Book Review: Close My Eyes by Sophie McKenzie

Title: Close My Eyes

Author: Sophie Mckensie

Pages: 400

Age Group: Adult

Genre: Suspense/Thriller

Publisher: St Martin's Press
ISBN: 978-1250033895
Publication Date: July 9th 2013
Available Formats: Hardcover, E-Book, Audio

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Source: Publisher for Review

Synopsis:

When Geniver Loxley lost her daughter at birth eight years ago, her world stopped… and never fully started again. Mothers with strollers still make her flinch; her love of writing has turned into a half-hearted teaching career; and she and her husband, Art, have slipped into the kind of rut that seems inescapable.

But then a stranger shows up on their doorstep, telling Gen the very thing she’s always wanted to hear: that her daughter Beth was not stillborn, but was taken away as a healthy infant and is still out there, somewhere, waiting to be found. It’s insane, unbelievable. But why would anyone make that up? A fissure suddenly opens up in Gen’s carefully reconstructed life, letting in a flood of unanswerable questions. Where is Beth now? Why is Art so reluctant to get involved? To save his wife from further hurt? Or is it something more sinister? And who can she trust to help her?

Ignoring the warnings of her husband and friends, Gen begins to delve into the dark corners of her past, hopeful she’ll find a clue to her daughter’s whereabouts. But hope quickly turns into fear and paranoia, as she realizes that finding the answers might open the door to something even worse than not knowing. A truth that could steal everything she holds close – even her own life.

My Thoughts

When an unexpected visitor shows up with some questionable news, our narrator Gen's life takes a quick turn down crazy lane as she quickly gets wrapped up in the mystery surrounding these allegations and starts wondering if everything she knows is a lie.  From the start this novel sucks the reader down the rabbit hole and takes one on a wild ride of mystery, suspense and a web of unbelievable lies. 

The pacing is perfect...one barely has the chance to catch a breath before the next revelation. The secondary characters are lightly drawn but wonderfully accent the actions and lend a hand in rounding out this story. I didn't want to put this book down once I'd started and I daresay that you'll have a hard time doing so as well.  Had I been able I would have read it in one sitting...I just needed to know that badly.

Our narrator Gen, makes us question constantly whether she is a reliable source of information...causing us to wonder almost until the end of the book if she could be trusted or if she really was not quite all right.  I didn't find myself connecting to Gen, but I honestly find that in this sort of novel that type of strong connection with the main characetr is not necessary...I liked her, cared for her, worried for her but didn't really need to feel her to understand the angst that she was going through.

As Gen questions everything and everyone around her...so do we...I spent the whole book trying to puzzle it all together and am happy to say that I didn't put the pieces together until the very end.  This twisty turny book kept me guessing and I loved that.  And then the insidious seeds that are planted throughout start poking through at the very end and we are left wondering and worrying yet again.

Reminicent of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl, Close My Eyes is an exceptional psychological thriller that will keep you guessing and gasping until the very end.

Was It Worth My Time?

4 Timepieces