And there's one more boy, he's from my past: EVERYTHING WE DIDN'T SAY.

Everything We Didn't Say by Nicole Baart
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

At 33, Juniper arrives in her hometown of Jericho, Iowa--a place she vowed never to return--to help a friend with cancer. After Juniper's high school graduation, her family's close friends and neighbors, Cal and Beth Murphy, were murdered. Juniper's brother, Jonathan was the prime suspect, even though he was never charged. Jonathan still lives in Jericho--as does Juniper's teenage daughter, Willa, who has been raised by her mom and stepdad since birth. Juniper has no desire to get dragged back into the dark memories and rumors of Jericho. But when something happens to Jonathan, she finds herself reliving the summer Cal and Beth died. And as she does, she realizes that Jericho itself hasn't put the past behind.

"She was the runaway, the prodigal daughter who had split when the going got tough."

I really loved this book. Baart is such a wonderful and deft writer, and she draws you into Juniper's story immediately. She captures small town Iowa so perfectly--the gossip, the pettiness, the country setting. The characters are well-formed and realistic: reluctant Juniper, so careful and worried about reuniting with Willa. Jonathan, her younger brother, who has remained in Jericho despite the accusations. Her lovely mother and much older stepfather. The handsome and charming boy Juniper fell for one summer. The story comes together so easily; even if this a taunt and slow burning story, I flew through the pages, desperate to find out what was going to happen.

Baart tells our tale in two parts--present-day, as Juniper returns to Jericho, and the past, leading up to the day of the murders. I had a small inkling of some of what might have happened, but loved trying to work it all out. It's a very suspenseful read and the combination of character building and tension works quite well. The way the plot winds together, pulling in emotions, memories, personalities, family connections, and the inner workings of the town is quite masterful.

Overall, a winner for me. I really enjoyed the suspense along with the family drama. 4.5 stars.

I received a copy of this book from Atria Books and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

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