Here's the thing: I didn't not like this book.
In fact, I was definitely hooked at the beginning. A man at the end of his rope, Ian Bledsoe, ends up on a Greek island to reunite with his childhood best friend, Charlie. But as more and more events transpire, Ian thinks Charlie may have invited him there to play their childhood game, Destroyers--only this time, it's not pretend.
It's a fascinating premise. But my problem was how long it took to play out. Bollen has a wonderful writing style, but I felt like the book simply went on too long--a problem I didn't have with Orient, Bollen's book that was equally long but I found far more enjoyable. The twists in The Destroyers are definitely surprising, but by the time I got to them, I just wasn't as invested as I wanted to be.
This is the kind of really good YA series where I've already put the other books on hold at the library.
It centers around Cassie, a teenager who is a natural profiler, which makes her prime to be recruited by the FBI for their Naturals group--a collection of teenagers with innate skills who work to solve cold cases. Each have their own past, including Cassie, whose mother was murdered but whose body was never found. When a serial killer comes on their radar, the Naturals realize that this case may hit closer to home than ever before.
This book had me hooked from the start, and I flew through it. The characters are so interesting, as are the cases--and the house they all live in is fascinating, with a basement full of simulated crime scenes for them to practice on. This is a creepy, well-written book with a final twist that blew my mind. I can't wait until I can get my hands on the rest.
