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Book Review of Precious Thing

Precious Thing
Linda avatar reviewed on + 770 more book reviews


Some people are lucky enough to have a friendship that lasts forever. You learn to communicate without saying a word ... know what the other is thinking just by that twinkle in the eye. And as children, you promise ... you pinky swear ... that the friendship will last forever. But sometimes .. it's just not possible.

Rachel and Clara were such friends. Meeting in high school, they became each others' soulmates. Rachel was the quiet one, a little on the shy side. With a mother who drank constantly and didn't seem to have any concern about her daughter, Rachel was not prone to making friends. Clare was the friend everyone wanted ... bright, bubbly, pretty...but she was very picky about who her friends were.

Now in their 20s, Rachel has everything she ever wanted ... a career in TV reporting, a wonderful man who loves her. She's as happy as she can be.

When Rachel's boss calls and tells her to attend a briefing about a missing woman, Rachel learns the hard way that the missing person is Clara. Is it abduction ... suicide.... or something more sinister?

The book is told in Rachel's voice .. remembering how close they used to be, the things that only best friends tell each other. She speaks to 'you' ... meaning Clara.

As Rachel seeks out what happened to her friend she discovers things that caused her to question her entire life .. everything they've ever shared. The truth does not always set you free.

This is a brilliant psychological thriller. Extremely well-written. The tension rapidly rises from the very first. By the middle of the book, I wasn't sure who was telling the truth .. if any of them were. The ending caught me by surprise. The characterization of Rachel and Clara and the people on the edges of their lives was spot on.

One line, in particular, caught my attention .... you must have loved me so much in order to hate me this much.

There is just nothing about this book that I didn't like. It's one of the best I've read in a while. Highly recommend to anyone who likes a really pu-together-well psychological thriller.