Many thanks to Noelle Holten and publisher Bookouture for my spot on this Blog Tour.
This book was a completely different read. Though it was a thriller, but there was a bit of pathos underlying the backstory of these characters. It left me thinking quite a bit about how a mind interprets what it sees, adding its own meaning.
Lydia and Josh came to psychologist Karen to fix what was wrong in their marriage, and in trying to fix their problems, Karen not only went into the memories of her past but also read the unspoken lines between the couple.
Victoria Jenkins has played this story as a subtle mind game where the human psyche and what it believed and desired was shown against the backdrop of marital problems. If I removed Karen’s ruminations from the prose about the past, what I got was the way each of those characters were etched. The shift in their demeanor was exciting to see.
Childhood is an impressionable time, and I loved the way the author has brought the difference in the characters’ interpretations as seen through the eyes of a child and then as an adult. This was not a blatant thriller, it had suspense and mystery, but it dealt with more of the human psyche which fascinated me.
Ah then came my infamous niggles, the prose is too wordy for a thriller, the characters think quite a lot, especially Karen, and they didn’t come across as likable initially. Ending could have been clearer. But barring the last scene, when I reached the last few chapters and got to know what the story was all about, it made me think about how our human brain was.
All my love was for those subtle by-plays and the shades of a human mind.
They seemed like any other couple
Josh and Lydia Green. A doctor, and a stay-at-home mother. They met at a party, which led to a dinner, which led to a happy and comfortable life together. They married young, and had children earlier than planned.
Their marriage seemed like any other marriage
They have their moments, of course – who doesn’t? With Josh working longer hours in the hospital, and Lydia feeling increasingly isolated at home, the strain is starting to show. They don’t talk as much as they used to.
But they have a secret like no other
Not every wife is as scared as Lydia.
Not every husband is hiding as much as Josh.
Not everything you think about them is true.
And this book contains a twist like no other…
23 Responses
Seems like an Interesting book
It was quite a different book ❤️ thank you
I see and thank you
Wonderful review! I can’t wait to read this! 🙂
I hope you like it too. First few chapters may appear slow. The suspense begins a little later
Great review! I must put this one on my TBR list.
Thank you so much… It is a slow read
Thanks for the detailed review.
Thank you so much ❤️ Martie
I love how detailed and balanced your reviews are. Seems a bit slow for a thriller, but sounds like it made you think in the end so that’s always good. Fabulous review, my love. ❤
This was something different. Not many have liked it on Goodreads. But the human psyche got to me
Wonderful review, Shalini!
Thank you so much Jonetta ❤️
Despite your niggles, this does sound intriguing. More stuff, less fluff than your average thriller.
Very different… Not the usual thriller. The tagline gets readers then they all get angry because the story does not match the tagline.
It is a slow psychological thriller
Is that the blurb at the end or a brief summary you wrote? Because that was catchy. I like the way the human psychy works too, especially when you take in consideration the same event as seen by 2 different people.
Just my thoughts about the book. It was a different read
Ooh, sounds like an interesting book! It’s sad it was too wordy, though. I do like wordy books where characters think a lot, but I wonder if it’ll work in a thriller.
Thank you Shruti.. It was quite slow paced to be an actual thriller. It was different
Oh, the mysteries of human mind…Always watching out for your ‘infamous niggles’ 😀 Thanks for an interesting review!
Hahaha the niggles make their appearance frequently
Interesting review. I wonder if your niggles are just an indication that it does not totally belong in the thriller category?
This was not the usual thriller Linda. It was more of a mind game played due to things which had happened in childhood. Quite a different and slow read