Murder of Crows discussion

This was my first book by this author and I have to say it’s a good book of locked in murder (view spoiler)[(even though no one actually dies in the entirety of the book now that I think about it) (hide spoiler)] but you can see the ending a mile away. I actually don’t even think the author made an attempt to hide it by any means. The only thing I got wrong was (view spoiler)[about who Penn was. I had assumed he was a younger brother to Tyler rather than the fact that Tyler never really died (which is amazing since he recovered so well from an overdose and severe concussion all in the same night - it’s just not something I can buy into). (hide spoiler)]

There was a plot hole I caught which has really been bothering me since finishing the book. (view spoiler)[ Tyler is still considered missing right? So how is that since his family knows he's alive? His aunt and uncle (Eleanor and Tom) know he’s not missing so why is he still considered as so? You might make the point that the book never directly said that he was still missing, but then wouldn’t the main characters know that as well? It would’ve been in the news or going around as gossip (I’m from a small town too and trust me when I say that nothing really stays a secret for long). (hide spoiler)]

I don’t know if I would call this one a plot hole, but (view spoiler)[I don’t understand why Eleanor and Tom didn’t just alert the cops right away. Instead they tried to sneak everyone out one by one (I feel like the only purpose to this was to add to the suspense) when it would’ve been easier with more manpower from the police. I know they didn't have access to a working phone to call 911, but how they did get out was by Eleanor sneaking through a tunnel to press a button that calls the cops and I don’t get why they didn't press that sooner. They can easily get Penn/Tyler for kidnapping and conspiracy to kill and they didn't have to wait for him to actually attempt to kill them. Obviously it was for a more dramatic ending which I understand, but it was very dramatic and frustrating to watch play out. (hide spoiler)]

Then there’s the issue of (view spoiler)[all of them not being able to recognize that Penn was Tyler. Obviously he changed his name, but it’s not as easy to change looks by just gaining a few pounds. Could he have gotten plastic surgery? Sure, but that wasn’t said in the book so I’m assuming that wasn’t done. I don’t care how many years go by, you would still be able to recognize him especially since what they did still haunts most of them. (hide spoiler)]

I know it’s a book but it bothers me how well everything lined up for the killer to get away with what he did. It was too perfect and I get it’s a story, but it was as if more than just the killer was involved in making it all work out because (view spoiler)[how did he get those tape recordings? I know he was stalking them all, but it’s too perfect that he would have them. (hide spoiler)]