Review by Booklist Review
When DI Leila Fox finally asks Judith Winter, "But what were you thinking?", most readers will have already pondered that same question. Jude, a successful geriatrician, has not seen ex-boyfriend Liam in 11 years, and when he suddenly shows up and asks for a rather peculiar favor, she agrees. He wants her to pick him up at a train station in the countryside and wait for his call at an isolated cottage. He doesn't show, but the police do, and Jude finds out that Liam has been murdered, and she is a suspect, thanks to the bizarre circumstances. Why does she have his wallet and phone? Her life spins out of control, and instead of backing away, she plunges headfirst into Liam's unsettling world. Another riveting tale from the husband-and-wife team of Nicci Gerrard and Sean French (after The Unheard, 2021) that's full of surprises, leading up to an ending that delivers a final, jaw-dropping revelation. Fans will love it, but others might find Jude's reckless and irresponsible behavior a bit difficult to fathom.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
London physician Jude Winter, the protagonist of this slow-moving suspense novel from the pseudonymous French (The Unheard), is planning her wedding when, after 11 years of no contact, her first love, Liam Birch, comes to see her and asks for a favor. All she has to do is drive his car to an Airbnb in Norfolk, where he has already left his luggage and will join her. "I wouldn't ask you to do anything wrong," he assures her. While she waits for him to arrive, the phone in Liam's bag rings. It's the police, who have bad news about Liam. At this point, Jude's life begins to unravel. The police believe that she was involved in some scheme with Liam and was establishing an alibi for him. This version of the story is leaked to the media. Hounded by the press, shunned by her colleagues, berated by her angry fiancé, and constantly scrutinized by the police, Jude decides to find out who her teenage sweetheart really was. Illogical plot points, such as an educated woman like Jude agreeing to Liam's request, make suspending disbelief difficult. Dyed-in-the-wool French fans will stay the course, others will not. Agent: Joy Harris, Joy Harris Literary. (Oct.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Though Jude hasn't seen boyfriend Liam since a life-altering car crash years ago, she agrees to pick him up at the train station--without telling anyone, even her fiancé. The police show up instead. With a 50,000-copy paperback and 30,000-copy hardcover first printing.
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