Emma Bamford's Eye of the Beholder is a thrilling and chilling journey into the dark underbelly of the beauty industry, deftly inspired by Hitchcock’s Vertigo. This novel grips you from the start with its haunting atmosphere and intricate plot.

Maddy Wight’s assignment to ghostwrite the memoir of Dr. Angela Reynolds takes her to a remote Scottish estate, where the mysteries of the elusive doctor and her mercurial business partner, Scott, begin to unravel. The eerie setting and the sense of being constantly watched amplify the suspense, keeping you on the edge of your seat.

Bamford excels at creating a sense of unease, with missing objects, mysterious handprints, and the lurking stranger adding to the tension. The plot twists expertly, culminating in the shocking moment when Maddy sees Scott alive in London, months after his supposed death.

Exploring themes of perception, reality, and the power of the female gaze, Eye of the Beholder is a compelling tribute to Hitchcock’s masterpiece. While some may find the pacing slow at times, the rich atmosphere and the gripping narrative make this a highly recommended read for thriller fans.

This has the feel of an old-fashioned gothic. A ghost writer is hired by a cosmetic surgeon who refuses to give her any of the details she'll need to actually write the memoir on an impossibly tight deadline. Frustrated by a client who seems more interested in the paper and font that will make up the book, Maddy spends her days in a luxurious Scottish estate, trying to pull the project together on time. The only other one in the house is her client's business partner, Scott. There are weird noises and dangerous cliffs and a definite sense that Maddy should just walk away from the whole situation, but she needs the money. I haven't seen the Alfred Hitchcock movie that inspired this, so maybe I'm missing something that would have made me enjoy the book more.

Author, Emma Bamford's, "Eye Of The Beholder" sounded like an intriguing thriller. It started out great- Maddy chasing her dead presumed dead boyfriend through the streets and a nightclub. I was hooked and excited to see where this went.

Then we get to the "before". The story slows to a snail's pace and turns into more of a love story than a thriller. I had trouble figuring out what the mystery even was. It wasn't until the last half of the book that it was even becoming clear, and by then it was a total let-down. The story was way too long and repetitive.

The characters are boring and unlikeable. Their actions seems disjointed and unrealistic. There wasn't a single one that I liked.

I would never call this book a thriller. I don't think it even classifies as a mystery. It's a love story, at best.

This was a 2.5 star read for me. Thanks to Netgalley and Gallery books for allowing me an eARC to read and give my honest review.

"Eye Of The Beholder" is out today in the U.S. so you can get your copy now.

Happy Reading!

Eye of the Beholder by Emma Bamford was an engrossing thriller that will keep any reader on the edge of their seat from start to finish.
Bamford’s writing skills are truly remarkable. The author's gripping plot that immediately grabbed my attention and kept me engaged throughout.

Eye Of The Beholder by Emma Bamford, When Madeline white goes to Scotland to stay at Varolay to write the autobiography of cosmetic super Surgeant Angela, it becomes increasingly more difficult with changing deadlines and Angela her self leaving soon after Madeline‘s arrival.The person who is around is Angela‘s business partner Scott and Madeline quickly falls for him , even though she witnesses his strange behavior and as far as she knows his middle of the night antics. She still returns to London with the belief her and Scott will be together but at the book launch she learns Scott has thrown himself off the cliff. This is something Madeline instantly doesn’t believe because despite the fact she seen him‘s standing in a fugue state an acting unlike himself, more than once throughout her stay in Scotland she believes this is something he would never do. Not everything is as it seems and that isn’t the only surprise in store for Madeline when it comes to the beauty guru Angela before it’s over Madeline will learn about the strange noises at the house, The missing painting, Scott and so much more and it’s not all as glamorous as Angela would like you to believe. I didn’t get the vertigo vibes I mean I did but not enough to compare the book to it but having said that I found a lot of Angeles thoughts and sentiments were over the top and almost verging on ridiculous I did find myself being swept up in the book the closer it got to the end I wouldn’t called this a slow burn necessarily because things happen throughout but I also found the fact that Madeline was shocked about Scott to be bordering on the ridiculous… I mean really that surprised you not him killing his self, but everything else. Having said that I’m sure a lot of people will like this book and although I didn’t Haidet I really didn’t love it either. As I said however the closer I got to the end the more I wanted to know the whole story. I do think a lot of people will love this book as I said so give it a read.#NetGalley, #GalleryBooks, #EmmaBamford, #IOfTheBeholder,

{3.5 stars}

Thanks to Scout Press and Gallery Books for the gifted copy. All opinions below are my own.

