It isn’t paranoia if it’s really happening . . .
Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors.
Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, a mother, their teenage son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble—and its shocking secrets are laid bare.
What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.
My Thoughts: In the beginning of The Woman in the Window, we see only a glimpse of Anna’s life. We learn that she hasn’t left her house in ten months; that she takes a lot of medication and drinks too much; that she watches a lot of black and white movies like Vertigo and Rear Window; and that she meets other agoraphobic people in forums online. Plus, Anna watches the neighbors through her windows.
As we walk through the rooms of Anna’s house along with her, she narrates her passage for us; we can visualize the beauty of it all, with lots of space and lovely rooms. But it is also a very lonely place for someone who is virtually locked within those walls. Mostly what we notice about her home is the absence of the people she loves…and no explanation for their absence.
Slowly her story unfolds, and it will be a long while before we start to learn what happened to her. Flashbacks reveal bits and pieces as we rapidly turn the pages.
Then, as the story continues, we watch through her window with her, and what she sees will change everything for her. Now many people are harassing her; the cops do not believe her; and she is losing her grip more and more.
Even as I knew that she could be every bit as delusional as everyone thinks, another part of me did not really believe that. There were numerous creepy and suspicious characters, and since nothing is quite as it seems, anything is possible. It will be a long while before Anna puts the pieces together. How will she finally discover the truth? What will happen to her in the end? I felt breathless and thoroughly engaged as the intense moments near the end brought the story to a riveting and unexpected conclusion. 5 stars.***
While as you know I am not big on thrillers this one does sound intriguing and somehow I am favouring Anna.
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Thanks for stopping by, Kathryn, and I am very glad that I enjoyed this one, as sometimes books that have a lot of buzz can be disappointing.
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FANTASTIC review, Laurel. 🙂
I enjoyed the book too and after reading your review, I definitely would read it had I not read the book.
Thanks for sharing.
Have a great day, and enjoy your next read.
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Thanks, Elizabeth, I always hope that my reviews will have that effect! Enjoy your next read, too. I’m loving Watch Me today, one of my NetGalley ARCs.
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I also rated a 5. Loved this one! Enjoyed your review.
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Thanks, Holly, I’m glad you loved it, too. It definitely didn’t feel like a 400+ book! The pages flew by.
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I love a good thriller and this one sounds perfect for my next audiobook. It’s been getting a lot of praise, so I’m glad to hear that you enjoyed it so well.
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Thanks, Les, I hope you love it!
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Great review! This one sounds interesting. I love that we get bits and pieces and need to build up the story.
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Thanks, Kristyn, some reviewers didn’t like the slow build, but I do. It gives us a chance to grasp the situation before everything becomes so intense.
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Ooooh, this totally sounds like my kind of book!
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Thanks for visiting, Bark, and I hope you love it!
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I had my fingers crossed that you would like this since I really want to read it so I’m so glad you did! This sounds so good and creepy. Rear Window is one of my favorite movies and the similarities here are pretty great. Can’t wait to read it!
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Thanks, Katherine, and I’m very glad that I loved it, too. The MC loves those old HItchcock movies, so I happily sank into the drama of the films, even as the suspense built.
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Sounds like an unreliable narrator like a cross between The Girl on the Train & The Other Typist. Hmm. I’m game for it! I’m on a long library list. I’m glad you liked it!
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Thanks for stopping by, Susan, and behind every unreliable narrator I’ve enjoyed there has been a big reason for it all…and we find out later what that is. In this book, there is also something big that drives the events and experiences. I hope you enjoy it!
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I’ve been seeing this book everywhere on book blogs and booktube, I hadn’t heard about it until this last month! I love thrillers and have been seeing nothing but praise for the book so I’m definitely adding it to my TBR. Great review!
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Thanks, Jamie, glad you enjoyed my review…and I hope you love the book.
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