The Girl Who Lived

Author: Christopher Greyson
Genre: Suspense
Type: e-book
Source: NetGalley
Publisher: Greyson Media Associates
First Published: November 2, 2017
First Lines: "They were coming for her, but Faith wasn't in the mood to go anywhere. Not today."

Book Description from GoodReads: 

Ten years ago, four people were brutally murdered. One girl lived.

No one believes her story.
The police think she’s crazy.
Her therapist thinks she’s suicidal.
Everyone else thinks she’s a dangerous drunk.
They’re all right—but did she see the killer?

As the anniversary of the murders approaches, Faith Winters is released from the psychiatric hospital and yanked back to the last spot on earth she wants to be—her hometown where the slayings took place. Wracked by the lingering echoes of survivor’s guilt, Faith spirals into a black hole of alcoholism and wanton self-destruction. Finding no solace at the bottom of a bottle, Faith decides to track down her sister’s killer—and then discovers that she’s the one being hunted.

How can one woman uncover the truth when everyone’s a suspect—including herself?

From the mind of Wall Street Journal bestselling author Christopher Greyson comes a story with twists and turns that take the reader on a journey of light and dark, good and evil, to the edge of madness. The Girl Who Lived should come with a warning label: Once you start reading, you won’t be able to stop. Not since Girl on the Train and Gone Girl has a psychological thriller kept readers so addicted—and guessing right until the last page.

My Rating: 4.5 stars

My Review: This was my first book by Christopher Greyson. I’m always on the lookout for new suspense authors that can keep me on my toes. I now consider Mr. Greyson one of those authors.

The story starts off strong and is filled with lots of wonderful misdirection and several plausible culprits. This gaggle of possible baddies caused me to repeatedly change my mind about the identity of the murderer who continues to harass Faith.

This is a dark mystery that also brings readers into the life of a person struggling with mental illness. After being incarcerated in psychiatric facilities for a decade, Faith continues to cope with mental health issues stemming from the horror she experienced when her sister was brutally murdered. She’s determined not be sent back to the psych hospital and tries to adhere to her strict regimen of therapy, parole and support group meetings. It’s a rough road for Faith but it’s her deep-seated desire to get justice for her sister’s death that propels her.

Faith was a good main character, but it took time for her to grow on me. Understanding where she’s come from and how she continues to struggle endeared her to me a bit.  She’s dealing with a lot, including survivor’s guilt, feeling like an outcast in her home town and being misunderstood by almost everyone around her.  She remains quite damaged and doesn’t always make the right choices, but she was a character I could get behind.

Overall, I was very impressed with this book.  It’s an addicting, fast-paced read that pulls the reader into the story which includes a few scenes that will get readers’ hearts pounding!  I could brag and say that I predicted the culprit, but I suspected so many of the characters that this boasting should be taken with a grain of salt. 

Disclaimer: This Advanced Reading Copy (ARC) was generously provided by the publisher  via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.