It has been a while since I have found myself unable to put a book down because it kept me on the edge of my seat. This is one of those books. After the number of thrillers I’ve read, I’m a lot more skeptical to positive reviews, especially since I usually don’t agree with those positive reviews. This … was not one of them. That is all the introduction this novel needs so let me just jump into my review:
Everyone admires a couple like Jack and Grace: he has looks and wealth, and she has charm and elegance. They seem to have the perfect marriage, and are inseparable. Many would consider this to be true love. But what appears on the surface may not be as it seems. For one thing, Grace never leaves home. She doesn’t even have a phone. She defers in everything to her husband, who seems to have complete control over her. While this can be chalked up to personal choice, there are other things that can’t be ignored. For instance, why are there bars on one of the bedroom windows? As the story shows you what happens behind the closed doors of marriage, you will begin to wonder … is this the perfect marriage or the perfect lie?
Holy smokes, this novel scared me! I knew that there was something twisted about the marriage based on the premise, but the extent of it was something I could never fathom. This story is not a psychological thriller, and I want to emphasize this because this is what this novel is being described as by most bookstores and by the publishers. The truth is revealed from the onset, so there is no guessing as to what is going on. However, the sheer brutality and twisted nature of the story is what gets to you. The sadism and depravity shocked me and kept me compulsively reading this story. I loved how messed up this story was, and I loved how pure evil the antagonist is; I don’t think I have ever hated a character more (except for Dolores Umbridge from Harry Potter). This novel moves at a break-neck pace and is emotionally charged throughout. I loved every minute of it. This novel isn’t perfect, but it is damn near close and if you are looking for a fast-paced thriller, then don’t miss out on this one!
Happy reading ~