Friday, January 15, 2021

Book Review: "A Familiar Sight" By Brianna Labuskes



When you sell your soul to the devil it may just reappear in another form that's twice the original evil!

"When your life is built on lies, what was one more?"

An absolutely magnificent thriller that will blow you away!!
I'm not sure how to explain this one other than to say the author's imagination was so far fetched that even I didn't expect the train wreck that was upon me engulfing my every sensation.

Reading this took me back to Gaslighting/Manipulation 101 with a psychologist/criminologist named Dr. Gretchen White trying to uncover the truth about a scapegoated child named Viola courtesy of her dad (Reed) who was being investigated by detective Patrick Shaughnessy.

You see it's quite simple really. The mother Claire Kent was found dead and all fingers point to Viola who has a history of abusive childhood as well as acting out especially against animals & her inner circle.

Appearing to be a cut/dry case with nothing more to uncover other than loose ends but those loose ends lead to a climax like you wouldn't believe because hidden deep within the recesses of the mind is clues that have been building for the past 20 years. In fact the timeline goes back twenty years prior to Claire's death and takes us through several years prior only to go from current back to past and then finally moves forward.

Tess Murphy also went missing at one point, and several other characters come into play including Declan Murphy, and Lena. Tess apparently was Reed's girlfriend years ago with nothing more than a bloody bracelet being located without any body.

While this mystery is brewing we have a hot cooker with Lena/Ainsley Kent who both seem to know more than they're letting on so it's a burial site that's holding more interest at World's End Park.

Ironically, we have a park by this very name in Northeastern Pennsylvania that my own psycho ex-spouse took his new G.F. to visit. So, this really was a hum-dinger.

In addition a crime blogger adds two cents to the plot which keeps the ball rolling at an even clip.

Throw in an affair to remember and a possible framing scenario and more child abuse and we have an epic thriller of mass proportion on our hands!

Now, usually when people are overly stressed therapy helps settle the frayed edges. If that doesn't work perhaps meditation. Or, in the event none of the above than turning to meds is a sure solution solver. However, in the wrong hands medicine such as anti-anxiety meds or even pain killers and or narcotics can be deadly (Just sayin').

So much death and destruction and for those who are triggered (suicides) but in the end it's time to rest. Put it all away. "File" it under -case closed!
YIKES!!!

I'm exhausted as this was a whirl-wind that should be applauded and rewarded!

Thank you Brianna, the pub, NetGalley, and Amazon Kindle for this ARC in exchange for this honest review.

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