Member Reviews
this is one of the best mysteries I have read in a long time. I was hooked from the very first page and did not want to put the down. In fact, I really did not put it down. I read the novel in one sitting. It was uniquely writtien and kept me guessing the entire time. I highly recommend this book.
His & Hers is a psychological thriller about a murder in a small, sleepy town. The story alternates between two character's perspectives; Jack, the detective on the case, and Anna, his ex-wife and the reporter covering the murder. I always enjoy thrillers with multiple points of view, and in His & Hers, the author pieces together each chapter seamlessly, leaving you wanting more at the end of each chapter.
Throughout the story, each character's past is dug up. We learn their innermost secrets and the darker parts of their lives. This is also something I like in thrillers, and I think the author did a great job balancing the past and present timelines.
Sometimes in thrillers character development is lacking, but in His & Hers, there was a nice balance of plot and character development.
This book packs some big punches and crazy twists! It's definitely one I recommend!
This is the second book I’ve read from this author and a bit of a letdown from the first, Sometimes I Lie.
The story has a journalist and a police detective chasing after a serial murderer running rampant in the tiny town of their childhoods. They also share a painful past and simmering feelings for each other. Because, of course they do.
There isn’t a lot in this book that wasn’t completely predictable, with the exception of a “surprise twist” at the end, which I thought was awful.
When the proverbial “bad guy” has to lay out exactly what they did and why, it just comes across as lazy writing. If your characters and story are well-developed, shouldn’t the motive already be clear by the end? Not impressed with this Scooby-Doo-explain-it-all exposition.
The motive for the serial murders was also weeeeak and the methods of killing were ridiculous. Seriously, one day you’re a regular blue collar Joe Schmoe, and the next you’re a criminal mastermind, stumping everyone? Hmm.
I think this author can do better.
Thanks to #netgalley and #flatironbooks for this ARC of #hisandhersbook in exchange for an honest review.
Finally a thriller that was more than enjoyable!
This was one of those crime drama/domestic thrillers that kept me guessing until the very end. Every single time I thought I knew where the story was headed, it twisted around and hooked me again. It was wonderful. There were so many threads interwoven to create a spooky tale years and years in the making.
Told between "his and hers" points of view, we are introduced not only to our narrators, Jack (detective chief inspector) and Anna (tv news reporter), but an array of other individuals important to this story. And we get bit by bit information of how they are entwined in the past and present of these two narrators. The past is told in a great way that isn't necessarily flash back. Sometimes I do not enjoy multiple timelines, though this was done seamlessly. You get certain information at the perfect time in order for the full impact and suspense.
I enjoyed how we learn of the connections, both past and present of the whole group of people. Some of the people in this story were truly monsters.
This was an excellent thriller. I am not going to do a synopsis because every detail is slowly and skillfully given at the perfect time throughout the book. I went in blind, knowing I have enjoyed this author’s books in the past and I would recommend other do the same.
If you are a thriller fan pick this up! His and Hers will be available 7/28 if you would like to preorder your copy.
Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron Books for the early copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Alice Feeney writes brilliant thrillers. This one did not disappoint.
I love the fast paced nature of her writing. I read this in one day. I could not stop. This story has so many twist that i just did not see coming. If you are looking for a great book to read. This is it. One of my favorites this year.
This was a fast paced read, told from alternating perspectives between Anna and Jack, who used to be married to each other. Anna is a news correspondent asked to cover a murder in her hometown, and Jack is the detective on the case. Both have a history with the murder victim, and both are reluctant to let others know of their history.
The book moved at a fast clip, with each chapter shifting POVs. There were also a couple pieces from the unknown killer thrown in, here and there. The reader learns the backstory as well as the current situation as the story continues.
I read the majority of the book feeling somewhat disappointed that I had figured out what was going on so early. However, the author throws out one twist after another as you get closer to the end of the book, and I realized that I had been teased with a red herring all along. When the villain is revealed, it's a huge twist and the motive makes sense, though it is a tad over the top in terms of believability, and also left some questions hanging about other stuff that had happened earlier when I thought the killer was someone else.
Neither main character was super likable but they weren't terrible either. Jack, in particular, got on my nerves by doing really stupid things that no person, let alone police detective, would actually really do in the situation he was in. I wish some more attention had been paid to his actions related to his efforts to prove he was innocent.
Overall, this was a worthwhile read and I appreciated the twists and the crazy ending, even if not super realistic. I enjoyed the back and forth between the 2 characters and the unreliability of both narrators. I'd recommend this book to those who like mysteries and psychological thrillers.
