Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Release Date: January 16th, 2024
Pages: 272
Publisher: Atria Books
My Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher’s Synopsis:
“Leah has been living with akinetopsia, or motion blindness, since she was a child. For the last twenty years, she hasn’t been able to see movement. As she walks around her upper Manhattan neighborhood with her white stick tapping in front, most people assume she’s blind. But the truth is Leah sees a good deal, and with her acute senses of smell and hearing, very little escapes her notice.
She has a quiet, orderly life, with little human contact beyond her longtime housekeeper, her doctor, and her elderly neighbor. That all changes when Alice moves into the apartment next door and Leah can immediately smell the anxiety wafting off her. Worse, Leah can’t help but hear Alice and a late-night visitor engage in a violent fight. Worried, she befriends her neighbor and discovers that Alice is in the middle of a messy divorce from an abusive husband.
Then one night, Leah wakes up to someone in her apartment. She blacks out and in the morning is left wondering if she dreamt the episode. And yet the scent of the intruder follows her everywhere. And when she hears Alice through the wall pleading for her help, Leah makes a decision that will test her courage, her strength, and ultimately her sanity.”
My Review:
It was definitely terrifying to step into her shoes and imagine what it would be like to experience the events of the story with her condition. I did appreciate the commentary on individuals with disabilities. It’s twisty and definitely gets a little wild. I love the unreliable narrator trope. I always enjoy trying to puzzle out what is really happening. The writing style is a highlight of the story. The author’s experience with typically writing historical fiction carries over into this story and shines through in the tone. It did give this story a unique feel in the thriller genre. I wanted the plot and pacing to be a little tighter, particularly in the first half. But overall, this was a great read and I do recommend it! I can see this book being very popular upon its release. If you are looking for something dark, suspenseful, with a unique POV, this is the thriller for you!
Disclaimers:
Huge thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for gifting me an early copy of this amazing story! I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Have you read this book? Planning to add it to your TBR?
Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
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