The Collective by Alison Gaylin

 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Title: The Collective 

Author: Alison Gaylin

Publisher: William Morrow

Release Date: 11.2.21

Publisher’s Summary 

Just how far will a grieving mother go to right a tragic wrong?

Camille Gardner is a grieving—and angry—mother who, five years after her daughter’s death, is still obsessed with the privileged young man she believes to be responsible.

When her rash actions attract the attention of a secret group of women—the collective—Camille is drawn into a dark web where these mothers share their wildly different stories of loss as well as their desire for justice in a world where privilege denies accountability and perpetrators emerge unscathed. Fueled by mutual rage, these women orchestrate their own brand of justice through precise, anonymous, complexly plotted and perfectly executed revenge killings, with individual members completing a specific and integral task in each plan.

As Camille struggles to comprehend whether this is a role-playing exercise or terrifying reality, she must decide if these women are truly avenging angels or monsters. Becoming more deeply enmeshed in the group, Camille learns truths about the collective—and about herself—that she may not be able to survive.

My Review

Facebook groups for mothers in mourning are not what Camille Gardner is looking for. She doesn't want to be told sweet nothings and given false comforts, she wants revenge on the boy who killed her daughter but escaped punishment. An anonymous invitation to join a group on the dark web starts a series of events that had me on the edge of my seat. For anyone who is infuriated by characters making obvious mistakes (like sending an email from a home computer, keeping the receipts after buying the murder weapon, etc.) this book will give you a rush of satisfaction. Super smart and twisty, The Collective was a definite five star read.