Buddy Read-The Breakdown, B.A. Paris - July 13

[Vicki Willis]

Everyone is welcome to join. Please use spoiler tags.


Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside—the woman who was killed. She’s been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It’s a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she’d broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she’d stopped.

But since then, she’s been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn’t have a baby.

The only thing she can’t forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt.

Or the silent calls she’s receiving, or the feeling that someone’s watching her… (less)

[Dana]

I'm going to join in - the audiobook was available. I am going to start today but it will take me a while!

[Skye]

I would love to get this book and join in.

[Vicki Willis]

Great! More is better.

[Kirsten]

I'll try to get a copy too!!

[Vicki Willis]

That is good Kirsten. There is plenty of time.

[Christine]

I have that book

[Kirsten]

Thanks for organizing this, Vicki. I've been trying to get around to it.

[Valleri]

Count me in, too! :)

[Vicki Willis]

Good to have you Val!

[Dana]

OK I finished it sooner than I expected... looking forward to hearing all of your thoughts! I have many...

[Christine]

Dana you read fast lol

[Kirsten]

I just received my copy and have listened to 10% of it. It is very tense. I also have some thoughts of the characters. I'll have to wait to see if I'm right.

I'd like to think I wouldn't be at all like this character. I think that I'd go to the police right away. But who really knows?

[Christine]

Kirsten don't spoil it lol

[Dana]

Exactly! Makes you think... I like to think I’d do better than her though lol!

[Christine]

Oh no stop lol

[Kirsten]

I won't, Christine. In fact, I'm wondering if my thoughts at the start will pan out at the end.

[Christine]

Oh good lol and i’m going to be reading that book right now and I don’t know

[Valleri]

I'm reading it now. :)

[Amy]

I ordered this book, praying it comes soon!

[Christine]

I finished that book and I really liked it

[Vicki Willis]

We are heading home. It will take 2 days, but will start this now.

[Valleri]

Vicki Willis wrote: "We are heading home. It will take 2 days, but will start this now."

I hope you had a fabulous trip, Vicki!

[Christine]

Vicki I hope you had a great time on your trip

[Vicki Willis]

Thanks! It was a great trip. Saw Tombstone, Chiricahua Forest, White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe National Park. We live in a beautiful country.

[Christine]

Your welcome and that’s very cool

[Vicki Willis]

I am at 16%, which is Sunday, July 26th

I don't know why (view spoiler)[she thinks people would judge her for not stopping. Given the circumstances I don't know if I would have stopped.
The problem is the lying. One lies leads to others which could make a big mess.
Something about Rachel is bothering me.
Something about Matthew is bothering me.
And the dementia? Is puzzling. What a horrible disease that is. (hide spoiler)]
Already I am getting tense.

[Dana]

I will wait until you finish to talk about everything... but I agree, (view spoiler)[I likely wouldn't have stopped either, because I read/watch too many scary things so I am always thinking the worst. BUT she should have called the police afterwards if she wasn't going to stop. I can't remember if her cell phone didn't work, or else she could have called from there too... Dementia is terrifying, so the audiobook did a good job at making me feel anxious about forgetting things! (hide spoiler)]

[Kirsten]

I'm 32% in and have some sneaking suspicions and - I agree - it's very tense.

[Amy]

Is there a deadline to read this book by? Going to start it soon! Just got it in the mail :)

[Kirsten]

No deadline Amy. I think we were just doing it for this month. I just finished and I think you'll love it.

[Kirsten]

I knew it ! I knew it ! My suspicions were right!! It was very tense going, but I still think the villain in her first book was much more evil.

[Vicki Willis]

I finished!
Great book.
My suspicions about (view spoiler)[ her husband and her friend were close. I liked how the author went through the texts on the phone. Piecing it together.
I thought the whole Alex (husband of murdered girl) felt unfinished. Like what was his point? To give forgiveness to Cass? (hide spoiler)]

[Kirsten]

I have one question:

(view spoiler)[Did Matthew tell her not to take the road because he knew Rebecca would be down there killing Jane? (hide spoiler)]

[Dana]

(view spoiler)[you were correct Vicki! I was impressed with your guess at 16%... I didn't really have a big hunch on this one for some reason... I had the same response to Gone Girl - why go through the trouble?? Why not just leave the person? I guess she must have been pretty rich... but still. Made me sad that she went as far as to buy this broad a vacation home! I thought there was going to be more of a storyline with Alex too, even them getting together at the end, so it was a little odd.
Kirsten - good observation! I never thought about that. Seems likely, he was pretty adamant about it.
(hide spoiler)]

[Kirsten]

(view spoiler)[That's what clued me into them. She was rich. I agree about Alex ....and even John. Kind of left that hanging. Funny that she just was getting revenge, and ends up surprised that they were actually guilty. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki Willis]

Kirsten wrote: "I have one question:

Yes, that is what I thought. (view spoiler)[Of course, he probably didn't like her to take the road in general, but I think specifically THAT night because he knew. (hide spoiler)]

[Vicki Willis]

Dana wrote: ""

Ha, yes. I was surprised because I am almost never right.
It was sad.(view spoiler)[ She was just a good friend and wife. Had they just waited a little bit, that woman may not have had to been killed. They would have got the house and went off together. (hide spoiler)]

[Valleri]

This book kind of drove me crazy. (view spoiler)[When Cass visited Jane's husband and told him about everything she was going through, and he promised her that the person who was calling her was not the same person who had killed Jane, I was seriously rolling my eyes. How would he know, or not know, if it was the same person?? PLUS, Cass and Alex didn't even know each other! Having Cass pour her heart out to Alex didn't make sense to me. Why on earth was that even in the book??? (hide spoiler)]

I started really liking the book towards the end, however. Right up until (view spoiler)[Cass started feeling that none of the bad things would have happened if only Cass's dad had left some money to Rachel when he died. What??? He didn't even leave any to Cass! Cass's mother inherited the money. Why would he leave money to Cass's friend??? (hide spoiler)] There just was too much in the book that didn't make sense to me.

[Vicki Willis]

Good points Val. I did not consider the whole (view spoiler)[inheritance thing and the fact that of course his money was left to his spouse! (Cass' mom) (hide spoiler)]

[Valleri]

I loved the whole (view spoiler)[ revenge part, though! And I was glad Cass didn't have dementia. (hide spoiler)]

[Kirsten]

I read one of Clare Mackintosh's books and it had the whole (view spoiler)[revenge thing. Where someone thinks they SHOULD have gotten something. Just the fact she had all that money was what clued me into the husband and then a little bit into Rachel. It's funny what if Rachel had just opened up to Cass? What would've happened? (hide spoiler)]

[Valleri]

Oh my gosh, Kirsten ... YES! (view spoiler)[Why not communicate??

I didn't suspect Rachel for a long time - just the husband. Boy was he evil, switching out appliances on a woman too drugged to know the difference. And they were so GLEEFUL as they drove her crazy. (view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Kirsten]

You know, I was wondering (view spoiler)[how they were going to explain all the memory lapses. And when they had the doctor I thought he was part of it. Who knew hubby had a secret talent as a forger? (hide spoiler)]

[Valleri]

Yes! Who knew??? :O