by A.J. Finn
Release Date: January 2nd, 2018
Genre
Suspense
Appeals of the Book
• Fast-paced
• Dark tone
• Compelling writing style
Synopsis
Anna Fox, a child psychologist, is
suffering from agoraphobia. Hiding within the walls of her own home from the
outdoors, her only view of the outside world is from her own windows. She
spends her days drinking from the stress of being divorced, chatting with folks
online, and spying on her neighbors from her windows with a camera. She becomes
fixated on her new neighbors in particular. However, one day she sees something
she should not have seen, which begins a series of events that forces her to
question not just others but herself as well.
Characteristics That Fit Into Suspense
- Troubled characters. The main character’s marital status, drinking, and agoraphobia weigh hard on her.
- Main character’s past is suppressed but revealed as the novel progresses.
- Events take place within a short time period (Saricks 51). The book begins certain chapters with a time stamp.
- Fast-paced plot.
- Tension rises as the novel progresses.
- Unpredictability. Plot reveals twists that shake up the narrative. The novel introduces new elements that create confusion to both the main character and the reader.
- Has a “dark, menacing atmosphere…” (Saricks 52). The main character has a troubled life, and those around her have questionable pasts that lend to the dark atmosphere the novel creates. Also, most of the book takes place within her home with little time taking place outside.
- Features an "…unknown source intruding into the protagonist’s life” (Saricks 52).
- Showdown between good and evil.
- Contemporary setting (Saricks 58). Features heavy use of electronics that many in today's world can relate to, especially the dangers and risks of technology.
Read-A-Likes
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins*
The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware*
Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson*
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn**
The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison**
* Suggested by NoveList
** Suggested by Kirkus Review
Works Cited
Saricks, Joyce G. The Readers' Advisory Guide to Genre Fiction. Chicago, IL: ALA, 2009.
