This was an interesting look into the modern Mormon church. I appreciated that the author is a Mormon and a feminist, and it was interesting to see that play out.

I hate to say this, but this was a DNF for me. I tried. I really tried, but I thought I was going to be reading a mystery sprinkled with some interesting tidbits of information. Instead, I was engulfed by what seemed more like the author's external debate on transgenderism and sexuality along with the mores of Mormonism. At the one-third mark, we're up to one transgender, two gay, and one rumored to be gay, and it seems these revelations about community members are only coming to light in this book as a way for the author to continue her one-sided conversation. This would have made a great nonfiction book since there were some very thought-provoking ideas to spark discussion and also a lot of explanations as to the inner workings of the Mormon faith. As a fiction novel set forth as being a mystery, however, not so much.

I also was not a fan of the main character at all. While I appreciated her openness and acceptance of people and behaviors that the Mormon church's strict ideals wouldn't agree with, I didn't like her attitude about it. She was constantly getting angry with people who didn't think the same way she did rather than understanding that these are issues people in her community needs to slowly come around to. I especially didn't like the way she was with her husband. I get that you don't agree with a lot of the moral standards and beliefs of the church you are a part of, but you are the bishop's wife, so maybe you should be a little more subdued about it. Basically, this chick is a narcissist right down to keeping a major secret about her past while being upset that others are keeping secrets of their own and being angry with a teenager for doing something potentially dangerous and, two minutes later, literally causing that teenager to get into an accident. She feels guilty about things, but her guilt always comes too late and with caveats. Classic narcissism.

Had the mystery been more in the forefront of this book, I would have probably been able to stick with it, but it got so completely lost as an afterthought. If the author can't even stay focused, I don't know how I was expected to.