"It's Not Her" | Reviewed by Pat Sainz

Readers of Mary Kubica’s novel “It’s Not Her” will be hard-pressed to avoid being shocked at the twist and turns happening in Kubica’s newest book.

         Two families related to each other vacation at a run-down resort several hours north of Chicago. Elliot, father to Cass and husband of Courtney, vacationed there years ago and he remembers it as being lovely and comfortable. Now, it is not.  Elliot and family are in a small, musty cabin. The playground equipment is rusty, and the pool is less than sparkling. They are determined to make the best of it.

         Nolan and his unhappy wife Emily are in another cabin. Nolan is Courtney’s brother. Their children are Reese and Wyatt, two miserable teens, and 10-year-old Mae. Friction among the family is high because Nolan is newly unemployed, and his wife thinks he isn’t trying hard enough to get a job. The kids bear the brunt of their arguing.

        Young Mae spends one of the nights with her cousin Cass. When Mae returns to her parent’s cabin the next morning, she witnesses the dead bodies of her parents, Nolan and Emily. The 16-year-old, is missing. Wyatt is asleep in the cabin.

        As a search begins for Reese and the killer of her family, Reese’s secret rendezvous with one of the resort workers comes to light. The families also learn that another young girl went missing several years ago. Posters with her picture asking for help in locating her are still on the walls of the office of the resort. Eerily, Reese and the missing girl resemble each other.

       The families begin to question the actions of each other. Suspicion among the family is ever-present and unnerving.  The plotline traces the background of the workers of the resort and residents of the town which adds interest and potential motives for the killings. The twist at the end of the story is shocking. 

       Kubica’s books, which include “Local Woman Missing” and “She’s Not Sorry,” are captivating reads because they portray “normal” lives of people who encounter devastating situations. Her books are often on best-seller lists nationwide.

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