My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Goodreads Synopsis:
Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.
The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone's declared open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.
Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she's in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous--and most people aren't good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it's safest to keep your secrets to yourself.
So I wasn't sure of this book at first. I had never read a Karen M. McManus book. I did not read the first book "One of us is Lying" - I can get along with the Pretty Little Liars themes going on in the titles here! Like that! But I was glad to know this was a stand alone. After reading this book I will probably go back now and read the first book to this. I have heard mixed reviews on both of them but I am the type of person, I will read a book to make my own decision about the book and I am so glad I did on this one!
“What date was the car brought in, again?” “August thirty-first,” she says. “August thirty-first.” I repeat. My skin prickles, every nerve twitching. Ezra tilts his head. “Why do you look like you just swallowed a grenade?” “Because we came in from LA the night before that. August thirtieth, remember? The hailstorm. The night Mr. Bowman was killed in a hit-and-run.” Nobody says anything for a second, and I tap the paper Mia is holding. “Front of vehicle damage due to unknown impact?”
We have Ellery and Ezra that are headed to stay with their grandmother. Their mothers mom and in their moms home town. Currently their mom is in a rehab so they needed a place to go. When being picked up at the airport and on the way home, they come to a quick halt in the middle of the road to find a dead body. - The book did start out strong. ( but however I did feel like this went unanswered as to why he was ran over ) or maybe I missed this part but I never understood what happened to him. - It was brought up a few times in the book but never as to why it happened - if it was brought up - PLEASE let me know below.
The book did however slow down a bit and about 20% I almost gave up and I laid the book down and went back to it a few days later. It begin to draw me in a little and so I thought "I will keep going to see what happens" - SO GLAD I DID.
“All of Fright Farm's success is based on how much people love to be scared in a controlled environment. There's something deeply satisfying about confronting a monster and escaping unscathed. Real monsters aren't anything like that. They don't let go”
We have had 2 young girls to go missing in the past but no connections have been made between them. One being Ellery and Ezra's aunt, their mothers sister that went missing and was never found and then Lacey, who was murdered. BUT now there has been a threat made again the homecoming queens and Ellery - the new arrival - is one of them.
There begins to be graffiti left on wall and Brooke goes missing, a girl from the local town. and just when you think you know who the killer is you get tossed another curve ball.
If you read and really between the lines of this book you might be able to find out but this book by the last 30% had me hooked. I had to listen to the last 2 hours on audiobook as laid in my bed. I had to know who the killer was and what the connection was between all the girls.
When Ellery and her new guy friend, Malcolm, become their own investigation team, as young kids do, they begin to piece together pieces. OR do they? They do form a small romance as the story progresses - This could have been left out on my part but it was still there.
Ellery and Ezra also have always been told their entire life who their father was but when coming to a new town and when Ellery begins to make a timeline to find out who the killer is and what is the similarities between them, Ezra spots something that could change their worlds. - Who is really their father?
Also - I love the Mean Girls quote we get in this book! You have to watch for it, but It is there.
“Ezra watches them leave with a bemused expression, then turns to me. “I have a really strong feeling that on Wednesdays, they wear pink.”
And let's not forget that ending! What was whispered in Ellery's ear and why would she lie about it? I do think the author did great here in trying to leave the book with a big bang with Ellery revealed what was said but I do have some questions about what the killer told Ellery and how he would not know who the person he was killing was. I don't want to say to much due to spoiler but very good job Karen!!!
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