Owen Foster has never wanted for anything. Then his mother shows up at his elite 
New Orleans boarding school cradling a bombshell: his privileged life has been funded by stolen money. After using the family business, the single largest employer in his small Louisiana town, to embezzle millions and drain the employees’ retirement accounts, Owen’s father vanished without a trace, leaving Owen and his mother to deal with the fallout.
Owen returns to Lake Cane to finish his senior year, where people he can barely remember despise him for his father’s crimes. It’s bad enough dealing with muttered insults and glares, but when Owen and his mother receive increasingly frightening threats from someone out for revenge, he knows he must get to the bottom of what really happened at Louisiana Frac–and the cryptic note his father sent him at his boarding school days before disappearing.
Owen’s only refuge is the sprawling, isolated pecan orchard he works at after school, owned by a man named Gus who has his own secrets–and in some ways seems to know Owen better than he knows himself. As Owen uncovers a terrible injustice that looms over the same Preacher Woods he’s claimed as his own, he must face a shocking truth about his own past–and write a better future.
After reading a couple of heavy sci-fi/fantasy books, I was in the mood for an intriguing mystery. I’d never read anything else by this author, but rest assured, I plan on correcting that.
I finished this book in less than two days (while I was supposed to be working on several other projects), but just couldn’t put it down. The dual narrative between Owen and Noah is done so well, and goes about revealing the layers of secrets at a perfect pace. A small town setting and and secluded pecan farm only add to the years-old secrets. With the shocking situation Owen and his mother find themselves in, being stripped of everything they own and having to endure horrible comments and treatment from both adults and teens affected by Owen’s father, it’s incredibly easy to relate to them. Rather than wallowing in self-pity over everything he’s lost, I admired Owen’s determination to better his situation, help his mother, and find his father.
Upon reaching the end of the book, I had several theories, but the twist came as a surprise. Warning: Whatever you do, don’t flip to the end of this novel and spoil it for yourself!
If you’re looking for an absolutely un-put-downable mystery with deliciously surprising twists, this is your book.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
Books and Such 
Wow, high praise. It really must be a great book. Thanks for telling us about it.
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This one kept me guessing, Priscilla.
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Sounds like a really good one, Teri. I would never flip to the end! Do people do that? Ha ha. Thanks for the recommendation!
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*Raises hand* Full confession – I’ve been known to do that when I couldn’t stand the suspense, but only on a handful of books. Honest.
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Ha ha ha. Never! I wouldn’t finish the book.
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Great review! I’m going to add this to my TBR!
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Make sure you block out some time, because you won’t be able to put it down.
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When I watched When Harry Met Sally, I thought that was a joke for the movie. Do people really read the endings first? What a letdown!
Sounds like a great book. Thanks for sharing.
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The only book I can remember reading the ending first was Breaking Dawn – I had to make sure Edward didn’t die at the end, lol. Others – yep, I’ve peeked at the end, but there haven’t been very many. And When Harry Met Sally – what a great movie!
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Cheater! lol
I love that movie. One of my favorites.
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This does sound like an interesting emotional read, Teri.
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I was glued to these pages, Robbie.
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Wow, that’s quite an endorsement Teri. There’s nothing quite like a book that’s hard to put down. Hugs.
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And one that keeps you from alll the other things you’re really supposed to be doing. Hugs, Teagan!
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High praise, indeed! Fantastic review, Teri. This sounds like a great read 🙂
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Thanks, Jacquie – it was a suspenseful mystery that kept me guessing.
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I love when I can’t put down a book and forget all my work LOL
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And then sadly, you finish and have to return to real life, right, Sophie?
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I remember when I was much, much younger, I always flipped to the end of a book before I purchased it. I had to make sure I was happy with the way everything turned out. Then I started reading mysteries and all of that went right out the window.
I positively love when a book hooks me. I just devoured my latest read in 2 days, and am already over halfway through the book that follows. When one hooks you like that, it’s gold!
P.S….the book I just read was A Street Cat Named Bob. Given your love of felines, I think you’d be besotted. I’d give the thing 10 stars if I could–all the more because it’s a true story!
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What a great title! I’d read it based on that alone.
I can’t remember reading the ending of a book when I was younger – I think that’s only developed since I’ve gotten older. You’d think it would be the reverse.
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I’ve heard good things about this book! Glad to hear it was unputdownable! 🙂 I realized I really enjoy dual POVs 🙂 love family mysteries! I’ll have to add this one to my TBR!
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Luckily it was a quick read, because I really could have read it in one sitting – it just sucked me in.
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