Review by Darcie Czajkowski
When her twin sister, Savannah, was murdered, Cady Martino was never the
same. The girls had shared the same DNA, and so, with her sister gone, Cady
felt like she had died, as well.
Eighteen years later, Savannah’s killer is still on the loose. Cady is
now thirty-three, married, and an ultra-successful author. Outwardly, she
appears to have moved on from her sister’s death, but inwardly she still toils
with the profound loss and writing mystery novels is her way of surviving the
pain.
Savannah occasionally comes to Cady in dreams, but until recently, the
dreams were pleasant, reminiscent of Savannah’s whimsical nature and lively
spirit. Now the dreams are vignettes Savannah walking toward a prison,
prompting Cady to visit the nearest penitentiary under the guise of research
for her latest mystery novel.
There, she runs into Brady Irons, her ultimate high school crush, where
he now works as a corrections officer. The two become friends, and Brady uses
his connections to secure Cady an interview with a serial killer, hoping to
glean insight in the way sociopaths think and investigate whether or not he
could be connected to her sister’s death.
At the same time, Patrick Tunney, the officer who arrived first on Savannah’s
murder scene years ago and made Cady feel safe and cared for, gets in touch
with Cady and explains that the old police chief, the one who was in charge
when Savannah was murdered, is being forced to resign on account of corrupt practices.
Detective Tunney has decided to re-open Savannah’s murder case, and he’s armed
with information that should have been revealed long ago, information that
could lead to finally identifying Savannah’s killer.
Will Cady be able to maintain her composure as the deadline for
completing her latest novel barrels toward her and as she struggles to keep
from accusing everyone around her of being her sister’s murderer? Will her
already floundering and lackluster marriage survive the strain of re-opening
her sister’s murder case? And most of all, will Savannah’s murderer be found
and brought to justice?
With twists and turns around every bend, drama, romance, and true
friendships, Susan Strecker’s Nowhere
Girl pulled me in right from the start. I adored Cady’s flaws, both in her
inability to move on from her sister’s death and in her physical appearance.
That being said, never did I pity Cady or become exasperated with her. She did
not come across as self-loathing or like she had low self-esteem. Rather, she
had understandable insecurities and imperfections, which stemmed from experiencing
the crippling loss of a person who was quite literally a part of her. The
identity of the killer kept me guessing throughout, and the ending was not at
all what I expected. I don’t often pick up mysteries, but Susan Strecker might
be just the author to turn me onto them. I highly recommend this story that
will leave you absolutely breathless.
Purchase the book at:
About the Author:
Susan Strecker holds a B.A. from Drew University and a
Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy from Southern Connecticut State
University. She practiced in the field of adolescent drug and alcohol
addiction. For ten years she ran a multi-venue motorsports park in Florida,
taking over the business after her father's death. In 2008 she sold it to be
home with her family and began writing. Strecker resides in Essex, Connecticut,
with her husband and two children.
Connect with the
author at:
Thomas Dunne Books is giving one lucky winner a print copy of
Nowhere Girl by Susan Strecker
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