A catchy psychological thriller from the very first lines, The Assistant by bestseller author Amanda Reynolds takes us to a ride in the world of influencers and fast money. I am fascinated by the social media stardom and how it affects everyday life encounters, therefore for me the book was more than a thriller reading.
Set in the posh environment of Belgravia, in London, it follows Larissa (Ris) Fox, a former waitress that married into big money, living in a multi-million house with a dream of a life, and Gail Frost, her assistant who was entrusted to manage her schedule and contacts, insidiously taking over her life and secrets.
The novel is built based on a double thread, the story evolving in a malefic crescendo until the final revelation(s). Although it is hard to find any ´good guys´ in this story, the characters are very much realistic and easy to represent in real life. I liked the way it explores the strong influence of envy into the decisions of the main characters.
The story, built on an exchange of emails, first person confessions and diary fragments, is obsessive and tensed, hard to put down and suspenseful. I didn´t know what to expect from this book, and was maybe sure there will be some gossipy hints and some mystery for the entertainment, but ended up really appreciating the style and the smart way in which a relatively mundate topic was turned into an unforgettable piece of a thriller. Particularly the last quarter of the book challenged any possible assumptions about where the story may lead to. Although I´ve found sometimes the pace a bit too slow for a thriller, it was nevertheless worth waiting for the ending.
Rating: 4.5 stars
Disclaimer: Book offered as part of the book tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own
No comments:
Post a Comment