Maddy is a ghost writer who has gotten an offer to step in to finish a book for a cosmetic surgeon. She has a short timeline and an enigmatic subject. The request is for her to isolate herself in the surgeon's remote Scottish mansion to hammer out the project. When she gets there she realizes she is not alone and the man who is staying there intrigues her.

This one takes a lot of time setting up. The first half of the book is a very slow paced story where you're almost not sure if it's really supposed to be a thriller. I expected a little more creepiness and what you get is really a series of somewhat unrelated unusual moments. Part two picks up a bit more speed but still it's mostly Maddy's paranoia and until the last third you really don't have any clue what's actually happening. That may be a bit too long for most people. I didn't really like with the slow pace how quickly Maddy fell for Scott and how intense her desire was for him. It took some turns I didn't expect and I was definitely entertained but I was expecting a slightly different story than I got.

Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller Vertigo, Eye of the Beholder is a sinister novel about the beauty industry, a ghostwriter, and the reappearance of the lover she thought was dead.
Maddy Wight is a ghostwriter who has been tasked to pen the memoir of a famous cosmetic surgeon. She's sent to the doctor's exclusive estate in Scotland to pen a draft during a tight deadline. While on this isolated retreat, she meets the doctor's business partner, Scott, who she falls almost instantly for. When Scott dies of an apparent suicide, Maddy is convinced he would never take his own life and sets out to prove herself right. She soon discovers the good doctor isn't who she appears to be. And neither was Scott.

*Special thanks to Gallery/Scout Press for this e-arc.*

With Alfred Hitchcock in mind, Bamford crafts a novel full of suspense and shady characters. Madeleine/Maddy is hired by Angela Reynolds to ghostwrite her book. When Angela starts dodging questions, Maddy tries to dig up information about her background. Set in a remote house, Maddy only has Scott for company (with occasional video calls with Angela and semi-regular texts from her friend). The novel is filled with suspense and a mystery Maddy is driven to solve.

The novel covers a large variety of topics ranging from the beauty industry to addiction to mental health. Bambord does a wonderful job building suspense. Though the ending is a bit predictable, the development of the prose was successful. I’d be curious to read her other novels. Overall, the novel was enjoyable and a great summer thriller read!

A few words: Inspired by Vertigo. The Scottish Highlands. Cliffs, fog and moody men. These are all words that I want used in my future obituary.

Like Vertigo, this is a twisty, dark story that is basically timeless. If you take out the technology aspect, this could be set in any decade.

Maddy Wight has been hired to ghostwrite the memoir for Dr. Angela Reynolds, a world-renowned surgeon. Maddy sees this as the opportunity to put her career (and life) back on the right track. Traveling to the dark and foggy Scottish Highlands, Maddy is ready to put everything behind this job....until the Dr starts talking and revealing industry secrets then starts being less available.

The house, as expected, is full of dark corners and mysterious handprints. Maddy can't shake the feeling of being watched. Also at the estate - Scott, the Dr's business partner. (He's basically the Mr Rochester of this story. ) Once Maddy and the Dr finish the book, she returns to London and waits for the book launch.

When the book launches, everything is halted when Angela learns that Scott has died, by leaping to his death from the cliffs.

Maddy can't help but grieve Scott. He kept her company while she was away, becoming a source of comfort. So, why, months later, when Maddy sees Scott entering into the metro station ahead of her, she is confused even further.

This is a fun read. Sure, some of the plot is pretty out there, but that's what makes reading fun!

I think anyone in the mood for a good gothic-lite thriller should pick this one up.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book

The house and the wild Highlands provide the creepy atmosphere that enhances the power of this novel. A solid thriller that will put you under the knife, so to speak.

This advanced reader's copy was provided by the publisher in exchange for an unbiased review.

This was a really good thriller. Mandy ghostwriters for this doctor. She’s trying to get her career back on track and some weird stuff start happening. I could not put this book down. It was really good.

