Rating: ★★★★★
When Grace meets Jack, it's as if all her dreams are finally coming true. Jack offers a future: marriage, children, a perfect house and a charmed life. Best of all, he's accepting of Grace's deep commitment to her younger sister Millie, who has Downs Syndrome. In fact, Jack is excited to have Millie come live with them. Too excited...
This book is truly chilling. The author creates a world that's horrifying without any graphic violence or gore. The beauty in the story is its simplicity. As a reader, you feel like you're living Grace's torment. Everything from the writing to the pacing to the characters is just pitch perfect. This book is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers.
Things I appreciated about this book and would like to become a trend in this genre:
- ONE PERSPECTIVE! This story is told entirely in Grace's voice. Now I believe this was a conscious choice by author B.A. Paris because she could have easily included snippets of what the neighbors were thinking, or Millie's school master, or even Jack. It probably would have made it to publication in that form. So thank you, thank you Ms. Paris for having the restraint to stick to one narrator.
- No police! I enjoy a police procedural as much as the next person. However, more and more I'm seeing the police thrown into thrillers almost as props. Like they have to be there to make the story seem credible, but it's clear the author has no idea what the police actually do for a living. Do the research or leave them out.
- Likable characters. Grace gets duped, but she is a good person. Esther and Millie are also both good eggs.
This book will go on sale tomorrow, August 9, published by St. Martin's Press
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