ARC Review: The Elizas by Sara Shepard

“There’s nothing better than a book that keeps you guessing.”
~ Under the Covers

When they fish Eliza Fontaine, upcoming author, out of the bottom of the pool, her family think it’s another suicide attempt. After all this isn’t the first time, or even the second, that they’ve had to pull her out of the water. But Eliza knows she didn’t try and commit suicide. Although her memory of the events of that night have either disappeared or are hazy, one thing she does remember is a hand pushing her into the pool. But, as Eliza investigates reality and fiction start to become entwined and what’s real and what’s fantasy start to blur.

This book wasn’t quite what I was expecting. Mainly because I was expecting a straightforward, although interesting, thriller about an attempted murder and a plucky heroine racing to save her life and convince everyone she’s in danger. Instead, we get a psychological mystery where not even the heroine is sure if someone pushed her or not. As for the plucky heroine, I didn’t get it right there either. Eliza takes some getting used to, she is a damaged individual who isn’t always very likeable and who makes some questionable decisions.

All this combined just made for a fascinating read. Although it is a slow starter, I recommend that you keep reading as the mystery and intrigue pick up as you read further on. What I liked about this book was that although some aspects of the story line I guessed straight away, and was correct, there were layers of mystery and I didn’t quite understand the breadth of until towards the end. There’s nothing better than a book that keeps you guessing.

This won’t be a book for everyone, it keeps a fairly sedate pace and although Eliza is fascinating you don’t always like her. However, it’s well worth the read as Shepard delivers an interesting narrative that shows the impact of childhood trauma as fiction and reality collide in the life of one woman.

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[about-author author=”Sara Shepard”]