Book Review: ILL WILL by Dan Chaon

Ill Will by Dan Chaon
Book Details
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group Bellantine Books, Kindle edition, 480 pages
Publish Date: March 7, 2017
Genre: Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Source: NetGalley digital edition
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My Review

Ill Will by Dan Chaon is about a string of murders of young college-aged men and another murder that occurred in 1983. The 1983 murder is when the main character, Dustin Tillman’s parents and aunt/uncle die. Dustin’s adopted brother, Rusty, was accused of the murders and spent about 30 years in prison. Rusty was eventually released from prison through the help of the Innocence Project. Dustin and his cousin, Kate, had testified against Rusty and now that he is out they are worried. Dustin is now an adult with a family of his own…a wife and two grown boys. Dustin works as a psychologist and he has a strange ex-cop/patient/friend who wants Dustin to help him investigate the local murders of college-aged men.

Questions raised throughout the book that the reader try to figure out are who murdered Dustin’s parents if it wasn’t Rusty? What is Rusty going to do to those that testified against him now that he is out of prison? Who is responsible for the murders that are occurring present day?

The story is told in point of view of Dustin, the main character, Dustin’s son, Aaron, and Dustin’s adopted brother, Rusty. The setting alternates from 1983 and 2012-2014 in Nebraska, Ohio, and Illinois. The characters are well developed. Although I can’t say I particularly like any of them, I guess I feel sorry for Dustin’s boys, Aaron and Dennis.

The reason that this wasn’t a five star rating for me, was the fact the story kind of left me hanging at the end. There wasn’t a neat and tidy tie-up to the ending. The reader can and has to assume certain things have happened…or did they? I like to know exactly what happened to everyone and why. Overall the writing is great, the story is great. I just had too many unanswered questions at the end.

Thank you Dan Chaon, Random House Publishing Group Bellantine Books , and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review.

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