Her Every Fear by Peter Swanson

Faber & Faber | January 2017 | 352 pgs

Source: Purchased

Peter Swanson's previous novel, The Kind Worth Killing, left quite a deep impression on me and it's one of the best thrillers I'd read last year. When I learnt that he has a new release out I was excited and anticipated for his new book to release and that day finally came.

The story opens with our protagonist, Kate Priddy, leaving for Boston from London to stay in her second cousin's apartment in Beacon Hill. She has agreed to the idea of the apartment swap with Corbin Dell, who has just been transferred to London due to a job posting and they agreed to do the swap for six months. Kate doesn't want to leave her apartment; in fact she doesn't want to leave London at all given that she has panic attacks which often caused her to distrust herself. She has had these attacks ever since she is traumatised by her ex-boyfriend's attack and the suicide he had committed thereafter. Kate's mother thought the apartment swap would allow her to walk out of her dark shadows and see things in a new light, again. Kate has never met Corbin, but he is her mother's cousin's son so they are considered family, even if they are distant.

When Kate moved into Corbin's apartment, she is intrigued by a few of his neighbours. Some appears to be overly warm and friendly, while others seem to be contented to live in their own worlds. But what most shocked her is discovering her next-door neighbour has gone missing upon her arrival. No one knows what happened to Audrey Marshall, since she keeps to herself most of the time but a neighbour, Alan Cherney, claims he saw her occasionally from his apartment window and that Audrey seemed to know Corbin intimately as well. What they didn't know is that Alan also fancies Audrey and he had spied on her often.

With Kate's unreliability state and Corbin's mysterious transfer to London, readers are left with speculations and will plough through the story hoping to find more clues leading to the conclusion. The characterisation played an important role to the story as each has his/her flaw and each holds a puzzle to the story. There were times I often questioned myself who is telling the truth and who is not. The last remaining nine chapters seemed to fly past quickly as they offer readers the full events of what's happened and how.

I enjoyed this suspense thriller, but personally I felt The Kind Worth Telling packs a bigger punch when intrigue and shock value are concerned. While I don't mean this novel lacks any of them, the overall impact wasn't as great as compared to TKWK; however if you are first-time reader of Mr Swanson's books you would be captivated by his storytelling and his characterisations. I know I'm already a fan of his books.

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