From the author of Sydney’s Last Night:
Pierce Watkins' sister died in a tragic accident. Or was it? As Pierce attempts to uncover the truth, she reconnects with her sister's high school boyfriend. The more she digs, the more secrets come out; however, Pierce may not like the answers she finds.
Sydney’s Last Night is a gripping contemporary mystery that would be great for older teens who enjoy reading about creepy characters. The story begins with the protagonist, Pierce, trying to cope with the loss of her sister Sydney. She doesn’t believe Sydney’s death was an accident, and although she thinks she knows the identity of the murderer, she isn’t sure. The small town where she lives is full of clues, but deception is everywhere, and Pierce doesn’t know who to trust. I think the best thing about this story was the ominous atmosphere the author created. Everyone in Pierce’s life seemed like a suspect at one point or another, and the ending surprised me! There was just so much drama, even with the characters who didn’t have anything to do with Sydney’s death. The story was so exciting and fast-paced! It held my interest the whole time I was reading it, and the plot never lagged.
The characters felt genuine, and they were unique enough that I didn’t have trouble keeping track of them. I was glad Pierce had some good friends in her life; she definitely needed them! I felt awful for her, though, because she spent most of the story feeling unsafe. It’s true that she made a lot of stupid decisions along the way, but she was doing her best. Considering everything, I think she was both courageous and resilient. The other main character, Ian, was a bit too pushy at first, but he grew on me as the story continued. I thought he was interesting, and his interactions with Pierce were fascinating to see, partly because her opinion of him prevented her from viewing him objectively. I’m glad he turned out the way he did at the end of the book.
The plot was enjoyable, and I liked how the author directed suspicion toward multiple different characters throughout the story. The ending wasn’t something I could have predicted, which bothered me at first because I like to pick up clues along the way, but since the story is told from Pierce’s point of view, it makes sense. Being blindsided as a reader allowed me to experience Pierce’s surprise when she finally discovered who caused her sister’s death. I would definitely recommend this book! It is a clever story with a satisfying ending.
To check out more of Emily Camp’s writing, visit her author page on Goodreads!
FTC disclosure: I received a free copy of the book reviewed above.
Author photograph by Stephanie Dribus
Thank you for visiting my blog!
I invite you to subscribe to my email list! I would be delighted to send you a free copy of my new short story Help Me, a bittersweet medical drama set in the early 1970s. Synopsis: The year is 1972. Fourteen-year-old Agnes has just been diagnosed with a brain tumor. She has no treatment options until Peterson, a brilliant scientist, offers to give her an experimental drug. Agnes is counting on him to save her life, but he has other ideas.
Help Me is the prequel to the Silvertree Series, now available on Amazon!
