By: David Bell
Narrator: Erin Spencer
Penguin Audio
ISBN: 9780593549964
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: 06/27/2023
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC)
An ex-cop sets out to find her missing sister and discovers the shocking truth about her family...
A traumatic experience in the line of duty forces thirty-year-old Avery Rogers to abandon her relationship and her position as a Kentucky State Police officer. She retreats to a college town where she works an unfulfilling job as a security guard, breaking up fights between drunken frat boys.
But a frantic phone call turns Avery’s life upside down. Her father—a retired cop who never fails to convey his disappointment in Avery—says her half-sister is missing and in danger. Avery is sure Anna’s just crashing with friends, but her father strong-arms her into searching for the sister she barely knows.
Anna Rogers is fed up with her family—a half-sister who resents her existence and a domineering father who thinks it’s okay for cops to shoot unarmed civilians. She hits the road to attend a protest against police brutality, unaware of the danger that awaits her there.
Just after catching a glimpse of Avery at the protest, Anna receives a shocking text. Now she’s no longer road-tripping; she’s running, pursued by an older sister she doesn’t trust and a violent stranger who has been stalking her for weeks.
When Avery discovers Anna’s hiding place near a remote cave system, she risks everything to save her. Little do the sisters know that a secret is catching up to them—a secret at the very heart of their family history.
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My Review
David Bell returns following She's Gone and The Finalists with his latest novel, TRY NOT TO BREATHE —An ex-cop sets out to find her missing sister and discovers the shocking truth about her family in this action-packed domestic suspense thriller!
CHARACTERS:
Sisters:
Avery - Former cop. The oldest, Nine years older than Anna. Graduate student. Security guard. PTSD.
Anna - Age 21. Half-sister. In college. Roommate Kayla. Ran away for a protest—Russell's daughter.
Alisha - Eight years older than Anna. Married. Two children. Close with Avery—Anna's legal guardian.
Dad: Ex-cop (KSP) Russell Rogers. Domineering and Controlling. He cheated on Avery/Alisha's mom. Their marriage fell apart before the girls were teens.
Avery & Alisha's mom: Margaret (deceased)
Anna's mom: Jane
After a traumatic experience in the line of duty, Avery Rogers (30) leaves her position as a Kentucky State Police officer. Retreating to a college town, she works as a security guard while attending graduate school, trying to figure out her life.
Her father, a retired cop (controlling), after being shot— sends her an urgent message she needs to track down her half-sister, Anna.
Then something happens to Kala. Were they looking for Anna? Did it relate to something Russ did when he was a cop?
Anna, the younger half-sister, is done with her family (after a falling out with her dad). After a scare at college which she thinks is a stalker, she leaves to stay with Rachel in Louisville and attends a police brutality protest (Tanya Burns shooting).
Avery's dad had told her to stop in Louisville to see Charlie, a friend and retired Black cop who had worked with Russ, now a farmer. He goes along with Avery.
After seeing Avery at the protest, Anna receives a shocking text. Now she is running and pursued by her older sister and a stalker.
Avery discovers Anna's hiding place near a remote cave system; she risks everything to save her. There are dark hidden family secrets, and the sisters are unaware. Why does their family need protection?
Bell ratchets up the tension in this fast-paced suspense-action crime thriller with dark family secrets. This is his best yet! The author dives deep into the family dynamics, with well-developed characters, exploring emotionally charged topics. Thought-provoking, TRY NOT TO BREATHE is an ideal book club pick for further discussions. I enjoy Avery's character immensely.
Topics: Police brutality, aging parents, family drama, loss, PTSD, betrayal, dark family secrets. For fans of authors— Lisa Gardner, Wendy Walker, and Mary Kubica.
Thanks to Berkley for a gifted ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 27, 2023
My Rating: 5 Stars
Praise
“Bell delivers a perfect beach read with compelling characters and baffling circumstances….even the savviest suspense readers will be shocked by the final pages. Bell is truly at the top of his game with this psychological thriller. Fans of Lisa Gardner and Mary Kubica will want to add this to the top of their reading pile.”
—Library Journal
"[T]his riveting thriller has a deeply involved plot, some twists and turns, and an action-packed ending. . .The author brings suspense, action, and intense moments to this fast-paced novel that is full of a sense of urgency and prose that flows.”
—Mystery and Suspense Magazine
About the Author
David Bell is the USA Today-bestselling author of twelve novels from Berkley/Penguin, including THE FINALISTS, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, THE REQUEST, LAYOVER, SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER, BRING HER HOME, SINCE SHE WENT AWAY, SOMEBODY I USED TO KNOW, THE FORGOTTEN GIRL, NEVER COME BACK, THE HIDING PLACE, and CEMETERY GIRL.
His work has been translated into numerous foreign languages, included on several bestseller lists, nominated for the Pushcart Prize five times, and, in 2013, won the prestigious Prix Polar International de Cognac for best crime novel by an international author. Recently his thirteenth novel, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, was nominated for a 2022 Edgar Award.
He is a professor of English at Western Kentucky University where he co-founded the MFA program in creative writing. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he spends his free time rooting for the Reds and Bengals, watching movies, and walking in the cemetery near his house. He lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with his wife, young adult author M Hendrix. WEBSITE
