I watched the motion picture version before I read the book, and honestly, the novel felt pretty close in vibe and overall content. That is not a bad thing. It made the reading experience feel familiar in a “comfort thriller” way, but I still stayed interested because Millie’s backstory is dangled just enough to keep you curious. I felt for Millie, and I liked that there was an entertaining layer of mystery surrounding who she was before she ever stepped into the Winchester house.

Overall, I found the book genuinely enjoyable. The twist was unexpected, but it did not feel completely out of the realm of possibility, which is always the sweet spot for me in this kind of thriller. It hits that “wait… oh no” moment without making you feel like the author teleported the plot to get there.

That said, I did lose some respect for Millie once she started moving in on Nina’s husband. It gave “pick me,” and it cheapened her arc for me, especially considering her past and the way the story frames her moral center early on. Millie is written like someone who has learned hard lessons and would know better than to get tangled up with a married man, let alone one with obvious red flags. Andrew’s behavior fits the narcissistic personality he is clearly meant to embody. Millie, though? She felt like a character who would have clocked that energy and stayed far away from it.

Still, I will admit the book delivers a satisfying little dose of karma when it becomes clear that Nina is not the psychotic one. That shift was the most fun part of the reading experience for me, because it flips the power dynamic in a way that makes you rethink what you thought you were seeing. By the time Andrew’s true nature is fully revealed, it is both infuriating and validating, and Nina’s brilliance in escaping starts to feel like the real backbone of the story.

My main critique is pacing and depth. I know the book is fairly lengthy already, but I still wanted more character development and more “cookie crumb” twists throughout, instead of the story slowly treading water until the big reveal. I would have loved a few more strategically placed clues that reward attentive readers, rather than saving most of the payoff for the moment everything snaps into focus.

In the end, it was an entertaining read, but nothing that blew me away. If you want an accessible, bingeable domestic thriller with a solid twist and a satisfying shift in perspective, this one is worth it. For me, it earns about a 3.75/5 at best.