Hello everyone!
I am so excited to share my review of this book with you today, it is Our Little Secret by Roz Nay. Thanks so much to Simon and Schuster Canada for providing me with a copy of this book for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
This story follows Angela, a woman who is brought into the police station for questioning after the disappearance of her ex, HP's wife, Saskia. During the interrogation, Angela delves back 10 years ago when she and HP first met and started dating. The story of their past develops, they fell in love, she moved to England for school and on a visit, he met Saskia, who is from Australia. The pair moves to Australia for a little bit but they soon announce their engagement and move back to the small town HP and Angela grew up in after the wedding.
As the story progressed, I didn't really know where it was heading. Angela was in for questioning, so obviously, they suspected she had something to do with Saskia's disappearance and possible murder. But as she told the story, I became less and less convinced that she had anything to do with it. Sure, she was a little over-attached, but I don't think she had it in her to do something to Saskia.
I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, Nay does a great job of creating a story that is completely engrossing. Despite the fact that Angela was telling the story to the detective, it felt as though we were getting the story first hand. The writing manipulates you into believing everything Angela says, regardless of its validity. There were a couple of times where I stopped and questioned because we were only getting Angela's side of the story, but I took her word because she felt so real and pessimistic. There was just something in the way she looked at the world that made me believe her because she just got it. The world isn't all sunshine and rainbows and she understood that.
I think Angela was a really interesting character, a product of both her parents' high expectations and quirky parenting style and the experiences in her life generally. It has been a long time since I've read such a messed up character whom I've loved. Probably not since Joe in You by Caroline Kepnes. They are both such charismatic, real characters that, despite their dark outlook on life, you find appealing.
The only thing that is holding me back from giving this book a full five stars is the ending. I felt like there were some loose ends that weren't really tied up with other characters who, while not super integral to the story, came up often enough that I would have liked to see more there. I also felt like while we find out what happened to Saskia, there is just a bit missing there. Perhaps under further reflection, I will be able to accept the ending for what it is.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I think it will be a great thriller for the summer!