Like Gone Girl but more twisted

This is an all-nighter kind of book, very entertaining. About one third in it began to feel a lot like Gone Girl, except the story goes much faster, every character is dubious and everyone is even more twisted, if that’s possible.

The book is narrated from the perspective of three women.

Rachel Depressed and an alcoholic, in her early 30s, she’s having an awful time trying to move on after her marriage fell apart. She takes the train to London for work everyday, and observes the houses and lives of the families on the other side of the track as she sips on cheap canned gin & tonics. She develops a bit of a voyeuristic obsession, making up names and background stories for the seemingly perfect couple she always watches from afar. But the grass isn’t always greener on the other side…

Megan is a gorgeous petite woman, with a penchant for art and for adventure, trying to reconcile her marriage bliss with her need for something more. She’s got a head full of contradictions. Can we learn to stay put and be happy with what we have, or is the instinct to run and look for something new going to stay with us forever?

Anna is starting a new family and trying to lead a content family life with her husband and one year old girl, but they constantly have to deal with ghosts from the past. Will they ever be able to fully sever ties and move on?

Their stories and fates begin to intertwine after a woman in the neighbourhood goes missing.

This is a story about trying to start over, failing miserably, cheating, possessiveness, lies, manipulation. But most importantly it is about the consequences of our actions. Not a single character is worth a dime really, but they make up quite a story. A bit like the characters in a film noir, everyone’s shady.

Highly recommended if you’re up for a thrill with a bunch of wackos.