and Danny is in prison for the murder of his girlfriend Charlotte. When Matt hears the news it is only the start of the nightmare - he is the one who has to break the news to his brother Danny, a brother he hasn't seen since he was convicted and locked up seven years earlier, and he has to travel to Mexico to have the bodies of his family released. Special Agent Keller sets up everything for Matt so he can travel to Mexico, but when things go wrong Matt finds himself on his own and in danger. Once he has his family he still has to face the return to their home town, a place where they are not particularly welcome - and where Matt has to face the fallout from the Netflix documentary that he refused to take part in, the documentary that made his father look unhinged and fueled an obsession for both his father and his sister Maggie.
For the past seven years Evan Pine has been down the rabbit hole of chasing the truth about what happened on the night Charlotte died. Danny is no help, the memories buried in a drunken stupor with huge gaps, but Evan and his daughter Maggie have uncovered clues over the years that give them hope. They are convinced that Danny is innocent, that he was manipulated into the confession by the police investigating the murder. The documentary about Danny's case, A Violent Nature, made Evan look crazy, and his obsession with finding the real killer hasn't helped. When a new piece of evidence appears he books a family trip to Mexico, something he can't afford after losing his job, a last ditched effort to prove his sons innocence. His dedication to the case hasn't gone unnoticed, and some secrets are meant to stay buried.
Every last fear was an interesting and thoroughly engaging read, several storylines blended together to form a single story - switching points of view keeping you in the story and in each characters head space, along with excerpts from a documentary about the case that has affected the family so badly. This was a unique take on the crime thriller, and partnered with the rapidly cycling chapters made it an addictive read. Alex Finlay's debut novel is deftly written, giving you enough information to suck you and into the story, without drowning you in detail or pointing out the obvious. There are bread crumbs throughout the story, little hints that test if you are paying attention, that ultimately will either lead you to the truth before it is revealed or leave you doubting what you know (or think you know).
Finding a unique voice in the increasingly crowded crime/thriller market is no easy task - but Finlay has managed to pull it off with ease. Looking forward to seeing what comes next.
If you like this book then try:
- Sticks and stones by Katherine Firkin
- The liar's daughter by Claire Allan
- The nowhere child by Christian White
- Nine Elms by Robert Bryndza
- The half sister by Sandie Jones
- Hidden lies by Rachel Ryan
- When I was ten by Fiona Cummins
- Before she was Helen by Caroline B. Cooney
- My best friend's murder by Polly Phillips
- Crimson Lake by Candice Fox
- The better sister by Alafair Burke
- Either side of midnight by Benjamin Stevenson
- Two wrongs by Rebecca Reid
- Then she was gone by Lisa Jewell
Reviewed by Brilla
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