Member Reviews
This story took so many twists and turns. It revolves around Lena Nguyen seeking out what happened to her twin sister, Cambry, and is told from both twins' points of view.
Lena doesn't buy the official report that her sister killed herself, and sets off to Missoula, Montana, driving Cambry's Toyota, to find the truth, but Lena doesn't tell anyone where she is going and why. She sets up a meeting with the cop who after pulling her sister over; also, found her sister's body. They drive to Hairpin Bridge where her sister's body was found.
Lena already suspects Raymond Raycevic and surprises him with how prepared she is. Before he knows it, she is in control and is recording their conversation.
Lena and Cambry were not very close, and we learn what leads Lena to try to make atonement to her sister. Cambry is a risk-taker and is estranged from her family. Did Cambry really take her own life, or was she murdered?
I waffled back and forth trying to find out what was exaggerated or what was a lie. Raycevic was maintaining his story and I would feel that Lena had things all wrong. Then Raycevic would say something that would make me rethink. Just when I thought Lena may be getting somewhere and answers, a huge twist is thrown in and Lena has an unexpected battle on her hands where her own life is in danger. The ending was satisfying, but did make me wonder if Cambry did indeed lead Lena or Lena just wanted to believe a dream she had along with a confession she heard made her think her sister was helping her. There is a shocking truth that did materialize about Cambry that left Lena bewildered.
This was a very action-packed read, that kept me trying to find out if the truth was being told while all the time rooting for Lena. I liked that Lena was crafty and unpredictable with a few tricks up her sleeve.
I requested and received an ARC from NetGalley via William Morrow and Custom House and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.
Hairpin Bridge is a thrilling story about Lena trying to prove her estranged twin sister, Cambry didn’t die by suicide. Lena returns to the scene to interview the cop that found Cambry’s body. The story alternates between present day, Lena’s blog and Cambry’s story. Hairpin Bridge is twisted and had me questioning throughout the book what happened to Cambry and what would happen to Lena. Since I have a twin sister, I always find books about twins interesting. Lena and Cambry hardly talk, but Lena is sure she knew Cambry. Lena uncovers things she didn’t know about her twin but has to figure out what to believe. I recommend Hairpin Bridge to thriller fans.
I read part of the physical book and listened to part of the audiobook. I preferred the audiobook. LuLu lam and Sophie Amoss did great jobs narrated and bringing this story to life.
Thank you Bibliolifestyle, William Morrow and Harper Audio for Hairpin Bridge.
“Nightmares do come true, but never in the shape you expect.”
Wow this was exactly what I needed right now. I’ve felt slumpy for a while and I wanted something to jumpstart my reading again, so what better than a captivating thriller that will get your heart racing? I just completely tore through Hairpin Bridge, and I expect a lot of people will be doing the same.
Taylor Adams’ sure does seem to love an isolated location. Outside of Missoula, Montana stands a bridge seemingly disconnected from most of civilization. And even before Lena’s sister Cambry’s body was discovered just over the edge, it had already developed a reputation for mysterious suicides. Lena has been preparing for months, channeling her grief into her own investigation of her twin sister’s death, and is finally ready to confront the man she thinks is responsible.
I loved this book. It was so, I’m not sure the way to describe it—I guess contained? Most of it takes place on or near this bridge, driving or nearby their cars, on the the same stretch of highway. There’s remarkably few characters, even compared to the author’s last book No Exit, which had five people snowed in at a convenience store. Speaking of that one, I did not like it nearly as much as Hairpin Bridge. The first half was brilliant but a lot of the plot and character arcs fell apart in the second half for me, so I was a little bit nervous the same thing would happen this time around too.
Luckily I think my worrying was mostly unnecessary. The pacing was break-neck, as in, it never seemed to really let up. Literally every moment felt like a stand-off (and yes some parts were literally stand-offs, but still!). After reading both books, what I think Adams does best in his writing is that he lets the reader think they’ve figured it out relatively early on. But his books are structured in such a way that even if you’re able to catch one of the balls he’s tossed up, there’s still a dozen more in the air at any given time. The remoteness of the location and cast probably should have been limiting, but it often left me doubting my own assumptions about the characters and their motivations.
I think one of the most interesting parts of this book is the way it’s structured. The story is almost entirely narrated by the protagonist, Lena, but through three different mediums. One is the typical third person narrative where we’re following Lena in real time. Another is a blog post she’s writing just a day before embarking on her journey to Montana to try to find and confront Cambry’s killer. And then the third is a book that Lena is writing about Cambry, and even at times directly to her departed sister. I won’t get too into it, but seeing the ways some of these narrations either matchup or clash with one another really helped shade in the relationship between the Nguyen sisters for me.
