Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas

 Dangerous Boys by Abigail Haas

Release Date - August 14, 2014

Publisher Website - Simon and Schuster UK/Author Self Published in USA/Canada
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  320 pages
My Rating - 4.5/5
**received in exchange for an honest review**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis

Three teens venture into the abandoned Monroe estate one night; hours later, only two emerge from the burning wreckage. Chloe drags one Reznick brother to safety, unconscious and bleeding; the other is left to burn, dead in the fire. But which brother survives? And is his death a tragic accident? Desperate self-defense? Or murder?
Chloe is the only one with the answers. As the fire rages, and police and parents demand the truth, she struggles to piece together the story of how they got there-a story of jealousy, twisted passion, and the darkness that lurks behind even the most beautiful of faces…

There are some books that are an experience. They are meant to be felt, and looked upon like a journey. They catapult your emotions in a thousand directions, mess with your head, and leave you screaming and gasping. With both Dangerous Girls, and now, Dangerous Boys Abigail Haas has manged to create this type of novel  twice. A psychological thriller that is relentless, it'll consume you to the very last page is turned.

This is a story of love, sex, jealousy, sibling rivalry, and choices. It's also about discovering darkness in the most unexpected places, and how deceptively dangerous that darkness can be if you're drawn to it. It's unflinching in it's portrayal and unapologetic for it's darkness.

Obviously, this is one of those books where knowing less is indeed more. It makes writing a review a little tricky, because you don't want to taint the experience. The questions that haunt the pages and their answers are part of experiencing this novel. It's best to go in knowing the bare minimum, and as spoiler free as possible. Which brother leaves the building? Who ultimately killed him and why? Could it have been an accident? All of these questions are masterfully teased and revealed to allow for a dizzying pace that left me breathless.

Abigail's execution works so well because of her narration. She uses her narrators to give us just enough at the exact right time. She reveals the truth in layers, and this creates a need within the reader. A need to follow the story. It's addictive, compelling, and brilliantly done. The pacing is one of the best I've read, because while the tension increases the author is also providing answers. Going against the usual, the answers that should alleviate some of the tension only serve to increase it. It basically renders the book unputdownable. It's a one sitting read because you won't be able to turn the pages fast enough.

For those of you scared this may be a rehash of Dangerous Girls, rest assured something completely different is happening here. Once you have all the pieces, and the true nature of this story is revealed, you'll want to flip back to page one and read it all over again. I predict a second reading would be just as satisfying as it would read completely different. It would give the reader a means to view what was happening through a tainted eye, but one that was just as enjoyable as discovering it for the first time.

You may have mentioned I have not discussed the characters themselves. Discussing them would be giving to much away since it's nearly impossible to discuss them without giving something away. I will say that each of them is flawed, and discovering who they are is both fascinating, and terrifying at various times.

I would be sad if this is the last book of this nature we see from Abigail Haas. She's proven a force to be reckoned with in the psychological thriller genre. Fans of Dangerous Girls will eagerly devour this devilishly twisted read, and those new to this author should prepare themselves for one intense roller coaster ride.