Book Review for Try Not to Breathe by David Bell

 Try Not to Breathe by David Bell

Publication:  June 27, 2023 by Berkley

Genre:  Mystery Thriller

 

Taken from Goodreads:  An ex-cop sets out to find her missing sister and discovers the horrifying truth about her family...

A traumatic experience in the line of duty forces thirty-year-old Avery Rogers to abandon both her relationship and her position as a Kentucky State Police officer. She retreats to a college town where she works an unfulfilling job as a security guard, breaking up fights between drunken frat boys.

But a frantic phone call turns Avery’s life upside down. Her father—a retired cop who never fails to convey his disappointment in Avery—says her half sister is missing and in danger. Avery is sure Anna’s just crashing with friends, but her father strong-arms her into searching for the sister she barely knows.

Anna Rogers is fed up with her family—a half sister who resents her existence and a domineering father who thinks it’s okay for cops to shoot unarmed civilians. She hits the road to attend a protest against police brutality, unaware of the danger that awaits her there.

Just after catching a glimpse of Avery at the protest, Anna receives a shocking text. Now she’s no longer road-tripping; she’s running, pursued by an older sister she doesn’t trust and a violent stranger who has been stalking her for weeks.

When Avery discovers Anna’s hiding place near a remote cave system, she risks everything to save her. Little do the sisters know that the past is catching up with them—including the explosive secret at the very heart of the Rogers family.

 

My Thoughts:   Try Not to Breathe is a fast-paced thriller.   The chapters are short, which I like.    The storyline moves quickly but not so quick that you lose any of the plot.  The characters are relatable, each with their own drama in their lives and within their families. 

 

There is a lot going on in this book.  There is family dynamic issues, being a blended family.   The parents are aging and in need of extra help.   Police brutality is mentioned numerous times but not explored too much, I would have like to know more about the background of this.      The three main characters were half-sisters with their names starting with A, at times this was confusing and hard to keep track of even though it was explained why their names started with the same letter. 

 

David Bell is an amazing author and I recommend all his books to anyone who reads thrillers.   Try Not to Breathe is another book that I will start recommending. 

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Meet David Bell (taken from his website):  David Bell is the New York Times-bestselling author of sixteen novels including TRY NOT TO BREATHE (forthcoming June 27, 2023), SHE’S GONE, THE FINALISTS, KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS, THE REQUEST, LAYOVER, SOMEBODY’S DAUGHTER, BRING HER HOME, SINCE SHE WENT AWAY, SOMEBODY I USED TO KNOW, THE FORGOTTEN GIRL, NEVER COME BACK, THE HIDING PLACE, CEMETERY GIRL, THE GIRL IN THE WOODS, and THE CONDEMNED.

 

His work has been translated into numerous foreign languages, included on several bestseller lists, nominated for the Pushcart Prize five times, and, in 2013, won the prestigious Prix Polar International de Cognac for best crime novel by an international author. KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS was also nominated for a 2022 Edgar Award. 

 

He is a professor of English at Western Kentucky University where he co-founded the MFA program in creative writing. A native of Cincinnati, Ohio, he spends his free time rooting for the Reds and Bengals, watching movies, and walking in the cemetery near his house. He lives in Bowling Green, Kentucky, with his wife, young adult author M Hendrix.