I SEE YOU by Clare Mackintosh
Berkley Publishing; on-sale February 21, 2017
Clare Mackintosh’s I LET YOU GO was one of the first books I ever received for review on Crime by the Book, and it turned out to be a lasting favorite for me. I’ve been on pins and needles waiting for her second book, I SEE YOU, to come to the US – and we’re finally almost there! I SEE YOU releases in the US in February 2017, and I’m so thrilled to have received an advance copy from Berkley.
I SEE YOU is a compulsively readable, hair-raising story of psychological suspense and paranoia, and I highly recommend it for fans of Paula Hawkins, Gilly Macmillan, and domestic thrillers like BEHIND CLOSED DOORS and THE COUPLE NEXT DOOR. Read on for a plot summary from the publisher, and to see why I consider I SEE YOU a 2017 must-read.
Plot Summary (from the publisher):
Every morning and evening, Zoe Walker takes the same route to the train station, waits at a certain place on the platform, finds her favorite spot in the car, never suspecting that someone is watching her...
It all starts with a classified ad. During her commute home one night, while glancing through her local paper, Zoe sees her own face staring back at her; a grainy photo along with a phone number and listing for a website called FindTheOne.com. Other women begin appearing in the same ad, a different one every day, and Zoe realizes they’ve become the victims of increasingly violent crimes—including murder. With the help of a determined cop, she uncovers the ad’s twisted purpose...A discovery that turns her paranoia into full-blown panic.
And now that man on the train—the one smiling at Zoe from across the car—could be more than just a friendly stranger. He could be someone who has deliberately chosen her and is ready to make his next move…
I'll share my full review of I SEE YOU closer to its publication, but in the meantime, here are my top 3 reasons why I SEE YOU is a buzzworthy 2017 book.
- A new direction for Clare Mackintosh. I LET YOU GO was an awesome read, and it set the standard for truly shocking and unpredictable plot twists. I SEE YOU is a totally different read – don’t expect the same shocking plot twist that I LET YOU GO featured – but I absolutely loved that Clare took her second book in a new direction. I SEE YOU proves her range as an author, and should assure her fans that she won't be a one-hit wonder.
- Unsettling, shiver-inducing plot. The crime central to I SEE YOU is completely chilling because it could truly happen to anyone. If you’re someone who uses public transportation to commute to and from work or school, you’re just as vulnerable as the story’s protagonist. This plot stuck with me long after finishing I SEE YOU – I have been suspicious of every stranger to look at me just a little too long on the subway ever since I picked this book up, for better or worse!
- Just plain addictive writing. I simply love Clare’s voice as an author. Her voice is engaging and authentic, crafting characters who are extraordinary in how very ordinary they are. I truly felt that I was getting to know a real person in her character of Zoe, and it made the story all the more suspenseful to see a very relatable, ordinary person being put through such a traumatic experience. Her writing is also consistently accessible and fast-paced - I simply couldn’t put this book down.
After reading I SEE YOU, I can confidently say that Clare Mackintosh remains one of my favorite authors. I wholly enjoyed I LET YOU GO, but I SEE YOU was arguably even more my style of psychological thriller. This book will unsettle you, get under your skin, and keep you hooked until the last page. If you have yet to read Clare's debut, I LET YOU GO, I absolutely recommend checking that book out - you'll enjoy its inventive, addictive storyline, complete with one of the best plot twists I've ever read! And mark your calendars for the release of I SEE YOU on February 21, 2017.
Happy reading!
xx A