I finally read Alice Feeney’s SOMETIMES I LIE last year and I found it to be a fun, quick thriller read. I had hoped to read more from her, so I was excited to receive approval for the e-galley for new release!
HIS & HERS posits the theory that there are two sides to any story and that means that someone is always lying. Anna has a dream job as the head TV presenter of the BBC’s lunchtime news, but her dream is about to be snatched away from her. She is asked to cover the story of a murder in her hometown and it turns out the victim is an old friend. Jack is a police detective called out to a murder scene where he quite intimately knows the victim, a fact that Jack decides to keep to himself. Both Anna and Jack are keeping secrets, but one or both are bound to get tripped up.
This book begins with the premise that we are getting two very different POVs, those of Jack and Anna, and both are unreliable. Even as they tell their own stories, they are shading things and leaving things out to keep the reader guessing what exactly is going on. Though the unreliable narrator perspective is frequently done, it was nice to have two dueling narratives and a knowledge upfront that neither was entirely on the level.
This story is full of twists, though there were quite a few that I did see coming. The author did use the back and forth between the His and Hers chapters to keep me guessing on a few things. There were some elements that definitely had me still wondering how it all fit together until the end. I had a few mixed feelings on the ending itself which is hard to discuss without spoilers, but overall it was a fun read!
HIS & HERS will be out on 7/28/2020 so get your TBRs ready!
It took me awhile to get invested in this one, as I couldn’t really connect with the characters. It was a slow burn for me until the last 50% and then it really ramped up! I still didn’t care for the characters but it quickly becomes an adrenaline ride! This was chilling and full of twists. I felt a couple twists were for shock value and not very believable but overall, this was a twisty thriller with many red herrings. We have the usual unreliable female narrator trope going on, as the main character is coping with her trauma with alcohol. This has quickly become old in the thriller genre so that probably swayed my feelings toward the main character and prohibited me from becoming invested. The last 50% was fast paced and completely made up for the first half of the book. Stick with it if you find yourself becoming bored, you will be rewarded! My thanks to the publisher for the advance reader in exchange for my honest review. 3.5⭐️
I'm not sure I read the same book that so many others loved. I enjoyed her debut novel, but felt this one had too many coincidences in the plot.
I loved the way the author told the story with the his/her narrative, although at times it confused me (the ending twist). The back and forth kept me guessing and putting pieces together. I just never became invested in the characters, who were all very unlikable and even despicable in my opinion.
I would say it was pacy, but I didn't care for the "shockers" along the way. The final twist was the breaking point because it was too over the top and unbelievable.
It is twisted, outrageous, and bizarre, which can work, but in this case, not for me. I had many, many issues including the cat.
I don’t know how His & Hers was not selected as one of July’s bookreads. I found this book to be a far better read than many that did make the list. I loved this mystery , the plots, the backstory, the characters...everything combined to make this book one of the best mysteries of the year. And when you think you know who’s been killing everyone, suspicion falls on the next character, and I Love that I found it impossible to guess the murderer. Even at the end I was surprised. Brilliantly done. Run to read this book as soon as it’s published.
This book was totally bananas and I absolutely loved it. It was a quick enthralling read which I devoured in two days. His & Hers tells tells the story of a string of murders from two different perspectives--his, and hers. When the relationship amongst the victims and main characters begins to be revealed, the story really heats up. The action in the current murder investigation, paired with the mystery of what happened on Anna's sixteenth birthday will keep you on your toes and flipping the pages. This story has a lot of drama and many red herrings to keep you guessing. I most definitely did NOT see that twist coming at the end. I already have "I Know Who You Are" by Alice Feeney checked out from the library!
Thank you to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for an advanced reader's copy of this novel.
QUICK TAKE: I am a fan of domestic suspense books told from the POV of the husband and the wife, and the latest from Alice Feeney is a solid addition to the "Gone Girl" canon. Not as crazy as I KNOW WHO YOU ARE, but still dark and twisty with unreliable narrators and a couple bonkers twists. If you're a fan of the genre and the author, this is a reliable pick!
This was a very interesting read! The ending I was NOT EXPECTING AT ALL. I would guess who the killer was over and over and was proved wrong over and over.
Overall I liked it but I didn't love it and honestly all of the characters and what happened in the past was just horrible but it was a definite addicting read.
His & Hers is the story of Jack and Anna, who are thrown together when a murder is committed in the town of Blackdown. When Jack, a detective, realizes that the victim is a woman that is well known to him, he decides to keep that detail to himself, but soon realizes that he is becoming a suspect in his own investigation. Anna, a BBC news reporter who just lost her anchor spot, is deployed to Blackdown to cover the murder. However, Blackdown isn’t just a random town to Anna - it is her hometown...and the victim is her former best friend. Told in alternating perspectives, it is clear that both Jack and Anna have not been entirely forthcoming with each other, and the more lies that get told and secrets kept hidden will put themselves and others in danger.
