“The Only Suspect” is a tense slow burn mystery thriller.
The story is told from two POVs in dual timelines.
In the present, we meet Alex. He is married to Beth, and they are happily married and living in the peaceful Silver Vale. Beth is outgoing and have a healthy social life and enjoy taking part in community activities. Alex, having lived in the neighbourhood for more than ten years already, are seen as a good neighbour, always lending a helping hand although he is more of an introvert and, in general, prefers to stay out of the public eye. That is until he gets wind of a community project, where Beth is involved in, planning a nature trail that will run right behind their house, in an area that has been undisturbed for several years already. This project upsets him massively, but we’re not sure why. It is obvious that he is hiding something. He is spiraling slowly out of control, and the stress of an unwelcome houseguest just adds to the marital strain.
In the second timeline, set in 1995, the narrator is Rick. He is an auditor and lives Camden, London. One day, he meets Marina, a temp who works in the same building as him. Immediately he is fascinated by this seemingly elusive woman. Their lunchtime walks turn into night-time dates and romance is in the air. Rick is absolutely smitten, and slightly obsessed.
How are these two timelines connected? Is there a connection? As I turned the pages my growing sense of unease increased. At the risk of spoilers, I feel I must hold back a bit.
But this is what you can expect:
• Psychological thriller
• Secrets, revelations, and deception
• Obsessive relationships
• Red herrings
• Complex plot
While trying to find out who is “The Only Suspect” is, I was hooked by the intelligent and unpredictable story line. The underlying tension made me almost impatient with apprehension. I was kept guessing most of the time. A great read, and I am keen to read more of Louise Candlish’s work.
With thanks to Jonathan Ball Publishers, for the opportunity to read this book.
The Details:
Category: Fiction Books
ISBN: 9781398509726
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Ltd
On sale: March 2023
About the Author:
Louise Candlish http://www.louisecandlish.com/
