Title: The Dare by Lesley Kara
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 288 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
At the time it was exciting. A game of dare, but one that had motive and justification. Children can be so judgmental, can’t they? I can still hear her cry as she toppled forward, the dull thud of her body as it landed on the pavement.
Lizzie and Alice are the best of friends, as close as can be. Until the day when they’re out playing by the train tracks and a childish spat triggers Lizzie’s epilepsy. When she comes to, she finds an unimaginable horror: Alice has been killed. Lizzie is devastated, and as she tries to cope with her grief, she is shocked to find herself alienated from Alice’s friends and relatives, who are convinced Lizzie and “the dare” somehow had a role in her friend’s death.
I knew that whatever she wanted me to do, I’d do it. Like that first, dreadful dare.
Years later, Lizzie has tried to move on. She’s engaged to a wonderful man and is starting a new life in London. But someone from her past isn’t willing to forgive and forget. And they’ll do anything to pry answers from her. Even if Lizzie doesn’t know them herself.
Review:
The Dare by Lesley Kara is a suspenseful mystery that seamlessly weaves back and forth in time.
As a child, Lizzie Molyneux is socially awkward and a bit of an outcast because of her epilepsy. She is befriended by Alice Dawson and the two are soon inseparable. As they enter their teen years, they have a few serious arguments, but they always make up. One day while they taking a walk, a fight erupts between them. As they near a railroad crossing, Lizzie has an epileptic seizure and Alice is struck by a train. Although Alice’s death is ruled an accident, Lizzie cannot let go of her guilt over her friend’s death.
Twelve years later, Lizzie is now engaged to Dr. Ross Murray and they are planning their wedding. Her epilepsy is now well-controlled but she still struggles to fit in. Getting settled into her new home, she is finishing unpacking where she discovers childhood items that bring those long-ago memories of Alice, their friendship and her death coming rushing back. Lizzie still cannot recall exactly what happened to Alice that day by the train tracks. Already a little frightened by eerie phone calls and other unsettling occurrences, Lizzie is stunned when her present collides with her past.
The Dare is a clever mystery with a fast-moving storyline. Lizzie is a sympathetic character that is very likable. Her relationship with Ross is quite happy as they plan their future together. Lizzie has yet to make friends and she is a little lonely. A little vulnerable, Lizzie decides to trust a newcomer but will she regret her decision? With spine-tingling twists and shocking turns, Lesley Kara brings this engrossing mystery to a jaw-dropping conclusion.
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