Book review - The Devil You Know

Title: The Devil You Know
Author: Trish Doller
Genre: suspense
Similar books: The Third Twin by CJ Omololu
                     Escape Theory by Margaux Froley
Rating: 

I had some problems with it

Summary: Since her mother's death, Cadie has taken on a lot of responsibility. She goes to school, works in the family store, and helps raise her little brother. All of this means that she had to give up a lot: thoughts of college, her place on the soccer team, even her boyfriend. Now that she has graduated, with a lifetime of the same in her future, Cadie has had enough. She wants one night, maybe a weekend, of unbridled fun. When she meets a pair of cousins at a campground party, Matt and Noah seem to be exactly the kind of fun she's looking for. Their road trip quickly goes from fun to terrifying when Cadie realizes that one of the cousins isn't what he seems.

My opinion: The thing about thrillers and mysteries is that, by their very nature, they must be subtle. If foreshadowing or the building of a red herring is too heavy the reader will smell it coming. It takes the thrill out of reading and creates a barrier between the reader and the story. This is one large problem with this book. Another is the way Cadie is characterized. Having spent four years working and raising her little brother, Cadie is presented as a very practical, responsible young lady. Yet she not only hangs out with but leaves on a road trip with two men she's just met, at least one of whom she knows to have violent tendencies. She ignores niggling doubts, instincts that tell her something isn't right. Even a desire to cut loose for once, to be "fun", doesn't sufficiently explain such a gross lack in judgement. While the book does have some redeeming points these two problems along with overly simplified plot points made this novel more disappointing than thrilling for me.
Advanced Reader Copy provided by NetGalley