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Thriller/Crime Review || Litani by Jess Lourey

Litani
Title: Litani
Author: Jess Lourey
Publisher: Thomas & Mercer
Published: 2021-10-19
Page Count: 315
It’s 1984 and 14-year-old Francesca “Frankie” Jubilee is having a rough time of it. Her father’s dead, she’s had to move in with her intimidating prosecutor of a mother, and there’s a Satanic cult in town preying on children. What’s a girl to do but help bring the predators to justice?

CW: child abuse/pedophilia, attempted rape

Litani was an enjoyable read, if even its subject matter was difficult at times. The small town of Litani, Minnesota felt claustrophobic and hollow, a perfect reflection of the people trapped inside. The “Satanic Panic” theme of the story, though in some ways predictable in 2021, worked in its favor: since it is rare to see it played from the perspective of a child in the thick of it, it helped quell my initial skepticism of how the story would play out.

Where Litani shone most was in the relationships between its characters. Like any teenager, Frankie’s love for her parents was complicated, and her nervousness about the town’s other residents — justified or not — reflected a wisdom far beyond her age. Seeing her blossom by the end was a joy.

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a thriller based on true events.


I received the eBook ARC of of this novel courtesy of Thomas & Mercer via NetGalley in return for my honest review. It will be available for purchase on October 19, 2021.

Get it from: Amazon Bookshop.org WorldCat.org
3.3Overall Score

Litani

CW: child abuse/pedophilia, attempted rape Litani was an enjoyable read, if even its subject matter was difficult at times. The small town of Litani, Minnesota felt claustrophobic and hollow, ...

  • Plot
    3.0
  • Characters
    3.0
  • Pacing
    4.0

About the Reviewer Alli

My name is Alli and I’ve been an avid reader since childhood. After earning a B.A. in English Literature and then a M.S. in Library and Information Science, you can imagine that I have very specific thoughts about each book that I complete.

View all reviews by Alli →

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