The author created the perfect setting for this tense thriller. It’s a large, lonely mansion located in the Scottish Highlands, full of windows, cold drafts, unlocked doors and things that go bump in the night. But Maddy, our protagonist, isn’t intimidated. She’s got a job to do and somehow manages to sleep at night in this creepy place. Things are moved, there’s handprints on the glass, and the person who hired her, Dr. Angela Reynolds, a renowned cosmetic surgeon, is elusive and somewhat creepy herself.
But Maddy plugs along at a breakneck speed and manages to meet the deadline only to learn that Dr. Reynolds has pretty much had a book ready to publish all along. And to mark the horrible occasion, on the day of the book launch, Maddy learns that Scott, another tenant of the home who she’s fallen for, has committed suicide on the lonely cliffs outside the manor.
Nothing adds up, and Maddy can’t let it go. Untangling the web of lies and deceit she fell for proves to be more complicated than she imagined, and she has unwittingly placed her own life in danger.
This is a fast-paced and tense thriller and I look forward to more from this new author. On a side note, take time to read about Emma Bamford. She’s lived quite the life by her right.
Thanks so much to Gallery/Scout Press for an ARC in exchange for my honest review. The publishing date is August 6, 2024.

Whew what a Hitchcockian head trip!

Maddy Wright is hired to ghost write the memoir of a popular cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Angela Reynolds. Hoping to get her career trajectory on track again, she lives in Angela's remote estate in the Scottish Highlands as she works on the memoir. Angela's moody partner Scott is with them as well, and when Maddy can't shake the feeling of being watched, she finds herself drawn to him in the process. After completing the book, she returns home, and is shocked when she hears that Scott leapt of the cliffs to his death. Grieving his loss, she is totally confused when she swears she sees Scott on the Tube with her. Now she has to figure out for sure - is Scott alive or dead?

I love stories that examine the beauty industry and who we are on the outside verses the inside, so this story intrigued me from the start. The suspense definitely has the signature feel of Hitchcock, which makes sense since this is inspired by Vertigo.

Fans of somewhat slow burns with heart-pounding suspense will love this one!

Eye of the Beholder by Emma Bamford #sixtiethbookof2024 #arc #eyeofthebeholder

CW: suicide, death, murder, alcoholism, drug use, child abandonment

Maddy is a ghostwriter, hired to write the memoir of a famous cosmetic surgeon Angela, who installs Maddy at her luxurious home in Ireland. Under an insanely short deadline, Maddy is forced to share the house with the surgeon’s business partner Scott. After getting to know Scott, a tragic accident occurs and he leaps to his death. But weeks later, back at home, Maddy sees Scott in a crowd and is forced to reconcile his death with Angela’s mysterious history that she refuses to discuss.

This book’s synopsis references its tribute to Hitchcock’s Vertigo, and I can see the similarities. I did enjoy the behind the scenes look at ghostwriting but could have used more detail. I thought the story was super interesting but to avoid massive spoilers, I can’t really explain why. I did guess the twist way before the reveal but it was still worth the read to figure out the how and why of it all. I think fans of Hitchcock will enjoy this, and I can honestly see this being adapted for a short limited series.

Thank you to @gallerybooks and @netgalley for the advance copy. (pub date 8/6/24)

Inspired by the Hitchcock classic Vertigo, Eye of the Beholder is a psychological thriller exploring how much you can trust what you see.
As embarrassed as this cinephile is to admit it, I’ve never seen Vertigo. So, I didn’t know what to expect as ghostwriter Maddy Wight travels to the remote Scottish highlands to write the biography of an enigmatic beauty guru and cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Angela Reynolds. But it didn’t take me long to figure out what was going out. Certainly not as long as it took Maddy.

I enjoyed the vibes of this book and was into it at first, but the middle dragged and everything felt too obvious and it’s frustrating waiting for the protagonist to catch up.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC of this book! Eye of the Beholder by Emma Bamford was a fun mystery that kept me guessing up until the last pages.

Once I started reading this book I couldn’t put it down, I had to keep reading to see how it would end. Maddy is a ghost writer who gets her dream job, writing a biography with her name listed on the cover. What’s more, she gets to write in a beautiful home a remote area. But things get weird when her deadline keeps getting pushed and she just can’t get adequate information for the biography. Also, her boss’ business partner shows up and food keeps mysteriously disappearing. There were times where I was frustrated with Maddy as a character, especially when her obsession with Scott completely took over her life! She only knew the man about 2 weeks??? I was pleased with the ending as it did resolve all issues, but it did feel slightly rushed in a way. Overall, I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a fun mystery beach read.

