The Pact

 

The Pact by Teri Terry
12/1/26; 304 pages
Boldwood Books 

The Pact by Teri Terry is a recommended psychological thriller. Get the popcorn ready, grab a seltzer, set disbelief aside, and prepared for an entertaining, soapy drama.

Isobel is found dead at the foot of the cliff where seventeen years ago her boarding school mate Maggie died after a fall from a cliff. Both deaths were ruled a suicide. Four former friends from the same boarding school, Clem, Bex, Katya, and Jules, are preparing to attend Isobel's funeral and also remembering the pact they made to never speak about what happened  to Maggie all those years ago. Now they have all received the same anonymous  text, "One is for sorrow," after Isobels death, and the vaguely sinister messages continues. Does someone know what happened years ago?

The narrative is told through chapters from the point-of-view of Clem and Bex. All of these women are very different characters. Bex has two kids, Olly, 5, and Nora, 1 1/2, is heading toward a contentious divorce, and trying to work full time. This is in stark contrast to the other women. Clem is wealthy, the wife of an MP, and has 3 children and a nanny to watch them. Jules is a wealthy designer, and Katya coaches athletes for Olympic competition. Clem, Jules and Isobel were the fast friends from their boarding school days, with Bex, and Katya on the sideline. Bex really had little contact with these woman after school beyond some with her former roommate Katya.  

You have to set disbelief aside while reading. Personally, I struggled with Bex suddenly starting a relationship with Liam. It seemed very unrealistic considering her situation, so it is clearly a plot device to add suspense. It did the job, but at a cost. It also stretched credulity for me that these women would all group together like school girls again for the funeral and later to scatter Isobel's ashes. They weren't all that close as friends and that fact is pointed out several times.

Obviously, based on the title alone, you know there was a pact made between them. As the plot unfolds, the women continue to receive text messages based on the traditional magpie nursery rhyme (which is helpfully shared at the opening of the novel) with some modifications of the words. You can read through the chapters pretty quickly. While you may suspect what the pact was, all the information is not shared until later in the novel. The ending was a surprise. 3.5 rounded down when needed.

The Pact is a good choice for readers who enjoy soapy popcorn thrillers. Thanks to Boldwood Books for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

How to Survive a Murder Investigation

 

How to Survive a Murder Investigation by Catherine Townsend
11/17/26; 304 pages
Ballantine 

How to Survive a Murder Investigation: A True Story of Death and Danger in the Ozarks by Catherine Townsend is part memoir and instruction manual set during her personal investigative into an unsolved murder. It is highly recommended for fans of true crime and the author's podcast.

In 2004 college student Rebekah Gould was murdered in the Ozarks of rural Izard County Arkansas and her body was found off Highway 9. Townsend grew up in the area years earlier so in 2017, when the case was still unsolved, Townsend went back home to investigate. As both a journalist and private investigator, as well as a former native to the area, she was uniquely qualified to look into the case. She understood wrongful convictions, dealt with dirty cops, and knew incompetence when she encountered it. Rebecca was clearly murdered in the trailer of her boyfriend. From there, the investigation flounders. It is full of rumors, suspects, presumed missing pieces of evidence, and no clear investigation

Townsend opens with personal background information before delving into the case of Rebecca Gould. She has the officer in charge of the case dismiss her, saying, “investigations are grownup stuff.” He also won't share any information. This sets Townsend on a mission. Each of the chapters are titled as steps in a murder investigation, starting with 1. Create Your Murder Board, and then followed by 2. Don't Go into the Woods; 3. Treat Dating like Detective work and Vice Versa; 4. Piece Together the Timeline; 5. Be a Victim; 6. Insert Yourself into the Story; 7. Pound the Pavement, and more. Also included between chapters are a few Sidecases.

It is an interesting real life story and did hold my attention most of the time. I'm not a true crime podcast fan, so I knew nothing about this case or Townsend before reading. She writes in a very conversational, accessible style, as if she's just talking to you about the case, who she questions, information uncovered, leads, etc. At times I did feel as if she was sharing way too much personal information rather than focusing on the investigation, which left me a bit bored, but others will likely enjoy this personable style of writing more. This is a true cold case investigation, so unlike a novel, everything won't be wrapped up with complete closure on all questions. You will likely still have questions that can't be answered. 3.5 rounded up when needed.

How to Survive a Murder Investigation, is a great choice for true crime devotees, along with those following Townsend and true crime podcasts. Thanks to Ballantine for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.