Where They Found Her - Kimberly McCreight (Review)

From the author of the New York Times bestseller and 2014 Edgar and Anthony nominee Reconstructing Amelia comes another harrowing, gripping novel that marries psychological suspense with an emotionally powerful story about a community struggling with the consequences of a devastating discovery.

At the end of a long winter, in bucolic Ridgedale, New Jersey, the body of an infant is discovered in the woods near the town’s prestigious university campus. No one knows who the baby is, or how her body ended up out there. But there is no shortage of opinions.

When freelance journalist, and recent Ridgedale transplant, Molly Anderson is unexpectedly called upon to cover the story for the Ridegdale Reader, it’s a risk, given the severe depression that followed the loss of her own baby. But the bigger threat comes when Molly unearths some of Ridgedale’s darkest secrets, including a string of unreported sexual assaults that goes back twenty years.

Meanwhile, Sandy, a high school dropout, searches for her volatile and now missing mother, and PTA president Barbara struggles to help her young son, who’s suddenly having disturbing outbursts. Told from the perspectives of Molly, Barbara, and Sandy, Kimberly McCreight’s taut and profoundly moving novel unwinds the tangled truth about the baby’s death revealing that these three women have far more in common than they realized. And that their lives are more intertwined with what happened to the baby than they ever could have imagined. Synopsis taken from Goodreads.

Title: Where They Found Her
Author: Kimberly McCreight
Genre: Adult Fiction, Mystery
Publisher: Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins
Publication Date: April 14, 2015
Format: ARC
Source: Received from publicist. Many thanks goes to HarperCollins for sending me a copy of this book for review. I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review.
Look for it: Amazon, Book Depository, Chapters.
My rating: 4 stars

WHERE THEY FOUND HER follows Molly, as she and her husband are trying to come to terms with the loss of their baby. They move to his hometown for a fresh start. Molly, an investigative reporter, has had other things occupying her time, other than reporting. When a body is found, she is assigned to report the situation, not realizing how much this story will affect and traumatize her. She struggles with the past, as the story, and the body, haunt her waking moments.

There are a lot of secrets, and a lot of eyes watching the investigation. Particularly since the crime was committed in a small town. Everyone knows everyone, and everything is related. Innocuous comments made early on in the read later turn up and are extrapolated on. Molly is a character who one can sympathize with, as she mourns the loss of her child, and is trying to move on. A stranger in a small town, she is the perfect person to look at things objectively. Molly’s voice aptly shows the struggles she has trying to keep her past from interfering with the present.

We also get to know two other characters quite well, as they both voice their own turmoils. Barbara, and Sandy are compelling characters. I’m particularly fond of Sandy’s character. She is going through a very traumatic time, as her world is also falling apart while she is looking for her missing mother. I didn’t find Barbara very likeable, but her insight did add to the read.

All in all, an atmospheric, engaging, and suspenseful read. This book highlights harrowing subject matter, and has several underlying themes present. It will leave you questioning, as you become more immersed in the read.