This is my favorite thriller so far this year. It had everything I wanted and more. Hairpin Bridge is a cool blend of intense action and twisting psychology that I think a lot of people will be into. Consider me a Taylor Adams convert, even he’s inexplicably being blurbed by AJ Finn.
This book hits the gas pedal, floors it and doesn’t look back. Quite literally a wild ride. I loved this book so much. It is my first Taylor Adams book and now I want to devour all of the others that exist. While there are parts of the story that don’t seem super realistic, it didn’t take away from any of the story of Lena and Cambry.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Thank you to Scene of the Crime, Netgalley, William Morrow and Custom House for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.
From my blog: Always With a Book
I absolutely loved Taylor Adam’s last book, No Exit, and as soon as I saw this new one, I immediately added it to my to-read list. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it and only hoped it lived up to the high expectations that his last book did…and luckily it totally delivered!
This writer knows how to deliver thrilling, edge-of-your-seat thrillers that are totally binge-worthy. Just like his last book, I completely devoured this new one in a single afternoon. I just could not put this one down once I started reading it and I love books like that. Each chapter hooked me more than the last and on top of that, seemed to end in little cliffhangers which just begged me to keep reading. There was just no good stopping point with this one.
I absolutely loved the way the story is structured…it is so clever and just pulls you in even more. It alternates between the present with what is happening with Lena’s search for what actually happened to Cambry and the past with chapters written on how Lena imagined Cambry’s last hours went. And you also have blog entries that Lena has written that are interspersed throughout that tell more about Lena and her motivations for what she is doing.
As hard as I tried to work out what was going on, this one really kept me guessing and I loved that. The twists and turns were perfectly placed and led to an ending I did not see coming. If you like intense, binge-worthy books, definitely add this one to your list!
Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams
This is my third Taylor Adams book and really, his books are way to gruesome, gory, and violent for me and that's with me enjoying some pretty violent thrillers. Adams does a great job of putting you right in the midst of the situation, no treating us with kid gloves when it comes to all the bad stuff that can happen. I'm glad this book wasn't any longer because I couldn't have taken more and I mean that in a good way. Despite my grimacing the entire time, Hairpin Bridge had me wanting to know what happens next, what is really going on, who really did what. This story seemed to have a whole lot of lying and major denial going on and it was hard to tell the truth from the falsehoods.
"Please Forgive Me. I couldn’t live with it. Hopefully you can, Officer Raycevic."
That was the last message Lena Nguyen’s estranged twin sister sent to her three months ago, right before she jumped off Hairpin Bridge. Since then Lena has been researching everything she can find out about her sister's death and Officer Raycevic. Lena dives into her mission to avenge her sister's death...she refuses to believe her sister committed suicide. Now Lena is following Officer Raycevic to the scene of her sister's death so she can hear his version of the story, since he was the last person to see her alive and since Camry mentioned his name in the last text she ever sent.
The story is told in a variety of ways. We get Camry's version which is really just Lena's imagining of how things happened. There are Lena's blog excerpts and her admission (already set up to be published after the fact) to her reasons for meeting with Officer Raycevic. At times we get to be privy to Raycevic's thoughts, too. Who can we believe and just how much is each person fooling themselves with their justifications for the things they do and the reasons they are doing them?
Thank you to William Morrow and Custom House and NetGalley for this ARC.
I really, really liked No Exit by the same author. About the midway point of this one, however, I started getting bored and almost gave up. But later came a couple of twists that I liked and I thought the ending was pretty good. I'm undecided on whether it deserves 3 or 4 stars, so I'm giving it the benefit of the doubt. Thanks, Netgalley, for my arc.
A hairpin turn into a twisty, turny wowser of an ending
The last book I read by author Taylor Adams was another winner - NO EXIT - and I can remember thinking that I was going to keep my eyes open for other books by this exciting thriller writer.
So when I was offered the chance to read HAIRPIN BRIDGE I jumped at the chance.
I enjoyed this psychological thriller from the very beginning. It is told from the viewpoint of twin sisters - one living and one dead.
Lena Nguyen heads to rural Montana to find out what really happened to her wild child twin sister, Cambry, who supposedly jumped to her death from the Hairpin Bridge. Lena and her sister haven't been close but she doesn't believe Cambry would have killed herself. So she searches out the last person to have seen her sister, Montana State Trooper Raymond Raycevic, and a deadly cat and mouse game begins between the two of them.
This is definitely a book that kept me guessing until the very final page. At times it seemed, well maybe a bit much, but what the heck, I still loved it. It was a roller coaster plunging, bungee jumping, cliff diving thrill a minute and I highly recommend it.
