I went into this looking for M. L. Rio's unique style and found something not quite that level. I have read "If We Were Villains" before, and I loved that book. I didn't particularly expect anything from this book, but somehow I'm still left dissatisfied.

The whole story takes place over one night, well, the uncovering part, and we get to meet and learn about these different people who all have a connection (spoiler: it's smoking). We follow them around for the night and see how the story unfurls from their perspective (yes, it's multiple POVs). It's a lot to take in for such a short book: the mystery, the medical and scientific information, and the characters whose personal stories we get glimpses into. All of them were very different, which was great for fast differentiation.

The mystery and tense atmosphere were very nice for a read in the evenings. I liked the suspense and the fact that the reader kind of figures out the story as it unfolds. First it seems like a story of people who are just living their life with all its complicated shades, but then it turns into a one-night hunt after a story to unveil.

The thing is... I don't love anything particular about this book, but there's also nothing to hate about it. What did upset me was the length, more precisely the ending. I felt like I just got cut off, as if some chapters were left unread. It felt like the author was pulling all the strings tight together to tell the story and then randomly let go, and it was just, poof, over. On the other hand, I didn't mind the pacing before that; the multiple perspectives and time flow were good enough.

Maybe that's just what it needed to be. A story of five paths crossing and how (and if) they continue to do so. Either way, I'm going to wipe my hands clean of this story and leave it where it started.