Book review: Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough

I don't really do book reviews on this blog anymore. Instead, I'm aiming to chronicle every book I read in 2018 over on Instagram, with a mini review of each one there too. But sometimes a book comes along that's just too good...

I was going to be bold and say if you read one book in 2018, make it this. Then I read the last few pages, and would like to say this instead: if you read one more book in your life, make it this.

It's gripping throughout, the same story told from the point of view of a husband, wife, and... well, let's call her a family friend. Their three stories don't match up, and you'll be trying to work out who's lying and why. It'll infiltrate your life, you'll be puzzling over it non-stop. Think Gone Girl meets Stepford Wives.

Then, it all goes Inception (remember that film, with all the different layers of dreams?). I didn't like the film, and normally I struggle to enjoy supernatural/fantasy elements of books - in this case, lucid dreaming- but this toes the line perfectly between making you think and getting too complicated to follow. You might find yourself rereading a couple of pages, but it'll be from sheer disbelief rather than confusion.

There's one heck of a twist at the end... and just when you've recovered from that, Pinborough lobs an even bigger twist at her readers, one which will change everything throughout the whole book you've just finished. I'd be bold enough to say it's the best book ending I've ever read. The book's official hashtag (because that's what books did in 2017) is #wtfthatending, which tells you everything you need to know.

It's rare to find an author who nails both plot and writing style so succinctly. Between Her Eyes has the whole package: a plot that intrigues and entices, keeping you reading until beyond midnight, and well-formed characters, each with their own tone of voice.

I honestly don't know why everyone's making such a fuss about Gone Girl and The Girl On The Train when this far superior domestic thriller is out there on shelves. Do yourself a favour and read it.

TL;DR: Put your life on hold until you've read this in its entirety.