Each week throughout Hilary term, we'll be asking a pupil to review a book they have recently finished. This week, Clemmie enjoys the twists and turns of an unnerving thriller!:
"The book I am reviewing is The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena, a thriller about the disappearance of a new-born baby and the nerve-racking unravelling of a family.
The book’s main focus is on Anne and Marco, a couple who lead a seemingly uninteresting life. One night when, while visiting their neighbours for supper, their baby Cora goes missing, and Anne and Marco's life begins to fall apart.
This unsettling story is very unpredictable. Information about new characters is drip-fed to readers, which keeps you questioning about how much you really know about these characters and the situation they find themselves in. This very normal couple who have never had to call the police, now have them in their house almost every day. The endless questioning reveals secrets they did not want to be found out. As the investigation continues every character is racked with guilt, but all for different reasons.
As a reader, the tension builds as the chapters go by because, in this story, time only makes things worse. As characters get more suspicious you cannot work out how it will possibly be resolved; the puzzling nature of the case makes the ending that much more enjoyable. At around 300 pages, this is a short read, and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good thriller with plenty of suspense."
- Clemmie (Upper Fifth)
