Last night I dreamt about the past for the first time in years. I thought I was over it. I thought I’d finally learned to block it out. But I’m right back there, all over again, inside the house. The room is dark, the corners black with shadow. Then, the scream…
When Louise Taylor is hit by a car as she cycles home in the rain following a fight with her boyfriend, she’s left hurt, frightened and confused. And worse, something tells her it wasn’t an accident.
Housebound in her cramped apartment while she recovers, flashbacks to her traumatic childhood begin to resurface, threatening her hard-won self-control. Desperate to keep busy and distract herself, she hires Edward – a friend of a friend – to repaint her shabby living room and, hopefully, keep the past at bay.
But when Edward arrives – quiet, considerate and handsome – Lou instantly feels like they’ve met before, that she can trust him. Tired of carrying the guilt alone after all these years, Lou tells Edward her secret. And to her surprise, he doesn’t pull away. He doesn’t gasp, or grimace or preach about what she did. And Lou is so relieved to finally be free of this burden at last.
Hooked from the start! The opening scene was intense. It had all the ingredients that a good thriller should have…a woman on a bike injured in a hit-and-run, a controlling boyfriend, a suspicious past, and a shady character who suddenly appears in her life. I mean… what more can you ask for!
I love how Jill Childs tells the story from alternating POV’s. Lou tells her story parallel to Edward’s story and eventually the pieces of a puzzle begin to form a complete picture of how each connects. Both Lou and Ed have a past that they aren’t proud of. Will they come clean to each other…With themselves? Will their pasts interfere with their future together?
I have to admit, the ending of this story was extremely unique and unexpected. I love the slight magical twist that the author manages to pull off.
All in all, this was a solid thriller with a surprise ending that will leave readers thinking of the realm of possibilities. 🪄
Check out more blog reviews on the tour!
Jill has always loved writing – real and imaginary – and spent 30 years travelling the world as a journalist, living overseas and reporting wherever the news took her. She’s now made her home in London with her husband and twin girls who love stories as much as she does. Although she’s covered everything from earthquakes and floods, riots and wars, she’s found some of the most extraordinary stories right here at home – in the secrets and lies she imagines behind closed doors on ordinary streets, just like yours. If you’ve enjoyed reading one of Jill’s books, please do leave a review. For latest news, follow Jill on Twitter (author_jill) and Facebook (Jill Childs)
Two Girls and a Book Obsession 