Jenny Blackhurst

This is a very clever thriller, with an origami plot that keeps folding itself into increasingly complex and surprising shapes. That alone would have kept me turning the pages to see how my understanding of events was going to be re-arranged, yet there’s more to this book than its plot.

The plot is wrapped around the apparently shiny-happy lives of a group of wealthy people living in a gated community in Cheshire. This is an area of the England that I’m familiar with and part of the fun of the book was seeing how accurately the people inside the gates were portrayed. I gave way to shameful Schadenfreude as I watched the lives of the people in this privileged community being exploded in public. None of the people are easy to like but none of them are demons either. By the end of the book I felt sorry for most of them.

This is the kind of thriller that ITV or the BBC are good at turning into a four-part mini-series that will capture the attention of the nation. If they do make a TV version, I’ll certainly watch it.

One thing about the book that I don’t understand is why its title has been changed. When I bought it in 2019, it was called ‘Someone Is Lying’. That title works, allowing for the fact that almost everyone is lying about something. If you buy it today, it comes with the title ‘The Perfect Guests’. I have no idea why and I can’t see the link to the plot. Book marketing remains one of the mysteries of life.… (meer)

Maisie Goodwin is planning to go hiking with a friend on the West Coast Trail in Canada. When her friend lets her down Maisie decides to to the hike alone. She meets up with some other hikers whilst there, and things then start to go wrong. Twenty five years later Laura is happily married with a family. Laura hears that a bones have been found on the trail and now she has to protect her family.

This is another thriller which I have to say I quite enjoyed. The story quick and snappy with a lot that held my interest. I quite liked the twist near the end albeit it a little predictable.

I liked the premise of the story and how it all comes together and everything is explained. However the ending again went full on thrillerland with the confrontation of characters.

I would recommend this book if you like thrillers. First time for me reading a book by the author and my three stars is enough to give her another go in the future.… (meer)