Thriller where a guy's wife disappears from their home, leaving behind evidence of a violent struggle. It's got to be the husband that did it, right? But half of the book is written in the first person by the husband, and he is baffled as to what's happened.

Another hyped book at the moment - stacks of it in the bookshops and loads of reviews on Amazon. Ordered it from the library and it took weeks to come, so I assume it's in demand there as well.

I'd forgotten, but I'd read Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn some years ago. Can't really remember much about it except that I wasn't bowled over. I think this book is a bit more commercial, and it mostly reminded me of Harlen Coben.

The book alternates between passages written by the husband at the time that his wife is abducted (or whatever), and the wife - whose passages are excerpts from her diary in the time leading up to her disappearance (or whatever). Or at least that's how it starts, which means we are just as in the dark as to what happened as anyone - although there are clues in the diary which seem to point the finger of suspicion at the husband.

But there are twists in the story, and not all the narrators are entirely reliable, so you are kept pleasantly in suspense as the narrative unfolds.

This was an effective page-turner, and I think its popularity is justified (unlike, say, You Had Me at Hello which was similarly promoted). The ending was pretty satisfying - not how I thought things might turn out, but in keeping with the story as a whole.

I imagine that given the popularity of this one, she might try writing some more in the same vein, which I'd be prepared to try.

Completed : 20-May-2013