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Sunday, August 22, 2021

A Breath After Drowning...

 
Kate Wolfe is a child psychiatrist with a lot of baggage. When she was ten, her mother, Julia, was committed to a mental institution, and then later committed suicide. Then, when Kate was sixteen, her younger sister, Savannah, was abducted and murdered by Henry Blackstone. Even now, sixteen years later, Kate still blames herself for that. And she's also dealing with a recent patient's suicide, the upcoming execution of her sister's killer, and a new troubled teen named Maddie. But when Palmer Dyson, a retired police officer who investigated her sister's murder, shows up insisting that Blackstone is innocent and Savannah's real killer is still out there, Kate can't help but delve into the past. And what she finds puts her own life in danger and at times makes her question her own sanity.

This psychological thriller is the first book I've read by Alice Blanchard, and it's a good read. It's well-paced and held my interest all the way to the end. And Kate runs into some unexpected twists about her family along the way. I do have to say, I wasn't completely convinced when the real killer was revealed, probably because I was never given any reason to suspect him. I also questioned some of Kate's choices and decisions, but given her traumatic past I guess they were understandable. Despite her stubbornness, I liked her; I just wouldn't want her to be my psychiatrist. I did admire her toughness at the end, and I also liked her relationship with James, another psychiatrist at the hospital where she works. All in all, this ended up being a 3.5/5 star read for me.

Happy Reading!

42 comments:

  1. I love thrillers/mysteries that have a psychologist or unreliable narrator. Sounds pretty good.

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    1. I hope you give it a try, because then you can let me know what you think of the ending and who the killer turned out to be! :)

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  2. Oh, this sounds good. I'm adding it to my (endless) list!

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    1. You have an endless TBR list, too? Glad I'm not the only one! ;D

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  3. Looks like an exciting book. I'm glad you liked it.

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  4. mrs. m has taught me that child counseling can be a confusing area to work in (she was one). this novel seems to more or less duplicate real life in its complications and misdirections... not sure that's too appealing, actually...

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    1. Kate's life is certainly full of complications, and there are plenty of misdirections in this one, too.

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  5. Kate's life does sound like a mess but the novel obviously held your interest all the way through. I'm not familiar with the author. I'll have to look up her books.

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    1. I think she's written several books, but I've only ever read this one. And though it's not perfect, it's a good read.

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  6. I wish I could remember the names of the two Blanchard novels that I've read. I really enjoyed them.

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    1. If you ever think of them, let me know! I wouldn't mind trying some of her other books. :)

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  7. Wow, a lot of stuff happened to her and that's sad. Sounds like a good read though.

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    1. She did have a lot of stuff happen to her! Almost too much.

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  8. Wow, what a past! I like some hints to the identity of the killer, but being surprised it nice. Glad to hear you enjoyed the story!

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  9. This book sounds very interesting and I enjoy psychological suspense. But I agree that by the end of a mystery the killer when revealed shouldn't come out of the blue. The reader has to be able to say "oh yes I didn't suspect him but it makes sense". That said Alice Blanchard sounds like a writer to watch.

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    1. And unless I completely missed something earlier in the book, the reveal of the killer in this one felt totally out of the blue, and therefore, not really believable.

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  10. I don't think I've read anything by thus author; and this book sounds good, too. Another new-to-me author to explore!

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    1. First book by her that I've read, but I want to see what else she's written. :)

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  11. Wow, sounds like a hard, but fascinating read. I am still trying to get to lighter stuff.

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    1. I get wanting to read lighter stuff, especially right now! I like a mix of light and more serious. :)

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  12. "wouldn't want her to be psychiatrist" ha that made me laugh. She does sound a little off but glad you could root for her in the end. Finding out that the person you thought was the killer actually wasn't would be alarming and is a good premise. Glad this was mostly a good one!

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  13. What you say about the culprit in this one is exactly the complaint I just made about another novel. It's not fair to pull some random character out of a hat and make them the bad guy...if we don't get the clues we need to work it out for ourselves, 3/4 of the fun and satisfaction is gone.

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    1. Yes! There should have been some suspicion along the way, some clue that makes you go, "I don't trust this guy." But I didn't feel like the author gave me that in this book. And it made the ending less believable for me.

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  14. Oh my, it sounds like Kate has quite the stress-filled life. I'd get an ulcer with all that. Glad the story held you till the end.

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    1. Kate's life is a mess! But she hangs in there. And I admired her toughness, especially at the end.

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  15. I've not read anything by this author but will have to give her a try the next time I'm in the mood for a psychological thriller. This one sounds good!

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    1. This if the first book I've tried by her, but I'd definitely try her again.

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  16. I do like the sounds of this -- and the author is new to me, so more incentive to check it out. That said, its still good to know what to be aware of going in.

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    1. Maybe you'll have better luck sussing out the killer than I did!

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  17. Wow, it sounds like Kate's had a tough go of things. I've not read this author before, but I'll keep an eye out.

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    1. She's written several books, but this is the only one that I've read by her.

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  18. I haven't read a psychological thriller in a while! It does sound like a good read, despite the stubborn character.

    Genesis @ Whispering Chapters

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    1. It's well-written and reads fast. And I liked Kate despite her stubbornness. Thanks for commenting! :)

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  19. I love thrillers/mysteries that have a psychologist

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    1. Then you should give this one a try! Thanks for commenting.

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  20. I have read one book by Alice Blanchard and enjoyed it. This one sounds good. I do enjoy stories where the main character is a psychologist. Nice review Lark.

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    1. And I liked Kate, even though I didn't agree with all her choices.

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  21. I think it is not uncommon for psychiatrists and other mental heath workers to actually also have their own therapists to work out their own demons. But I hear you when you write you wouldn't want Kate to be your doctor! There are many fictional characters that I love to read about but in real life would probably avoid.

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