Member Reviews
This was AMAZING and I loved it. The characters, the setting., the twists and turns. Could not put it down!
Upon starting this book, I was hooked in immediately and was so excited to see what would happen. I love books about family investigating a murder and I think this was a great premise.
It was intense to start, and I liked the different POV's to tell the clues along the way- like when Lena interviews the patrolman and realises he had pulled her over the day before her death.
Unfortunately, the intensity decreases in the second half and the different POV's and timelines were pretty confusing! Isn't it weird how your opinion can completely reverse?!
I have heard lots about No Exit, which is still on my TBR, so I will not let this book put me off Adams' other novels.
This book really kept me on my toes! I thought it was really interesting how the story alternated from Cambry's story (as written/imagined by Lena), current day events as Lena meets with Raycevic, and Lena's blog explaining why she's doing what she's doing and what she hopes to find. It's a well told tale with interesting characters. There were some interesting revelations and twists throughout the book. Things were not always what they seemed to be.
How well do twins know each other? Are they really connected?
Lena Nguyen is searching for the truth about her twin sister's death. The family was told that Cambry jumped off Hairpin Bridge. Lena struggles to believe this version of the events. She makes arrangements to meet with Corporal Raymond Raycevic, the police officer who pulled Cambry over on the night of her death. He was the last person to see her alive.
As Lena and Officer Raycevic relive the events of that night will Lena gain closure? Will she be able to tell her mother that her sister is not stuck in purgatory for all eternity? What really happened that night on Hairpin Bridge?
This is the second book I have read by Taylor Adams. Though it is a good read it is not on the same level as No Exit. The twists and turns in this story kept me motivated to keep reading and the creepy behavior of some of the characters added to the storyline. However, there were elements that missed their mark since they lacked authenticity.
Lena Nguyen’s twin sister Cambry has died by jumping off Hairpin Bridge, at least that is what Lena and her family are told. All Lena knows is she received a cryptic text from Cambry with the name Ray Raycevic. Lena doesn’t believe Cambry would just jump off a bridge, and commit suicide, so she sets out to find the truth. As Lena faces off with Raycevic she feels deep down he was involved in Cambry’s death. What Lena doesn’t fully know is that Raycevic is hiding a deep secret and will do whatever it takes to keep that secret.
While I was able to finish the book one part that bothered me was the sporadic Asian girl references. By the description of the antagonist we clearly know she is Asian, she described her family and herself. It felt performative when the other characters (Raycevic and another) keep making references to Lena and Cambry by their race. As a minority it feels like the author is trying to show how inclusive they are but it doesn’t feel genuine.
There were also parts of the book that seemed to jump around between Lena and Cambry. The changes were literally from one sentence to the other, it wasn’t clear who was speaking. I had to read some parts over again to understand who was speaking. I made it through but it was confusing at times. It felt like the book dragged on at times, but ultimately I did finish it so it was not that bad.
Thank you NetGalley and Scene of the Crime for this ARC
This was my pick for book club this month. Loved the story. Was twisty, suspenseful, and hit with a bang in the last half of the book. Still love No Exit more lol. This book was a little hard to follow who was speaking, and many of my book club members thought this as well. It also took a long time to build momentum, which was a little disappointing. Still, overall a good read.
Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams is a fantastic book . I really loved No Exit by this author and I was looking forward to this book and I wasn’t disappointed! Twisty plot and complex characters make for a thrilling ride .
Perfectly plotted pace with an ending that left me shocked !
Wow this was quite the ride. It was definitely an edge of your seat book. I consumed this in one afternoon.
I didn’t find this that suspenseful but I did like the dual stories from both sisters. There were many twists at the end that I didn’t expect. Some of the story got repetitive and I found myself skipping pages.
No Exit was one of my favorite thrillers the year it came out, so this had a lot to live up to (which maybe is unfair and set me up for disappointment). And while the premise is right up my alley -- estranged sisters (twins!), multiple POVs, podcasts + journal entries -- I just didn't quite buy this one. It dragged, felt repetitive at times, and the ending wasn't quite satisfying. An enjoyable ride that ultimately wasn't for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and William Morrow for a gifted e-ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review!
All being said, this book was a wild ride from start to finish, and hard to put down. For me, it read like a nightmare with each situation faced in the book more terrifying than the last, but most terrifying of all? The fact that each of these situations wasn't entirely far-fetched fiction, but situations that could happen in real life.
In some ways, I wish there had been more character development and less action but overall I found it enticing and satisfyingly creepy. If there had been just a bit less of the creepy factors stacked on top of one another, I would have rated it much higher. Would definitely recommend it for those who love to get spooked, especially for those with a fascination for twins.
Such a disappointment. The premise is fantastic, but the book was so slow and boring. It really did feel like one day dragging on and on forever.
Lena Nguyen lost her twin sister Cambry three months ago. They were estranged, but this in no way takes away from Lena's desperate search for why Camry apparently jumped from a bridge. Lena has her reasons for seriously doubting that Cambry committed suicide. She makes an arrangement to meet with someone in her search for answers. This puts Lena in grave danger for her life. It was impossible not to feel the terror that was suddenly facing Lena. But then, the story is also presented from Cambry's point of view, and reading scenes of her last moments were utterly chilling.
Then we have Corporal Raymond Raycevic. We know something is up with him. Of that there is not doubt, but the situations were just so murky that I was kept guessing page after page. One thing is for sure. Lena received a disturbing text from Cambry before she died, "Please Forgive Me. I couldn’t live with it. Hopefully you can, Officer Raycevic.". Taking risk after risk, Lena is determined for the Corporal to explain what happened before Cambry's death, no matter how risky and dangerous spending time talking to him just might be.
