White Bodies

I was very intrigued by the synopsis of this book and was so happy when I was approved for an ARC. I will give Robin's debut 3.5 stars. Our protagonist, Callie is seemingly already obsessed with her sister but becomes even more obsessed when she's certain her sister's husband is super controlling and abusive. Callie then gets dragged into the website, controllingmen.com that is an online support group for people that have loved ones in abusive relationships.
I found this story dragged me in right away. The first chapter opens with Felix's funeral and Callie fells responsible for his death and she is shocked that the police haven't come to find her yet. The story then backs up to when Tilda and Felix have just met and have just started dating. I found it a slow build-up to Felix's death again. Some chapters in the first half flip back to when Callie and Tilda were kids, giving the reader a glimpse into the weird dysfunctional relationship these two sisters have. The second half was more exciting.
I did like the writing style of Robins. It was a good mixture of description and dialogue. The story is told in first person POV of Callie. Within a few chapters I was pretty certain I had the ending figured out and for the most part I was right. I feel I must comment on Callie's "weird behaviour" that she starts as a little girl and I must say this was one of the weirdest things a character in any book I've read has ever done and I just didn't get how it added to the story or was needed.
Thank you to NetGalley for approving me for this ARC.

A thrilling read that kept me changing my mind as to what was going on until late into the book. The whole book was compelling and I read it with a sense of dread knowing that something bad was going to happen but unsure as to who and why? Callie and Tilda are twins. Tilda is the more glamorous of the two and begins a new relationship that progresses quite quickly. Callie has been an 'observer' her whole life who becomes worried that her sister's new boyfriend is controlling and abusive so begins watching and investigating and recording . Part of Callie's research takes her to an anonymous online forum about controlling men which leads to more worries, along with contacts that may or may not be what is presented. Through glimpses back to the sisters younger years we learn more of their unhealthy bond as well as their individual issues leading to a climax of murder and suspicion. I found Callie's growing paranoia and reckless behaviour added to the building tension. Robins does a good job of making characters likeable, even when doing unlikable things. (Trigger warning regarding domestic abuse situations.)

I am such a sucker for a psychological thriller; I am always on the hunt for something new that will leave me thinking. Enter, White Bodies by Jane Robins, a book that topped by fall TBR list and one that I was eagerly anticipating.

The story begins and develops your typical love story: man (Felix) meets girl (Tilda), man controls girl, twin sister of girl (Callie) gets mad, man ends up dead. Ya know, the stuff that makes ya warm and fuzzy inside. I loved how Robins slowly built and weaved the tension throughout the plot; it truly left me feeling unsettled. Especially in regards to the Callie character. What a treat she was. A completely disturbing and pretty messed up treat, but a treat nonetheless! I think one of the first “um…WTF Callie??!” moments comes at about 13% into the book. I don’t think I will ever look at a pair of twins the same!!

I also felt like the writing style of this one was incredibly different; the premise is like other books I have read but the execution felt more original. The story does not follow a specific linear path; instead, it focuses on alternative narrative moments in time between the present and then two different snapshots from the past. I think my favourite (is that okay to say something was my favourite when it was so twisted) were the Callie chapters from her childhood. Creepy.

My biggest complaint with this novel was the pacing. I felt like the first 100 pages or so really dragged. I was interested. I wanted to keep reading but I didn’t find myself tearing through the pages. However, the second half of the book really shone and I did find myself completely engrossed. I guess I wish it had paced more evenly so I felt entirely dedicated throughout. I also had a hunch regarding the “reveal” fairly early on, but that didn’t deter me from completing the novel. I loved Robin’s style.

Overall, if you want a psychological thriller that will give you the creeps, then I would pick this one up. It is totally worth the read.

A deep, dark examination of the relationships between twin sisters, one seemingly outgoing and the other introverted. But also the relationship of one of this sisters as seen by the sister is troubling and personal. Well written.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an electronic ARC of this novel, received in exchange for an honest review.
“White Bodies” is the first fiction novel from author Jane Robins. In “Bodies”, Tilda, a has-been actress, meets and falls in love with Felix, an American financier. Tilda’s twin sister, Callie, is as quiet and reserved as Tilda is outspoken and loud. It is Callie who notices the marks on her sister’s arms, how her sister’s once commandeering personality has dwindled into someone small and meek, and immediately assumes the worst of Felix. Callie begins to investigate further, desperate to save her sister. When Felix dies suddenly, Callie’s doubts begin to surface and she is now plagued with the question- was Felix murdered?
This novel is suspense-laden and filled with intrigue and mystery. The ending is completely unpredictable- as each character has their own eccentric quirk that makes them totally capable of the deranged actions that take place. Just when I made one assumption about what happened and who was responsible, I was sidelined by a plot twist that had me thinking the exact opposite. When the ending arrived and all questions were answered- I was both surprised and satisfied.
Tilda and Callie are both well-developed characters- Tilda is self-absorbed and arrogant, Callie is reserved and awkward, yet both are likable (at least for most of the novel) and realistic, both struggling with clear psychological disorders that play off the other like flutes in an orchestra. The author has a way of drawing in a reader’s attention and holding it- I read most of this novel in one continuous loop, not wanting to put it down.
For an author new to fiction, Robins seems to have found her niche. Unpredictable and somewhat deranged, this novel was a pleasant surprise. I sincerely look forward to Robins’ next fiction work.

A very good psychological thriller with numerous layers of deceit and manipulation. The twins, Callie and Tilda, are such good foils for each other, both predatory in their own way. Much good writing and unexpected turns. The reason I gave it four instead of five stars is because the author reverted into telling instead of showing in the last 10% of the novel, which distanced me just when I should have been utterly enthralled. That said, it's still an excellent novel and such good original characters.

Thanks, Netgalley, for the e-review copy.