Apparently not an English author new on the scene, my first read in one of his standalone books due out the end of this month. Rose Denton wakes behind the wheel, it's two-something and she is apparently in the middle of a field with blood on her windshield and hood. She is confused, has no memory for how she might have gotten there, and after an inspection of her own body (nothing sore or broken), then around the car can find no apparent victim, animal or human. She has no explanation for her careen through the hedge or why she is here.
She does manage to get home and realizes her estranged husband is home and awake and he shortly appears in the door of the garage. But she's turned the lights out and assures him she'll be up shortly. She isn't. She proceeds to fully clean up the car of all traces. Totally befuddled, the IT salesperson is not doing well at work, begins to lose things, only to have them suddenly reappear. She discovers a young hotel employee goes missing the same night she was to meet a possible client there. Not the least of her worries, her daughter with whom she has a strained relationship owing more to her rejection of her daughter's boyfriend than anything else. But it couldn't have been Olivia's boyfriend's blood on the hood–could it?
She's sure it must be the missing hotel clerk.
No way will she confide in Dan. Her husband has been going his separate ways for some time and she's suspecting a sweet young thing in his life. He's been working on his middle-aged body and looking good and is gone–a lot.
Yes, the first chapter hooked me in fairly quickly and continued through all of Rose's slow and steady discoveries, piecing together the missing memories drawing a better picture of what might have happened. The author throws in red herrings while Rose recounts what she thinks may have occurred here or there. Rose is well developed, but even with her current situation not wholly sympathetic, and the reader is gradually fed just a tidbit of backstory–a little at a time, drawing you out, giving you a false sense of who or why. Is it really possible she was involved in a hit and run? No. Where was the body?
Told in first person through Rose, the dialogue includes a lot of self-talk as she argues with herself how it might have gone down (another primrose path). She forms opinions as to whom might be responsible, finally trusting no one. There are a number of peripheral characters, none as well developed. The focus is 100% on Rose. The relationship with her daughter, who is in anguish over her missing boyfriend, forces them to confront issues.
Did I see that climax coming? No–definitely caught me off-guard. The suspense kept me engaged throughout the book and the ending did not disappoint. I was given this download by Bookouture and NetGalley and greatly appreciate the opportunity to read and review. Definitely recommended as a psychological thriller, suspense, and mystery with a twist.
The Author: (From Amazon Author page) Kerry Wilkinson has had No.1 bestsellers in the UK, Canada, South Africa and Singapore, as well as top-five books in Australia. He has also written two top-20 thrillers in the United States. His book, Ten Birthdays, won the RNA award for Young Adult Novel of the Year in 2018.
Originally from the county of Somerset, Kerry has spent far too long living in the north of England, picking up words like 'barm' and 'ginnel'. When he's short of ideas, he rides his bike or bakes cakes. When he's not, he writes it all down.
Great review, Virginia! I'll be adding this one.
Super, you'll enjoy and I'll be interested to see your review. Thanks for the comment!
I love a good psychological thriller! If you didn't see the end coming, maybe I'll have to check it out!
no, didn't see that one coming and i do enjoy those but…i'd love to know your opinion of it.
Intriguing…. sounds like a lot going on in there.
yes, it was. i've read several unique plots the last couple weeks, this being one.