About the Book
She’s paid the
price for giving her ex a false alibi, and now she’s moved to a seaside village
to escape her past–but more than her lie follows her there in this chilling
and twisty psychological thriller from the author of the acclaimed The
Exes’ Revenge.
One day, a woman turns up in a remote coastal village. She’s
bought a crumbling, long-vacant cottage and calls herself Charlie Miller.
Charlie keeps to herself, reluctant to integrate with the locals. If they ever
find out who she really is, and what she’s done, she’ll lose what little she
has left.
Charlie served two years in prison for providing a false
alibi for a murderer. It was the mistake of a woman in love, a woman who
couldn’t believe her boyfriend was guilty–or lying to her. All she desperately
wants now is a fresh start.
As Charlie slowly lets down her guard and becomes friendly
with her neighbors, she can’t shake the feeling that someone is watching her,
someone who knows what she did. When one of her new friends suddenly
disappears, Charlie’s worst fears are confirmed. She must confront her past
head-on, but as she knows all too well, everything is far more dangerous than
how it appears.
My Review
The Exes’ Revenge is still a book I think about, so when I was asked to review the latest from Jo Jakeman, I was all for it. We follow Steffi Finn, who has a new identity as Charlie Miller after being released from prison. Steffi was serving a sentence for lying and providing an alibi to her boyfriend, who is now also in prison for the murder of multiple women. She needs a fresh start and new name, and moves to a seaside village to begin her life again.
We do get multiple POVs in here and we are aware that someone has followed Charlie to her new town, but we’re not sure who it is. We also go back and forth from Steffi and her past relationship to who she is post-prison, and for me, I really felt for her. It was clear she was in a mentally abusive relationship, and when she tried to do the right thing it was deemed too late. I was rooting for her to get a second chance, even while knowing something sinister was lurking. There are some twists and turns until we get to the end, and I was surprised when the final puzzle piece was slid into place. If thrillers are your jam, I would highly suggest checking out both novels I’ve read from Jo Jakeman. They will keep you hooked until the end!
5 stars
