AD • I received a copy of this book from the publishers via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and opinions are entirely my own.
And I’m back with another summer release book review for you! The book that I’m talking about today was one of my most anticipated releases of the entire year – but did it live up to my expectations? Read on to find out exactly what I thought about Megan Miranda’s new thriller, Such a Quiet Place…
Many thanks to NetGalley and Atlantic Books for providing me with an advance reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
Such a Quiet Place
by Megan Miranda
Publisher: Corvus
Date of Publication: 15th July 2021
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Format: eBook (304 pages)
Rating: ★★★
Synopsis
We had no warning that she would come back…
Welcome to Hollow’s Edge – a picture-perfect neighbourhood where everyone has each other’s backs. At least, that’s how it used to be, until the night Brandon and Fiona Truett were found dead…
Two years ago, branded a grifter, thief and sociopath by her friends and neighbours, Ruby Fletcher was convicted of murdering the Truetts. Now, freed by mistrial, Ruby has returned to Hollow’s Edge. But why would she come back? No one wants her there, least of all her old housemate, Harper Nash.
As Ruby’s return sends shockwaves through the community, terrified residents turn on each other, and it soon becomes clear that not everyone was honest about the night the Truetts died. When Harper begins to receive threatening, anonymous notes, she realizes she has to uncover the truth before someone else gets hurt… Someone like her.
Book Review
Such a Quiet Place was one of my most anticipated releases of 2021 after I read and loved All the Missing Girls by Megan Miranda last year. Unfortunately, this one fell short of my high expectations. It’s not fair to compare the two titles with each other considering how vastly different they are but I will say that this book will appeal more to readers who DISLIKED the somewhat confusing narrative structure in All the Missing Girls. Such a Quiet Place is a lot easier to follow. It has a first-person singular narrative that follows one straight timeline. There’s no frills or clutter – just an easy-to-follow story.
The mystery itself was thoughtfully and carefully constructed. I really liked that it runs with the chaos of fear and a mob mentality within a close-knit community, creating monsters out of ordinary people and everyday situations. I found myself being suspicious of absolutely every single character including the main character and narrator, Harper. It felt like we were given so little of her back story or personality except in relation to other people that I started to question whether or not she was a reliable narrator. And despite my best attempts at armchair sleuthing, I failed to solve one of the two mysteries. (The other was fairly easy to figure out with the on-page clues.)
That said, I did struggle with the pacing and think that’s where my disappointment came in. The first half was extremely slow going. It focuses a lot on Harper not knowing what’s going on and doubting/being suspicious of everyone and everything. And that’s perfectly fine except nothing of note really happens until the halfway mark which is when the pace and tension picks up a bit. It was compelling enough for me to read because I’m one of those people who needs answers but I’m not sure I would have continued reading if I didn’t already know that I enjoyed the author’s work.
Overall, this is a mystery that I think fans of domestic suspense will enjoy.
Read This If You…
- Enjoy domestic suspense focusing on crimes committed within close-knit communities
- Like a splash of Desperate Housewives with your mysteries
What’s the verdict? Will you be adding Such a Quiet Place to your TBR? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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2 Comments
Ooh, I might check this one out. I’ve only read one Megan Miranda mystery before (Fragments of the Lost), which I quite liked, and I didn’t realise she had other books out.
I kept reading this book because, although it seemed a bit slow and drawn out, I wanted answers. I thought it was a good mystery and I was motivated to discover the solution. Another aspect I enjoyed was the depiction of the neighborhood, everyone’s close proximity and neighborliness, all set against the background of a community pool, a lake, and cute houses. The way so many were employed by the college was an extra bond not always available. It reminded me of when we lived in Northern Virginia, outside Washington D.C., and most of the neighbors were employed by the federal government. Then I came to the ending, and I was very disappointed. The plot holes had been numerous (why would so many people withhold so much information from the police, who are the only ones really equipped to put it all together), but the ending seemed like a total “Huh?” I hadn’t been able to figure out how the mystery would unfold, and it seems the author couldn’t either. Such a lame, illogical, pointless ending.