Tag: Book Review

When a book starts with a character undergoing inspection at a jail, accused of murder, you know you’re going to be in for quite a read.

What’s even better is that you don’t know which character is featured in the prologue. Sometimes it becomes apparent right away, but not this time. It’s not a spoiler to say that you don’t find out until very late in the story.

And a lot happens in between the two points.

I thought the set up was effective. Hannah has transformed a derelict barn into a guest cottage. She needs something to keep her occupied because her husband, Daniel, is a big mucky much surgeon and is away at work at various hospitals quite often.

Or is he?

Hannah has only gotten her fledgling guest house running when her second customers (Mike, Nadia, and their daughter Kayleigh) appear, the titular visitors.

And that’s where everything goes south.

The author did a great job of establishing things without hitting the reader over the head, hinting just enough to make the reader think.

I knew something was off about Daniel.

I knew something was off about Mike and Nadia.

But I didn’t know what, and I didn’t know how (or even if) it all tied together. In fact, this was one instance where I truly had no idea where it was all going until the very end. I did have a suspicion, and I was partially right, but not entirely.

I though Hannah was an interesting character and was fairly relatable. Her desire to do something productive (in light of her husband’s constant absences) felt familiar. I think any woman who mostly a homemaker, taking care of the kids, wishes to do something for herself.

I couldn’t get a bead on Nadia, which I kind of enjoyed. She was the one character that I never quite knew if she was good or bad, going along to get along or controlling it all. The uncertainty kept me actively engaged.

I did think that the revelations towards the end felt a bit contrived, and there is a subplot about blackmail that kind of comes out of nowhere – but it is pivotal to the overall story arc. I would have liked for that to have a little more groundwork to be thoroughly believable.

But it was still a really good read. I read it in just two sittings and would certainly recommend checking it out.

About MirandaRijks:

Miranda Rijks is a writer of psychological thrillers and suspense novels. She has an eclectic background ranging from law to running a garden centre. She’s been writing all of her life and has a Masters in writing. A couple of years ago she decided to ditch the business plans and press releases and now she’s living the dream, writing suspense novels full time. She lives in Sussex, England with her Dutch husband, musician daughter and black Labrador.

She is the author of The Arrangement, Roses are Red, and You Are Mine. The Visitors will be her ninth book with Inkubator Books. 

Flat out, being honest, I almost gave up on this one. I’ll explain why in a minute.  

It would have been a shame, though, because the end was one of the absolute best endings to a book I’ve read recently.

So, I’ll put the end of the review here. Give this one a chance; the payoff is worth it.

Now for the rest of the review. As usual with this author’s books (see The Good Neighbor, The Good Mother, The Guest, and The Assistant), there is a unique beginning and a different approach.

The premise was good. I knew right from the start that there was “something” about Joe and Skye. It took a bit to figure out what the something was, but the reveal of their motivation was well-plotted.

Maggie and Brad were a different story. I didn’t think they were as well fleshed-out, for the most part. I did like how there was a little bit of role-reversal with them. It contributed to the plot in an important way.  

Brad writes a successful marriage blog, and a few of his posts are interspersed between chapters. This was effective because it gave insight to his character. Let’s pull no punches. Brad was a total hypocrite. Not saying more.

Less successful were Maggie’s continuous excuses for her behavior. While they may have been realistic, I didn’t feel that they were legitimate.

Again, I think role-reversal plays a huge part in this entire novel. There is a definite “gender-switch” in terms of motivations, actions, and attitudes.

In fact, the more that I think about it, the title even is ambiguous. Who exactly is “The Other Couple?”

Once you get to that ending, (and oh, that ending), you’ll be reflecting the same way I am right now.

So, again, give this one a chance. There are a lot of internal monologues and “deep thoughts” of the characters that bog it down periodically, but I promise you, the payoff is totally and completely worth it.

About Cathryn Grant:

Cathryn Grant writes psychological thrillers, psychological suspense, and ghost stories. She’s the author of twenty-three novels. 

She’s loved crime fiction all her life and is endlessly fascinated by the twists and turns, and the dark corners of the human mind. 

When she’s not writing, Cathryn reads fiction, eavesdrops, and tries to play golf without hitting her ball into the sand or the water. She lives on the Central California coast with her husband and two cats. 
Cathryn is the author of The Good Mother, The Assistant and other psychological thrillers. The Other Couple will be Cathryn’s fifth novel with Inkubator books. 

Social Media: