I confess. I had never read a James Patterson novel, nor am I a fan of mysteries. My 12-year-old daughter, on the other hand, has read a ton of murder-mystery books. So, in order to provide a more balanced review, we both read Confessions of a Murder Suspect.
My daughter liked the book way more than I did. After all, this is a book written for suspense-loving teens. All the ingredients of action, mystery, a touch of sci-fi, and a touch of teen angst and romance are present. Chapters are very short, which suits many busy teens.
The book opens with the murder of Maud and Malcolm Angel, Tandy's parents. Tandy is disturbed by her siblings' and her own inability to feel sorrow over her parents' death, but then again, the Angels were never a normal family. Intent on finding her parents' murderer—even if it is by herself—Tandy uncovers dark and disturbing family secrets that will change her life forever.
My problems with "Confessions" lie in the somewhat formulaic writing. Beginning with the family name "Angel" (ha ha, get it?) to the know-it-all cop, and the maid who knows too much. Almost all of the adult characters are one-dimensional evil people. Every short chapter has a cliffhanger, which got tired after a while. Dialogues reminded me of a CSI episode rather than real-life exchanges.
My daughter LOVED the suspense, and thought the plot was pretty inventive. Mr. and Mrs. Angel know how to manipulate their kids in sinister and interesting ways. Tandy uncovers many secrets about her past that lead her to question her whole childhood, and even her future.
If you're looking for a book that will have your teen hooked, then take my daughter's advice: Pick up Confessions of a Murder Suspect.
And Hachette Book Group is giving away **one copy of "Confessions of a Murder Suspect!" To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment below. You have until **Nov. 26th, 2012** to enter. You must be a YMC member and please be sure you've registered your email address in our commenting system so we can contact you if you win.
Yummy Rules and Regs: You must be a YummyMummyClub.ca member to win. Click to sign up! It's free and filled with perks. One comment per member. Entries accepted until **Nov. 26th, 2012**. Contest open to Canadian residents (excluding Quebec). Winners will be picked using www.random.org. See full contest rules.
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