Review: Love, Fail, Repeat: Part I - Not Safe by Alice Bohane

 

Genre: Psychological Thriller/Suspense

Description:

“Genna thought this house would be a fresh start.

After months of exhaustion, panic, and holding herself together for her baby son, she needs somewhere quiet. Somewhere safe. Somewhere that can finally feel like home.

At first, the house gives her exactly that.

Then, through the static, she hears a woman whisper:

‘He’s not safe.’

There is no recording. No proof. Nothing anyone else can hear.

But the warnings keep coming.

Someone has been watching. Someone knows this house.

As the signs move closer, Genna begins to wonder whether the locked doors are keeping danger out...

or keeping her exactly where someone wants her.”

Author:

Alice Bohane is a doctor, originally from London, who now lives in France. This is her first book.

Appraisal:

The story here is good, as far as it goes. This book is the first of a planned three book series. This first installment builds the suspense, ultimately leading us to know, or at least think we know, whether there is a potential threat and even where that threat is coming from. And then it leaves us hanging with no real resolution.

This first installment of the three book series is short enough that if the other two books are roughly the same size then combining it into a single book would have resulted in a book that is well within a reasonable length for a single novel. Based on how this book leaves the reader hanging, I wonder why the author didn’t do that. I’m glad I read this first part, but also wish I had the other two parts available to see how this ends.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

A small amount of adult language. Also, the author is a native of the UK and uses some terms that are specific to the UK although nothing that a reader from some other English speaking country won’t be able to figure out.

Format/Typo Issues:

Review is based on an advance reviewer copy so I can’t gauge the final product in this area.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 25-30,000 words