What is this about?
Cyrus Haven is called to consult on Evie’s case. to determine if she is ready to be set free from Langford, the home where she has been residing since she was found hiding away in a house that was being renovated. At the same time, Cyrus begins a consult with the police on the murder of a teenager, Jodie. Two very different cases form the core of this book, orbiting the relationship between Evie and Cyrus.
What else is this about?
I wish it was more about Evie and Cyrus. For a blurb that touts the relationship between them, I actually felt shortchanged in this.
Blurb
A girl is found hiding in a secret room in a house being renovated after a terrible crime. For weeks she has survived by sneaking out at night, stealing food for herself and two dogs that are kept in the garden. The nurses at the hospital where she is taken call her “Angel Face” because she won’t tell anyone her name, or her age, or where she came from. Maybe she is twelve, maybe fifteen, or somewhere in between. She doesn’t appear on any missing person’s file, or match the DNA of any murder victim.
Six years later, still unidentified, the same girl is living in a secure children’s home with a new name, Evie Cormac, when she initiates a court case demanding the right to be released as an adult. Psychologist Cyrus Haven is sent to interview Evie and decide if she’s ready to go free, but Evie Cormac is unlike he’s anyone he’s ever met. She’s damaged, destructive, and self-hating, yet possessed of a gift, or a curse, that makes her both fascinating and dangerous to be with—the ability to tell when someone is lying. Soon he is embroiled in her unique and dangerous world, his life in utmost peril.
Good Girl Bad Girl has a lot going for it, but it doesn’t quite reach the heights I expected.
Evie and Cyrus Haven
Cyrus is a psychologist who is asked to consult on Evie’s case: she is Angel Face, a young victim found 6 years before hiding in a house, along with the decomposing body of a man. When she was found, there was no indication of her age, so while is currently residing in an institution called Langford, where teenagers who have issues are sent.
She wants to be released, but as there’s no indication of her age, the government is resisting. Cyrus is called in to evaluate her, and her doctor informs him that Evie is a truth wizard, the rarest of people who can tell when someone is lying — the subject of Cyrus’ thesis.
Evie is damaged, self-loathing and distrustful of everything and everyone. But she’s also naive in some ways, and it’s a combination that makes for a compelling character. Cyrus mystifies her, I think, because he doesn’t ask or want anything from her that anyone else does — he treats her like a person, even though he does want to know the truth of her past.
Unfortunately, there is less of them and more of everything else
However, the blurb is misleading in the extreme, in my opinion.
At the same time that Cyrus is trying to help Evie, he is investigating the murder of Jodie Sheehan, a teenager. With that case, we learn about his past, his links to the police and even the Sherriff of Nottingham (it makes sense in the book). While it sets the scene for Cyrus, I was longing for more with Evie.
Evie herself becomes drawn into Jodie’s murder, but instead of giving readers a chance to learn more about Evie and Cyrus discovering more about each other, the book keeps them separate.
I’m also disappointed that this book emphasises the sexual abuse Evie has gone through before she was found, yet Evie goes through an almost-sexual assault, won’t let anyone examine her, is pretty traumatised and it’s never mentioned again. What was the point of putting her through that? What did I miss?
The book works hard to shoehorn her into the story of Jodie’s murder, on her own, which to be honest, was pretty much out of left field for me.Wouldn’t it have been easier to use Cyrus to draw her into the story? I have to admit, that part threw me out of the story a bit.
Instead of a blurb that promised excellent characterisation and a book focused on Evie and Cyrus’ relationship, this should have been a blurb that toned that down. It should have emphasised that these two are still learning about each other, and trying to understand each other before they’re drawn into Jodie Sheehan’s murder, and the truth of what Jodie was going through.
This is a promising premise, and since I’ve just read that the second book is out, it’s probably one I’ll read because it might actually be focused on Evie and Cyrus more. However, that said, I’ll probably have more realistic expectations.
I really like Robotham’s previous series with Joe O’Loughlin. But I haven’t read either book from this new series. Yet. I hope to soon. 🙂
This is the first of his books that I’ve read. It’s quite good, but I expected better in some ways maybe. This left me very conflicted LOL!
I liked this one, but I’m also a fan of Robotham’s Joe O’Loughlin series.
I think I need to check out this Joe O’Loughlin series!
I find that blurbs are very often misleading and I highly dislike that =/
I wholeheartdedly agree – drives me nuts!
That is such a bummer when the blurb is really misleading!
Very – especially when I’ve been looking forward to it for so long
When you see a synopsis implying there’s a relationship between the two main characters, well you expect a relationship between the two main characters. The most glaring aspect for me is the inclusion of sexual assault and it’s not followed through. Honestly though, authors in general writing about sexual assault need to be more mindful about not including assault as without seeing the storyline to its conclusion. It’s lazy storytelling and authors need to do better considering how triggering it can be for readers. I hope the next book is much more enjoyable Verushka, lovely review darling!
The lack of follow-up on the almost sexual assault was incredibly disappointing especially considering the focus on her previous abuse and how it shaped Evie. And the book’s constantly reminding readers of that. I could forgive the lack of a relationship between them because the premise and the promise that I could see in the characters kept me going. I hope the next book is better too – I had high hopes for this series.
I really hope the second book gives you what you were hoping for from Evie and Cyrus.
Me too — this is otherwise a compelling premise