Try Not to Breathe
by David Bell
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: June 27, 2023
Reviewed by PJ
An ex-cop sets out to find her missing sister and discovers the shocking truth about her family...
A traumatic experience in the line of duty forces thirty-year-old Avery Rogers to abandon both her relationship and her position as a Kentucky State Police officer. She retreats to a college town where she works an unfulfilling job as a security guard, breaking up fights between drunken frat boys.
But a frantic phone call turns Avery’s life upside down. Her father—a retired cop who never fails to convey his disappointment in Avery—says her half sister is missing and in danger. Avery is sure Anna’s just crashing with friends, but her father strong-arms her into searching for the sister she barely knows.
Anna Rogers is fed up with her family—a half sister who resents her existence and a domineering father who thinks it’s okay for cops to shoot unarmed civilians. She hits the road to attend a protest against police brutality, unaware of the danger that awaits her there.
Just after catching a glimpse of Avery at the protest, Anna receives a shocking text. Now she’s no longer road-tripping; she’s running, pursued by an older sister she doesn’t trust and a violent stranger who has been stalking her for weeks.
When Avery discovers Anna’s hiding place near a remote cave system, she risks everything to save her. Little do the sisters know that a secret is catching up to them—a secret at the very heart of their family history.
PJ's Thoughts:
If high intensity suspense thrillers are your jam, do I have a book for you. Try Not to Breathe kept me flipping pages way into the night. It hits the ground running and never lets up. Twisty, compelling, a surprise around every corner, this one kept me guessing right up until the final, breath-stealing reveal.
Dysfunctional family dynamics are at the heart of this tale, threaded throughout both the mystery surrounding a murder and Anna's stalker, as well as the fraught sibling relationship between Anna and Avery. And that's not even taking into account the complexities of the relationships both women have with their hardline father.
If you're looking for a romance-centric thriller this may not be the book for you, but if you're in the mood for a danger-filled, action-packed, thought-provoking roller-coaster ride with a light romantic thread, give this one a try. I enjoyed it and will be looking for more books from this author.
Do you enjoy suspense thrillers?
What book last kept you reading late into the night?
Do you enjoy figuring out mysteries before the reveal or do you prefer to be surprised?
One randomly chosen person posting a comment before 11:00 PM, July 7 will receive a print copy of Try Not to Breathe.
*U.S. only
*Must be 18
