When it comes to thriller / suspense novels, Alice Feeney has become a "go-to" author for me ever since I read her debut novel Sometimes I Lie — a book that was so brilliantly and intricately plotted that it easily became one of the best books in the genre that I've read thus far. Given how much I loved her debut, I had high expectations for her sophomore novel I Know Who You Are when it came out last year — unfortunately, that book went the other direction and in the end, left a bad taste in my mouth. While the experience didn't put me off from still wanting to read Feeney's future works, it did make me a bit wary about what to expect. This is why, going into her third novel His & Hers, which comes out at the end of this month, I was a bit apprehensive — luckily, this one ended up going more in the direction of Feeney's first novel rather than her second one.
As with all thriller / suspense novels, it's best to go into this one knowing as little as possible, which is why I won't be going much into the plot with this review. The only thing that needs to be known is that the story alternates between 2 main perspectives — the "hers" perspective is Anna Andrews, a news anchor living in London, and the "his" perspective is Jack Harper, a detective in a small town named Blackdown. There is a "third" perspective interspersed throughout — that of the killer, whose identity is anyone's guess right up until the very end. And herein lies the brilliance of Feeney's novels — as soon as we think we have things figured out, a twist is thrown in at the end that completely upends everything we thought previously. All 3 of Feeney's novels so far have left me in a state of shock after I finished reading — not necessarily because of the content (though do be forewarned that all her novels lean toward "dark and twisty" and can be uncomfortable reads) — but more because I never saw what was coming, not even for one second, but then after the "ultimate reveal," when I go back through and review the clues, it makes perfect sense, to the point that I can't believe I never picked up on it.
Though Feeney's second novel wasn't a good experience for me, she essentially "redeemed" herself in my eyes with this third one — however with that said, her debut novel is still my favorite out of the three. I still recommend this newest one though, especially to fans of Feeney's works and/or those who read her previous novels. For those who've never read this author, a word of warning that all her books deal with heavy, often controversial subject matter, along with flawed, morally questionable characters who more often than not turn out to be unlikable. Triggers abound and many of the scenes will likely make the reader uncomfortable (and maybe even squeamish). Her books definitely aren't for everyone so just know that if you're deciding whether to try her works or not.
Received ARC from Flatiron Books via NetGalley.
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