While our lovely Sonja Ska is on a short break, we have a new guest review from author Sue Rovens.
This week Sue brings us her review of Rock, Paper, Scissors by Alice Feeney!
Enjoy!
Rock, Paper, Scissors
by Alice Feeney
I took a chance when purchasing this book, as I knew nothing about the author, nor did it appear to be solidly embedded in the suspense genre, which is something I normally prefer. After reading the back blurb, it felt more like a mystery steeped in a bad relationship–not exactly something that I would gravitate to, but I took a flyer and I’m glad I did.
The story follows Mr. and Mrs. Wright, a married couple whose relationship is teetering on the brink of divorce. They go off on a mini vacation to Scotland, more as a last-ditch effort to save their ailing marriage than to sightsee and take in the local environment. What occurs during their brief time away is filled with twists, turns, and the unexpected. When peculiar things start to happen, the tension rises just enough to give the reader a sense of foreboding and dread. This is one of those books that have you thinking one way, rooting for a certain character…until the very next chapter. Some authors don’t pull this back-and-forth style off very well, but Ms. Feeney does, and it makes for some great reading.
The chapters are short, and the writing is compelling. It’s a story that’s hard to put down because the plot keeps progressing at a rapid pace. This is a character-forward story as the focus is really on what’s driving the characters to behave and act in the manner they choose. While Ms. Feeney sets the scenes well, including overviews of settings and territory, she doesn’t linger for long, seemingly endless descriptions for pages at a time (something which I appreciated).
It’s difficult to categorize this book, as it doesn’t fit neatly into one specific genre. Rather, it bounces back and forth, from relational fiction to drama to thriller and back again, depending on which chapter you’re currently on. Once I understood and accepted this pattern, I made my way through and let the quality writing do all the heavy lifting.
Alice Feeney is a writer that knows her craft and produces well-written material. I’m very likely to pick up another and see where it takes me. I would recommend Rock, Paper, Scissors for people who enjoy thriller-lite, seek deftly written characters, and prefer twists and turns throughout the entire story.
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