Book Review: The Last Broken Girl

Reviewed by Tomi Alo

Justice comes late in this fascinating psychological novel. 

Cynthia Rice’s debut, The Last Broken Girl, is a riveting psychological mystery with a complex, multifaceted protagonist. Erin Moore-Jackson, a woman haunted by a traumatic past, will do anything to protect her loved ones in this novel of justice, resilience, lies, betrayals, drug addiction, and mental health.

Twenty years ago, Erin Moore was kidnapped from her hometown in Reedsburg, Wisconsin. Only 14 years old at the time, Erin spent five months in incarceration before she was rescued by the police. Her kidnapper, Stanley Duggan III, was arrested and convicted of first-degree kidnapping with twenty-five years imprisonment.

Though Duggan was captured, Erin insisted he didn’t act alone and that he had a far more cruel female accomplice named Veronica. However, the police were never able to find any evidence of a second perpetrator, and thus the case was never fully solved. 

Twenty years later, Erin Moore-Jackson is now married with two children, holds a PhD in psychology, and works as a clinical psychologist in Lake Delton, a small town in south-central Wisconsin. Life is going well, and Erin has managed to rebuild and lead a successful life despite her past trauma. 

However, Duggan’s early release from prison threatens the life Erin had carefully pieced together over the years as she is forced to revisit her painful past. 

Will Duggan become a threat to Erin and her family once again? Will Veronica—the second accomplice and the one Erin fears the most—come out of hiding now that Duggan is free? And, most of all, will Erin ever get to live a normal life without paranoia and fear? 

Erin is strong and brave, vulnerable and flawed. After Duggan’s release from prison, we see her grapple with her mental health and struggle to maintain the normalcy she once had. She deals with a lot of anxiety, fear, and insecurity, especially with the looming threat of Veronica’s return. The pressure and stress of the situation affect her job, her marriage, and her sanity. Despite her internal struggles and flaws, Erin goes to great lengths to protect her family from harm and seek justice.

However, not all the characters are as likable or even as well-developed. Richard Fitzpatrick is a notable one, the opportunistic journalist hell-bent on exploiting Erin’s trauma for personal gain. He is the embodiment of everything that is wrong with modern journalism. He doesn’t care if he hurts Erin by making her relive her trauma, and he’s constantly infringing on her privacy with every article he writes. As long as he makes a profit and gets views on his website, he is ready to go to any length for his story. He is frustrating and tiring to read.

The stories of Duggan and the elusive Veronica are fascinating and engaging; I was eager to uncover the whole truth. Is Veronica real? Why did Duggan kidnap Erin twenty years ago? Will Erin be able to get the closure and justice she deserves? Through careful pacing and a subtle build-up of tension, Rice delivers with a thrilling atmosphere that’ll have readers’ minds swirling deep into the mystery.

A strong debut with a good mystery and a good ending. You’ll have a field day unraveling the twists and turns of the plot.

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