Helpful Score: 2
Let's see if I can write this review without mentioning "Gone Girl..........."
After 5 year old Jacob is killed in a hit and run accident, Jenna Gray moves to Wales in an attempt to hide from her grief and start a new life. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Ray Stevens can't quite give up the investigation into who drove the car that killed Jacob, despite the long hours his supervisory position requires and troubles at home with his wife and son.
After reading excellent reviews of this book, I was thinking about giving up on it. For the first half nothing much of interests happens, especially nothing that would warrant calling this book a thriller. However, in Part Two everything does a one-eighty. The latter half the book is very difficult to put down. The plot twists are excellent, and the suspense and tension is almost unbearable.
After 5 year old Jacob is killed in a hit and run accident, Jenna Gray moves to Wales in an attempt to hide from her grief and start a new life. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Ray Stevens can't quite give up the investigation into who drove the car that killed Jacob, despite the long hours his supervisory position requires and troubles at home with his wife and son.
After reading excellent reviews of this book, I was thinking about giving up on it. For the first half nothing much of interests happens, especially nothing that would warrant calling this book a thriller. However, in Part Two everything does a one-eighty. The latter half the book is very difficult to put down. The plot twists are excellent, and the suspense and tension is almost unbearable.
Helpful Score: 2
I LET YOU GO was the October 2016 pick in my online book club, The Reading Cove. And for me, it's sadly a HUGE miss.
Well worn, shallow and contrived commercial fiction reader manipulation gimmicks are in full effect here. (Comparable to the popularity of shallow, mindless reality TV) The first quarter of this story was pretty dull; and then a "twist" happens that actually made me go back and re-read the opening pages. Was it a clever twist? In the hands of a more skillful writer I think it could've been, but since I never connected with or cared about any of the narrators, and found the obligatory police POV a snooze, it fell flat and went nowhere pretty fast. I'm still yawning.
I won't dare spoil the "twists," but the entire plot is based on coincidence + convenient narration--where the narrator deliberately keeps the one thing that would be most dominant in her mind from her otherwise incontinent stream of consciousness...for chapters and chapters and chapters! Is that clever? Nope. Just demonstrates weak storytelling skills. And the bad guy? You can't miss him, he didn't even need a mustache to twirl.
This might've worked for me when I was a teenager, but now only credible plots seem to hold my attention. This plot had subzero, not-for-the-thinking-mind credibility. So if you're looking for above adolescent/teen reading comprehension, this would be a waste of time. 2/5 stars.
Well worn, shallow and contrived commercial fiction reader manipulation gimmicks are in full effect here. (Comparable to the popularity of shallow, mindless reality TV) The first quarter of this story was pretty dull; and then a "twist" happens that actually made me go back and re-read the opening pages. Was it a clever twist? In the hands of a more skillful writer I think it could've been, but since I never connected with or cared about any of the narrators, and found the obligatory police POV a snooze, it fell flat and went nowhere pretty fast. I'm still yawning.
I won't dare spoil the "twists," but the entire plot is based on coincidence + convenient narration--where the narrator deliberately keeps the one thing that would be most dominant in her mind from her otherwise incontinent stream of consciousness...for chapters and chapters and chapters! Is that clever? Nope. Just demonstrates weak storytelling skills. And the bad guy? You can't miss him, he didn't even need a mustache to twirl.
This might've worked for me when I was a teenager, but now only credible plots seem to hold my attention. This plot had subzero, not-for-the-thinking-mind credibility. So if you're looking for above adolescent/teen reading comprehension, this would be a waste of time. 2/5 stars.
I Let You Go starts with a death. His name is Jacob ... he's just turned 5 years old and started school. It's a rainy day and he's walking home holding his mother's hand, excitedly telling her about his new friend, his teacher, and the fact that he can write his name.
Across the street from home, he lets go of her hand and yelling I'll race you home, he runs across the street. The car comes out of nowhere, speeding on the rain-slicked street. Jacob dies before he hits the street. And mom can only watch as the car stops, then reverses, and leaves.
Jenna Gray moves to the coast, trying to escape the memory of the car accident. Nightmares visit her nightly and she's desperate to heal from the loss of her son and the rest of her painful past.
Meanwhile, the Investigators are hopeless as there are no clues to the identity of the driver ...or description of the car, and no witnesses. After a few months, word comes down from the high-ups to close the case. But two of them refuse to give up and work the case in their own time.
Whatever you might be thinking at this time ... just throw it out the window. Nothing is as it seems. There are twists and turns you never see coming. And when they do come, you feel a need to re-read the last few pages to see what you missed.
The story telling is solid ... characters are so human and so humanly flawed. The kick-to-the-stomach ending will have you gasping .....
This is easily the best book I've read this year! I only wish I could give it more than 5 stars.
Across the street from home, he lets go of her hand and yelling I'll race you home, he runs across the street. The car comes out of nowhere, speeding on the rain-slicked street. Jacob dies before he hits the street. And mom can only watch as the car stops, then reverses, and leaves.
Jenna Gray moves to the coast, trying to escape the memory of the car accident. Nightmares visit her nightly and she's desperate to heal from the loss of her son and the rest of her painful past.
Meanwhile, the Investigators are hopeless as there are no clues to the identity of the driver ...or description of the car, and no witnesses. After a few months, word comes down from the high-ups to close the case. But two of them refuse to give up and work the case in their own time.
Whatever you might be thinking at this time ... just throw it out the window. Nothing is as it seems. There are twists and turns you never see coming. And when they do come, you feel a need to re-read the last few pages to see what you missed.
The story telling is solid ... characters are so human and so humanly flawed. The kick-to-the-stomach ending will have you gasping .....
This is easily the best book I've read this year! I only wish I could give it more than 5 stars.
Wow! What a page turner. Starts out a bit slow, but keeps you engaged and then when the twists start and the pace picks up - hang on to your seat! This was a great mystery/thriller, reminded me of being similar to the Girl on the Train. I recommend!
The reviews are all over the place for this book. It starts with a tragic accident when a 5 year old boy is killed in a hit and run as his mother watched. The police find no clues for a year.
For a while, nothing interesting happens and I was bored, skimmed a lot wondering if I would finish this book. However, unexpected anxiety filled, suspenseful twists and turns filled the pages and I couldn't put the book down.
There are lots of emotions at play here, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone.
For a while, nothing interesting happens and I was bored, skimmed a lot wondering if I would finish this book. However, unexpected anxiety filled, suspenseful twists and turns filled the pages and I couldn't put the book down.
There are lots of emotions at play here, but I don't want to spoil it for anyone.
Hit and run accident leaves a little boy dead and a mother devastated. A hunt is on for the driver. Jenna leaves the area as she is tortured by the memory of the accident. A big twist in the middle of the book turns things around and the reader becomes riveted to the story. Be forewarned there is violence and abuse is story which makes it hard to read at times. The end may leave you speechless! Recommended for those who like mystery thrillers!
I Let You Go is a remarkable debut novel. It opens with the death of a 5-year old child by a hit-and- run driver. The mother's grief is palpable and evident throughout the first half of the book. The surprise comes at the very end of the first half after the reader has followed Jenna Gray as she settles into a new life in Wales with few possessions and no acquaintances. The novel also follows the police as they attempt to piece together the few clues leading to the driver. The lead detective is torn between his career and his family life, and begins to be emotionally involved with a fellow detective. It is told in alternating chapters of first and third persons with well-developed characters and surprising revelations
