I Let You Go

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh:

In the very beginning of this book, a young boy (Jacob) is ran over by a car and killed and you are instantly invested in this emotional and chilling thriller.  The narrator immediately “makes a clean break-unable to bear the thought of living as though nothing had changed.”  She retreats to a secluded cottage on the coast of Wales, feeling that the safest thing to do is stay away.

As the book unfolds, the narrator gradually and reluctantly begins to build relationships with people in the town. She rescues a dog that she names Beau and even though she tries her hardest she is unable to prevent herself from loving him.  (I do adore books where the dog rescue the human.)  She also befriends a local women and falls for the vet in town.  The narrator lives in a constant state of fear and panic and the more you read, the more obvious it is that there is a little more to her story and a lot of secrets in her past.

In alternating chapters, we also get the point of view from the two detectives assigned to the case of finding the person who ran over Jacob and fled from the scene of the crime. Ray is having his own problems at home with a rocky marriage and a troubled son.  Kate is the new young and determined officer that has a lot of drive and reminds Ray why he wanted to become a cop in the first place.  He battles with his attraction to Kate as they search for the boy’s killer.

At the end of part one there is a huge plot twist that will make you gasp and leave you questioning everything you have read. We then start learning more about the narrator’s past and what really happened.  I can’t say more about the second part of the book without spoiling it, so I will just say, set some time aside because you will not want to put this one down!!!   Loved it!

Behind Closed Doors

Another thriller that I could not put down. Grace meets Jack in the park one day and they fall madly in love. He seems so perfect: Handsome, charming, kind, wealthy and so accepting of Grace’s sister who has Down syndrome. The couple marries and then things start to change. Do they have the perfect marriage or not? What goes on behind closed doors? How well do we really know what goes on in other people’s private lives?? I couldn’t wait to pick up this book and find out what this psychopath was doing next! A little disturbing at times, but a very suspenseful read!

the good girl by mary kubica

Mia Dennett, a 24 year old art teacher and daughter of a wealthy Chicago judge is kidnapped and taken to a secluded cabin by her abductor, Colin. When she returns home, three months later, she suffers from amnesia and a sort of post-traumatic stress disorder.

The book alternates from the perspectives of Mia, her distraught mother (Eve) and the dedicated detective (Gabe) assigned to her case. The book switches back from past to present and it takes a little while to get used to it. You learn about Mia’s troubled past with her self absorbed father and a little about the other characters in the book as well.

 I can’t say a lot without giving away the book. I really enjoyed this one. One of the best thrillers I have read.  I could not turn the pages fast enough. I even cried a little.  The ending is a jaw dropping shocker and it really makes you revisit and re-examine everything you just read.