Don't go into it thinking you have it figured out. I can pretty much bet you don't.
I received this book from William Morrow Books and Joffe Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
I’m reviewing another highly anticipated summer book. This time it’s Hairpin Bridge. I wasn’t a huge fan of No Exit due to the gory details, but again, I was intrigued by the description.
Lena’s twin sister Cambry committed suicide by jumping off of Hairpin Bridge, better known as the suicide bridge. Or so Lena is told, but she can’t believe her twin would do this. She arranges to have the officer that found her sister show her the spot.
The story unfolds in a unique way. You see Lena’s story in real time with chapters of Cambry’s story leading up to her death. Some of Lena’s story is told from journal entries she wrote the night before meeting the officer. In a few rare instances you are even treated to some snippets of thought from the officer.
Right from the start I was wanting more. I felt the tension with Cambry and sympathized with Lena. I was on the edge of my seat. But the longer the story went on, the less I connected with Lena and thought the pace really slowed down. I can say that while the writing shows the same grit that No Exit did, the story is less gory. I appreciated that. I’m the type that would rather not read every gruesome detail.
I’m not sure if the author intended twists or they were just revelations, but I figured out most, but not all of them. While this book won’t make my top books of the summer, I don’t regret reading it . If you liked No Exit, I think you’ll like this one too.
YIkes! Well this was a pleasant surprise! After reading No Exit by Taylor Adams, I knew Hell or high water I would HAVE to get my hands on Hairpin Bridge. I hounded, i begged, i went to extreme lengths...... and it was well worth it!
The minute I downloaded Hairpin Bridge I knew the rest of my day would disappear. I just could not hold in my excitement! I squealed upon reading the approval email!
Hairpin Bridge is utterly indescribable . How do I put into words the amount of terror that seared through my veins as I started out on chapter one? My heart raced, my knuckles clenched, and I felt true fear.
Lena and Cambry were twin sisters, Lena can not wrap her head around her sister committing suicide, so she sets out to find her own answers.
There are so many secrets, twists, turns and surprises you wont see coming. I can not recommend this novel any more without shouting it from the rooftops (and I would do that) . Please please please add this to your "to be read pile", you will not regret it!
Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams is another heart-pounding adventure tale of a strong female character who can take care of herself while kicking some serious butt. Lena lost her twin sister just a few months ago to an unexpected suicide. She's not convinced that that's really what happened to Cambry so she sets off to interview the police officer who found her body. Plenty of twists keep this story moving right along making it into a riveting book. Read and enjoy!
Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams is a surprising tale that rides on the line between horror and thriller. The first half of the novel eased me into a very slow-moving, atmospheric, low-key story. The last half started, and, Woah, the tempo and plot changed into a thriller/slasher tale that pulled me into an intensity that alternated between suspense and despair in a disturbingly violent manner. I am not a big fan of scary, violent, gory tales. I am also not a big fan of snakes to the point where my Ophidiophobia has Ophidiophobia, so Hairpin Bridge was overall a struggle for me to read. However, I did appreciate the artistry and story-crafting involved in creating it. The mastery involved in telling this kind of tale is mind-blowing as there are mainly three characters, and it takes place in less than 24 hours from start to finish. I did, however, love the unreliable narrators. Lena Nguyen and Raymond Raycevic (Ray Ray) each tell their tale, and their perceptions are so grossly different and oh so believable that I had no idea which one to believe and still don’t. And Lena’s blog posts are so fresh and uniquely her voice that they are easy to read and very entertaining in their own right. Lastly, the ending gave me chills in a way and for a reason that I could have never in a million guessed, and it ultimately saved the story for me. If you are looking for an intense read that will turn you round and round and have you begging to be let off the ride, this is a reading experience you will not soon forget.
3.5 Stars
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Implausible but still harrowing.
Lena's sister Cambry, apparently jumped from the bridge to her death. Before she did she sent Lena a text mentioning an officer Raycevic. Not believing her sister would commit suicide, Lena arranges to meet up with the officer so she can see the bridge Cambry jumped from, or maybe pushed from? From here the action comes fast and furious leading to some hair raising scenes that you just might have to suspend disbelief for. That said, I was still able to enjoy the ride and felt all the anxiety and suspense the story creates.
This one is told primarily from the POV's of Lena and 'Cambry's Story' while including passages from Lena's blog for the story she's writing about her sister and the occasional musings of officer Raycevic. There are a few abrupt changes in the POV's within the chapters that may lead to some confusion while reading it. Speaking of confusion, there is plenty of that when it comes to getting a grip on what actually happened the night of Cambry's death.
