K.L. Slater is fast becoming another favorite author when I need a psych thriller fix. The Narrator is definitely one of her best.
There are just enough questions thrown out about each of the characters that the reader is as off-balance as the main character.
Additionally, the author is clever in setting this story in the book world because it instantly adds relatability and awareness to situations.
Even the final, last gasp, jaw-dropping surprise is entirely plausible.
I guess, in some ways, that makes The Narrator a unique psych thriller. It is one of the few times I can remember thinking, “I could absolutely see this happening in real life.”
Obviously, I’m not going to give any plot points away. But again, the author is smart in the storytelling. The action unfolds from multiple perspectives in multiple time frames. And it is never confusing at all.
In fact, I think it was one of the most seamless books I’ve read recently. Everything flowed smoothly. I particularly liked that there were a couple of characters who popped up occasionally who may or may not have anything to do with the overall plot. (I’m not telling).
But it was effective storytelling because they did just enough to throw suspicion on themselves.
If I had to nitpick, the only thing that didn’t exactly fit for me was the thread about Eve’s father. I get it in the overall plot picture, but it seemed forced to me, while everything else seemed natural.
Regardless, The Narrator is still a fantastic psych thriller. I didn’t guess the big reveal until literally the last moment. For that reason alone, it earns high marks – but everything else is pretty darn good too!
