Its first seven pages are spent belabouring the point that no one cares about Wyatt Bucks’ death. An unfortunate portent of what’s to come. There’s quite a lot of back-and-forthing at times and the sense of circiling the drain gets tiresome. It’s a shame. I understand the uncertainty and the mistrust that the characters regard one another with but it just drags on a bit too long.

Approaching the midway point is a reveal that I enjoyed seeing the characters react to. But I do struggle to believe that it came as a surprise. In part because the Fab Five never cohered as a friend group. Neither in the present nor in the flashbacks. Most of which are focused on an individual character and therefore didn’t develop the relationships which does feed excellently into the tension of the present. Even in moments of levity there’s often the sense that they’re standing on ice that could collapse under them at the slightest shift.

If it weren’t for the occasional comment like ‘the good vibes of them hanging out’, it would be perfect. The presentation of their relationship as something it’s not is vexing. None of them oblivious to the tension they were walking into. It just doesn’t feel true.

I tend to think of thrillers as a faster paced genre. This is largely not the case here. However, once the group is reunited there’s a fantastic ramping up of the pace which builds until you’re rocketing back and forth. It’s very destabilising and ties into the confusion of the moment. I understand why some don’t like the tense shift but for characters trapped by this one deed presenting the flashbacks in present tense can be effective.

I do wish it had stuck to its style of shifting back and forth though. It was jarring to start a chapter where there wasn’t even an attempt to make it fit. Unfortunately not the most disappointing element of the chapter. Lauren and Kelly-Ann were very much second thoughts throughout the book. None of the characters rise above archetype but the women were least developed and the flashbacks ultimately lean on not like other girls even though the scene had the potential for depth.

When its pacing works, it works fantastically. I loved the horror elements. I loved the confrontation with Wyatt. For those reasons I was going to give this book four stars. Regretfully the end brings with it a moment of honesty that feels more for the benefit of the reader and it breaks all suspension.

Thanks to iRead Book Tours and Jeff Gunhus for this review copy. I leave this review voluntarily.