I love this author, and this book was not a disappointment! It was different than the genre she usually writes, but it was a good read!

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Ian Paine has spent his life running away. He's drunk too much booze, taken too many reality warping drugs, gotten high too often to numb the painful memories of his horrific childhood. Gorging himself on food until he was unrecognizable, he hid inside himself, and to the world he was just a lonely fat boy. But Ian was lucky; he grew up and managed to escape the haunting pull of his hometown and become a successful comic book artist in New York City.
There has only ever been one constant in Ian's life: Priss. She is everything he isn't - powerful, enticing, beautiful. Dangerous. She isn't afraid to confront the problems that Ian isn't strong enough to face, but she also loves to feed his addictions for drugs, for sex, for running away. And no one seems to understand the volatile Priss the way Ian does.
But everything begins to change when Ian meets Megan - a kind, good-hearted woman who Ian wants to start a new life with. But Priss won't let Ian go so easily, not when she's spent a lifetime by his side. Priss is angry, and when she's angry, bad things begin to happen…

*3.5 stars*

Nothing is quite as it seems in this clever thriller.

Sadly, that relates to the ending as well.

From the start, we meet Ian, whose childhood was beset with obesity, bullying and mental health issues in the family. Then he meets Priss in the back garden and they become friends.
As he gets older, Ian meets Megan...but Priss isn't so pleased with their relationship.

Part mystery, part psychological thriller, part supernatural - the first 3/4 of this book was stunning. Really hooked me in with the plot, hooked me with the characterisations of Ian and Priss...and should have come home with a bang. But it didn't...

The sad part is, that if the author had just followed the lines that she had already laid down for this book, it would have been far better for me. The addition of the "supernatural" element (if you can call it that - maybe the 'fantasy/reality' element would better describe it...), took away from the suspense that had been building all the way through.

Was almost going to give this 4 stars but I was disappointed just enough to mark it down another half-star at the end.


Paul
ARH