British journalist and novelist Durrant (
Under Your Skin) spins a tension-filled tale replete with ominous signs and unexplained coincidences. Widowed librarian Lizzie is trying to come to terms with her husband, Zach's, death by visiting the scene of his fatal car crash. She is surprised to see a bouquet of flowers with a note from "Xenia" tied to a tree at the scene. When she arrives at Zach's artist's retreat in Cornwall that same day, Lizzie finds evidence that leads her to believe that Zach is still alive. She seeks answers from friends, family, and the police, all of whom believe that grief has her slightly unhinged. Narrated in the alternating voices of Lizzie in the present and Zach in the past, the novel keeps readers guessing as Zach is revealed to be a man whose true personality is very different from the face he showed the world.
VERDICT The suspense builds with each page as secrets are revealed and the sense of menace grows at each turn. Durrant's fast-paced psychological thriller will satisfy readers who enjoyed Elizabeth Haynes's Into the Darkest Corner.
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