Book Review: The Masked Truth

The Masked Truth by Kelley Armstrong
Release Date ~ October 13, 2015
Doubleday Canada ~ Random House
ISBN13: 9780385684750
Review copy received from Penguin Random House Canada

Goodreads Synopsis:
Riley Vasquez is haunted by the brutal murder of the couple she was babysitting for.

Max Cross is suffering under the shadow of a life-altering diagnosis he doesn’t dare reveal.

The last thing either of them wants is to spend a weekend away at a therapy camp alongside five other teens with “issues.” But that’s exactly where they are when three masked men burst in to take the group hostage.

The building has no windows. The exits are sealed shut. Their phones are gone. And their captors are on a killing spree.

Riley and Max know that if they can’t get out, they’ll be next—but they’re about to discover that even escape doesn’t equal freedom.

The Masked Truth is a thought-provoking thriller, one which will appeal to those who crave action and mystery, but appreciate a challenging plot at the same time.

1. A sensitive approach to mental health:
   
   I'm happy to see more books that tackle the subject of mental health, but I'm even happier to see books which are sensitive to the experiences of people who experience mental health issues. The Masked Truth is particularly good at this, while featuring a number of characters with various mental health diagnoses, yet treats them as respectfully as they should be. Their struggles are acknowledged and readers are given just a hint of some of the internal struggles one might experience.
   
2. A complex, engaging mystery:
   
   I thought I had figured out what twists there would be in the story fairly early on, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I was wrong and the book wasn't as easy to figure out as I originally believed. The plot takes quite a few turns in different directions, which is important. I like a mystery that keeps me guessing for the length of the book. 

There were a few aspects of the storyline that I had a harder time with because they seemed too unlikely to be believable. They felt a little too convenient for the plot which made them feel forced and disrupted the flow of the story and left me with quite a few questions when I had finished reading. While the mystery was good, it didn't feel like it was wrapped up in a satisfying way.

But the real strength of The Masked Truth is its characters. I loved Riley and Max, both so different from each other and different from me. Even while struggling with incredibly difficult circumstances, all of the characters felt lifelike and genuine. I cared about their stories and what happened to them. And their relationships developed naturally, in a way that seemed very authentic.