Scrappymags 3-word review: Solid, entertaining mystery
Shortest summary ever: Alice, a single mom, notices a man sitting on the beach in the pounding. Turns out he has no idea who he is nor where he comes from, has no money and no ID. Alice befriends him and tries to help him recover his memories. Meanwhile, in London, Lily is a foreigner in a strange land whose new husband has gone missing. The police inform her that her husband’s identity is fake. Whaaaaaaaa??? Interlaced story begins…
What’s good under the hood: Quite simply, if you’re a mystery lover, you’ll likely enjoy this plot line that had all the twists and turns (squeeeee!). I (smugly) felt smart figuring out some aspects only to be shocked in other places. Loved that “you got me!” feeling that I seldom experience in the genre. I was engaged from the dedication to the acknowledgements. Well-written characters along with a crazy, “what-is-going-on” plot made this tough to put down and I eagerly read this quickly.
What’s bad or made me mad: Alice annoyed me a bit. I love that she’s a “free spirit” of sorts, but she also comes across as desperate. Partly it’s her desperation that irked me, but there is also an air of unreal (ahem….stooooooopid). I can buy that someone would be a Good Samaritan, but I can’t buy not running to the police. Or a hospital. I merely couldn’t rationalize that away in Alice’s character unless she’s supposed to be intensely stupid, in which case, I don’t do dumb and that’s worth a 
point deduction. She also seems to have little self-respect and confidence. However these minor issues didn’t quell my enjoyment of the novel, and it turned into a quick read, one I looked forward to picking up all day.
Recommend to:
- beach-type mystery readers,
- Not comparing or inferring any expectation but I’d say this novel is in the vein of Paul’s Hawkins, Chevy Stevens and maybe a little Mary Kubica if you enjoy those authors.
Do Not Recommend to:
- If you get majorly irked by my criticisms above, you might get past it. I know many of my readers can’t tolerate actions that make no sense.
Thanks to NetGalley and Atria books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review and a lovely day of reading!
