Tessa can not remember the hours before she was discovered left for dead with other corpses in a field of Black-Eyed Susan flowers. She and the Jane Does were dubbed the Black-Eyed Susans in the media and their case garnered plenty of attention. Years later, the man convicted of killing the girls is about to be put to death but Tessa is unsure of his guilt. Though she still can't remember the details of the crime and time while she was missing, someone has been planting Black-Eyed Susan flowers in her path. Tessa feels sure her killer is still out there.
Suspenseful and full of twists, Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin is an exciting thriller that relies on plot and character instead of vulgarity and gore. The science behind the search for the real killer and the psychological aspects of Tessa's memory and fears are fascinating and lend credibility to the story.
Going back and forth between teenage Tessie's initial therapy following the crime and the trial of the man police were sure had committed it and the present day attempt to get a stay of execution and Tessa's fears, combined to build suspense and yet offer enough foreshadowing and clues to keep the mystery fresh.
I was thoroughly taken in by Tessa's fears and her search for the real killer. Tessa had tried for years to put her horrific past behind her. She is reluctant to face it but also in need of the relief answers could bring. Tessa--victim, tough-talking teenage girl, protective mom, paranoid, vulnerable and active, is a fully developed character that is open to love and safety and facing her worse fears. She is a character I loved to read about it.
Heaberlin's writing is superb--dark yet hopeful and disturbing yet not profane. I couldn't put it down once I'd started. Black-Eyed Susans was a compelling and multifaceted thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed and would have no trouble recommending to other fans of suspense.
Black-Eyed Susans by Julia Heaberlin is published by Ballantine Books and released on August 11, 2015.
**I received a complimentary copy of Black-Eyed Susans. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own.**
I love these kinds of books, but rarely find ones that aren't full of excessive violence and profanity. This one sounds different! Thanks for the heads-up -- I had been planning to read BLACK-EYED SUSANS eventually, but now I'm thinking it should move up on my list. Great review.
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