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The Good Girl

Mary Kubica

Start date: March 1, 2017

Finish date: March 31, 2017

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What Members Thought

Jul 22, 2014 Jennifer McLean rated it it was amazing

"The Good Girl" by Mary Kubica piqued my interest instantly when I read the synopsis about it. Amazingly, this is Ms. Kubica's first book. She has written a uniquely intricate and dark psychological thriller that keeps the reader flipping pages well into the night.

The book begins when we meet Eve Dennett. She's married to a prominent Chicago Judge but her unhappiness is immediately evident. Her stifled life is made all the worse when it comes to her attention through her daughter's friends that "The Good Girl" by Mary Kubica piqued my interest instantly when I read the synopsis about it. Amazingly, this is Ms. Kubica's first book. She has written a uniquely intricate and dark psychological thriller that keeps the reader flipping pages well into the night.

The book begins when we meet Eve Dennett. She's married to a prominent Chicago Judge but her unhappiness is immediately evident. Her stifled life is made all the worse when it comes to her attention through her daughter's friends that Mia is missing. No one has seen Eve's daughter in at least twenty four hours. Eve's obstreperous husband Judge James Dennett, a very wealthy and powerful man, seems to think his daughter Mia is just playing them for a fool and has gone on some adventure from which she will return shortly. This does not prevent the Judge from calling in favors to get Detective Gabe Hoffman put on the case immediately. The fact that Mia is a responsible art teacher in a downtown school means nothing to her aggressive and disparaging father who looks down on both his wife and daughter with contempt. This is our first glimpse into a severely broken family and as Detective Hoffman investigates, we continue to learn more about how terrible it can be when you're trapped, whether you're kidnapped or just unhappily married.

The author uses an original method to tell her story. Mary Kubica moves us back and forth through time, using Mia's kidnapping as the apex of the time shift. We see the entire situation through all the eyes involved, including the kidnapper, Colin Thatcher. Kubica has written an exquisite novel that I'd certainly give more than five stars if I could. She forces her audience to ache for the mother's loss. The reader is pulled into this literary mystery right from page one. This mysterious book is a slow burn, keeping the angst at the perfect level for the reader. It keeps you reading, page after page, as you hunger for answers that only the author can provide.

I predict this book will be the break-out book of 2014 just like "Gone Girl" (by Gillian Flynn) was in 2012. Put this book on your short list to read this year, you won't regret it.
Published by Harlequin MIRA on July 29, 2014. ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Aug 26, 2016 Ahtims rated it liked it

Shelves: crime-mystery-thriller, audi

The Good Points
Was quick paced
Was in 3 first person narratives and switching between two time frames - the type of narrative I like as it decreases my boredom with a prospective tale told in a single view point
Description of cold, snow, isolated cottage, nature - things I vicariously enjoy

The Bad Points
Very much predictive
Too emotional, much less rational.. Here, the author' reasoning has given way to emotions.
Title is misleading - or was it sarcasm on the author's part???

The story of a headstro The Good Points
Was quick paced
Was in 3 first person narratives and switching between two time frames - the type of narrative I like as it decreases my boredom with a prospective tale told in a single view point
Description of cold, snow, isolated cottage, nature - things I vicariously enjoy

The Bad Points
Very much predictive
Too emotional, much less rational.. Here, the author' reasoning has given way to emotions.
Title is misleading - or was it sarcasm on the author's part???

The story of a headstrong independent girl of affluent parents who is found missing, and later known to be abducted...

The things which irked me....................

(view spoiler)[

The whole story was weak - the loopholes being
-why should the girl go to such extent to expose her father?
-I have heard of Stockholm syndrome, but is reverse Stockholm syndrome possible?
- how does a seasoned criminal suddenly feel that he has to protect the girl - the decision is momentary, it is not ruminated upon, and one can argue that he momentarily lost sight of his goal (ie, earning quick money for his sick mother) , but then while driving the truck he had time to ruminate, and turn the truck back, or atleast even if he didnot hand over the girls to her ransomers, he could have taken her back to the safety of her home and then escaped
- despite knowing that Collin is shit scared of the person who wanted her kidnapped, the girl who had actually arranged for her own kidnapping, did not reveal this to Collin. She almost signed his death warrant, and she too was not in a good position being marooned in the snowbound cabin, where they could have starved for death.
-I give two hoots for her feeling of being unloved as her mother loved her okay, and if the second parent is dismissive, why hanker for his affections? And I totally despise the "poor little rich kids", as "poor little poor kids" have it thousand times worse.
If she longed for love, she should have sought it from good friends... agreed her boyfriend Justin was nothing to boast about in the emotions department, but then why did she put up with him?

The oh-so-aboveboard love affair blooming between the mother of the missing girl and the sergeant investigating the case. It was totally unprofessional. I am not in the police dept, and I am not even a US citizen, but even I know that no police department in the world will allow an investigating officer to cart the mother of the missing person over hours long journey to an isolated cabin where armed kidnappers may be hiding the girl. And I dont know of any police officer who comes, chats and cosies up to the mother of a kidnapped victim. Sympathy -yes, occasional phone calls -yes, but visiting her biweekly and sharing coffee and news stretches the imagination a wee bit.

The ending was a tad bit unexpected, but it was unrealistic

(hide spoiler)] ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

Sep 02, 2014 Cynthia rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Tried to read this one on my kindle and decided maybe this would be better as an audiobook for me with all the characters and the before/after chapters. I'm so glad I did because as an audiobook this had me hooked! Overall a great debut for the author! ...more

1 like · Like · see review

May 25, 2017 kathy rated it really liked it

Shelves: botm-17

Story with several twists and turns. The author surprised me right up to the last few pages. Good mystery.
This is a story of Mia who is kidnapped and the detective who tries to find her. The author does a good job of character development.

1 like · Like · see review