Woman in the Window hardback front cover
I can’t remember how I heard of this novel. The title – The Woman in the Window – like so many other thrillers these days, has an unmistakable ring to it, just like The Girl on the Train and Gone Girl.
But why the hell not?
Being an author is a cut-throat market with many not even making a full-time wage, so a catchy name that evokes a response from potential readers is a good way to go! After all, it’s the writing style and story that always rises to the top.
A.J Finn’s novel has created quite a buzz since its publication in 2017; in fact, the movie rights were sold in multiple countries before it was even published.
Meet Anna Fox, a 38-year-old woman who delights in spying on her neighbours through her window. Early on, we learn that she hasn’t really got anything else to do! As an agoraphobic (who hasn’t left the house in over a year) she lives alone, drinks way too much red wine, and watches the same black and white movies on repeat.
Anna’s husband has left and taken her daughter with him. One evening, stacked on painkillers and booze, she hears a scream from her neighbours’ apartments and sees something horrific!
The question is, can she trust herself?
Don’t worry, I haven’t told you anything that isn’t in the synopsis of the book. One thing I’d say is that The Woman in the Window has a clever plot with many twists and turns. One of these twists I worked out on page 121 (of 500) but after some careful thought, I think this was a device by Finn to take you away from the finale as I didn’t see it coming at all.
I had a strange experience with this novel; once I stopped reading, I wasn’t that enthused about getting back to it. However, when I did start reading, I found it hard to stop! You do the math, eh!
Overall, a good reading experience that really introduces you, sympathetically, into the life of an agoraphobic person and which keeps you guessing about the integrity of each character until the very end.
Click here to buy The Woman in the Window from Amazon
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