Thursday, April 8, 2021

Book Review: Lies We Bury

I normally don't really read a lot of thrillers until the fall, but I've had a good run of them lately so I have to just talk them up.  

If you know me in real life, you know that I really love true crime and I'm all about a true crime podcast and this book is really one for you if you're the same way. 

Lies We Bury - Elle Marr

I was born in captivity…

Two decades ago Marissa Mo escaped a basement prison—the only home she’d ever known. At twenty-seven, Marissa’s moved beyond the trauma and is working under a new name as a freelance photographer. But when she accepts a job covering a string of macabre murders in Portland, it’s impossible for Marissa not to remember.

Everything is eerily familiar. The same underground lairs. Sad trinkets and toys left behind, identical to those Marissa had as a child. And then there is the note meant just for her that freezes Marissa’s blood: See you soon, Missy.

To determine the killer’s next move, Marissa must retrieve her long-forgotten memories and return to a past she’s hidden away. But she won’t be facing her fears alone. Someone is waiting for her in the dark.
Whoa, boy. I actually flew through this book because I was totally caught up on my Morbid podcast episodes, and this one was dark. I'll even call it a psychological thriller because the book really centered around the memories we have, how time can change them, and how several people can go through the same traumatic event and all have wildly different memories of it. I told someone else that this story was pretty bananas and I didn't even figure it out because my brain couldn't get all the way around this, so the ending was kind of intense. I honestly felt like Claire trying to process things at the same pace. The things I remembered from earlier in the book maybe wasn't the way it really was so I was trying to figure the ending out based on information I don't have totally right.... if that makes sense. 

The story really starts with Claire, who used to be Marissa. She is one of three children who were born in captivity after her mother (and the other two moms) were abducted/held captive by Chet. Eventually they escaped and Claire has grown up being "that girl" and you know people are- they spread rumors, make up stories, treat them like a news piece instead of actual people dealing with a traumatic life. Claire fares slightly "better" than her sisters do, though that is really debatable because it is clear she isn't well. It's approaching the twenty year anniversary of their escape and suddenly Claire finds herself back in the crosshairs of a killer, possibly one that knows HER and her story. She reaches out to her sister Jenessa, who after a few stints in rehab is seemingly back on track who assures her it probably is just a prank or an opportunist. Claire wants to believe that but as new murders happen in Portland, she's just not sure and it seems like the killer is setting her up for something. 

This book was wild. I couldn't put this one down and I found myself trying to figure this out for Claire because things just seemed too odd. By the time all of the details unraveled? Wow. What a story. I can only imagine the notes the author had to keep to organize all of it and to let it flow the way it did. It is PERFECT for fans of true crime because you'll really enjoy trying to piece the original story (the book flashes back to before their escape to present day) and decide how it ties in with the murders happening now. It's also a great piece on what childhood trauma can do to a person and also bring up the nature versus nurture debate. 

A huge thank you to Thomas & Mercer for sending me a copy of this for review- WHAT A RIDE. If you're a fan of Jennifer McMahon, this is a good comparison and I'd read anything by Elle Marr, she is incredibly talented and I'm excited to see what comes next. 
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1 comment:

Why Girls Are Weird said...

I totally need to read this, it sounds so good!