Adam SP

Brilliant. Utterly brilliant.

The story is compelling, engrossing, and damned amusing. There is a beautiful balance of mind games, calls to action, and character development.

The half-star taken away was due to the clipped nature of some of the plot points, which could have done with a little more thought and expansion.

But overall, this was a sensational read.

Brilliant. Disturbing. Gut wrenchingly addictive.

There is a frustrating realness to the characters of this book, and that's so refreshing. It's a good frustration.

The suspense is so addictive and consuming. The pace of the sorry is varied, but very balanced, with no jarring. Your head will spin, but no muscles will be pulled.

4.35/5, glad to have read it.

2.75/5, rounded up. If you're after suspense, intrigue, and a page turning plot, this is a good one.

However, the main character is a frightfully frustrating, arrogant, entitled, turd of a person, and that was a bit of a detractor.

Other characters are just as grating.

Glad to have read it, but it won't be on my "read again" list.

So, this is more a suspenseful (light) romance novel, but incredibly well written.

Hilary has an incredible writing style, which makes it incredibly easy to get lost in the vividity of the scene, and at no point is it laborious.

The characters are complicated, detailed, and all with both faults, and incredible qualities.

Glad to have read this one, even if it is outside the norm for my preferences.

Absolutely fascinating story. The author's ability to inject such emotion and awareness into the characters, especially in the format, is fascinating.

The story unfolds as if you're reviewing transcripts from interviews; in some ways not too dissimilar to Bram Stoker's Dracula (a story told through journal entries).

For me, there are way too many unanswered questions, and my imagination is going too wild, which is why I've limited by review to 3/5. For others, this could easily be a 5/5.

Fantastic story, glad to have read it.

This was a fascinating read. It features a story, that then has a story being written by the same author within.

There are many time jumps, which can leave you wanting for some better structure and stability, as at times it can be drastic and uncomfortable.

There are also [many] moments where it feels like it's about to climax, for the big reveal, and then it continues on. Like one of those movies that just keeps on going.

I'm glad to have read it.

You seriously don't know what's coming next. The twists in this book are frequent, and just brilliant. They come on so subtly sometimes, and other times BAM, whiplash.

There are aspects that almost make this non-fiction, in how genuinely [expletive] men are. I don't think it's a spoiler, but a fact of the world we live in.

But, this book is amazing, and the ending let's the imagination run wild, and, maybe, there is closure in your imagination...

Ian Rankin is quoted(1) as describing this book as “A gaslighting masterclass”, and I couldn't agree more!

Some reviewers have stated that the book starts slowly, and it can feel that way, but if you've ever had to deal with a family like Emma's, and the onset of insomnia, Sarah plays it out absolutely superb.

There are aspects of the story telling that frustrate me, but I'm unsure if it's my frustration with the characters (bloody hell men are the worst) or the way the lack of communication is written. I did find myself irritated at times, and not just at the characters.

All in all, a fantastic read, and highly recommended.

Footnotes

1. First edition paperback, rear cover

Honestly, wow. The way Polly expertly juggled the Now and Then of this story is incredible.

Fantastic story (in a depressing kind of way) told very well.

There are some areas that could have used improvement, as is expected for a second novel, but Polly should be exceedingly proud of what she's achieved.