The New York Times Book Review (NYTBR) is a cherished weekly supplement to the Sunday edition of The New York Times, dedicated to the vibrant world of literature. Since its inception on October 10, 1896, the NYTBR has served as a vital resource for readers, offering insightful reviews of both current fiction and non-fiction titles, engaging author interviews, and comprehensive coverage of the ever-evolving book landscape. With a commitment to exploring a wide range of genres, the NYTBR not only highlights the latest literary offerings but also celebrates the enduring power of ideas through the written word.
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Mindy Hall’s book, “It Takes Two,” was among the books featured in the December 2025 issue of The New York Times Book Review (NYTBR) magazine.
“It Takes Two” by Mindy Hall follows Emily Kristich, an overwhelmed but good-hearted mother whose everyday suburban life takes a sharp turn into danger after she becomes involved with a nonprofit called Sustain and Shelter. What begins as a routine attempt to participate in her community quickly unravels into something far more sinister. Emily notices odd behavior among board members, locked file drawers that shouldn’t be locked, missing financials, and an unsettling tension that hangs around the organization’s leadership. Her curiosity seems harmless at first—until she witnesses strange exchanges in parking lots, overhears suspicious conversations, and realizes someone may be hiding far more than bookkeeping errors.
As Emily digs deeper, she becomes entangled in a web of deception, money laundering, and murder tied to two women—Rochelle and Blythe—whose identities and motives twist around each other in shocking ways. Emily’s attempts to uncover the truth put her at odds with dangerous people, including someone willing to carry a gun in her purse and use it. The story escalates as Emily sneaks into locked drawers, swaps files, and narrowly avoids being caught in situations that grow increasingly life-threatening. Bodies turn up, secrets spill out, and Emily’s instinct to protect her children and stay alive becomes her driving force. Even as she pieces together what really happened to victims like Ralph Watkins and Ida, the truth becomes more tangled, especially when Blythe’s desperate motivations for preserving a family come to light.
The novel builds to a tense climax in which Emily faces direct confrontation with a killer and must rely on her wits, her loyal dog Byte, and the shaky hope that help will arrive in time. Caught between compassion and survival, she must decide which truths to reveal and which to bury in order to save innocent people. In the end, It Takes Two weaves domestic life, suburban politics, hidden identities, and criminal intrigue into a suspenseful narrative that shows just how far ordinary people can be pushed—and how bravery can emerge where no one expects it.