120. Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon

Dismantled by Jennifer McMahon

Pages: 422
Ages: 18+
Finished: Jul. 4 2009
First Published: June '09
Genre: psychological thriller
Rating: 4/5

First sentence:

"Dismantlement Equals Freedom"

Reason for Reading: The write-up had me drooling to read this thriller . I received a review copy from Harper Collins Canada.

Comments: Four artist friends from college formed a group called the "Compassionate Dismantlers" whose manifesto was "To understand the nature of a thing, it must be taken apart". They spend their final summer after graduation together in a cabin in the woods to experience the ultimate summer of dismantling until things go too far and one of them, Suz, is killed and they cover up the murder. Ten years later signs from the past show up, the remaining members are contacted, haunted, reminded of the past and that fateful summer. A former victim of their pranks commits suicide and the remaining three "Dismantlers" are frightened. Their lives become fraught with eerie events. Does someone know what they did that summer and is now trying to reveal the secret? Did Suz survive? Has she come back for revenge? Or maybe she's found a way back to get revenge anyway ...

An awesome book. Nail-biting suspense all the way through with twist after twist. I thought I had this figured out early on and just when I was about to be proven right, whamo, another reveal and my jaw dropped, of course! what an amazing ending!

At first glance this may appear to be horror, based on the write-up but it's not. The book is not gruesome and while it does carry a paranormal element that element is small. I read this book in two days as I just couldn't put it down. This is certainly a plot-driven book and while that leaves the characters a little flat it didn't really matter, as so much is happening to them I really wasn't interested in any greater insight into their psyche. Fascinating plot, very tense and fast-paced but also well-paced with plot moving episodes that allow the reader breathing space before the action picks up once again. I really loved the ending. I found it very satisfying with complete closure and yet with just a hint of eeriness that makes you smile when you close the book.

If this is an example of what to expect from Ms. McMahon I'm quite anxious now to read her two previous books Island of Lost Girls and Promise Not to Tell.


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