One evening, Tom Krupp comes home from work to find his wife, Karen, has gone out in a hurry, leaving behind her phone and bag and the door unlocked. Sometime later, the police informs him that his wife is in a hospital following a car accident but she doesn't remember anything about it. When a body is found near the scene of the accident, it seems like Karen was involved and Tom starts wondering if he really knows his wife.
In the meantime, their neighbour and Karen's best friend, Brigid, is desperate to have a baby with her husband but she seems more interested in what is going on in Tom and Karen's life and spies on them from her window.
The story is told from different points of views - Tom, Karen and Brigid's - but the characters tell only part of their story, so I was completely taken by surprise by the twists that unravel throughout the novel as secrets are slowly revealed. It seems nobody is who they appear to be. Perfect housewife Karen is stronger and smarter than she looks, caring friend Brigid is sly and deceptive, and Tom is loyal but easily manipulated. Although I found the writing didn't flow easily and the characters were not very likable, this is a compelling psychological thriller with a gripping plot and an unexpected ending. (NP)
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