The Unforgotten by Laura Powell
I don't read enough mystery, so this was my attempt to remedy that! The cover and synopsis sounded interesting, and I'm so happy I got a copy of this.
The Unforgotten is a novel about murders in the 50's, and the effects the case has on the lives of people immediately in the aftermath, and 50 years in the future. When I started this, I thought it was strictly historical, but when I read the first '50 years later' chapter I was immediately invested in the story. I was really excited to try and put the clues together based on the scraps of knowledge imparted on the reader in each chapter. I finished the story in a day, more or less, because it was really difficult to stop thinking about it once I put it down.
The author doesn't treat you like a child but lets you draw your own conclusions. It's such a refreshing, wonderful way of telling the story, and I think it's why I've been so absorbed by it. About a hundred pages in, I had this sudden realisation about the connection between the story in 1956 and 2006, and I felt silly because it took me so long when really it should have been obvious. But actually, I'm really happy about it, because I like being surprised, and I like having the chance to put the pieces together when the author doesn't immediately spell things out for you.
The characters were well-written, especially Betty. She felt like a realistic depiction of a 15-year-old to me. Quite a few bits of this, especially towards the end made me emotional. The solution to the murder mystery kept me guessing, and the writing is solid. A really intriguing novel with an unpredictable plot, the Unforgotten is just the kind of mystery you want to read while wrapped up in a blanket, a nice cup of tea within reach.
I really enjoyed the Unforgotten! It's an intense, quick-paced story with interesting story-telling and characterisation.
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