All in all this is an intense, nail biting story that delivers the thrills but misses on the believability. The writing is descriptive enough to put you there in the middle of the action giving it the impression of watching a movie. Even with its shortcomings, I would still recommend it to those who enjoy intense, action thrillers.
As a big fan of No Exit, I was super pumped to read Hairpin Bridge. Expecting a non-stop wild ride at the very minimum. I think Hairpin has a lot going for it but unfortunately it becomes a bit sluggish and repetitive in the middle. I’m glad I stuck with it though as the ending revelations were not what I predicted and I was satisfied with the ending. A solid summer popcorn thriller. Just sit back and enjoy the ride.
I found the premise of this one quite interesting, but the pacing of it was inconsistent and lagged at times. Until the last 1/4 or so of the book, the most compelling sections were those in which Lena imagined Cambry's last hours. The ending of the book is definitely a whiplash fast series of reveals.
Who knows you better than someone who shares the same DNA as you?
Hairpin Bridge has a really interesting premise. Lena's twin sister, Cambry, commits suicide. Lena isn't convinced because she knows Cambry wouldn't do this. She suspects foul play and creates an elaborate plan with her blog with expose the truth of her sister's death.
I was really hoping for a lot of suspense and mystery. What I actually got was a lot of action and drama. I felt like I was reading about an old-school western shoot out where two people were standing on a bridge at gun point. The "bad guy" says "I lied, here's the truth" only to say five minutes later "Ok I was still lying here's the truth." This sequence happened so many times it lost impact for me. It was actually pretty confusing.
The entire book happens on the bridge. I don't mind a small setting, but this became repetitive for me. I actually skimmed the entire second half of the book just to finish so I could read about the "twist"....that left me disappointed. Basically, we are just revealing fake truths over and over again and then shoot at each other behind car doors.
I didn't feel emotionally connected to the characters because there was too much action. This was a Michael Bay movie in book form. Car chases and shootouts left me longing for some kind of emotional connection.
The writing style was also confusing to me. The chapters alternate, even mid-chapter, between Lena, Cambry's "story" written by Lena, and something else?? I honestly couldn't follow who was the voice multiple times. Maybe this is adjusted for the finished copy? I hope so!
Overall, the cheesy monologue and endless action fell flat for me. I've seen a lot of five star reviews for this one so don't let my opinion discourage you from reading it. I haven't read No Exit for a comparison, so this is just my first experience with this author as well. Maybe it's a style clash for me?
Thank you @williammorrowbooks and @netgalley for the advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. I was excited to read this one and I'm grateful I had the opportunity!
This began as such a full throttle psychological thriller that was such a chilling and wild ride. My adrenalin was continually pumping while the chapters were just bursting with suspense.
It was haunting, disturbing and incredibly anxiety provoking! I throughly enjoyed the blog post entries, the multiple POVs and the alternating timelines. I also really liked how the narrative was constantly changing which left you continually guessing!
Unfortunately I did find that the second half/ending dragged out a bit too much which is where this one lost it’s incredibly well built momentum.
Overall, I still do think this is an intense and thrilling read that is worth checking out!
Okay this book was a WILD RIDE. I definitely liked "No Exit" better but the twists and turns at the end of this book were remarkable. I am already excited for Taylor Adams next book and this one isn't even published yet.
Following his breakout novel, "No Exit" (being adapted to the big screen), Taylor Adams returns guns a-blazing with a more action-packed and drawn-out (no pun intended 🦖) trapped thriller.
Replace lodge for bridge, where 24-year-old blogger Lena arranges to meet a corporal to get answers to her identical twin sister Camby's death that occurred there three months prior, and you've got another battle of wits and endurance—this one, long on car chases and shootouts.
If relentless psychological torture and sporadic gore are your thing, then you should enjoy the ride!
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Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advance reader's e-proof.
What can I say? Another rollercoaster ride with Taylor Adams and it is just as crazy as you'd expect.
I don't think Hairpin Bridge's description does it justice at all. I was expecting a small-town mystery but instead I got a fast-paced cat and mouse chase that takes place only over the course of a few hours. What's impressive is that even with such a short time frame, Taylor Adams does a great job at never making it feel too drawn out. Every decision made by a character is written to be as intense as possible. The single setting and few characters really does make it feel like you're right there with them every step of the way.
Absolutely loved this read, it's hard to believe that this book is three hundred pages. No Exit fans will not be disappointed, as Adams will never give you a page to breathe. Definitely reminded me of Final Girls by Riley Sager in some ways. Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow