Stormi's Review: Pray for the Girl by Joseph Souza

APC PUBLISHER: Kensington RELEASED: April 30, 2019 GENRE: PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER LENGTH: 352 pages FORMAT: EBOOK, PAPERBACK

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Lucy Abbott never pictured herself coming back to Fawn Grove, Maine. Yet after serving time in Afghanistan, then years spent as a sous chef in New York, she's realized her only hope of moving on from the past involves facing it again. But Fawn Grove, like Lucy herself, has changed.

Lucy's sister, Wendy, is eager to help her adapt, almost stifling her with concern. At the local diner, Lucy is an exotic curiosity--much like the refugees who've arrived in recent years. When a fifteen-year-old Muslim girl is found murdered along the banks of the river, difficult memories of Lucy's time overseas come flooding back and she feels an automatic connection. At first glance, the tragedy looks like an honor killing. But the more Lucy learns about her old hometown, the less certain that seems.

There is menace and hostility here, clothed in neighborly smiles and a veneer of comfort. And when another teen is found dead in a cornfield, his throat slit, Lucy--who knows something about hiding secrets--must confront a truth more brutal than she could have imagined, in the last place she expected it . . . FIVE BOUNDLESS STARS

Lucy never pictured herself coming home to Fawn Grove, but now she is home recuperating from her time in Afghanistan. When a young girl is murdered, she feels connected and sets out to find out what happened. When another kid is murdered, she is even more determined, but when she starts to search, she finds out that her good old home town isn't what it used to be. I found this book to be very well written. It's captivating. Lucy is trying to heal from her past, so coming home is supposed to help with that. I found her to be a very likable and genuine character. This story was mysterious and enthralling. It is also shocking. Let me say; I was shocked. I had to stop and process for like two days. It was amazing. It has a bit of a political aspect to it that may bother or intrigue some people. I have experience with the military life, and so to me, it was intriguing. When I picked it up, I could not put it down. The characters and mystery lead the reader on a crazy ride from beginning to end. It left me in shock. Honestly. I still can't get over this book.