Wow, this book was as good, if not better, than A Good Girl's Guide to Murder. The sense of urgency to the case adds an element of suspense. Pip's fear for Jamie is visceral. But, she is also strained from her last case, fearful of what doing these cases has done to her psyche. She knows she is going too far, that she should pull back, but she is also invested. These investigations always come at a cost; whether it is hurting those you love, hiding pretty damning secrets, or losing a war with your own conscience about how far you will go to solve it. The actual story was twisting and turning, throwing the reader through every hoop. I suspected some things, but could not see how they could be connected. In the end, it was more tragic than I could have guessed. A real morality check. The reader is asked to think about children and how much agency they have. Pip goes about doing so much behind her parents backs, but what if a parent made you do something horrible out of fear for your own safety? At what point are you culpable for your actions? I was in tears by the end for the outcome of the case. There were also some interesting ideas about fame and its effects on relationships. Some of Pip's friends are so oblivious to their actions and the impacts of those actions. One particular friends sells Pip out, thinking she is doing this second podcast for more fame, glory, and sponsorship money. Pip has to deal with a lot of awful people who think it is okay to mistreat her or belittle her, because she is now a part of the public domain. As soon as she posted her original podcast, to show the truth of Andie Bell's murder, she became a commodity. All the while, in the background, is the trial of Max Hastings, who should easily be convicted for several rape charges. But, with many real life rape cases proving that not everything turns out exactly as it should, with the rapist behind bars, you begin to let doubt creep in that maybe this time might be the same. And how will that affect Pip, who held back Max's confession because it could not be used as evidence. How would a guilty vs. a not guilty verdict impact Pip's life and those of the people she has come to respect and care about? How might the decision impact future actions? A great second book, filled with tense moments, sadness, and a permeating sense of dread. Highly recommend this series!
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