whitneydaniell

by: L.S. Stratton
Published: Mar 28, 2023
Genre: Thriller, Murder Mystery, Fiction
320 Pages, Paperback
GoodReads Link

Uhhhhhhh, where to begin?

I love a good murder mystery but I hate terrible, unlikable characters. Tasha and her son, Ghalen are both.

An unsuspecting Tasha invites a stranger, Madison, into her car to save her from her abusive husband – or so she thinks. Madison then reaches out to thank Tasha, invites her to lunch, then drops a bomb on Tasha as she is heading to the METRO to get home. Tasha is a victim of domestic abuse and ultimately, she is returning home from this lunch right back to the man who has been holding her captive!

Here are some areas where things fall off the tracks for me:

1. Tasha leaves the hotel to return to Kordell because her 17-year-old son wants to stay. He is 17. He can make that decision for himself. If he is unwilling to see his father for who he really is and has your best interest at heart, LEAVE HIM THERE WITH THAT MAN AND GO ON ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.
2. Madison’s proposition to Tasha. Madison is not an intelligent criminal if this was her plan all along because now, you’ve been seen in public with this woman. You’ve messaged her on IG – which could be used as evidence. Not only with Tasha but, you’re talking on the phone with Summer about committing a crime. That’s like, the number 1 rule when doing dumb sh*t; don’t leave a paper trail or have conversations on the phone. Word to American Gangster!
3. Morris was way too nice and way too willing to go along with Tasha’s dumb sh*t. As a man, how could you walk around with this woman knowing what her husband is doing to her? Why not go to the police to try to save her?
4. Ghalen! I saw his abusive tendencies coming a mile away. Sadly, Tasha is a mother that we all know; a mother who loves her son instead of raising him. That boy is immature and emotionally stunted and from the moment he was able to discern what was going on around him, he should have been in therapy. For seventeen years he witnessed his father abuse his mother. Not only that but, his mother has only babied and pacified him, his actions, and his behaviors. He was insufferable.

For a murder mystery, it had a great twist. But for me, when there are no redeemable characters, and no one to root for, it makes it hard for me to “like” the book as a whole. Detective Simmons was the only character who had some sense and even he got on my nerves. You cannot function off of lack of sleep and 12 cups of coffee.

I’ve said it before about murder mysteries: usually, the cops are useless and dumb but, Simmons sniffed out the right clues immediately.

Final Thoughts: The story was cool, I’d give it a 4/5. The characters killed it for me tho, they’re a 1/5.

One-Word Summary: 818 Wicker Street