PARANOID, by Lisa Jackson

Mystery/Thriller -- 3 stars



Twenty years ago, Rachel Gaston's stepbrother died during a stupid, teenage gun game.  For twenty years, Rachel has believed it was her fault.  Now defense witnesses at her trial are dying, and the pain and fall out from that night are front and center in a new police investigation. ----- This is a story full of viable suspects, teenaged angst, and adult mistakes.  Well-plotted, lots of twists, and I didn't see the ending coming until the last minute.  Those are all good--very good--points to have in a mystery/thriller.  Where this book falls apart is the execution.  Much, no most, of the narration takes place in the many characters' heads, making for stilted and flat story telling.  The questions that run though the stream of consciousness are repetitious (Really, we get it that Luke Gaston died at the cannery twenty years ago.  Every character in the book doesn't need to remind us of that.)  And there is no need for every character to summarize the clues while they try to sort out their own internal arguments.  We're readers, we get it, we're not stupid.  I have read and enjoyed several books by Lisa Jackson.  This time she has created a great story, but presented it in a weak style.