Review Detail

The third book in the Whidbey Island saga continues the story of Becca King and her group of friends. Becca is still trying to hide from her stepfather; closer to her, mysterious fires are occurring on the island, making the new arrivals to the island look suspicious.

Balancing Becca’s personal mystery with the fire mystery, the plot is full of tension and secrets. Elizabeth George does a wonderful job of juggling the many different characters of the island and their own personal problems while interconnecting everything with the larger suspense plot. Becca starts to take a more active role in the mysteries this time, even hinting at potential detective skills towards the end. The paranormal element with Becca’s mind reading slowly starts to grow as well, making the plot rich, detailed, and complex.

As Jenn did in the previous novel, Hayley now plays a bigger role in the story line. Her character, full of so much sadness and uncertainty, develops magnificently as she encounters a new guy, family trouble, and college applications. Her area in the story feels realistic and very relatable for teens whose next steps are unsure.

Though I enjoyed the plot, the writing feels a bit choppy at times. Some chapters feel cut off and don’t flow well into the rest of the story, and some of the dialogue gets a bit clichéd. As in previous books in the series, there are some uncomfortable areas of body shaming that are never resolved, and some relationships between characters seem to form instantly without build up. However, the friendship between Jenn and Becca grows wonderfully, and the intense plot will keep readers turning the pages happily.

Though there are flaws, fans of this series will find the same exciting pacing and intrigue from previous novels in this latest installment. With the strong detail in their lives, the cast of characters is sure to start feeling like family to readers as this series progresses.