Official Review: Void by Tayma Tameem

[mmm17]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Void" by Tayma Tameem.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Vanished is the first book of a series entitled Void, written by Tayma Tameem. The novel dives into the frightful and troublesome theme of a missing child and the terrible consequences it entails.

Ryan and Sally Gallager are a middle-class couple like millions of others in America. They have a four-year-old daughter, Jessica, and a baby boy, AJ. At the beginning of the story, readers learn that Ryan had lost his job at a major pharmaceutical research company and kept this from his wife, an exhausted stay-at-home mom. To make things worse, AJ Gallager disappears from his crib on the night of his first birthday party. A skillful detective named Alan Banks gets assigned to the case, and he is as experienced and persistent as they come. Baker is determined to find out what happened to the baby boy. As is often the case with this type of crime, everyone is a suspect, relatives included. The question then becomes if this seemingly perfect family could be hiding something.

The book has two strengths: the puzzle (what happened to AJ) and the well-developed characters. What I liked the most about this story was its mysterious atmosphere, especially in the first half of the book. I enjoyed the way the investigation revealed a couple of shady secrets, but I can’t give away spoilers! I also liked the way the author developed both protagonists. Ryan and Sally are nuanced and multilayered, and so is Alan Banks, the detective. There was more than enough backstory to help readers understand their motivations, which I appreciated. Ryan’s suffering and ambivalence are heartbreaking, and the detective’s relentless pursuit of clues was also a noteworthy positive. I could relate to them, and it kept me invested in the story.

On the other hand, after the first half of the book, the story starts to drag a bit. From a certain point, after a couple of secrets get revealed, I found it less pleasurable to read. I felt it climaxed a bit early, and the remainder of the book failed to keep up the tension of the first chapters. The ending was a bit frustrating, too.

In closing, I felt the positives outweighed the negatives, so I decided to rate it 3 out of 4 stars. I’m subtracting a star due to the negatives previously mentioned, especially the unbalanced story arc. Still, it was an entertaining read, and if you enjoy a mixture of crime, mystery, and drama, you will surely enjoy it.

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Void
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[namuyong]

I have read one of Tayma Tameems book i know he is a great author.thumbs. up on reading the book.nice job on your review

[NetMassimo]

Overall, this seems an interesting mystery, with some editing to rework its pacing and give it a better balance, it might be great. Thank you for your terrific review!

[Pluma]

This book sounds like it has an engaging mystery at the center; I'm intrigued to find out what happened to AJ and what secrets the family are hiding. It’s a pity about the issues you mentioned, though, as I could see how they would affect the enjoyment of reading the book. Thanks for the great review!

[Clancy193]

Sounds like another epic book! Also most authors sort of expose the readers, too early to secret, hence it just decrease the book's enjoyment. Read a couple of books like that. I love being put on the suspense train when reading a book.

[Clancy193]

I forgot to mention. The book's cover is super awesome! I loved it!

[Bookworm101520]

This book sounds intense! I am intrigued by all the secrets. It's disappointing to hear that the action drops off in the second half. Thanks for an honest review.

[Pearl Akpan]

Sounds like fascinating thriller story. would definitely love to give it a read. Thank you for a well written review

[Vivian Jabeya]

This is an amazing book. I love the mystery in the book. I only put it down after reading all the chapters. Good review!

[Amrita B]

Woww!!!! This story sounds mysterious and it would be interesting to read this story. Thank you for your review.

[Aan Granados]

I love mysteries, and this seems intense. The characters seem to be keeping secrets from each other. I can't wait to read this. Thanks for your review.

[Abacus]

"Void" by Tayma Tameem - A gripping mystery about the kidnapping of a child, AJ, on his 1st birthday. The detective in charge is a determined man and means to find out what happened. The resultant emotions of AJ's parents are poignant, and hidden secrets are revealed. Thanks for the informative review.

[meike schroeder]

Sounds like a good mystery, abduction of a child with family members involved is a story that could be real, si it makes the book more interesting.

[Sou Hi]

Thanks for your review. While the genre of this crime novel is my favorite, it looks like the plot is quite cliche. The context of a mystery (AJ's disappearance) which would expose the secrets of someone (the Gallagers and the detective Alan) has been exploited in many other books, so I don't find it appealing anymore.

[Hiruni Hansika]

I love the plot! These kind of mysteries are the ones I really love. I want to find where AJ is. Adding this book to my to be read list!