As only Louise Jensen can do, she hits it out of the park again with her latest, The Date. Immediately pulled into the book by the sympathetic lead female, Ali, this is a fast paced, edge of your seat book that keeps the reader guessing until the last few pages. Not only is Ali a sympathetic character, she is troubled with a troubled past. She is estranged from her husband Matt. She thinks going on a date will be kinda fun, even against her better judgement. What happens could never have been foreseen, and as she tries to put the pieces of the mystery together, the plot gets crazier and crazier. I loved this book, read it in a few long lounge sessions on the sofa, and went back and shook my head to clear my perception of the plot. Highly recommend.

After separating from her husband, Ali is finally ready to give romance another try. She’s got a date Saturday night and she hopes for a new beginning. But when she wakes up Sunday morning in her own bed, she knows she’s been assaulted, even though she has no memory of the assault. She’s covered in bruises and the man she met has long since disappeared. When she tries to recall what happened, she draws a blank, as a matter of fact, she draws a blank on everything, her friends, her family, even her own reflection in the mirror. This thriller will have you second guessing dating someone you don’t really know

This is my first Louise Jensen book, and wow, I was not disappointed! The Date grabbed hold of me and refused to let you, and I devoured it in under 24 hours.

The Date is a fast-paced thriller based around Ali, who wakes up one morning with no memory of the night before. As women, how many of us have heard about the dangers of meeting men online, those cautionary tales that women are so used to hearing and equating to friendly advice, but that is actually teetering on the edge of victim blaming. Ali goes through so many emotions that morning, battered and bruised as she is, desperate to remember what happened. And then she doesn't recognise herself in the mirror.

You can count me as part of the group that had never heard of prosopagnosia, or facial blindness. What a fascinating, horrifying concept. I truly believe it is our responsibility as authors to represent whatever we can in the best way we can, and Jensen has done this here. She mentions several issues, and deals with each one with care, while still gripping the reader until the very last page. Whether Jensen is a favourite author of yours, or if this is your first experience of her, I think you'll enjoy this one.

The Queen of Domestic Noir smashes it yet again!!

OMG WOW just where do I start! I’ve been looking forward to reading this book so much the anticipation has made me feel like a child in the run up to Christmas! With all three previous novels by this author taking pride of place on my ‘All-time Favourites Shelf’, The Date by Louise Jensen had a hard act to follow. Was writing yet another book of such high acclaim even possible?

I’ve a lot to say about this book so won’t go into detail and repeat the synopsis. Suffice to say the level of research the author has gone to for this unique premise really is quite staggering.

As well as being rich in original analogy, what makes this compelling narrative so utterly creepy and intensely real is the way Louise Jensen combines succinct language with dual first-person narration. From the outset the reader is thrust into Ali’s world: ‘Something isn’t right.’ […] ‘There’s a sour smell in the room’ […] ‘Goosebumps spring up on my arms.’ This stripped back narrative allows the reader to make up their own mind and use their imagination, allowing them to become part of the story. Combined with the first-person narration from Ali’s perspective, this brings the reader in so close it makes them feel they actually are Ali. Then just as you start to think the way Ali does, willing her to take a course of action – BANG: the deranged antagonist takes over; throwing everything you thought was going on out of the window.

This is all done whilst keeping secret both the antagonist’s identity, as well as the protagonist’s past demons. We know the protagonist is hiding something from her past, but with backstory being drip-fed throughout the narrative strands, alongside shocking twists, and red herrings, you won’t be able to turn those pages fast enough.

But the final twist will absolutely knock you out. If the final word isn’t enough, it’s the absolute final piece of punctuation. Who knew one little punctuation mark could have such an effect?

Louise Jensen stands out as a canonical icon in twenty-first century literature. With psychological thrillers flooding the market, Louise manages to combine original and complex plotlines, alongside a well-written narrative, and in a way that appeals to readers from all walks of life. Louise Jensen has been compared to Paula Hawkins (Girl on the Train) and S J Watson (Before I go To Sleep); but to be honest this author is in a class all of her own. Domestic noir is so much more than an ordinary psychological thriller and Louise Jensen absolutely smashes this.

Under Literature Love’s rating scheme this book has been awarded 5 out of 5 stars.
(If I could, I would give it 6 out of 5 stars!)

I absolutely loved this book and couldn’t put it down. I recommend you stop what you’re doing and go and buy this book now!
As well as having all the elements of a four-star review, this book transcends its genre. The language is original and compelling; characters jumped off the page; and twists in the plot left me gasping. This rare and exceptional book will be put forward for Literature Love’s top 10 books of the year.