A solid 4 stars I bestow on this. 
 SPOILERS AHEAD. 
 The point of this story wasn't truly a murder mystery detective tale. It was more about a man deeply scarred by a past he cannot even remember. One that dredges up in the most convenient way and f*cks up the present. 
 Rob Ryan is the ultimate anti-hero detective. The most painful part is that nothing he does will ever make him redeemable, he's cursed to carry this mark from the disappearance of his childhood friends forever. It also makes the sympathy flow more right from inside you. 
 At the end, you couldn't blame him though. The author was right, we were all fooled at the end. Rob was just the unknowingly willing vessel for manipulation by the main killer. 
 His relationship with Cassie ended how I expected it to but it was still pretty sad. 
 The writing was greatly detailed and incredibly matured like wine that's settled in itself just right, the secondary characters very well developed. I loved how French challenged the traditional detective tropes and even seemed to poke fun at them in a subtle way. Definitely recommending this to everyone I know although if you're someone with a need for absolutely closure, this might not be for you. 
 (view spoiler)[ Speaking of which, am I the only one not mad about Jamie and Peter's disappearances never being solved? It feels like one of those stories that is there not really for the closure but for its body. Just my thoughts. (hide spoiler)]