Overview

Playing Dead opens with Tommie McCloud receiving a letter that turns her life upside down. The message claims she is not who she believes she is, but the child of a young woman who vanished years earlier. Set in small town Texas, the story follows Tommie as she starts asking dangerous questions and uncovering family secrets that were meant to stay buried. What she finds forces her to rethink her past and the people she trusts most.

Writing & Voice

We found Heaberlin’s writing sharp and easy to sink into. The pace keeps the tension high, but there is also space for emotion and reflection. The Texas setting feels hot, dusty and close, adding to the sense of unease. While the timeline shifts now and then, the story remains clear and gripping.

Characters

Tommie is a strong and believable lead. She is clever and resilient, but also shaken by what she uncovers. Her fear and determination feel real, which keeps the story grounded. The people around her, especially her father and the figures from her past, are drawn with care, even when their motives are unclear.

Themes

At its heart, this is a novel about identity and truth. It explores how families protect themselves through silence, and what happens when those lies are challenged. The book also asks whether knowing the truth always brings peace, or whether it can cause deeper harm.

What Worked

• Emotional pull: Tommie’s journey feels personal and convincing.
• Strong sense of place: the Texas setting adds mood and tension.
• Well paced twists: revelations build naturally without feeling forced.

Minor Quibbles

• Some quieter sections slow the pace in the middle.
• The final reveals stack up quickly, which may feel intense for some readers.
• Flashbacks occasionally interrupt the forward momentum.

Final Thoughts

Playing Dead is a tense and emotional psychological thriller that balances mystery with real feeling. It pulls us into a family story where the truth is both necessary and dangerous, and keeps us turning pages to see how far the damage reaches.

Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.2 / 5)