Thus begins a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse. If Taylor Adams's first book, No Exit, kept you on the edge of your seat, then hold on even tighter while reading Hairpin Bridge. My nerves were wrecked while reading this thrilling book. Lena wants answers, and she is determined to get them, pushing Raycevic to the edge. What a fabulous, fabulous read, full of electrifying moments, pushing me to stay up late into the night until I got to the chilling ending.
Many thanks to William Morrow and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
Thank you NetGalley for providing this book for an honest review. This book takes place in a very short period of time. Lena is looking for answers about what happened to her twin sister, Cambry. Lena goes to confront the man that she believes killed her sister. There are many twists and turns along the journey with Lena to finding out what really happened on the bridge that night with her sister. It was a good read.
This is an author I have enjoyed from the first book I have picked up of his. His writing skills make his stories engaging, fast paced and just really enjoyable. This book is no different. This is a well written story that pulled me in from the first word. The characters not only bring the story to life but are also connectable. The twists and turns they took me on are edge sitting to see what will happen next. Lena has a twin sister named Cambry but they are not that close. Cambry goes to a remote bridge and jumps. Now the police are saying she is dead but is that the truth? How far will she go to find the truth about her sister? Is there more to this than meets the eye? I really enjoyed this story and the growth throughout the story. I also enjoyed what the characters brought to the story and how they made me want to know more. This is worth the pick up for sure. I highly recommend this book.
I really enjoyed this book. First time with Taylor Adams. This book was told in a very interesting manner, which kept me wanted to read the next chapter. Great characters, great pacing, great story. Will need to find other books by Taylor Adams. #HairpinBridge #NetGalley
Holy moly, Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams was a ride and a half and completely messed up and crazy. Adams does not shy away from gore and violence, and even though I love Karin Slaughter's novels, he takes things to a whole new level every time. After reading and loving No Exit I was very excited to check out this new novel of his, especially after being immediately intrigued by the synopsis. I loved the plot of Lena not believing her sister would commit suicide, so she goes after the answers to see what she can find out from Officer Raycevic. There is a great revenge aspect to this book, and most of the time Lena blew me away with how kickass she was. There were times I would find myself yelling at her only to have her come through and do exactly what she needed to do. I was on the edge of my seat practically the entire time, and this is the type of book that you just do not want to put down. It gets the blood pumping and I was full of anxiety while reading it.
The audiobook was pretty amazing as well and narrated by LuLu Lam & Sophie Amoss. Listening to Hairpin Bridge really upped the ante and suspense, and it made the fast pacing feel even faster. I loved listening to the audio and highly recommend it if you are an audiobook listener or looking to try a good fiction one for the first time. Adams created a very interesting feeling of unreliableness for all of the characters, and you get a few different viewpoints before you find out what it is that you are seeing happen. There is some media included as well, and I loved the mix of everything together to create this incredibly wild ride. It is so hard for me to review Hairpin Bridge just because I don't even know the appropriate ways to describe everything I felt while reading it. It is hardcore disturbing, fast-paced, and my jaw practically hit the floor with every twist and turn. It was another winner for me in the world of Adams' novels, and I can't wait to see what will come next!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Three months ago, Lena Nguyen’s estranged twin sister, Cambry, drove to a remote bridge seventy miles outside of Missoula, Montana, and jumped two hundred feet to her death. At least, that is the official police version.
But Lena isn’t buying it.
Now she’s come to that very bridge, driving her dead twin’s car and armed with a cassette recorder, determined to find out what really happened by interviewing the highway patrolman who allegedly discovered her sister’s body.
From the first chapter, this book was a roller coaster of book! Just like “Last Exit” by Taylor Adams. The author keeps things real and intense. This book is not for the faint of heart. The story gives a minute moments when Lena is remembering the past to catch your breath, but very soon you are full throttle again.
Very creative and intense writing. Thank you Scene of the Crime, Random House, Sam Glatt and William Morrow Books for the advanced ecopy.
Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams was a nail biting read. Lena Nguyen has come to the small mountain town where months earlier her twin sister Cambry leapt to her death from Hairpin Bridge. Cambry’s body was discovered by a cop named Ray Raycevic. Weirdly, he had just pulled her over an hour before her death for speeding. What are the odds that he would then find her body? Lena feels like something is strange about this so she decides to investigate. She is convinced that the officer murdered her sister. Her sister had even set a final text to Lena with the officer’s name in it. Lena contacts Officer Raycevic and arranges to meet him under the pretense of closure with her sister’s death. She wants him to show her where the body was found and let her know how he found it. What she has planned is nothing short of pure revenge and craziness. I won’t reveal any more about the plot because I don’t want to give anything away.
The book is told in present day chapters from Lena‘s point of view and the point of view of Officer Raycevic. There are also chapters narrated by Cambry in her final moments and what really happened to her. I can promise you what you think happened is not what happened. This is one twisted story. I really enjoyed the character of Lena and her grit and determination to find out what happened to her sister. The villains in this book are some of the creepiest, evilest people I have ever read about. I’m sure I’ll probably have nightmares about them. The action sequences were something that I would imagine in a movie. Make sure you don’t miss this book! Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
This is my second book by Taylor Adams. I was hoping for another 5 stars but sadly it didn't hit the mark & I ended up DNFing at 56%. I did enjoy the dual perspectives. I felt like the perspective of Cambry was more gripping than the perspective of her sister Lena. That's what kept me reading. The mystery surrounding Cambry's death and what may or may not have led to it was interesting and confusing at times. Over time it got repetitive the further I got into the book. Overall, it was just not the book for me therefore I didn't complete it.