Close to Home

Sarah McAdams returns to her hometown of Blue Peacock Manor in Oregon with her two daughters after sixteen years away. The old Victorian mansion holds dark memories from Sarah's past, including her sister's disappearance when they were teenagers. As Sarah works to renovate the family home, young women begin disappearing from the area in a pattern that mirrors events from her youth. She must confront both her complicated family history and mounting evidence that suggests a connection between past and present crimes. Professional journalist Sarah launches her own investigation while trying to protect her daughters and manage her growing attraction to a local man. The case forces her to question everything she thought she knew about her sister's disappearance and her own memories of that time. The novel explores themes of buried trauma, the reliability of memory, and how the past can continue to shape the present even decades later. Through Sarah's journey, the story examines the complex bonds between sisters and mothers and daughters.

Readers find this book slower-paced than Jackson's other thrillers, with many noting it takes 100+ pages to build momentum. Several reviewers appreciate the complex family dynamics and the Pacific Northwest setting, while others say the romance elements detract from the suspense. Liked: - Detailed character backstories - Multiple interweaving plotlines - Strong sense of place and atmosphere - Unpredictable ending Disliked: - Repetitive internal monologues - Too many characters to track - Romantic subplot feels forced - Length (some say 200 pages too long) One recurring criticism involves the main character Sarah's choices, which readers call "frustrating" and "unrealistic." Multiple reviews note confusion about keeping track of the large cast of characters. Ratings: Goodreads: 3.9/5 (16,000+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (1,200+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.1/5 (300+ ratings) Most critical reviews come from Jackson's longtime fans who expect faster pacing based on her other works.

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🔍 "Close to Home" is part of Lisa Jackson's thrilling Colony Series, set in the fictional town of Prosperity, Oregon 📚 The book delves into a cold case from 16 years ago, exploring the disappearance of two teenage boys, making it particularly compelling for fans of long-buried secrets ✍️ Lisa Jackson wrote this book while already an established bestselling author, having sold more than 85 million copies of her novels worldwide 🏆 The novel incorporates elements of both psychological suspense and romance, a signature blend that helped establish Jackson as a master of the romantic suspense genre 🌟 The protagonist, Sarah McAdams, renovates an old Victorian mansion throughout the story, reflecting Jackson's personal interest in historical architecture and home restoration