David and Adele seem like the ideal pair. He's a successful psychiatrist, she is his picture-perfect wife who adores him. But why is he so controlling? And why is she keeping things hidden?
As Louise, David's new secretary, is drawn into their orbit, she uncovers more puzzling questions than answers. The only thing that is crystal clear is that something in this marriage is very, very wrong. But Louise can't guess how wrong--and how far a person might go to protect their marriage's secrets. -- Flatiron Books
I read a fair amount of psychological thrillers, and I have to say that BEHIND HER EYES by Sarah Pinborough was a treat. Rarely do I find a novel that truly leaves me guessing... and one whose ending felt like a sucker punch right in the stomach. I honestly loved how this book toyed with my emotions, and I honestly never saw the strange twists coming.
BEHIND HER EYES tells the story of a beautiful couple, David and Adele, as well as Louise, the woman who becomes entwined in their lives. David is a successful psychiatrist and Adele is his gorgeous wife. They seemingly have it all; however, Louise quickly realizes that neither one is exactly as they seem.
Louise, a single mother of a young son, meets David one evening at a bar. They hit it off and even share a kiss. Imagine Louise's surprise when she discovers that the man she is attracted to is her new boss! They play it rather cool in the office, but Louise finds herself drawn to him despite knowing that he's her boss... and a married man.
Coincidentally, Louise literally bumps into Adele one morning after dropping her son off at school. They decide to have coffee together and become quick friends. Louise is playing with fire as she continues to become closer to both Adele and David... without the other one knowing. It becomes crystal clear to Louise that something isn't quite right with David and Adele's marriage, and she finds herself caught up in a love triangle not knowing who to believe or trust!
I thought BEHIND HER EYES was a real page-turner -- one that managed to capture my interest from the start. The characters were definitely intriguing; and, like Louise, I wasn't really sure what to make of either David or Adele. All I knew is that both seemed a little unstable to me, and Louise was caught right smack dab in the middle of the mess. Even though I understood Louise's attraction to the couple, I wanted to shake her that something bad, something very bad, was going to happen.
I actually loved how the author created the tension in the story and then continued to build it until I couldn't put the book down. Part of this excitement was in how Ms. Pinborough chose to write this story. She used different time periods as well as different viewpoints to give readers a better understanding of the complexity of the characters. In addition, there were little hints that something was very off about this couple.
As far as endings go, this one is definitely something that will have you scratching your head... at the very least. I couldn't believe what I was reading, and I actually went back a few pages to do a re-read because I wasn't sure I had processed everything. It's a real zinger... and that's all I'm going to say... except for this. You know you're in for a twisted ending when the ARC has #WTFthatending on the front cover!
Overall, I enjoyed BEHIND HER EYES and recommend it to fans of psychological suspense stories.
I received a copy of this novel at last year's SIBA.
Mystery Mondays is a regular feature where I review all types of mystery books -- traditional mysteries, suspense/thrillers, and even cozies! Please feel free to share your thoughts on any recent mystery books that you've read.
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5 comments:
I recently read this one and really loved the storyline of Louise/Adele...but HATED that ending. I wrote a whole spoiler discussion post about it.
Won't say anymore here - don't want to spoil things for your readers :)
I'm wondering how I missed this book at SIBA. It sounds so good!
Yep, this one is a page turner. Think it's one that will have you admiring or hating the ending - or that's how it seems from the reactions of many. I liked the ending, mostly. ;-)
Your review has me intrigued - it sounds really good!
I liked this book right up until the very end, then I wanted to throw it! I did not see the turn the book was taking. It's definitely a book that has people talking.
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