I had to see what all the fuss was about.
Synopsis: Introverted and relatively unknown writer Lowen gets the deal of a lifetime when offered millions to finish a series written by recently disabled but hugely successful writer Verity. Hired for the job by Verity's husband Jeremy, Lowen arrives at the Crawford home to spend a few days doing research. She didn't expect however, to come across a manuscript of Verity's dark and twisted autobiography – covering her (DETAILED) relationship with Jermey and the horrific fates the family has met, including several admissions leading up to the mysterious death of their daughter. But with Lowen's growing affection for Jeremy, can she keep the awful entries a secret or will she use them to finally drive Jeremy away from his unresponsive wife?
Plot: This is definitely a different author than the one who wrote It Ends With Us. Amazing that she can do such a 360 and still pretty much nail it because I was hooked from the very first sentence. Do not go into this expecting a Hoover romance because this is absolutely not it. The vibes were incredible, creepy, and well crafted to make the atmosphere feel somewhat off from the second Lowen steps onto Crawford property. Very graphic and very disturbing but written in a way that you can't look away from. I understand why so many people finish this book in one sitting. I never knew where Hoover was going to take it and the clever narrative was manipulative and addicting. I don't want to share too much because I think thrillers are better not knowing but the fear and uncertainty distilled in me was so real. The ending left a little something to be desired as I wanted more definitive answers but I was still 100% down (and enjoying) the ride. Do not read before bed.
Characters: Verity is such an intriguing character and you never know what you're going to get with her. The ambiguity. The unreliability. The twists. Everything. Her manuscript entries I read like the pages were on fire. So irresistible and so horrific. Reading from someone who has such a different perspective and is downright insane is always a good time, especially when read through a relatively sane person's eyes like Lowens. Lowen was an interesting choice to frame the plot around as we watched her become more and more unhinged and untrusting. And finally Jeremy, alike Verity, is someone I don't know how to describe and I don't know if I ever will. I still have so many questions and am curious to see which side people are on...team manuscript or team letter.
I'm still not as hooked on Miss Hoover as everyone else seems to be, but I cannot ignore that this was a damn good book.
4/5 stars.
TW: Death of a child, death of a parent, forced abortion attempt, child abuse.
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