The Breakdown
Fiction
St. Martin's Press
July 18, 2017
Advanced Reader Copy
336
Publisher via BEA
If you can't trust yourself, who can you trust? Cass is having a hard time since the night she saw the car in the woods, on the winding rural road, in the middle of a downpour, with the woman sitting inside--the woman who was killed. She's been trying to put the crime out of her mind; what could she have done, really? It's a dangerous road to be on in the middle of a storm. Her husband would be furious if he knew she'd broken her promise not to take that shortcut home. And she probably would only have been hurt herself if she'd stopped. But since then, she's been forgetting every little thing: where she left the car, if she took her pills, the alarm code, why she ordered a pram when she doesn't have a baby. The only thing she can't forget is that woman, the woman she might have saved, and the terrible nagging guilt. Or the silent calls she's receiving, or the feeling that someone's watching her... You won't be able to put down B. A. Paris's The Breakdown, the next chilling, propulsive novel from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors"--
My review:
This was a page-turner of a novel that I devoured in 24 hours! Even though I had my suspicions about a certain character and their involvement, the why and how kept me engrossed well past my bedtime! And my suspicions, while partly correct, were still blown out of the water when more twists were revealed layer upon layer. I really felt empathy for the plight of the main protagonist Cass, as she grapples with her guilt over not stopping in a less than safe situation to help a person in need. The plot moves along at pretty warp like speed, and the writing, while not worthy of any literary awards, was sufficient to move the story forward and make you believe in Cass and her story. I did feel that the end got a bit fantastical, although I give the author credit for dotting all the i's and crossing all the t's with regard to explaining what the heck was going down!
A legit, can't put-downable book that will have you escaping reality and devouring its storyline. Put this on your list of books to keep you guessing and on your toes.
I really liked Paris's Behind Closed Doors, but have been a little on the fence with this one. It sounds like it's definitely worth giving a try. Thanks!
I didn't read Behind Closed Doors (on the advice of my sister) so I can't really compare them. It's a pretty fast read, so I don't think it will take you too long to get through if you decide to try it. Thanks for stopping by!