Author: Lisa Scottoline
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
Format: eBook
Source: NetGalley
I received an advanced reader/listener copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Quick Thoughts
This Changes Everything was a solid 3-star read for me. It was fine.
This is the second book in Lisa Scottoline’s series about Julia, who has some psychic intuition that she does not exactly want. You do not have to read the first book to read this one, but I did read the first one, and I liked that one more. The first book had stronger character development, better pacing, and I felt more pulled into the story overall. This one had an interesting enough mystery, but it took me a while to get through and I never felt especially connected to the characters. I would recommend reading the first one before this, it gives a lot of back story.
The ending was packed with action, but I also spent a decent amount of time wondering why Julia was taking such wild risks when she had a daughter at home worried about her…
What It’s About
Julia is living in Tuscany when she has a troubling premonition while talking with her best friend, Courtney. Soon after, Courtney’s grandmother is murdered, and Julia flies home to help figure out what really happened.
The police think it was a burglary gone wrong, but Julia and Courtney believe there is more to the story. As they dig deeper, Julia’s psychic intuition becomes part of the investigation, even though she is still struggling with that ability and does not really want it.
The book has murder, secrets, family history, friendship, corruption, and a supernatural thread running through the mystery.
Why I Picked It Up
I picked this one up through NetGalley because I had read the first book in the series and liked it better than I expected to. I also generally like Lisa Scottoline, and The Truth About the Devlins is my favorite of hers so far.
This book is nothing like The Truth About the Devlins, though, so that comparison did not really help me much while reading. This series has more of a supernatural mystery angle, which is not usually my thing, but since I had read the first book, I knew going in that Julia’s intuition would be part of the story.
What Worked For Me and What Could Have Been Better
The mystery itself did keep me curious. I wanted to know who killed Courtney’s grandmother and what was really going on. There were enough questions in the background to keep me reading, and the ending definitely had a lot happening.
That said, the pacing was slower than I wanted it to be. The first book moved better for me, and this one took more effort to get through. It picked up near the end, but by then it felt like a lot was being packed into the final stretch.
The psychic intuition piece was okay. Julia was struggling with her ability and did not want to have it, which made it a little more interesting than if she had just been happily solving crimes through visions. But there were also a few moments where it felt very convenient.
My bigger issue was that I did not feel connected to the characters. I knew Julia and Courtney were supposed to have this very strong friendship, but I did not feel heavily invested in it. I understood the emotional stakes, but I did not really feel them.
Characters / Setting / Atmosphere
Julia is still an interesting enough main character because she is dealing with this ability she does not want, while also trying to protect the people she loves. But in this book, I had a harder time understanding some of her choices. She takes some truly insane risks, and I kept coming back to the fact that she has a daughter at home worried about her.
Courtney and Julia’s friendship is supposed to be a big emotional center of the book, but it did not fully land for me. I believed they were close because the book told me they were close, but I did not feel as invested in their relationship as I wanted to.
The atmosphere had some good mystery energy, especially with the family secrets and the sense that there was something bigger going on. But overall, this one felt more plot-heavy than character-heavy.
Mystery / Plot
The mystery worked enough to keep me reading, but not enough to fully pull me in. I did want to know who killed the grandmother, but some of the connections felt too convenient.
By the end, there is a lot going on. The action ramps up, the stakes get much bigger, and everything gets wrapped up pretty neatly. Some of it was interesting, but some of it felt like a lot to take in all at once.
I do think readers who enjoy mysteries with a supernatural twist may have a better time with this than I did. For me, the psychic element was not a dealbreaker, but it is not usually what I reach for. I prefer when the character work and pacing are strong enough that I am not thinking too hard about whether the visions are doing too much heavy lifting.
Final Thoughts
This Changes Everything was fine for me. Not bad, not especially memorable, but a readable 3-star mystery with a supernatural thread.
I would recommend it to readers who liked the first book in the series, fans of Lisa Scottoline who are open to something with a psychic element, or anyone who enjoys a mystery with a little supernatural twist.
For me, the first book in the series was stronger, and The Truth About the Devlins is still my favorite Lisa Scottoline so far.
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