Lefty's Lowdown: Thicker Than Water by Brigid Kemmerer

Thicker Than Water by Brigid Kemmerer
(Standalone)
Published: December 29, 2015 by Kensington
Source: I received an eARC for review via Netgalley, but that hasn't affected my thoughts in this book in any way, shape, or form.

Summary from Goodreads:
Thomas Bellweather hasn’t been in town long. Just long enough for his newlywed mother to be murdered, and for his new stepdad’s cop colleagues to decide Thomas is the primary suspect.

Not that there’s any evidence. But before Thomas got to Garretts Mill there had just been one other murder in twenty years.

The only person who believes him is Charlotte Rooker, little sister to three cops and, with her soft hands and sweet curves, straight-up dangerous to Thomas. Her best friend was the other murder vic. And she’d like a couple answers.

Answers that could get them both killed, and reveal a truth Thomas would die to keep hidden…

This book was not at all what I expected. but HOLY CRAP I LOVED IT. Mystery typically isn't my genre of choice, so I didn't go into this book with the highest of hopes. but from the very first sentence, I shit you not, this book had me hooked. 

My favorite part of this book was definitely the voice. Thicker Than Water is told in two different points of view: Thomas, the guy accused of murdering his mother, and Charlotte, the girl who just can't seem to stop getting wrapped up in his drama. Both of these characters have extremely sharp, engrossing voices. I'll admit, I'm a bit more partial to Thomas's voice because I thought he was a bit more sarcastic, and there were points I actually laughed out loud. Here are some of my favorite quotes by him.

"She stands with an older woman, and by older I mean that there's a chance her wrinkled skin might give up the fight and slide the rest of the way down her body. Ol' Wrinkly is wearing an honest-to-god navy blue hat with a veil" (location 98).

"She could call me Princess Sparklepants if she wants. I couldn't care less about my name at this point" (location 112). 

"Stan stands close to me. 'I don't mean to pry, but...do you have money for this, Tom?'

'I don't need money. I was planning to wait until the sales guy was distracted, then run.'" (location 1849)

Aside from just the voice, the characterization in this novel was great! Thomas was typically pretty moody, he was also so kind and misunderstood. My heart went out to him so much throughout the book. I got so super duper frustrated on his behalf. I honestly fell in love with him the second he was introduced. Like, I found a new book boyfriend here, that's for sure. I liked Charlotte a lot, too. She initially comes off as the semi-annoying girl who has to stick her nose in but can't stick up for herself, but she definitely redeems herself by the end of the novel, proving that there is some badassery in her after all. She's also kind, understanding, and refuses to accept that Thomas is the guy everyone says he is. I was super connected to the characters and I SHIP 'EM. Truth be told, it wasn't the shippiest ship I've ever shipped, but I was still rooting for them hardcore. I knew they belonged together.

All the secondary characters were interesting and well-developed as well. Charlotte has 3 brothers, each of which have their own distinct personality. I wouldn't say I necessarily loved them, but they were good characters. Stan, Thomas's new step-dad, is also a really interesting character. I loved seeing how much his relationship with Thomas developed over the course of the novel.

I also thought the pacing of the novel was really good. I was not bored while reading this or even a second. I tore through this book like it was nothing. There was not a single part of this novel where I felt like I just needed to power through.

I'll admit, I wasn't entirely surprised by the mystery aspect. I can't say a whole lot about it, but it wasn't that hard to predict. I also would not have minded if the paranormal aspect was a bit more expanded on. Aside from that, I have no complaints about this one! It was intriguing and it kept me ensnared more than any book has done in a really long time. I gotta say, I don't think the general synopsis of this book does it justice. Even if you're not a big mystery reader, I still encourage you to give this one a shot!

Rating: 

5/5