Psychological Suspense

Suspense

I had watched the movie version of this book years ago and loved it. I finally got to read the book and it is just as good, if not better. Two friends connect through motherhood in a small town in north Connecticut. Stephanie's brother and husband died in a car crash years ago. She is raising her son Miles as a single mother. Emily's husband is often away on business, so it seems as if she is raising her son Nicky on her own. Stephanie keeps busy creating vlogs for other mothers. Emily is a PR Director for a fashion company in NY. One day, Emily disappears. Stephanie is sick with worry and turns to her vlog for support. She also helps Emily's husband Sean and Nicky with their grief. This leads to Stephanie and Sean becoming cozy and eventually, Stephanie moves in with Sean. Meanwhile, a body is found and believed to be Emily. What happens next is one of the best psychological thrillers I've read. Is it really Emily? ( )

The Movie Was Better!

I watched the movie a few years ago because I am a big fan of Anna Kendrik. When I saw the book on Scribd I thought I would give the book a chance and I am not sure if this was worth the time or the energy. I went back and forth with how to rate this book considering this is my jam usually. I love me a good thriller. Where things fall short is that I couldn’t relate to any of the characters and I didn’t really like them. I feel the casting is what made the movie enjoyable. Stephanie was a mess who blogged her life and needed validation from everyone and this need to fit in which made her the perfect mark. Now Emily she just pulled no punches you knew she was a badass from the first page. Now Sean I just found him a dull and very pliable person.
Now, the story, yes it was a tad cheesy. You saw a lot of it coming. But you didn't see it happening the way it did. Or for the reasons it did. That, and only that, made the book good. Really good actually. The twists were well placed it left you turning pages. If the cast of characters were better or more personality-infused, I would have loved this. Overall, I liked it. I might have to see what else this author has to offer just to give it a second chance. Part of my discomfort might be the fact that I watched the movie first and I usually never do that.
( )

You’d be amazed by what people will do. Things they’d never admit to anyone—not even to themselves.”
― Darcey Bell, A Simple Favor

It’s interesting. I found the Movie to be Quite superior to the book and it’s usually the other way around.

The book started out with promise and I can’t really say I did not enjoy parts of it. But I just found that it ultimately became ludicrous and quite difficult to believe any aspect of the story at all particularly in reference to Stephanie and the changes her character undergoes.

It was also quite odd how the book started out genuinely creepy and almost became comical . I mean...I loved it at first. It was so creepy....deliciously so....and IO had no idea what on earth was going on but that was part of the fun!

Then it all fell apart. The story got obliterated by its own absurdities. I could not believe how unrealistic and "out there" it became, losing all the eerie and fun aspects and sort of descending into absurd parody.

However when watching the movie I noticed something great.

They somehow retained all the quality aspects of the book and got rid of some of the corny stuff and I wound up really loving the movie. I would recommend the movie version to lovers of the genre although and who knows maybe others feel differently about the book. It certainly has many reviews on here. And it is far from the worst book out there but ultimately I think the first part is much better than the second. ( )