I love a pulpy psychological thriller and this one in particular has had me hooked. I’m not 100% sure about the conclusion but if I’m judging the story solely on keeping me in it, then it’s done the job. And you can’t ask for much more than that.

The Perfect Couple by Jackie Kabler

The perfect couple … or the perfect lie?

A devoted wife
A year ago, Gemma met the love of her life, Danny. Since then, their relationship has been perfect. But one evening, Danny doesn’t return home…

When Gemma returns from a business trip and her husband isn’t home to greet her as promised, she’s slightly miffed. But her annoyance turns to out and out fear when it becomes clear he isn’t returning any time soon.

New to Bristol, she’s pretty much on her own – besides a couple of new friends – but the report of two possibly connected murders in the area, of men who look spookily similar to Danny – sends Gemma’s life into a tailspin. Could missing Danny be the third victim of a serial killer?

When the cops start looking into his disappearance, they’re alarmed by what they start to uncover. Who was Gemma’s husband really? And with evidence mounting against her, it looks like our girl may know more about what happened to Danny than she’s letting on.

This is a page turner in the absolute sense of the word. Or would be if I wasn’t reading on my Kindle. I genuinely had no idea how this would pan out, whether Gemma really would be the antagonist or not. It is fair to say I’m not the sharpest tool when it comes it whodunnits anyway, but the back and forth I had with myself was pretty satisfying. I like to be kept guessing.

The prose isn’t beautiful but it does the job. There are few times it’s states the bloody obvious or gets a little clunky for my liking – I hate when a chapter ends with something like – “because in his hand…was a knife.” But, overall I really enjoyed myself.

Gemma as a central character is pretty boring but I don’t really understand what I’m expecting from a woman who’s world has just come tumbling down around her ears. At least she has the gumption to go and do some sleuthing of her own.

4/5

What are you reading?