In Her Words by J.S. Ellis is a compulsively readable narrative that is presented exclusively through a series of diary entries. Sophie is our protagonist and by her own admission we quickly learn that she is an alcoholic. Her reliability as a narrator is almost immediately called into question.

Sophie is married to Richard, but the marriage is suffering the effects of Sophie's drinking and Richard's illness. When a much younger Swede named Michael Frisk enters the picture, Sophie is smitten, and finds herself playing a very dangerous game with a man she knows very little about.

This is a dark tale that will keep you guessing through to the final diary entry. I very much enjoyed this format of storytelling, and found Sophie's conversational style to be quite addictive. I will read more from this author in future.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Black Cat Ink Press for this ARC.

Sophie isn’t doing the best job of hiding her drinking problem from her husband. Her problem is severe and she often suffers from blackouts. She finds herself drawn to danger and to handsome stranger Michael Frisk and even though she knows better, finds herself spending time with him. When she gets odd phone calls and notes in the mail, Sophie’s first thought is that Michael is gaslighting her. One morning she wakes up covered in bruises with no memory of how they got there. Who can she trust, and does she really know any of the men in her life?