I love that Kerry Wilkinson has the skill and ability to keep pumping out 5-star thrillers! I’m grateful for the opportunity to read and review such phenomenal books.

I personally think this was one of Kerry Wilkinson’s best twisted reads! It’s written to really mess with our heads. Wilkinson’s commitment to exploring the dark recesses of our minds is very clear in this one, as is his laser-focused expertise in maintaining his readers’ interest. I really loved focusing on Jodie’s psychological factors and internal flaws that she needed to overcome. The protagonist, Jodie, is psychologically stressed out even before the funeral, yet she remains driven to understand her past. There are too many things that don’t add up and she’s determined to get to the bottom of them before she moves on with her life. A discovery in the attic of her dad’s home sets her off on a perplexing mystery - how well did she really know her Dad? Her husband? Her brother? Her mother?

As the narrative progresses, Wilkinson leads us towards clues that help Jodie unlock her fears, secrets and impulses that she’s hidden in the darkest corners of her mind. He also helps us untangle the lies that Jodie is wrapped up in; most come as a shock, even to her. Like Jodie, I really didn’t know who to trust and second-guessed each character’s intent and actions. By placing Jodie in a familiar setting (home where she grew up), with family issues such as struggling to parent a wayward teen, sibling rivalry and dealing with divorce, Wilkinson appeals to what we as readers know. He takes everyday situations and frames them so that readers ask themselves what they’d do in this situation. In doing so, he makes it relatable and easier for us to identify with the characters. Jodie’s angst at dealing with both internal doubt and external issues fuels the plot. Yes, it has a dark atmosphere and a mind-bending plot (and some subplots), but it’s the jaw-dropping twists that made me love it even more. I felt like Hansel and Gretel following the crumbs, so painstakingly stretched out (loved that part!) as I followed the mystery of the attic find and the mysteries in Jodie’s past.

I really appreciated Wilkinson’s creative mind and deft ability in creating a truly thrilling psychological thriller.

I was gifted this advance copy by Kerry Wilkinson, Bookouture and NetGalley and was under no obligation to provide a review.