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The Pilot

The Student News Site of Principia College

The Pilot

“Confessions of a Murder Suspect,” Reviewed

“Confessions of a Murder Suspect,” Reviewed

Tandoori (or Tandy for short) and her three siblings have no love lost between them in the events following their parents’ murder. When Tandy’s self-made billionaires parents are found dead in their bedroom, with all the doors to the apartment still locked, Tandy and her siblings are the prime suspects, and they do not have each other’s backs. The lives of the Angel children are thrown from an orderly and rigorous, academic life to a whirlwind of familial suspicion and shocking discoveries.

Sociopaths: that’s how the general public views the Angel family. The parents were driven to the point of obsession. Their personal approach to life benefitted them economically and gained them notice in their respective fields, so they passed the habit onto their children. No matter their interests, each child is the best. Their social lives are minimal while their academic focus is unparalleled.

Besides Matthew, the eldest son and a professional football player, none of the children have been in the press. Now without their formidable parents around to provide a barrier, the press rips into the Angel family history and no one is safe from scrutiny. As invasive as this may seem, Tandy is secretly grateful and readers eventually are privileged to a look at the inner-workings of the Angel family.

Despite the fact that all the main characters are either filthy rich adults or children ranging from ages ten to sixteen, authors James Patterson and Maxine Paetro keep things relatively relatable. Their representation of the Angel children keeps readers intrigued and curious as to their well-being, innocence and sanity. Each sibling may have their own battles and odd little quirks, but they are uniquely engaging. Readers will have a hard time choosing for themselves who they believe the guilty party is. Which of the beguiling siblings, if any, is able to commit parenticide.

The story is told from Tandy’s view, who admits to readers within the first chapter that she is an unreliable narrator. Although it is inhibiting to see the problem from only one side, there is no shortage of theories or motives. Confessions of a Murder Suspect delves into the complicated relations that can occur within families. Whether blood alone is enough to belay the suspicions that run rampant within the family, law enforcement and press.

Having a sixteen year old narrator can often be trying. Even a genius 16-year-old is still a teenager telling a story about the death of her parents, meaning that the story is not always clear. Readers will have to be wary of the transition between Tandy’s thoughts on current situations and her memories. She is torn between the inherent love one has for parents, and the realization that they weren’t perfect.

As the case progresses, the story returns frequently to the complicated feelings between Tandy and each of her family members. It’s difficult for the reader not to compare the life they had growing up compared to hers. Although she may have all the privileges that come with wealth and extreme intelligence, the reader may question whether that is enough. Those who enjoy reading about mystery and characters who have a healthy disregard for authority figures should give this book a shot.

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