The call that shook Pasadena

The Call that shook Pasadena

Sonia Ourfalian

Pasadena

By: Sherri L. Smith

Have you ever received a call that shifted your life forever? Have you ever lost someone so close to you? Whether it be a family member or a friend, we all want answers. Why? How? Ongoing questions begin to ponder when you have lost someone so suddenly and you don't even know how it happened. In the case of this book, Jude receives a call that alters her life forever. She hears words that seem to be unimaginable; her best friend Maggie has tragically passed away and no one knows how. Her friends think it’s suicide and her parents think it’s an “accident”, however Jude calls it what it is, murder. Jude states that this is “what happens when people die. Time freezes around them. If you stand too close, you get caught, like a fly trapped in amber. It takes a certain amount of strength to pull away and leave it behind.” (90) Maggie was Jude’s everything and when she passed away all her focus was on her, it had seemed as though the clock had just stopped ticking. All Jude is looking for is answers. To her, everyone is a suspect and no one can be trusted. For the person who knew Maggie like the back of her palm, she is determined to find the truth by reconstructing her last few days and pulling every piece of her life together.

In the portion of the book that I have read so far, I can't seem to put the book down. It has kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat since the moment I started it. Through the use of suspense and mystery, Smith does an astonishing job of grabbing the reader's attention. Throughout the book every little detail is connected to another and as it unfolds, I've come to the realization that every character is not to be trusted. This book is not something I personally connect with but it has captivated my attention and truly intrigued me. Death, unfortunately happens in our world today and although investigators are the ones digging for the answers, it is still worth finding out. Everyone has someone that means the world to them and if they are somehow taken from this earth, they will do every effort to find out how it happened, even though the truth is never easy. Everyday people come across hardships that make life difficult but we learn to move forward and making the best of it. In this book, Smith explores the reality of friendships and losses. As tragic as it may be, many go through the pain of suffering through it and really have no choice. Just like Jude, as difficult as it may be, she is determined to find out the answers because she needs to face the reality and eventually move forward with her own life.

For those of you who seek suspenseful, mysterious, tragic, and realistic books, this book is the way to go. It has the perfect combination of sad yet hopeful and openhearted yet mysterious. I highly recommend it, because it definitely keeps you on your toes and yearning for more. It is a book that engaged me and hope will engage you as well!