Keep Them Close

 

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Keep Them Close by David Ellis was one of my most anticipated books of the summer, and it delivered. I started with the ebook, then my Libby hold for the audio came in, and I ended up listening to about 75% of it. No regrets. Total binge.

Two siblings. One murder. A whole lot of secrets neither of them wants dug up. Allison is a high-powered defense attorney who has had it with her cheating husband, Finley. Her brother Luke is a good guy who has landed himself in real legal trouble. When Finley turns up dead, Detective Louise starts pulling threads, and the closer she gets, the more the family’s buried history threatens to come apart. Told across three points of view with timeline shifts, this one asks you to pay attention, and it rewards you for it.

Ellis’s writing is as sharp as ever and his plotting is diabolical. So many twists and turns, but he weaves every thread together without a single loose end. Masterful storytelling, plain and simple.

The full cast narration is a huge part of why the audio works so well. Kelli Tager as Allison, Sean Patrick Hopkins as Luke, and Robin McAlpine as Louise are all fantastic, and the distinct voices make the complex plot so much easier to track. Bonus points to whoever decided to note which character each narrator voiced up front. Small touch, big help.

Fast paced, complex characters, twisty, great writing, and narration that nails it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ all the way. Do not miss this one. Out now.

Grab a copy at Bookshop.org and help an indie bookstore while you're at it.

If you enjoyed this review, you might be interested in my review of Ellis's book The Best Lies.

About the Author

David Ellis is a judge and a #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling, Edgar Award–winning author of twelve novels of crime fiction, including Look Closer, as well as ten books coauthored with James Patterson. He has served as a justice of the Illinois Appellate Court since 2014. Ellis lives outside Chicago with his wife and three children.