If She Dies by Erik Therme | Blog Tour Review

I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Nine months ago, Tess’s five-year-old daughter was killed in a car accident. The driver, Brady Becker, was sentenced to two years in prison. It didn't make Tess’s pain go away.

Brady also has a daughter: A twelve-year-old named Eve who walks to Chandler Middle School every day. Tess knows this because she's been watching Eve for the last three weeks. It isn’t fair that Brady’s daughter gets to live, while Tess’s daughter does not.

When Eve goes missing, all eyes turn to Tess, who doesn’t have an alibi. But Tess isn’t guilty.

Or so she believes.

This is the second book that I have read by Erik Therme.  Just like Roam, If She Dies has that dark undertone constantly running through it.  Imagine walking through the woods in the pitch darkness, you have not seen anyone, but you have the sinking suspicion that someone is out there watching you.  Within reading a few pages, I had many questions.  In fact, I had questions on top of questions which then spawned more questions.  All because Therme introduced us to Tess.  Any mother can get into the same headspace that Tess is in; just how do you move on from the death of a child?

If She Dies is an incredibly harrowing examination at a mother’s struggle with grief and obsession.  Tess is struggling, never in her wildest imagination that she would be faced with having to bury a child.  Her five-year-old daughter was killed when she ran onto the road and was hit by an oncoming speeding driver.  The driver, Brady Becker was arrested, tried and court and sentenced to two years in jail.  My initial thoughts were how can a child’s life be equated to two years in prison?  As a mother that would be an extremely hard pill to swallow.

If She Dies was a hard read, it isn’t meant to be a lighthearted read.  It has the capability of puncturing your chest and ripping your heart out with it, still beating.  Think dark and gritty and then multiply that again by an incredibly high number.  This is one woman’s world shattering into tiny pieces, so small that it is in all probability will never be whole again.

Things aren’t getting any better nine months and her husband things she should be healing; he suggests she move on…who is anyone to tell you how you should grieve but I digress.

Tess Is descending into madness slightly, she discovers that Becker has a twelve-year-old daughter being raised by her mother.  Somehow that knowledge takes root in her mind and she can’t let it go.  Any rational person knows that this isn’t going to help but Tess is anything but rational at this point.  Tess begins a routine of stalking, well she wouldn’t call it that, but well, it is.  She follows her to and from school every single day…until something happens.   

If She Dies is the kind of novel that excels in masterful misdirection.  Just when I thought I had it all figured out boom…Therme kicked a curveball off my skull.  It’s the best feeling when an author can lead you down one path and you are totally satisfied that you know where its going, only for them to laugh in your face. 

If She Dies is pitch black…a bruising drama that calls out to the reader’s human side.  Psychologically astute.

ABOUT ERIK THERME

Erik Therme has thrashed in garage bands, inadvertently harbored runaways, and met Darth Vader. When he’s not at his computer, he can be found cheering on his youngest daughter’s volleyball team, or watching horror movies with his oldest. He currently resides in Iowa City, Iowa—one of only twenty-eight places in the world that UNESCO has certified as a City of Literature. Join Erik’s mailing list to be notified of new releases and author giveaways: http://eepurl.com/cD1F8L

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