Kudos to Maxwell for creating such an intensely uneasy atmosphere. Halfway through I was convinced most of the characters were imaginary, maybe the events happening weren’t happening, am I even reading this book? By the time I was about to roar through the last 100 pages I was questioning whether I was imaginary.
We begin with the brutal murder of beloved advice columnist Francis Keen. Less than a year later the crime remains unsolved but her position as the beloved ‘Dear Constance’ writer needs to be filled. Alex Marks impulsively hate-applies and wins the contest. At first she’s loving the job while grappling with her intense imposter syndrome (relatable!). There’s obviously something more going on in the newspapers offices though and everyone around Alex is acting strangely. Who can she trust? And who killed Francis Keen?
A recurring theme in this novel is that you cannot escape dealing with your past. As Alex reluctantly investigates Francis’s death the dark secrets that she has been trying so hard to hide from come to light. It’s a typical story but one that is so common to so many of us. What I found impressive is that even though I could guess where the story was probably going Maxwell still had me questioning myself the whole way. Who could Alex trust when it was so obvious that she was understandably not at all ready to trust anyone? This was a short but intense thriller and well worth your time.