Abroad: A Novel by Katie Crouch Review

Title: Abroad: A Novel
Author: Katie Crouch
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Series: N/A
Star Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
The bottom line: A novel that takes the sensational Amanda Knox case and rides with it, Abroad promised much: a grisly murder, sex, lies--all in the lush, seductive country of Italy--but unfortunately, failed to deliver as a thriller--I was really rather hoping for more.

This book was given to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Tabitha Deacon, an Ireland native, just wants to get out on her own in Italy--promising sex, adventure, and self-discovery. Naive, shy, and timid, Taz falls under the spell of three seductive young women: Jenny, Luka, and Anna. Drawn into a world she has been closed off from until now, she relishes her role as friend, hanger-on, sidekick.. Accomplice? She discovers that the girls have secrets, secrets so invisible and deadly that she realizes that by the time she sees the danger, she may not be able to escape it..

What I enjoyed:
-I liked the premise of this novel a lot: Amanda Knox's case has always interested me and I was looking forward to more information, albeit in a fictional format
-Taz, the young woman who, sick of being a wallflower, gets drawn into a web of sex, lies, drugs, and murder--and ends up paying the price--I sympathized a lot with her, because everyone longs for acceptance
-Jenny, the coldhearted villain of most of the novel
-Luka, the young woman who has a skewed moral compass and is trying to come to grips with something she hides even from herself
-Anna, the nicest of the trio, caught up in something she doesn't want to be involved with--I really felt for her
-Colin
-Claire
-The ending--it was creepy
-The sacrifices throughout the novel

What could've been better:
-The pacing needed work--I feel it didn't move fast enough for me
-What I love about thrillers is that they keep the action going, but there was really no foreshadowing
-There was no buildup to the actual murder
-I wish more had been said about Claire and Taz's relationship--I would've liked to have it explored more

This book was okay. It was good but nothing spectacular--I was really expecting more. Next on deck: Juliet's Nurse by Lois Leveen!

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