Instruct: Classify Amazon reviews into positive or negative sentiment
Query: A quick, extremely contrived read

I saw that this novel had won the 'Agatha' award for 2006 so I picked it up at the library. Overall, I was disappointed in this read. It starts off well enough with an alluring premise and it's a very quick read but the mystery is very easy to figure out and the many contrivances break the story's back. This is one of those mysteries that completely relies on believing that 'best friends' of years and years and years never talk to each other to sort out a major issue like MURDER. Also, the motivations of the characters are one-dimensional and for the most part don't ring true. I can't imagine most of it really happening. The sad part is that there's a good story here, it's just told badly told. It's like some ridiculous episode of 'Cold Case'.