The main players:
- LUCAS BLACKTHORN, age 19. Ten years ago, he and his father, Josiah, trekked into the Boundary Waters, a remote wilderness in northern Minnesota, and never returned. Everyone assumed they died. Now Lucas is back. Only he refuses to talk about where he's been for the last decade, or what happened to him and his father.
- MAYA STARK, age 23. Abandoned by her mother when she was 10, she's now a language/speech therapist at the psychiatric facility where Lucas has been placed, and the one tasked with getting Lucas communicating again. But the connection she ends up making with him surprises even herself. (Oh, and she has an awesome German Shepherd named Jasper.)
My thoughts: Leave No Trace by Mindy Mejia is a compelling psychological thriller about the choices we make and the secrets we keep. And there are secrets! Maya quickly becomes obsessed with finding out what happened to Lucas, while Lucas only wants to get back to the wilderness and his father. Both are haunted by their pasts. I thought it was interesting how their stories intersected. I ended up really liking this one. Mejia combines good writing with engaging characters. Lucas and Maya are easy to root for, and the novel really picks up suspense and speed toward the end. All in all, Leave No Trace is an entertaining, page-turning ride.
Happy Reading!
More bookish suspense:
Jenclair at A Garden Carried in the Pocket and Rachel at Waves of Fiction have already reviewed this book better than I ever could. So go read their reviews and you'll understand why A Merciful Death by Kendra Elliot is a mystery worth reading! FBI Agent Mercy Kilpatrick is a great character; and I loved all the prepper stuff. Talk about a 5-star read. I can't wait to check out the next book in this series.
Leave No Trace sounds good--adding it to my list. :) I'm so glad you enjoyed A Merciful Death!
ReplyDeleteIt was the best. I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series. :)
DeleteOoh this sounds excellent! Secrets upon secrets. I particularly like it when the detective (or in this case therapist) also has something to hide which is teased out as the book progresses.
ReplyDeleteIt definitely made the book very compelling. :)
DeleteThat's a great opening sentence to Leave No Trace. It sounds like a really good thriller. And A Merciful Death sounds awesome. I'm always interested in books that have preppers.
ReplyDeleteHi Lark, I had never heard the term preppers before, it sounds fascinating, the psychology behind it. Also it sounds like the characters in these two books worth following.
ReplyDeleteHi, Kathy! I like the basic philosophy of preppers, but I'd never take it to the extreme that some do. Including some in Elliot's book. Both of these mysteries are really great reads, with likeable characters.
DeleteI haven't read this latest book by Mindy Mejia but I do love her other book. And I've "A Merciful Death" in my pile. :)
ReplyDeleteI think you're really going to like A Merciful Death. What other book by Mejia have you read?
DeleteThat book is "Everything You Want Me to Be". :)
DeleteThat one does look good. I'll have to add it to my list. ;D
DeleteI still reading middle grade books for this month and I am craving for some suspense. You review made me hungry for a book)))
ReplyDelete:) Both of these are great reads when you finish your month of middle grade books.
DeleteI actually dubbed 2019 the year of the thriller because there seems to be so many coming out and I've read some really good ones so far. These sound great!
ReplyDeleteIt has been a good year so far for me, too. :)
DeleteOoh this sounds good, and that's quite the opening! And I'd really love to know what they've been doing in the wilderness for all ears!
ReplyDeleteIt's not a perfect read, but I thought it was a really good one.
DeleteI picked up a pile of cheap thrillers last year that I really need to get reading to free up some space. Thrillers can be so hit and miss though but it is fun to get a good one!
ReplyDeleteI do like the good ones. And if they're not so good, I quickly DNF them. :)
DeleteYay! Glad you're enjoying the series, Lark! And thanks for the shout out! :)
ReplyDeleteMercy and Truman are the best!!! :D
DeleteI really liked this one as well. It kept me reading and it kept me guessing. That's what I like in a thriller!
ReplyDeleteI just requested A MERCIFUL DEATH from my library. Thanks for the rec! I can't wait to read it.
Hope you like it as much as I did! :)
DeleteLeave no trace sounds so good! And the ending sounds like it's quite a ride!
ReplyDeleteI thought it was a very fun mystery/suspense read. Even better than I hoped it would be.
DeleteOh I must add this one to my TBR list. Actually, both books look like my type of crime novels.
ReplyDeleteThey're both really good. I think you'd like them!
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