My Five Word TL:DR Review: What Did I Just Read

Well, I can safely say this is one unusual story. I don’t know what I was expecting when I requested a review copy of this one. I think though that I was expecting something twisted and genuinely messed up and although this wasn’t quite the twisted, messed up horror that I thought it might be it was still both of those things in abundance. And I was hooked. Line and sinker hooked. 

To be honest, I struggled with the main character, I couldn’t decide if she needed a hug, a slap or a therapist (probably all three – although, for the record, I don’t go around slapping people).  I guess I felt sorry for her at certain points. She was definitely floundering and she lacked any sort of self respect. Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself. 

Things are not going well for Hannah.   After being a standout student, and the world presumably being her oyster, she’s been coasting in a job that she doesn’t enjoy for some time, she desperately wants to find that certain ‘someone’ yet her eagerness to please and over needy behaviour usually lead to rejection and she has a constant struggle with food and exercise. Things go from bad to worse when Hannah becomes obsessed with a spate of murders that have now been linked together indicating that a serial killer is at large. She finds herself addicted to a true crime forum which seems to give her the validation she seeks. Unfortunately this latest craze leads to the loss of her job thereby giving her more time to obsess about the murders. When a handsome lawyer is detained her sights immediately hone in on him and she writes to him in prison venting her frustration and anger.  Imagine the surprise when he replies and is sympathetic. Hannah immediately becomes fixated on William, eagerly awaiting his next letter and writing back to him with all kinds of random thoughts and feelings about her daily life.  It’s like Hannah finally has the validation she seeks. Even if it is being notice from a man suspected of killing multiple women. To a certain extent she believes he will be convicted and remain in prison and this gives her a certain confidence regarding her safety. Imagine then when he is eventually released and seeks her out. 

This certainly kept me glued to the page. I’m not totally convinced about the final outcome, it felt a little rushed somehow. But, regardless this was a riveting read.  Reading about Hannah was like watching a trainwreck, you go from cringing to despair.  She turned me into a one woman pantomime audience because I wanted to shout at her.  I couldn’t help turning the pages to see what predicament she’d walk into next. And believe me when I say she does walk into some predicaments. 

In conclusion, this is entertaining and engrossing. It didn’t give me a MC that I could really connect with but it was a fast and compulsive read.

I received a copy through Netgalley, courtesy of the author, for which my thanks. The above is my own opinion. 

My rating 3.5 of 5 very unique stars rounded up to 4.