Publishers Weekly
08/30/2021
The pseudonymous Adamson’s uneven debut opens with an intriguing setup. On a beautiful Valentine’s Day on a hill in London’s Hampstead Heath, five people, all strangers to each other, see a horrific murder/suicide involving a couple sitting on a park bench. One of the witnesses is journalist Jen Hunter, who lives with retired journalist Penelope Frasier in Penelope’s enormous mansion in Hampstead. After Jen publishes a newspaper article about the crime, she and her best friend, Rebecca “Bex” Shaw, set out to interview the other four witnesses. When Jen is threatened by a mysterious stalker and frightening texts, things seem to point to her ex-boyfriend Laurence Robertson as the culprit. Bex persuades Jen to move in with her, and together they plot to kill Laurence. Meanwhile, the older and more experienced Penelope investigates the four other witnesses plus Bex, as well as the murder and suicide victims on her own, uncovering dark secrets and an interconnectedness no one else suspects. Unfortunately, the plot bogs down with repetitive, melodramatic dialogue and predictable narrative turns until reaching the clever if far-fetched ending. There’s enough talent to suggest Adamson’s capable of better next time. Agent: Clare Alexander, Aitken Alexander Assoc. (Oct.)
Louise Candlish
"Both a tightly-plotted, entertaining work of suspense and an unflinching study of the trauma of witnessing violence"
Claire McGowan
"It starts with a chilling act of murder and continues with twist after twist"
Booklist STARRED REVIEW
"Brilliant parallel narratives by Jen and her friend Bex reveal their delusions and obsessions, within an airtight plot worthy of [Agatha] Christie herself. Readers can expect to change their minds about the characters with each chapter, and a stunning conclusion brings it all to a satisfying end. Highly recommended for suspense fans looking for something new and different."
Kate Weinberg
"So perfectly pitched it gave me vertigo."
Jane Corry
"An 'of-the-moment' mystery which keeps you wondering until the final page."
Kate Mosse
"Fantastic—I read this in one sitting"
Hank Phillippi Ryan
"A gorgeous kaleidoscope of a thriller—where what must be the truth reveals itself instantly, and then shifts and changes and twist until it comes into gasping focus. Brilliantly structured, elegantly written, and completely entertaining, this is the essence of a psychological thriller. Readers, along with the characters, are pulled into believing something, and then something else, and then something else, until we are all holding our breath and turning the pages as fast as we can. Do not miss this! It is original, thought-provoking, and a master class in manipulation. E. V. Adamson is a star."
Sarah Vaughan
"Meticulously plotted with an ending I really didn't see coming."
The Sunday Times
"Assured and engrossing"
Peter Swanson
"An astute and clever thriller that asks a fundamental question: Can we really believe what we see with our own eyes?"
