Amber Garza
On Sale Date: August 8, 2023
9780778334255
Trade Paperback
$18.99 USD
336 pages
In this chilling new novel, a pastor’s wife discovers that her estranged daughter is missing, but no one will believe her, until she meets a man claiming to be her daughter’s fiancé.
The book is about Tatum, a woman who secretly reconnects with her estranged adult daughter—secretly because Adrienne’s been all but disowned by Tatum’s husband, a pastor at the church in their small California town, where every move is watched and reported by his congregation. When Adrienne doesn’t show up for her shift at the bar where Tatum’s been visiting her, she knows something is wrong. Adrienne may have been a bit of wild child, but she hasn’t missed a day of work without calling in for years.
Tatum tries desperately to get the police or her husband to take her daughter’s disappearance seriously, until a mysterious man shows up claiming to be Adrienne’s fiancé. It’s a relief to finally have someone who believes her and is trying as hard as she is to find out where Adrienne is. But can she trust that this stranger is really who he says he is? And can she find her daughter before it’s too late?
BUY LINKS:
- Bookshop.org: https://bookshop.org/p/books/then-she-disappeared-amber-garza/18816653?ean=9780778334255
- B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/in-a-quiet-town-amber-garza/1142722524?ean=9780778334255
- Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Town-Novel-Amber-Garza/dp/0778334252
Amber Garza has had a passion for the written word since she was a child making books out of notebook paper and staples. Her hobbies include reading and singing. Coffee and wine are her drinks of choice (not necessarily in that order). She writes while blaring music, and talks about her characters like they’re real people. She lives with her husband and two kids in Folsom, California.
SOCIAL LINKS:
- Author website: https://ambergarza.com/
- IG: https://www.instagram.com/ambergarzaauthor/?hl=en
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ambermg1?lang=en
- FB: https://www.facebook.com/ambergarzaauthor/
What’s it about (in a nutshell):
In A Quiet Town by Amber Garza is a psychological thriller that explores the bond between mother and daughter and the lengths a mother will go to to protect her daughter.
My Reading Experience:
I enjoyed this thriller. It’s the type of thriller you want to curl up with on a rainy afternoon and let the time slip away. There is plenty of suspense and twists, though I don’t know that anything shocked me…well, maybe one thing – but regardless, my attention was firmly held from beginning to end without fail.
I loved the mother-daughter themes that played throughout and the look at the impact on a child with a controlling parent who can just cut ties with their child without looking back. This happens all the time, and it’s fascinating to look at it from the perspectives of the mother and the daughter. I would have liked the father’s perspective as well, but just for my own curiosity, not that the story needed it.
Of course, as with most thrillers, the less I say, the better, so I won’t tell you more than what you see in the topics below.
Characters:
The characters are developed enough for the story. The mother and daughter characters, in particular, could have had more development. I would have loved to see that, but they are developed enough for the scope of this novel.
Tatum is the mother in this story. Her husband kicked their daughter, Adrienne, out of their home. Still, Tatum recently found a way to connect with Adrienne weekly without her husband’s knowledge. This is how she notices that Adrienne goes missing, and she won’t stop until she finds out what happened to her.
Adrienne was a rebellious teen turned into a responsible adult who worked at a local bar. She only dates men new to town and passing through because she is not looking for deep connections or prolonged relationships. Yet, a man also searching for her claims to be her fiance and has pictures to support his claim.
Narration & Pacing:
The narration is done through three perspectives, and I loved the narration most of all. It was so effective for holding my attention and keeping the suspense high. The 1st- person perspectives are through: The Mother, The Daughter, and The Fiance. Naming them like that keeps the reader guessing, and that’s why I liked it.
Setting:
The setting is California. I didn’t find the location to truly have any meaning for the story. Still, the different types of areas are utilized.
Read if you’re in the mood for:
- A dark, tense, and mysterious psychological thriller
- A fast-paced thriller that’s perfect for an afternoon of escapism
- Exploring mother-daughter relationships
My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
| Originality | 8 |
| Writing Quality | 10 |
| Pace | 6 |
| Character Development | 8 |
| ‘Couldn’t Put It Down’-ness | 6 |
| Setting | 10 |
PROLOGUE
His hands were in her hair, fingers threaded through the silky strands. I knew what it felt like. My fingers had been buried in her hair many times, including last night. When their lips met I sat up straighter, leaning forward. It didn’t feel real. I worked my jaw. It popped and clicked. My own mouth buzzed with the memory of how her lips felt on mine.
The kiss was long. Too long.
She liked it.
My shoulder muscles pulled tight, a rubber band being stretched beyond its limits. I thought they might snap.
The two of them drew back. She smiled. Smiled with the same lips that had smiled at me. Kissed me. Told me they loved me. Clearly, a lie.
She brushed back her hair, and the diamond on her finger sparkled.
Her ring. The one I’d given her. She was wearing it.
It felt like a punch to the gut. Like a big “fuck you” to me.
It wasn’t like she knew I’d followed her. But still… Shouldn’t she take her engagement ring off before she hooked up with another dude?
Throwing her head back, her neck exposed, she giggled.
Imagining my hands wrapping around that tender flesh, I squeezed the steering wheel. It gave under the pressure, and I squeezed harder. It felt good. Therapeutic. I pictured her terrified. Pleading. Mouth tight, eyes bulging. I squeezed and squeezed, my teeth grinding, the vein in my forehead throbbing. My muscles ached by the time I released my grip.
Their hands clasped. My breathing was labored as I watched them walk off together, around the side of the building, out of sight.
I’d loved her. Given her so much.
How dare she?
No one made a fool out of me.
She wouldn’t get away with this. Not by a long shot.
Excerpted from In A Quiet Town by Amber Garza, Copyright © 2023 by Amber Garza. Published by MIRA Books.
13 responses to “In A Quiet Town by Amber Garza #BlogTour #BookReview #excerpt #Thriller”
Fab review, sounds good, glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you!
Great post and review, Tessa💜 I somehow missed this one but added it yesterday when I saw Carla’s post. Really glad it turned out to be a good reading experience. I’ve enjoyed a couple of her earlier books.
Me too! It was much different than I expected, which turned out to be a good thing.
I love how foreboding the cover is. Great review!
It’s a great cover 😊
That cover and title would definitely draw me in. This sounds like a tense book!
Tense and suspenseful – my favorite combination 😊
Great review, Tessa. It sounds like we had similar reading experiences with this one.
It is a good one 💕
Great review. And I love that cover!
It’s a very good cover!😍
Sounds tense and atmospheric. I don’t like controlling parents and it doesn’t make me happy to read about it. Great review!