Wow - this was a WILD story. I loved the structure of this book with getting the alternating insight into Jack and Anna’s heads. They were both clearly suffering from intense personal emotional pain on top of trying to deal with this case, which brought a lot of depth to their characters. And it wasn’t like this case was of the “garden variety” either - the author takes the characters and the reader to some deep, dark, twisted places that left me aghast and riveted at the same time. Those feelings were created through the tone the author set for this story from the outset, and also by the just- graphic-enough descriptions of the horrific events in both the past and present. Really well done.
Where the story lost me a bit was the ending. It was a lot of exposition, which had me going back and reevaluating how each piece fit into the story as it happened in the book and if it made sense. I can’t say that I’m 100% on everything fitting, but it was believable for the most part. I also feel unresolved about Jack’s house keys and Priya’s character in terms of her actions and motivations, but don’t want to go into further detail for fear of spoilers. Regardless, this was a very entertaining thriller, and as the publisher’s synopsis promised, I was kept guessing to the very end. 4.25 stars
*I received an advanced e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange from an honest review.
Holy (insert your choice of expletive here) Moly. This book is literally the definition of the mind blown emoji. This is by far the BEST thriller I have read in 2020. I cannot even explain my thoughts right now because I’m still a little mind blown.
The twists, the turns, the red herrings. All of it was amazing. I usually am pretty good at guessing who did it and why. This book had me guessing until the very end, and I still didn’t guess correctly. Every chapter I felt like a detective trying to solve the case, and I was left with such a satisfying and beautifully executed ending. I went and re-read a few chapters knowing the spoilers that I do now,
and it made the book THAT much better.
At first, I didn’t enjoy the dual perspective chapters. I felt like it was almost repetitive. But, a few chapters in, it made me wonder how the other person was going to react in their chapter and I looked forward to it. It was a clever chapter writing style that paid off in my opinion. It kept me engrossed and helped with character development.
His & Hers is by far, my favorite thriller of the year. I’ve read many thrillers, but this one takes the cake. Thank you Flatiron Books & NetGalley for the ARC. I will be purchasing this hardback when it comes out as this is a book everyone needs on their bookshelf.
So the whole time I was reading this book I kept trying to predict the twist, guessing one character, then the next and nothing could have prepared me for the actual twist!! This book truly kept me on the edge of my seat and I definitely will be recommending it to my friends to read this summer
For a while, I thought I knew what was going on in this, who the killer was. I was wrong at every turn. A fantastic read.
His & Hers is a very dark, twisted thriller. This book needs a trigger warning for assault/rape of young girls and animal abuse. I liked the his vs hers alternating storylines with the murderer occasionally narrating his or her own story, and the ending was very well done; but I found the story difficult to read at times because of how dark it was. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
*MANY THANKS to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and the incredible Alice Feeney for an ARC of this book!*
Anna Andrews has the chance of a lifetime: to step into her dream role as lead TV presenter at the BBC. When she's asked to cover a murder, the victim is familiar...uncomfortably familiar. Enter Jack, DCI assigned to the case who realizes he not only knows this woman, but is dangerously linked to her too...but how? A battle of His vs. Hers begins. Whose story do you trust....His, or Hers?
Feeney is the perfect example of the thriller writer whose books have it all, and I really cannot stress that enough. I knew picking up this book I would be engrossed, terrified, and desperate to know more! The dueling perspectives of His vs. Hers (and the extra added bonus of a 'secret' narrator) kept the story tumbling, twisting, and untangling until the very last page. I think of Alice Feeney's writing as nesting dolls: she slowly unearths one layer at a time, leading you to a different conclusion and a deeper understanding of each character as the story progresses. The pacing is always spot-on, which is so important to me in these types of books. I'm always impressed how she is able to work in such astute observations about the human condition and the good and evil in all of us in all of her novels. Her thrillers make you THINK, and I love that!
Feeney could also teach a master class on how to end a chapter...WOW. This is how reading can keep you up all night!! I had to force myself to slow down and savor this book because I've been waiting so long to read it and I was so sad to see it end. The last killer twist was just the icing on the cake.
This book has reaffirmed everything I love about Alice Feeney and her beautifully twisted writing. I will continue to highly recommend her to ANYONE who wants a fantastic thriller and easily see this in my top 20 for 2020!