[Book Review] Antioch by Jessica Leonard

Antioch by Jessica Leonard is a gripping tale about a paranoid and sleep deprived woman who is obsessed with a local serial killer case.

Will she be able to solve the mystery that has stumped local detectives, will she get too close to the source, or is there something even more sinister going on here?

Let’s dive in!

My Thoughts on Antioch by Jessica Leonard

I have been interested in the disappearance of Amelia Earhart for ages. The first time I learned about her in elementary school, I was amazed with her story and heartbroken that she disappeared.

When I heard about this book and learned that the main character was interested in conspiracy theories about Earhart’s disappearance, I knew I had to check this one out.

When the story began, I was hooked immediately. Jessica Leonard’s writing style is very easy to read and she was able to quickly set the reader in a state of unease. I loved that we followed the main character as she dives in deeper with the case, but at the same time, starts to unravel physically and mentally.

While reading, I kept asking myself if this was paranormal or if we have an unreliable narrator on our hands. After all, poor Bess was drinking a lot and not getting enough sleep… Even after hitting the last page, I still wasn’t sure!

I LOVE books like this. They make me want to shout “WHAT?!” as soon as I hit the last word.

My Favorite Passages from Antioch

Bess dropped the phone. Her hands clasped at her chest as if to catch her heart before it could escape. Her mouth was open, but no sounds made their way out. 

It was a routine, but damn it, sometimes routines were real nice. Sometimes they could be the absolute nicest. 

Bess smiled and made her way over to the coffee. She poured some into one of the disposable cups stacked next to the pot and smiled down at the beautiful caffeinated cup of something to do with her hands. 

My Final Thoughts on Antioch

From start to finish, I was hooked. I’m still not sure what I think was real here vs. what had me believing something that maybe wasn’t real. If you’ve read this one, I would love to hear your thoughts!

If you haven’t picked this up yet, I highly recommend doing so! This is another that I would recommend picking up over the weekend or a day off so you don’t have to put it down.

What a debut! I cannot wait to read more from Jessica Leonard!

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