Thank you so much to Emma Bamford, Netgalley, and Gallery Books for my copy of this novel. I am so sad that this was a DNF for me. It was just such a slow story that I couldn't get into it. I got around 40% of the way into this story and still felt that nothing was happening. I think I'll try to come back to it in the future, but I'm putting it down for now.

A ghostwriter, Maddy, agrees to work on a memoir for a famous cosmetic surgeon. She finds that the doctor is reluctant to tell her much, especially since she quickly leaves for a business trip. The doctor's business partner, Scott, stays behind though and Maddy finds herself more and more intrigued by Scott. However, she learns that he has leapt to his death from a Scottish castle. Devastated, she returns to London, but soon she is pretty sure she sees Scott. But how is that possible if he has died?

I was really intrigued by this one because of the synopsis blurbs about similarities to Hitchcock. However, I did not get the suspense I wanted from this one. Part of it was that I don't think the dialogue was written super well. It was really choppy for me, which made it hard to get through, especially because there was a lot of dialogue early on. Maybe others who don't have a problem with that will enjoy it more than I did.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication! The review will be live on my blog on 7/26/24. I will also feature the review on Instagram that same day and post my review to Goodreads, The Storygraph, Fable, and retail sites.

Review:

When I read the synopsis for this book, I expected a fast-paced thriller wrapped in an excellent mystery. Sadly, it slightly missed the mark for me. It's not a bad read, just not as thrilling as I'd hoped.

The story follows Maddy Wight, a talented ghostwriter who is hired to work on the memoir of the enigmatic cosmetic surgeon Dr. Angela Reynolds. Maddy is swept away to Angela's isolated home in Scotland to write the book, but much to her surprise, Angela is very busy and will be traveling during this time. She leaves Maddie alone at her home and schedules several check-ins with her to review the book and answer any questions she may have. Maddy is confused as to why she couldn't just do this from her flat in London but decides that maybe the isolation and the beauty of Angela's home will help her focus.

But then Angela's business partner, Scott, arrives to stay at Angela's home. Scott is sexy but also very mercurial, and according to Angela, he is dealing with alcoholism and mental health issues. Still, Maddy finds herself drawn to him, but then, just as Maddy is about to wrap up her time in Scotland, Scott is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. His death is ruled a suicide, but Maddy doesn't believe it. To make matters worse, when Maddy returns to London, she thinks she saw Scott one evening. Convinced it is him, Maddy follows the man and opens up a whole new mystery. Who is Angela, really? Even more perplexing, who is this man that looks so much like Scott?

First, I have to give kudos to the author for creating a great sense of place during the book's first half. The remote estate in the Scottish Highlands serves as the perfect backdrop for act one of the novel and helps generate a sense of isolation and foreboding as the drama unfolds. In the second act, Maddy is back in London, and I will admit, the switch in location was definitely felt, and the tension didn't feel as palpable.

Bamford's tribute to Hitchcock's "Vertigo" is evident in the novel, and there is a decent mystery here, my problem was it felt unnecessarily long, and many times, I felt like there was a lot of information that was repeated - almost as if to say "See - you really can't trust this person," or "Remember this mysterious behavior? It's still happening." On the one hand, I get that the author wants us to believe that Maddy had spent enough time with Scott that she developed feelings for him, and was also setting up a mystery surrounding Angela, making us not trust her. Honestly, I felt like both of these (and many other) points were established early on, and cutting some of the extraneous scenes would have helped tighten the novel's pacing.

The characters in the book are where I really struggled. I didn't necessarily like or dislike anyone. They were just kind of "meh." Angela's elusive nature and Scott's mercurial moods fit their character arcs, but otherwise, they felt pretty one-dimensional. As far as Maddy goes, she was fine as a protagonist, but I also found her to be pretty dense. Obvious clues smacked her in the face several times, and she never questioned them until much later. It got to be very frustrating after a while.

In the end, this had the potential to be a compelling and thought-provoking read, but I found it pretty predictable. There's a decent mystery, but the clues are so obvious that it kind of takes away the fun. If you like a slow-burn mystery that's not overly complex, then this one might be for you. If you like a faster pace, good twists, and complex characters, you may want to look elsewhere.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the copy of Eye Of The Beholder by Emma Bamford. I loved how this book started and Maddie’s move to the island was intriguing. I’m glad all of the strange events all came together in the end, but the explanations were so convoluted they were hard to follow. The story was good and captivated me from the beginning. If you’re looking for a fun book that will keep you guessing, try this one. 4 stars.