Synopsis:
Alison is as close to anonymous as she can get: with no ties and a backroom job, hers is a life lived under the radar. But once Alison was someone else: once she was Esme, a teenager whose bedroom sat at the top of a remote house on a bleak estuary. A girl whose family, if not happy, exactly, was no unhappier than anyone else’s – or so she thought.
Then one night violence was unleashed in the crooked house, in a nightmare that only Alison survived and from which she’s been running ever since. Only when she falls for the charismatic Paul does Alison realise that to have any chance of happiness, she must return to her old life and face a closed community full of dark secrets.
As she seeks to uncover the truth of what happened that terrible night, Alison begins to question everything she thought she knew. Is there anyone she can trust?
Review:
This book pulled me in from the start with its haunting setting and Alison’s (formerly Esme’s) mysterious past. The premise is compelling – an anonymous woman, a tragic family history, and a small town holding dark secrets. The early chapters are immersive, filled with tension and vivid descriptions of the isolated estuary landscape, and I was excited to uncover the truth behind Alison’s past.
However, as much as I enjoyed the atmosphere, the story started to drag midway. A few plot twists relied on coincidences that stretched believability, and some inconsistencies left me a bit disconnected from the storyline. Still, the author does a great job capturing the weight of Alison’s trauma and the eerie feel of a town with secrets lurking around every corner.
For those who enjoy psychological thrillers with a slow burn and don’t mind a few bumps in the plot, it’s worth a read. While not perfect, it’s a moody, intriguing journey back to a past that just won’t stay buried.
