Review: Precious Thing by Collette McBeth

03/12/2014

Review: Precious Thing by Collette McBeth

I know her inside out. I know what she’s thinking, I know what she wants. So I can’t give up on her, she knows I never will.

Some friendships fizzle out. Rachel and Clara promised theirs would last forever.

They met in high school when Rachel was the shy, awkward new girl and Clara was the friend everyone wanted. Instantly, they fell under one another’s spell and nothing would be the same again. Now in their late twenties Rachel has the television career, the apartment and the boyfriend, while Clara’s life is spiraling further out of control. Yet despite everything, they remain inextricably bound. Then Rachel’s news editor assigns her to cover a police press conference, a
nd she is shocked when she arrives to learn that the subject is Clara, reported missing. Is it abduction, suicide or something else altogether?
Imagine discovering something about your oldest friend that forces you to question everything you’ve shared together. The truth is always there. But only if you choose to see it. In Colette McBeth's Precious Thing.

Hardcover, 304 pages

Expected publication: March 4th 2014 by Minotaur Books
Source: Publisher in Exchange for an honest review

Three and a half stars: A compelling psychological read that doesn't quite pan out.

Rachel is frantic with worry. Her best friend, Clara, disappeared last Friday after missing their scheduled meet up. Rachel and Clara have been best friends for years, they were inseparable and their shared everything. As Rachel tries to find her friend, she is forced to confront the past and the secrets that are long buried. The more she digs, the more muddled things become, until fingers are pointing at her. Is Rachel telling the truth? What happened to Clara?

What I Liked:

This is an entertaining and compelling read that kept me completely engaged and frantically flipping the pages as I was eager to learn the truth. A captivating psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns leading up to a jaw dropping finale. I couldn't put this one down.
I enjoyed the writing. This is told in a rather unconventional style, a second person recollection narrative. Rachel is telling her side of the story to the missing Clara, but it isn't apparent whether she is recollecting via letters, journal or just an ongoing dialogue in her head until the end. The writing is descriptive and it drew me in. I know this style won't appeal to everyone but I liked it.
If you have not read a psychological thriller before, this book will have a bigger impact on you as you won't be prepared for the twists and turns. For those of you who are familiar with the genre, it has everything you like: flawed, unreliable characters, disturbing secrets from the past, twists and shocking revelations, and a fast pace that will suck you in and keep you reading until the finale. As you read, you question everyone and everything, and that is indeed the case here. I like books that challenge me to question and to think.
I appreciated that this is a fast paced book that blends the past with the present. From the beginning, the reader is sucked in and eager to learn the truth. It is a compelling and exciting read that I couldn't put down. There are plenty of twists and reveals that gave me plenty to ponder on. If you enjoy a book that makes you think, and one that surprises and shocks you, give this one a go.

And The Not So Much:

I was completely absorbed in this tale up until the jaw dropping finale, and then I was left scratching my head. I think that the end didn't quite pan out, mostly because it felt a bit hurried and there wasn't enough detail and explanation. For instance, it is revealed that there is an accomplice helping, and there is only a brief explanation as to why he was involved, but I wanted more. There was a lot of mystery surrounding Clara even after everything was said and done. I never learned why she had to repeat a year of school, which ultimately put her in Rachel's class. Furthermore, why did she have to undergo psychological care? There are some small hints, but it wasn't clear as to whether or not she was truly mentally ill or whether it was all contrived. When the reader finally does meet Clara, she has some revelations of her own. She starts to shed some light on Rachel's character and she indicates that there were a lot of rumors and stories swirling around Rachel but she doesn't dish it out. I think that the story would have had much more of an emotional impact if the reader had gotten to see things through Clara's eyes, instead of only Rachel's.
Jake was a troublesome character for me. He is introduced as a colleague of Rachel's, but he soon becomes completely entangled in the story. I was never clear on his feelings, did he care for Rachel or was he just being manipulated? Why did he continue to stand by her at the end? Why would he deliver the letters? I didn't feel like he was developed and I never had a good read on him.
This is a book set in Britain. Thus, there are plenty of English references that as an American reader I didn't understand, not a big issue, but something to keep in mind.

Precious Thing is an exciting, entertaining and compelling book that I couldn't put down until the final pages. This is a solid psychological thriller that has all the elements you love in this type of book from a questionable narrator, shocking secrets and stunning reveals. This is a book that you need to set aside some time for as you will want to keep reading. It is fast paced and thrilling up until the end. While I enjoyed the journey, I felt the ending was a bit lacking, still it was worth the read as I will be thinking on it for days to come. If you are looking for a good psychological thriller, give this one a chance.

Favorite Quotations:
"What I'm trying to say is when he's not at home I feel like I've lost part of myself and I'd rather be anywhere than face the flat without him."

