Publisher: 30th November 2022 by Simon & Schuster Australia
Pages: 368 pages
Genre: thriller, crime
My Rating: 5 cups
Synopsis:
Promising Young Woman meets High Fidelity in the dark and twisty new thriller from the bestselling author of The Sunday Girl, The Strangers We Know and The Paris Affair.
A bad day at work. A drunken night. A rogue Instagram follow. That’s all it takes to ruin a life …
The question is, whose life will be ruined? When Billie wakes up in a strange guy’s bed, her first thought is: what happened last night? She can't even remember meeting him. And how the hell did she get to Coney Island?
Then reality bites and the memories flood in – the reason she was in that bar, drinking to start with: today she's going to get fired. Because yesterday her law firm lost a big case: Samuel Grange v Jane Delaney. And it looked like it was her fault.
It wasn't. Yet now Samuel Grange is free to drive off into the sunset in his stupid Porsche and do it all again to another woman. And all Billie can think is: What about the next girl? And the one after that? But there is nothing she can do to stop him.
Unless ... She could expose the truth about him on her own. Then everyone would see what he was really like. And he wouldn't be able to do it again.
The problem is, the only way to protect the next girl is to become the next girl. And, well, that could be a little risky ... even deadly.
My Thoughts
‘Because the only way for me to protect the next girl is if I am the next girl.’
The Next Girl is a standalone psychological thriller by bestselling Australian author, Pip Drysdale and I was so excited to finally sample her writing. All up I found an intelligent and interesting plot, with strong characters written in a most conducive way - this book kept me on the edge of my reading seat!
I liked Billie - complex and flawed - characteristics that make her totally believable. The story unfolds with her speaking to the reader which, to me, really hits the mark - it felt like reading her personal diary. Interspersed throughout is the crucial backstory where the reader learns about a past that helps make total sense of current unfolding events. I was hooked from the very beginning and eagerly turned the pages to find answers.
‘I'm not sure how many more lies I have in me.’
This is a book that is fast paced and completely engaging as it is overflowing with suspense. The details are spot on, especially concerning the technology references which I loved. A domestic thriller that will hook you in and keep you guessing until you have all the puzzle pieces to complete the picture.
‘I always thought that if I ever got caught for doing what I do, there would be some glory in it. That people would understand why. They might even applaud it.’
The suspenseful atmosphere Pip creates with twists and turns and both snappy sentences and short chapters were all impactful. This is a book that is sure to appeal to many. With the classic ‘whodunnit’ flavoured with many other serious and heavier themes including sexual violence, vengenance and revenge, coercion and control. This fast paced thriller with stalker vibes, several suspicious characters and a murder mystery is a read that completely drew me in.
‘When I tell people I was drawn to working in the law because 'I wanted to help’, they always look at me like I'm a silly little girl with too much faith in the system. Like the world has some nasty surprises in store for me. But I’ve already had those nasty surprises; my way of helping isn't what they think it is.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
