Just Between Us Review

**Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for sending me an ARC in return for an honest review. 3 stars!!! This one was a pretty average read for me. I can't really highlight any significant details of this book which enthralled me or captured my interest. So, I'm going to keep this review really brief. Firstly, I would say the structure of the novel alternates between 4 POVs - Alison, Heather, Sarah, and Julie. So, the story essentially progresses from their narration of events. We find out about plot revelations from their interactions with other characters and each other. Although this kind of writing style made for a quick reading pace, I found the reveals to be boring and they did not create enough of an impact for me. Secondly, the author managed to bring about a complexity in the relationships of the women. As the novel is based on the dysfunction in the family as well as marriage. From the narrations, we catch a glimpse into each of their lives, their insecurities and the trials they face. Moreover, once they become an accomplice to a crime, we see how each of them handles the mounting pressures of keeping a shared secret. In addition, the strain of leading a double life plays havoc with their emotions. However, as the story plays out, I would have preferred to see more of the police procedural aspect of the investigation. Instead what we get is the silly decisions taken by a bunch of women and some of them were so far-fetched. It became almost implausible. Last but not least, although I appreciated that the book dealt with abuse and the harsh realities of marriage. I didn't feel as though, the author delved deep enough for me. The characters were not relatable and I don't think minor characters were fleshed out well enough. There needed to be more character development. I would have liked to see how the husbands reacted, for example. This would have made for a more layered storyline. It seemed as though the MCs were infallible and could get away with pretty much anything without being noticed by others. We have to remember, they are amateurs but it seemed like they all became skilled overnight after the crime. All in all, a good read for the afternoon but it wasn't suspenseful enough for me. I guess I wanted more and there was potential for this to be better.

#adult #suspense #family #marriage #mystery #thriller #RebeccaDrake