Life Update: Why This Review is Late

So, it’s April 2, and this book was supposed to be finished last week. Or, actually, Monday. But it wasn’t. Life has been busy. We went to New York City, a friend visited, we traveled to Florida, and weekends—my usual reading time—just disappeared. Plus, with school and classes, I barely have time to read and take notes. But despite that, I did read quite a bit in March—not page-wise, but book-wise. That will be for the March wrap-up, even though this book technically spills into April.

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Reading Progress: A Slow Start but Picking Up

I know everyone’s here for the review, so let’s get into it. When I left off, we were about to learn what was in the moving truck. And we find they dug up this man’s grave. But why? That’s a crime, right?

It had been a few weeks since I last picked up the book, so my memory was a little fuzzy, but then the story started coming together. This book feels like a puzzle where the pieces are scattered across different boxes—or like a Survivor challenge where you have to earn the pieces before you can even start putting them together.

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The Mystery and Its Clever Execution

Chapter 27.5 might be my favorite. I love mysteries, horror, and any story where I can try to predict the twists, and this book understands that. It plays with expectations, knowing that if there are still too many pages left, we’re not about to find the killer. If a book advertises a twist, you know it’s coming, so you start analyzing everything. This book takes that ability and uses it against you, Ern gives you information or uses a play of words to mislead you. The writing was clever that way.

We were also given details that made me go back and reassess earlier moments. Who did the stepdad kill? Did he inadvertently get Ern’s dad killed? The book is picking up pace that is for sure. Because BOOM-

I didn’t expect Michael to die like that. For one moment he was there and the next he was gone.

And then—so many bodies! It was a lot to track.

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Piecing It Together: The Book’s Unique Style

I liked how this book teaches you to be a better mystery reader. It plays with assumptions—just because it’s a murder mystery doesn’t mean everyone is a murderer. Chapter 27.5 really shifted my perspective.

Then came Lucy. Were we being led to believe she was going to die? Or was it all misdirection? We are told that she is has had her last cigarette, a few times. It was this final time where the nudge in the ribs finally got my brain to think. As I look back it was so obvious that there was a hint. Now that we have the reveal and that she chose to save herself from being suffocated, I see the hints were there

As I sit here it is raining in Buffalo made for a perfect reading day. I had no rehearsal, no desire to go out. So I just read. And wow, things escalated quickly.

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The Final Stretch: Twists and Turns

By Chapter 30, I was all in. Ernie and Erin were working together, which was nice, but also—hello? Ernie’s brother just died? And we’re just… moving on? Sure, he was in prison for three years, but still. And then Aaron’s confession? I wasn’t ready for that.

Then suddenly—boom—things started happening rapidly. The pacing in the final chapters was wild. Head snap after head snap. And then—what?! That plot twist. I had suspected Crawford was suspicious, but I got distracted by everything else going on. The book did a fantastic job of leading me down different paths, making me ignore obvious clues.

The ending was unexpected but satisfying. The brother being alive? The ghost deception? The way the book tricked us while still playing fair? I have to admit, that was impressive.

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Final Thoughts: Worth the Read?

Would I read the next book in the series? I think so. The humor was sharp, the storytelling clever, and even though it took me a while to get into it, I enjoyed it by the end.

Rating: 3.5 stars (7/10). The first half was rough, but once you understand the tone, humor, and structure, it clicks. The book breaks the fourth wall a lot, which took some adjusting, but once I was on board, I appreciated how it played with storytelling conventions.

Apparently, this was optioned for an HBO adaptation in 2022, though nothing seems to have come from that yet.

Ultimately, this is a story about family trauma, family bonding, and how our past shapes us—but doesn’t have to define us. I liked it. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a fun ride.

Good job, Benjamin Stevenson!