Review: Girl Most Likely by Max Allan Collins

I accidentally came across this book. I was browsing through the suspense books on Amazon, I was not looking for anything particular, I wasn't even really looking for a new book to read, I just wanted to see what was out there.

Girl Most Likely follows Krista on her journey as a young, female police chief in a small touristy town. Galena, Illinois doesn't see a lot of "real" crime but as Krista and her classmates start to gather for their 10-year class reunion, the find out about a recent murder of a classmate. Once the reunion weekend begins, another murder takes place right there in Galena, followed by the murder of a seemingly unrelated young lady. It is up to Krista to figure out who from their past is committing these murders.

What I Liked:

The cover of this book was so amazing at catching my attention I actually hit the "Buy Now" button before I actually read the blurb. I just instantly knew it was a book for me, yes I always judge a book by its cover! Once I started the book I got into it and ended up downloading the audiobook as well so that I could keep listening while I was doing my cleaning & laundry that night. Between the time I was able to sit down and read and listened to the book, I finished it throughout the course of a day.

Right from the beginning, you find out that Krista is taking in her father, Keith, who is struggling emotionally over the loss of his wife. Krista came by her career naturally since Keith is a retired police officer and she enlists Keith's help to solve the murder. Father and daughter work side by side and it was a sweet interaction between the two.

Like any good thriller, the book kept me guessing on the killer, I thought I had it all figured out a time or two but then there would come more information that I wasn't expecting.

What I Didn't Like:

The main issue I had with the book is that it went from being a third party narrative to chapters that were from the killers point of view. It wasn't the change of point of view that I had an issue with, I actually enjoy hearing multiple points of view throughout books. However, I felt like when we weren't hearing from the killer's point of view we needed to be hearing from Krista's point of view instead of a third party.

My Rating:

I just couldn't give the fifth star, only because I feel at times that there was important information that was left out, which could have helped us identify the killer, or a better way to put that is to better associate the killer with the story. I look forward to checking out book 2, Girl Can't Help It, when it is released in March 2020!

Book Details

Title: Girl Most Likely: A Thriller

Author: Max Allan Collins

Publisher: Thomas & Mercer

Publication Date: April 1, 2019

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2t353s4

Blurb:

It’s never too late for revenge in this thrilling novel by New York Times bestselling and award-winning crime master Max Allan Collins.

In a small Midwest town, twenty-eight-year-old Krista Larson has made her mark as the youngest female police chief in the country. She’s learned from the best: her father, Keith, a decorated former detective. But as accustomed as they are to the relative quiet of their idyllic tourist town, things quickly turn with Krista’s ten-year high school reunion.

With the out-of-towners holed up in a lakefront lodge, it doesn’t take long to stir up old grudges and resentments. Now a successful TV host, Astrid Lund, voted the “Girl Most Likely to Succeed”—and then some—is back in town. Her reputation as a dogged reporter has made the stunning blonde famous. Her reputation among her former classmates and rivals has made her infamous. Astrid’s list of enemies is a long one. And as the reunion begins, so does a triple murder investigation.

Krista and her father are following leads and opening long-locked doors from their hometown to the Florida suburbs to Chicago’s underworld. They just never imagined what would be revealed: the secrets and scandals of Krista’s own past.