JaymeO's Reviews > The Trap

“Stupidity must run in the family.”

Inspired by the unsolved disappearances of women in Ireland in the 1990s, The Trap follows Lucy, whose sister went missing a year ago. The garda seem to have fumbled the investigation, other than to link several missing girls together. Did one man kidnap all three women? Lucy is determined to solve this case and find her sister at all costs. To what lengths will she go to get her back?

Despite the fact that Catherine Ryan Howard is a hit or miss author for me, I decided to read The Trap after seeing many five star reviews. I soon realized that I should have paid more attention to the less enthusiastic reviews as well.

No, this book did not work for me.

At a little over 250 pages, I should have been able to finish this book quickly. However, it took almost a week. Why?

1. See the above quote, as it perfectly explains why I could not relate to the characters.
2. The twists fell flat and weren’t very shocking.
3. Believability is completely absent from this narrative.

The one mildly saving grace in this book is the detective, as she is the only character with depth. However, she too made some very questionable decisions.

Be sure to read the author’s note, where she connects the origins of her love of true crime to the books she writes. I found this section insightful and nostalgic.

2.5/5 stars rounded up.