Tear Me Apart

by J.T. Ellison

Mira Books

Publication Date : August 28, 2018

Pages : 368

Synopsis from Publisher: 

One moment will change their lives forever…

Competitive skier Mindy Wright is a superstar in the making until a spectacular downhill crash threatens not just her racing career but her life. During surgery, doctors discover she’s suffering from a severe form of leukemia, and a stem cell transplant is her only hope. But when her parents are tested, a frightening truth emerges. Mindy is not their daughter.

Who knows the answers?

The race to save Mindy’s life means unraveling years of lies. Was she accidentally switched at birth or is there something more sinister at play? The search for the truth will tear a family apart…and someone is going to deadly extremes to protect the family’s deepest secrets.

With vivid movement through time, Tear Me Apart examines the impact layer after layer of lies and betrayal has on two families, the secrets they guard, and the desperate fight to hide the darkness within.

It is very rare for a book to bring a tear to my eye. When reading crime fiction my default emotions are usually fear, anger, and shock. I typically shy away from any book with a sad or tear jerking element, however Tear Me Apart managed to keep me intrigued until the end. Tear Me Apart is a story of strength, courage, and forgiveness with a well measured balance of emotions and thrills.

At the age of seventeen, Mindy Wright is well on her way to become the best downhill skier in the world. While competing in the race which could secure her spot on the US Olympic team Mindy breaks her leg. Although the break is clean and she is expected to be back in skies soon, Mindy and her family learn that she has leukemia. Mindy’s parents are devastated and are willing to do anything to save their daughter’s life. What could potentially save Mindy’s life is a stem cell transplant. When Mindy’s parents are ruled out as donors, a seventeen year old trail of secrets begin to unravel.

Reading a book in which the lead character is an athlete was a new experience for me. Although I know it is a HUGE deal to make the US Olympic team, Tear Me Apart really expounds on the amount of dedication is takes to be successful. Mindy’s work does not stop when she is off the slopes. Exercise and diet are key components to her success. The amount of discipline and dedication Mindy displays is admirable and shocking due to her age. Mindy attacks cancer with the same determination. Her good spirts encourage her parents and her doctors during her illness. She is often the glue which holds her family together. For this reason readers will cheer for Mindy and wish for her recovery. Ellison has created a character which all readers will love and find relatable.

About a quarter of the way into the book I was able to identify the villain of this story. This did not make Tear Me Apart any less compelling, it actually made the story more captivating. There is no line the villain is not willing to cross. I raced through the book eager to discover just how far the villain would go. 

Mindy’s mother Lauren is a complicated character. While her actions seem selfish, Mindy almost solely benefits from her actions rather than Lauren. Most of Lauren’s actions are inexcusable, but she always acts with what she thinks are Mindy’s best interests in mind. I wanted to dislike Lauren so much, but for this reason I could not. While most readers will disagree with Lauren’s methods (as do I), they will relate to Lauren’s fierce determination to protect her family.  Ellison created a character readers will want to hate but despite her misdeeds they will be able to understand Lauren.

Although I figured out where the story was headed early on, I still found myself unable to stop reading. I challenge any reader to read about Mindy and not want to find out how her story ends. Readers looking for introduction into the psychological thriller genre should add Tear Me Apart to their list of must reads.

**Thanks to Mira Books for my free copy of Tear Me Apart**

Murder and Moore Rating:

4 out of 5 Stars