What's This? Another Thriller That Didn't Disappoint Me?

TITLE: Closer Than You Know
AUTHOR: Brad Parks
PUBLISHER: Dutton Books
PUBLISHING DATE: March 6, 2018

FROM GOODREADS: Disaster, Melanie Barrick was once told, is always closer than you know.

It was a lesson she learned the hard way growing up in the constant upheaval of foster care. But now that she's survived into adulthood--with a loving husband, a steady job, and a beautiful baby boy named Alex--she thought that turmoil was behind her.

Until one Monday evening when she goes to pick up Alex from childcare only to discover he's been removed by Social Services. And no one will say why. It's a terrifying scenario for any parent, but doubly so for Melanie, who knows the unintended horrors of what everyone coldly calls "the system."

Her nightmare mushrooms when she arrives home to learn her house has been raided by sheriff's deputies, who have found enough cocaine to send Melanie to prison for years. The evidence against her is overwhelming, and if Melanie can't prove her innocence, she'll lose Alex forever.

Meanwhile, assistant commonwealth's attorney Amy Kaye--who has been assigned Melanie's case--has her own troubles. She's been dogged by a cold case no one wants her to pursue: a serial rapist who has avoided detection by wearing a mask and whispering his commands. Over the years, he has victimized dozens of women.

Including Melanie. Yet now her attacker might be the key to her salvation . . . or her undoing. 

MY THOUGHTS: So before I say anything, had I initially seen the comparison of "For fans of The Couple Next Door" I would have likely stayed as far away from this book as possible. That being said, I'm glad I didn't. "Closer Than You Know" is my latest foray into what I am deeming "The year of thrillers." Not that I plan on reading tons of them but it seems like they are EVERYWHERE. Or maybe I'm just noticing them more.

Melanie, a happily married college graduate, leaves work on night and when she arrives at the sitter's house to pick up her son Alex, she finds he has been taken in the custody of Human Services. This is just the beginning of Melanie's nightmare and before she knows it, she is not only accused of child abuse, but she is in jail for assaulting a police officer and drug trafficking charges. I could say she eventually ends up with even MORE legal trouble but I don't want to give too much away. Melanie knows her future looks grim but all she can think of is getting her son back. But as hard as she tries to find out what is really going on, someone is trying equally as hard to claim Alex as their own.

This book is 400 pages of disaster after disaster. I honestly don't know how Melanie gets up in the morning because her life quickly goes to hell. As the story progresses, she doesn't know who to trust and I admit, I didn't either. "Closer Than You Know" was very action packed and I read this 400+ page book in under 2 days. So you know it kept me interested. In the end, I just had to know what was going on and that was my ultimate driving force in finishing it.

As much as I liked this book, I do think it has some flaws. It seems like Melanie should have been named Murphy because this girl was a disaster magnet. I actually felt the author may have went a tad too far in heaping problem after problem upon our MC. Also, there were a few twists in the book which I didn't feel were necessary. In fact, I think one was added just because without it, the creepiness of the character was just "there" with no real explanation why. Finally, I really suspected the main culprit of all of Melanie's troubles, but was never 100% sure and there were enough other things thrown in that I was still interested.

I will be keeping an eye on Parks' future works as I enjoyed his writing and think he has the making of a really good thriller author. While not perfect, "Closer Than You Know" was definitely entertaining and actually measured up better for me than some other really hyped books which I found to be duds.

I received this book from the Penguin First to Read program in exchange for an honest review. 

RATING: 4 PAWS