Uptown Oracle Reads… Tall Oaks

Harry is missing from Tall Oaks. Everyone has their secrets, but whose is connected to the missing child? A thriller surrounded by the average people you find in small town living. With so many secrets, anybody could be a suspect.

Tall Oaks is a mystery novel first, yet there’s a strong focus on the characters. As with most small towns, everyone knows everybody. This is both a good and bad thing for the characters involved. The town is in a panic after the disappearance. Tall Oaks follows a selection of residents as they try to deal with their own lives and secrets. Each character is distinct, complex and has a uniqueness without being unrealistic. The story gripped me as I wanted to know what was going to happen to each of them.

The mystery element was extremely well written. Some shady suspects were met throughout the book as we try find out who took Harry. A red herring or two were thrown in for good measure. Additionally, it had a nice even pace which rose near the end. Following each of the characters individually helped to keep pace because some characters had slower arcs than others. The slower arcs still compelled me to keep reading though.

Another good point was the plot twist. I love plot twists in mystery and thrillers. Tall Oaks didn’t disappoint as I didn’t see the ending coming. In hindsight, the signs were all pointing to the answer. But I hadn’t picked up on them. Whitaker had thought out the plot well.

I received Tall Oaks* by Chris Whitaker as an e-book from the publisher via Readers First. This is an unbiased and honest review.