Keep This for Me

Keep This for Me by Jennifer Fawcett
10/7/25; 352 pages
Atria Books

Keep This for Me by Jennifer Fawcett is a highly recommended character based mystery.

One night in a Lake Ontario beach town in 1993 a young couple, Ben and Ana, have their car break down on their way home. A truck driver picks them up, attacks Ben, leaving him in the ditch, and abducts Ana. She is never seen again. The truck driver, Eddie Ward, is caught and a mass grave of bodies is discovered in his backyard but Ana isn’t there. He denies killing her and her body was never found. 

Ana's Daughter, Fiona, was a toddler when her mother disappeared. Thirty years later Eddie Ward is on his death bed and Fiona wants to ask him where he put her mom's body before he dies. When Fiona arrives back in town, Ward dies before she can see him. At the same time another woman's car breaks down and she disappears. Eddie Ward's son, Jason, is the primary suspect. Fiona stays in the area hoping to find more clues about her mother's disappearance.

This is an atmospheric, even paced novel that explores how events from the past can affect a person for life along with exploring what traits or characteristics we inherit. It's the long running nature versus nurture discussion. In this case it involves one's ability to mother children, physical skills like swimming, and tendency for violence toward others. Alternately, do experiences of your forebearers turn you toward current actions or can you choose to escape the cycle. 

The setting was very well described and created a real sense of place. The structure of the narrative was a downfall for me. Frequently I like the now and then structure in novels, but it was overdone here with multiple now and then chapters from the points-of-view of multiple characters over several timelines. The structure made the story feel more convoluted than was necessary.

Fiona is a well-developed character presented with both strengths and weaknesses. It is clear that the trauma of her mother's disappearance carried over into her adult life. Wanting some answers to provide closure makes sense. As her mother's name is tied to a serial killer, the notoriety of the case and wide spread name recognition would occur, especially when returning to the area where it happened. 

Keep This for Me is a good choice for those who enjoy atmospheric character based mysteries. Thanks to Atria for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.