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Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for an advanced copy of this title.
The premise of an island field trip gone wrong establishes a heavy, atmospheric tone right from the start. The story jumps between the group’s initial arrival on the island and fourteen hours later when two third-graders go missing. The narrative spends eighty percent of the time setting the scene, focusing heavily on who did what to whom and why before the actual kidnapping takes place. There are very few sections dedicated to the disappearance itself and the aftermath.
The shifting perspectives do provide a wide view of the escalating drama among the parents, and I found some of the character arcs quite strong. Charles stood out as a genuinely good guy making poor choices while grappling with his waning writing career. His desperate desire to recapture the feeling of his past success makes him a compelling, sympathetic figure even when he falters.
Despite those positive character moments, the story leans heavily into suspense rather than operating as a fast-paced thriller. When the thrilling moments finally arrive, that section is short and rushes by quickly. I reached the final page feeling that there were simply too many questions left unanswered to provide proper closure. If you like isolated island settings, intense parent drama, and shifting perspectives, then you may enjoy this book. #TheChaperones #NetGalley