While driving along a suburban back road, Hilary Blum, who's just lost her job and whose deadbeat husband has left her alone to care for her son with Asperger's, witnesses a freakish accident. A car ahead of her careens down a hill and slams into a tree. Stopping to help, she discovers the driver dead—and a satchel stuffed with a half a million dollars.
That money could prevent her family's ruin and keep her special needs son in school. In an instant, this honest, achieving woman who has always done the responsible thing makes a decision that puts her in the center of maelstrom of dark consequences and life-threatening recriminations—a terrifying scheme involving a twenty-year-old murder, an old woman who's life has been washed out to sea, and a powerful figure bent to keep the secret that can destroy him hidden.
With everything to lose, everything she loves, Hilary connects to a determined cop from Staten Island, reeling from the disaster of Sandy, to bring down an enemy who will stop at nothing to keep what that money was meant to silence, still buried.
- Paperback, 480 pages - Published April 10th 2014 by Harper.
- ISBN: 0007484461 / ISBN13: 9780007484461.
I received a copy from the publisher via the Goodreads Firstreads scheme in exchange for an honest review!
What I say: I really enjoyed Everything to Lose and found the mystery/thriller aspect compelling. Main character Hilary is faced with an interesting and difficult choice, which could affect the life of her young son Brandon: to take the money or not?! Hilary needs money to care for Brandon who has Asperger's and her hapless ex-husband who has remarried and doesn't help her.
The story focuses on Hilary as she makes her choice and then deals with the consequences. Gross has very cleverly woven in some interesting subplots including the Hurricane victims and policeman Patrick. Every time Charlie was mentioned I started to panic and I was surprised by the ending and the many twists.
The main aspect that struck me was Hilary's strength. She's courageous and determined when it comes to her son and to survival. I kept waiting for her to force Jim to get it together and take responsibility for his son.
There are some bitter sweet moments in the story - I loved the teddybear. Everything To Lose is gripping and enjoyable and I really felt the residents battle for survival and to not let the Hurricane defeat them.
4 Stars in my Sky!
No comments
Post a Comment