Might be my new favorite sub-genre.

With all its twists and mystery, I think Halle's strength as an author within a suspense genre lies in her ability to make her characters more interesting than the plot itself. I am not the biggest fan of suspense because of how plot-driven it is, but this one truly did it for me. The descriptive writing is so captivating and insightful that it elevates the characters' emotional turmoils and makes them drive the story forward. The suspense plot itself is intriguing too, but it's beautiful to see the characters being the heart of this book. I enjoyed the nuanced approach to the way Mia and Matteo are written. They are both complex characters and even the main traits do not define their roles as a teacher or a guardian or a musician or a killer, but they complement them. For example, Mia being this really sweet and caring teacher but still seeing her lose her temper? Brilliant. Matteo being present in Alessandra's life despite his line of work? Top-tier behavior.

I keep dwelling on the writing itself, because it's truly what captured me, so one last note about it. I love how the Italian language was incorporated and made the story feel even more authentic. I don't need Duolingo; I have Halle's book teaching me all the Italian I need.