William Morrow The Perfect Girl: A Novel

Der Krimi liest sich spannend, ist aber eigentlich kein richtiger Krimi. Leider wird im Buch nie aufgeklärt, ob Zoe tatsächlich etwas in den Drink getan wurde, wie sie (und der Leser) spekuliert. Und der "Täter" des tödlichen Unfalls deckt sich schon x Seiten vor dem Ende selbst auf... Wirklich überraschend ist hier nichts, auch wenn Spannung bis zum (etwas unbefriedigenden) Schluss aufgebaut wird. Ärgerlich sind auch die vielen Kommafehler, was mich auch in Macmillans anderem Roman schon irritiert hat.

It's so difficult to be fair when giving this a star rating - Burnt Paper Sky was my favourite book of last year and, although I loved The Perfect Girl, it wasn't quite as stunning for me. The main reason for this, I think, was the lack of the brilliant DI Clemo, who was the wonderful creation in Burnt Paper Sky that was the glue that held the whole thing together. I thought at first that Sam, lawyer/lover, was going to inhabit a similar role in The Perfect Girl but it was sadly not to be. In fact, he kind of fizzled out by the end.However, comparisons aside, The Perfect Girl is a perfect fast read. Very short chapters, set over 2 time frames (yesterday and today, so you have to pay attention!) using 4 different protagonists' voices. I thought Zoe in particular (the 'perfect' girl) rang true and I could totally empathise with how she was feeling and dealing with her tragic past. I thought all the characters' voices in general were really well done.All in all, a really good second book and I believe DI Clemo will be returning in Ms Macmillan's next one. I cannot wait!

This is my 3. Book by this author . While I really enjoyed the other ones , I found this one very slow and difficult to get into . Long drawn out . Definetly missed the mark

This is a fantastic read – the book is written with a concentrated intensity that has the feel of a real-time drama – it’s like a play when all the protagonists are locked in a house together, and slowly the plot unfurls with immense detail and concentration. The characterisation is superb - as in her last book, the author has perfectly captured the tone and voice of each narrator, which makes you feel as if you're really inhabiting their mental space, and adds to the oppressive sense of tension.It's vivid, gripping and multi-layered – I loved the ideas it threw up about guilt, responsibility, and the questions it raised about actions permanently defining who we are, and what we can do to change that.

4 Stars..Zoe Maisey and her mother have built a new life for themselves. Even Zoe’s name is different. Everything changed within the blink of an eye. Zoe was involved in something horrific, something she paid a big price for and now, Zoe and her mother Maria have a second chance at life and a new family. The only thing that has remained a constant is Zoe’s piano playing. She and her new step brother Lucas have a concert tonight. At the end of it, tragedy strikes yet again and Zoe’s mother Maria ends up dead. Was it an accident or was it murder?In her second chance life, Zoe has had to put the past away and pretend it never happened. How long can Zoe pretend, hide and keep secrets before she begins to shut down and loses herself? Maria expects her daughter to be perfect and Maria herself acts as the perfect wife to her new husband Chris and that facade is bound to burst - in a big way.This novel alternates between the past and the present and is told from alternating viewpoints - in this way, we find out the truth - the story of what happened to Zoe and wha happens to her mother as well. I found this novel to be more of a slow burning character study of Zoe, her aunt Tessa and Tessa’s husband Richard v. a mystery novel. The author, Gilly MacMillan did a great job in development the characters and drawing us into their lives. As a whole however, the ending was a bit of a letdown and some parts of this novel seemed a bit far-fetched. “The Perfect Girl” was an enjoyable read though I liked Ms. MacMillan’s “What She Knew” a bit more.This was a Traveling Sister Read. It included Brenda, Kaceey, Jennifer, Berit, Marialyce and Nikki. Glad we read this one together sisters!Published on Goodreads, Amazon and Twitter on 1.7.17.