Sadie by Courtney Summers

Sadie by Courtney Summers
Published by Wednesday Books on September 4th 2018
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Young Adult, YA, Contemporary
Goodreads

Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.

But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meagre clues to find him.

When West McCray—a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America—overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.

I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher. This does not influence my thoughts on the book or this review.

I’ve been a huge fan of Courtney Summers since All the Rage so when I heard her next novel is pitched to fans of Serial, I knew I had to read it.

Sadie’s used to being independent, growing up without her mother and taking care of her little sister Maddie. But when Maddie’s body is found, Sadie’s world falls apart and she’s determined to find out her sister’s killer. Told in Sadie’s POV and with snippets from a radio show about the case, Sadie is a gripping and intense read.

I found the writing style very gripping. Not only was Sadie’s POV intense but the radio show provided glimpses into the other half of the story. I thought it was really engaging and I was definitely invested in what was going on, both for the plot and for the characters. The ending was a bit unresolved and while I understand why that’s the case from a thriller/mystery aspect, I personally prefer resolved endings. That’s more of a personal preference, not really an issue wth the novel, so I definitely don’t think that’s a point against the novel.

Overall, I really think Sadie is a must-read this fall. It’s a bit intense but engaging and definitely thought-provoking.