Every so often I come across a sleeper of a psych thriller – one that feels like it will be run-of-the-mill…before it absolutely punches me in the face with twists and unexpected turns. The Woman at Number 6 by Matthew Farrell fits this description perfectly.
I will admit, it took me a bit to get into the swing of this one. It was difficult for me to grasp who I could trust and what was really going on. However, that changed with one event.
Then it was off to the races!
Honestly, the plot of this book is an absolute roller coaster. There is the slow climb where the groundwork is laid for what is to come. It makes the reader even a little impatient because you just hope that the rest is exciting.
Once you reach the tip-top – right before swooping into the heart of the story – there’s anticipation. Because there is a moment where the reader truly does not know which way the author is going to go.
And then…..
It is all dips and twists and turns as events fall into place creating an amazing page-turner of a psych thriller, right up until the climax.
But even then, there are still a few tricks up the author’s sleeve – and I mean to the very last words.
Tracy was a mysterious character. We learn that she has a haunted past. That comes out in short snippets. I liked this approach because it wasn’t the usual “Then and Now” that is common in psych thrillers.
Not that there’s anything wrong with them. But these were treated more like her memories, which made it feel more organic.
I also liked how I really had no idea who to trust throughout the entire plot. Is Missy in cahoots with Tracy, or does she have an ulterior motive? Is Malcolm as bad as we think? What is the connection to Dr. Davi? And where does Kat really figure into all of it?
I’m. Not. Telling.
But hang onto your seats, because the author answers all of these questions in a truly spectacular fashion.
Can you tell that I loved this book? Well, I did. The Woman at Number 6 is absolutely everything a reader could ask for in a psych thriller – and then some. I can’t wait to see what Matthew Farrell comes up with next!
