Little Threats

By: Emily Schultz

Narrated by: Dylan Moore, Ariadne Meyers

Length: 9 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Both a taut whodunit and a haunting snapshot of the effects of a violent crime, Little Threats tells the story of a woman who served 15 years in prison for murder...and now it's time to find out if she's guilty.

In the summer of 1993, twin sisters Kennedy and Carter Wynn are embracing the grunge era and testing every limit in their privileged Richmond suburb. But Kennedy's teenage rebellion goes too far when, after a night of partying in the woods, her best friend, Haley, is murdered, and suspicion quickly falls upon Kennedy. She can't remember anything about the night in question, and this, along with the damning testimony from a college boy who both Kennedy and Haley loved, is enough to force Kennedy to enter a guilty plea.

In 2008, Kennedy is released into a world that has moved on without her. Carter has grown distant as she questions Kennedy's innocence and begins a relationship with someone who could drive the sisters apart forever. The twins' father, Gerry, is eager to protect the family's secrets and fragile bonds. But Kennedy's return brings the tragedy back to the surface, along with a whole new wave of media. When a crime show host comes to town asking questions, believing the murder wasn't as simple as it seemed, murky memories of Haley's death come to light. As new suspects emerge and the suburban woods finally give up their secrets, two families may be destroyed again.

©2020 Emily Schultz (P)2020 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

One of Bustle's Most Anticipated Books of November 2020
One of CrimeReads' Most Anticipated Crime Books of Fall 2020

"A taut thriller." (PopSugar)

"A perceptive thriller....Schultz delivers an energetic plot fueled by incisive character studies." (Shelf Awareness)

"Fans of Tana French, Kimberly Belle, and Orange is the New Black will fall under this book's spell.... Terse and tense, Little Threats investigates righteous anger, teenage angst, and the enormity of setting the record straight." (Booklist)

Very slow

Upon Kennedy’s release from prison, after serving fourteen years for the killing of her best friend Haley, her identical twin Carter meets Kennedy with skepticism. Kennedy believes she’s innocent, but cannot remember the events of the murder. Carter doesn’t share their father’s confidence in her sister’s honesty about of that drug-filled night so long ago. A podcast Crime After Crime takes a fresh look at the case, which may uncover truths that prove Kennedy’s guilt. Complicating matters are Carter’s relationship with Haley’s younger brother.

I’ve been a fanatic of books with twin protagonists since I was a kid, particular identical sisters so the blurb for LITTLE THREATS immediately grabbed my attention. Psychological thrillers are another favorite of mine, so Emily Schultz’s book was a must read.

Neither Kennedy or Carter, named after the presidents by their liberal, attorney father, lived up to their potential. Each could have gone to an Ivy League university. Kennedy studied in prison, Carter dropped out of college and into rehab. Their mom died of cancer shortly after Kennedy began serving her time, their father never went back to being a high powered attorney. I couldn’t imagine being in either Kennedy’s or Carter’s shoes, unsure whether I killed my best friend or unsure whether my twin, who shared my DNA, was a murderer.

LITTLE THREATS had no shortage of viable suspects from the twenty-one year old boyfriend to either twin to other young men with whom Haley flirted. The culprit surprised me, which doesn’t often happen, yet made sense.

For a psychological thriller, LITTLE THREATS started off slowly and while I was interested, I also wanted to get through the backstory and into the meat of the story. I did enjoy the writing, characters and story.

LITTLE THREATS will keep you engaged and guessing.

Great book

This is book really has me going. I loved the suspense. And how it all turned out in the end

Hooked in the 1st Chapter

I don’t think I have ever given such a high rating for a book in the hundreds I have listened to over the years. It was so relatable and story that felt real. That slick area before the “Me Too” movement isn’t glossed over and so many women will know someone that this could have easily happened to- it is just a great book!
You can see exactly what the author is showing you without overdone description.
The narration is clear and clean with no silly voices.
Give it a listen!!!

Just..no

Okay so first off, way too many characters. Second way too little suspects to not have an idea of whodunnit.Third there weren’t any crazy twists, it was just flat and boring. I held on until the end praying the end would bring this book some justice but again, nothing. I’m glad it’s over.