Book Review: Rabbit Hole by Jon Richter

Full of hot topics such as true crime podcasts and white collar boxing, Rabbit Hole is the perfect book for anyone who wants to know.

After losing her job, journalist Elaine Napier starts The Frozen Files, a true crime podcast investigating real life cold cases. First up is the five year old disappearance of a young woman from her apartment. How far will Napier go to find out what happened to Katrin?

Nothing is as it seems, and even Elaine has secrets, as she journeys down the dark rabbit hole into a twisted type of wonderland.

I liked the way every other chapter was dedicated to Napier’s podcast episode, as well as the chapters that contained transcripts from her past. It was an interesting way to tell the story, and apart from a few jarring lines in the first episodes, mostly effective.

Richter has assembled a compelling cast of realistic characters, where the unraveling information never breaks the willing suspension of disbelief. Like them or hate them, they are human.

The mystery itself captures all the appeal and intrigue of a real true crime case. Part desire to help a missing human being and her family, part the rubbernecking curiosity of an accident where you can’t look away, Rabbit Hole captures the voyeuristic thrill.

I had a few issues with the denouement, which I won’t mention here because of spoilers. Suffice to say, the ending isn’t as interesting as the journey, and some of the details rang hollow after a novel worth of spot on events. Despite this, it is a satisfying and addictive read.