(ARC) Book Review: Cryer's Cross

Cryer's Cross by Lisa McMann

Description and cover art courtesy of Goodreads.

Publication Date: 8 February 2011.

I received an electronic galley of Cryer's Cross from Simon and Schuster Galley Grab.


Description
The community of Cryer’s Cross, Montana (population 212) is distraught when high school freshman Tiffany disappears without a trace. Already off-balance due to her OCD, 16-year-old Kendall is freaked out seeing Tiffany’s empty desk in the one-room school house, but somehow life goes on... until Kendall's boyfriend Nico also disappears, and also without a trace. Now the town is in a panic. Alone in her depression and with her OCD at an all-time high, Kendall notices something that connects Nico and Tiffany: they both sat at the same desk. She knows it's crazy, but Kendall finds herself drawn to the desk, dreaming of Nico and wondering if maybe she, too, will disappear...and whether that would be so bad. Then she begins receiving graffiti messages on the desk from someone who can only be Nico. Can he possibly be alive somewhere? Where is he? And how can Kendall help him? The only person who believes her is Jacian, the new guy she finds irritating...and attractive. As Kendall and Jacian grow closer, Kendall digs deeper into Nico's mysterious disappearance only to stumble upon some ugly—and deadly—local history. Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried.


MY THOUGHTS

The Tweet
Written in Lisa McMann's unique writing style, Cryer's Cross is an enthralling thriller set in a small town with a literally haunting past.

What Worked (for me)
I loved Cryer's Cross. It was spooky with just the right amount of foreshadowing to keep readers turning pages, wanting to find out how the story would conclude. What I liked best was that McMann had such a flawed main character in Kendall, who suffered from OCD, a rarely written about disease, yet Kendall was still a strong young female who wouldn't stop until she found out what had happened to her missing friend. I also liked how McMann used Kendall's OCD as an integral part of the story in Kendall finding clues that, in the end, led her to the cause behind her friend's disappearance, as well as the town's secret.

What Didn't Work (for me)
The one thing I would have liked is more development of Nico's character. I realize his disappearance is what really sparks off the story and in Kendall investigating the cause. But I would have loved to get to know Nico's character more through himself, rather than just through Kendall's memories of him.

Overall
I was very impressed with Cryer's Cross. Though on the short side for a full novel, it has a well developed storyline and a main character who is easy to relate to and empathize with. Like her previous Wake series, Lisa McMann has written a good story that catches reader's attentions. I'd recommend this book to anyone who loves a good mystery/thriller.

MY RATING IS 4.5 STARS


Cryer's Cross Book Trailer