Baby Doll

Title: Baby Doll
Author: Hollie Overton

This isn't a book I would normally pick off the shelves to read but I've been trying to branch out and not be discriminatory in my reviews. The cover compares it to "Gone girl" which if I remember correctly is a murder mystery. Murder mystery (and mystery) is a genre that I dislike intensely. I do however have a weakness for stories of power, and tales of victims generally fall under this category whether it be the victim coming into their own, or being the catalyst for a bigger change that may not save them.

This story follows the tale of a young woman, part of a set of twins, who was abducted eight years prior to the beginning of the book. She was taken as a high schooler and during her abuse riddled captivity had a child by this man. The book opens with her one chance to escape, which she takes, and follows her as she attempts to reclaim her life. Only to return and find out that her world had fallen apart without her.

The villain of the tale is well written. A wolf in sheeps clothing hidden in plain sight. He is a respected member of the community. He is a teacher at her high school, everyone's favorite. He is married. (as he says in the story, when you're married and it seems a happy marriage; people are less likely to suspect you.) He even (as it turns out) spearheaded some of the search parties that were sent to look for the missing girl that he had secreted away.

It is written in such a way that it is indeed a story all the way through, but not from a singular perspective. (This is a thing that made it hard for me to follow as I have memory issues and couldn't remember who's point of view it had switched to.) Each chapter switches to a different character (4 in total I believe) and what they are going through each time.

It was a surprisingly compelling read (and the authors first book) and if I hadn't had to sleep, I would have read it through last night.

Not good enough for a second read/to put on my shelf (I cannot keep all the books I enjoy) but a decent enough read overall.

Find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Doll-Hollie-Overton/dp/0316268712

ISBN: 978-0-316-26871-4