Charlotte Coburn has a tragically dark past. But she's safe now. She lives in a gated community, protected from danger. When teenager Elle knocks at her door looking for shelter during a particularly severe storm, the woman can't help but think how lucky Elle's been to have found someone as friendly as her. Except Elle chose her door on purpose...
She knows all about Charlotte's secrets because they ruined her family and her life. And it is time that everyone else knew. But Charlotte's past has left a dark void in her life, so she is concocting her own vicious plan, convinced that Elle can help fill that void.
As events unfold, the truth unravels and pulls both women into a dangerous game that will leave you wondering - Who's the villain?
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[I'm sitting in the kitchen, playing cards with my Grandma's neighbour, Murray]***
(Thomas & Mercer, 1 May 2020, 439 pages, ebook, bought from @AmazonKindle #AmazonFirstReads)
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This book surprised me in a lot of ways and turned out to be much better than I expected after a bit of a lacklustre and rocky start. What saved this book and stopped me from giving up was the fact the chapters bounce back and forth between Charlotte and Elle, gradually revealing the darker side to both of them and the past that haunts them and binds them in ways they can't imagine. I didn't completely buy into how easily Charlotte embraces Elle and welcomes her into her life. This aspect wasn't developed as well as it could have been. I thought Charlotte was far too gullible and trusting at times. But the split narrative kept me reading and I started to get pulled into the story. The ending the truth about the past that damaged both Charlotte and Elle shocked me. This is worth sticking with.
