Jess Penhallow's Reviews > The Good Girl

This book annoyed me for many reasons. The plot was not believable and, in my opinion, promoted unhealthy relationships and actions. The characters were not likeable. I am fine with unlikeable characters. I actually enjoy when a character is just truly nasty. But the characters in this book seemed like they were getting a pass for their terrible actions and that I do not enjoy. I can't rant much more without going into spoilers so if you want to know the (very spoilery) awful things that the characters do you can read them below.

(view spoiler)[
Gabe - Hits on a married woman who is the mother of a kidnapping victim he has been tasked to find. Seems like he mainly wants to find this girl to get into her mother's good books. Harasses a potential witness at the witness's workplace for no reason other than that he doesn't like the look of him and 'it's usually the boyfriend' - Great detective work there! Undermines the professional advice of a psychiatrist to attempt to bring out a traumatic memory from a kidnapping victim despite not having the expertise to deal with such a memory should it arise.

Colin - Kidnaps a girl for money. Is abusive towards her for months (manhandling her, tying her to pipes, threatening her with a gun), threatens to kill an animal to blackmail her, considers killing an innocent bystander who could possibly blow his cover. But this is all forgiven because he looks after his disabled mother and buys the girl a Christmas tree! *rolls eyes*

Mia - Attempts to extort money from her father to punish him for extortion (yes, really!). Arranges her own kidnapping for said extortion and to make her father notice her not caring about the effect that this would have on others in her life such as her mother, sister, friends and students at her school. Doesn't let her kidnapper know of this plan and allows him to think they are both in real danger.

These are supposed to be the good guys! Eve is the only likeable character in the story which makes it all the more frustrating that her daughter put her through so much pain. (hide spoiler)]

This book was trying to be Gone Girl but failed in making its characters awful in an interesting way rather than just awful in an awful way. It only gains a second star for the structure. It's chapters alternate between POVs and from before and after Mia is found. This was novel and a good way to build tension. If only the story it was telling warranted this style.