The Collective

How far would you go to right a wrong? That's the question grief-stricken mother Camille asks herself when she is approached by The Collective, a secret group that invites her to join them on the dark web. The Collective is a group of mothers whose sole desire is to take revenge on the people that caused the deaths of their respective children. Camille's own daughter, Emily, was killed at the age of 15, when she fell for an older boy, a college freshman that brought her to a frat party, got her drunk, sexually assaulted her in the woods near the college campus, then left her to die. As with many real-life cases, Emily's assailant - a wealthy white guy - faced no legal ramifications, while Emily was tried in the court of public opinion after her death. When she is initally approached by the group, Camille believes that it is a form of immersion therapy, where these angry women “play act” revenge fantasies against those who harmed their kids. She soon learns that none of it is fake and begins to wonder just how far The Collective will go to exact revenge and keep their group a secret.

The Collective is a fast-paced, twisty, jaw-dropping thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way through. This was truly a wild ride and I devoured it in one sitting. While there is not a lot in the way of character development, as with most books of this genre, the plot is incredibly engaging and will keep you guessing the entire way through. I thoroughly enjoyed my time with this story and would recommend it to anyone looking for the book equivalent of a highly entertaining, “popcorn” action movie. I am looking forward to seeing what Alison Gaylin comes up with next. 4 stars!