"Your laughter was like a drug, you see. It boosted and bolstered me, made me feel strong. I'd have done anything to hear it again and again and again."

"We were two missing pieces of a puzzle. Together we made sense."
"It's as if someone has turned the color on in my life. It's hard to explain but I feel like you've been there waiting for me all along. Like we are meant to be. For the first time I have someone on my side who understands me, laughs with me. Protects me."

"You can be so close to someone for a lifetime and not know who they really are."

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

Posted on 03/12/2014 at 12:00 AM in Reviews | Permalink

Comments

I know her inside out. I know what she’s thinking, I know what she wants. So I can’t give up on her, she knows I never will.

Some friendships fizzle out. Rachel and Clara promised theirs would last forever.

They met in high school when Rachel was the shy, awkward new girl and Clara was the friend everyone wanted. Instantly, they fell under one another’s spell and nothing would be the same again. Now in their late twenties Rachel has the television career, the apartment and the boyfriend, while Clara’s life is spiraling further out of control. Yet despite everything, they remain inextricably bound. Then Rachel’s news editor assigns her to cover a police press conference, a
nd she is shocked when she arrives to learn that the subject is Clara, reported missing. Is it abduction, suicide or something else altogether?
Imagine discovering something about your oldest friend that forces you to question everything you’ve shared together. The truth is always there. But only if you choose to see it. In Colette McBeth's Precious Thing.

Hardcover, 304 pages

Expected publication: March 4th 2014 by Minotaur Books
Source: Publisher in Exchange for an honest review

Three and a half stars: A compelling psychological read that doesn't quite pan out.

What I Liked:

This is an entertaining and compelling read that kept me completely engaged and frantically flipping the pages as I was eager to learn the truth. A captivating psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns leading up to a jaw dropping finale. I couldn't put this one down.
I enjoyed the writing. This is told in a rather unconventional style, a second person recollection narrative. Rachel is telling her side of the story to the missing Clara, but it isn't apparent whether she is recollecting via letters, journal or just an ongoing dialogue in her head until the end. The writing is descriptive and it drew me in. I know this style won't appeal to everyone but I liked it.
If you have not read a psychological thriller before, this book will have a bigger impact on you as you won't be prepared for the twists and turns. For those of you who are familiar with the genre, it has everything you like: flawed, unreliable characters, disturbing secrets from the past, twists and shocking revelations, and a fast pace that will suck you in and keep you reading until the finale. As you read, you question everyone and everything, and that is indeed the case here. I like books that challenge me to question and to think.
I appreciated that this is a fast paced book that blends the past with the present. From the beginning, the reader is sucked in and eager to learn the truth. It is a compelling and exciting read that I couldn't put down. There are plenty of twists and reveals that gave me plenty to ponder on. If you enjoy a book that makes you think, and one that surprises and shocks you, give this one a go.

And The Not So Much:

I was completely absorbed in this tale up until the jaw dropping finale, and then I was left scratching my head. I think that the end didn't quite pan out, mostly because it felt a bit hurried and there wasn't enough detail and explanation. For instance, it is revealed that there is an accomplice helping, and there is only a brief explanation as to why he was involved, but I wanted more. There was a lot of mystery surrounding Clara even after everything was said and done. I never learned why she had to repeat a year of school, which ultimately put her in Rachel's class. Furthermore, why did she have to undergo psychological care? There are some small hints, but it wasn't clear as to whether or not she was truly mentally ill or whether it was all contrived. When the reader finally does meet Clara, she has some revelations of her own. She starts to shed some light on Rachel's character and she indicates that there were a lot of rumors and stories swirling around Rachel but she doesn't dish it out. I think that the story would have had much more of an emotional impact if the reader had gotten to see things through Clara's eyes, instead of only Rachel's.
Jake was a troublesome character for me. He is introduced as a colleague of Rachel's, but he soon becomes completely entangled in the story. I was never clear on his feelings, did he care for Rachel or was he just being manipulated? Why did he continue to stand by her at the end? Why would he deliver the letters? I didn't feel like he was developed and I never had a good read on him.
This is a book set in Britain. Thus, there are plenty of English references that as an American reader I didn't understand, not a big issue, but something to keep in mind.

Favorite Quotations:
"What I'm trying to say is when he's not at home I feel like I've lost part of myself and I'd rather be anywhere than face the flat without him."

"Your laughter was like a drug, you see. It boosted and bolstered me, made me feel strong. I'd have done anything to hear it again and again and again."

"We were two missing pieces of a puzzle. Together we made sense."
"It's as if someone has turned the color on in my life. It's hard to explain but I feel like you've been there waiting for me all along. Like we are meant to be. For the first time I have someone on my side who understands me, laughs with me. Protects me."

"You can be so close to someone for a lifetime and not know who they really are."

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and I was not compensated for this review.

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