Holy sh*t! Where the hell do I start!?! How about the cover? Beautiful, creepy…mesmerizing…..I am stalling here, peeps! I want to scream #AllTheEeeeks and #AllTheOMFG’s! You just have no idea! But that cover is gorgeous! Definitely had a #Covergasm when I first laid eyes on it!

Set in London, the reader is dragged in….willingly, I might add….to a world full of secrets; betrayal; desire; fear; masterful manipulation & control; twisted love and revenge. And thank holy heck that the #KillerHook I need in a book was right there from the get go, as I worried that with all the hype that surrounded this book, well maybe it would not live up to it …..it did…and so much more!

The story is told from mainly the view point of Adele and Louise – though David manages to squeeze a few words in now and again too from his POV. The plot did not initially feel fast paced – though it was – and I suspect this was because I was so caught up in it, I had not realised how quickly I was getting through it! #PagesOnFire!! The reader also moves with the characters from past to the present – but not in a clumsy way – seamless in my opinion – I did not find myself lost, confused or having to go back/forth at all!

I adored the characters in this book! Ab-so-friggin-lutely adored them! Well developed, superbly written – with a depth and relateability (is that a word?) -that really drew me to each one for different reasons. I LOVE that!! A complicated tryst sees Adele, David and Louise come into each others lives and this just adds the intrigue and suspense throughout. Right from the start, I was desperate to know what the hell was David and Adele’s relationship about! David is deep, haunted and although at times he wears his heart on his sleeve there is something about him that makes you feel almost wary of him. Then there is Adele, David’s wife – well jaysus…what a fabulous character. I never thought I could love and hate someone so much – wonder if that is how David felt! Beautiful, but very much co-dependent- confident but confused – I just wanted to know what made her tick. But Louise….I totally related to this character…the things she felt, thought, did…she is the kind of girl who you could see yourself being friends with, or you see yourself in – with her own demons to battle, she is “normal”, intelligent, easily led and far too trusting at times!

I thoroughly enjoyed when all the pieces came together in this book! I almost strutted around, cocky grin on my face thinking…#IGotThis – no surprise ending at all….BUT WTAF!?! Wrong…wrong…wrong….You will NOT see that ending coming and if you say you did…well I say you LIE! #Bookjunkies…..it is just bloody AWESOME! I had to read it twice….I had one of those shake-your-head-cartoon-moments -huh? Did I just read that? Nooooo….did that just happen….OMFG ..it did! WTAF!? Yeah…THAT!

I am not even going to say it gets a Hell Yeah recommendation from me…instead, it gets a #WTFYouHaventBoughtThisBookYet? recommendation – it is so much more than just the ending…this book is a #MustRead for anyone who really wants their mind blown! Do it…click the link….you know you want to!

This review is written with thanks to Harper Collins UK and Netgalley for my copy of Behind Her Eyes.
Louise is a single mum who meets David in a bar on a night out. Afterwards, she realises he is her new boss and is married to Adele. Eager to find out more about David and Adele, Louise meets Adele for coffee, and they quickly become friends. But as Louise gets to know Adele better, she realises she is tangled in a web of secrets that surrounds their marriage. What is the truth behind David and Adele's life?
Behind Her Eyes is told from the alternating perspectives of Louise and Adele. I found this very effective, as it meant that the reader discovers that both characters are capable of deceit, with each chapter casting doubt on the honesty of the previous one. As such, I never warmed to any of the main characters as I was unsure which account to believe, but the tension this creates kept me turning pages, as I wanted to find out the truth about David and Adele's marriage. The effect of this is enhanced by the "then" sections which give the reader insight into Adele's past.
In the reviews and publicity I have read for Behind Her Eyes, there has been a great deal of emphasis on the ending, such that the book has its own hashtag, #WTFthatending. I love a novel with a twist, and Behind Her Eyes has them in abundance, but whilst this encouraged me to read to the end, I'm sorry to say I just didn't "get" the ending itself. It seemed implausible, and left me feeling confused and a little underwhelmed.

Woah! I didn't see that coming.
4 stars for this book as although I enjoyed it I found the story a little slow at times. There was no way to guess the ending as it was so unexpected in this genre of book.
You will love or hate the ending but try it to make up your own mind.

I've started to write this post so many times, but each time it has resulted in a word-vomit pile of fangirl blathering. I'm afraid this time is no different.


Warning - this review will contain A LOT of love for this book, its author and its legendary (I swear I'm not exaggerating) #WTFthatending which I promise not to spoil.



To restrict my gushy gushball gushing, I have just 5 little things to say...



1. You have to read this book. I have never ever been so taken aback & surprised by a story and EVERYONE ON EARTH should get to experience that feeling. It is rare. It is special. It is CHUFFING BRILLIANT.



2. Props to whoever came up with the hashtag #WTFthatending. I kept seeing it everywhere which prompted me to do a bit of searching & request the title on Netgalley (thank you lovely publishers) Due to the nature of this type of "Have you read it yet?" campaign, lots of people are talking about this book but thankfully not saying too much.



3. Anyone who says they guessed the ending is a big old LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE. Only the beautifully brilliant author Sarah Pinborough could conceive of such exquisite intricacies and fascinating characters.



4. You WILL go back and re-read this book again once you've finished. Allow time for this. It's part of the process. You will stock up on tea & chocolate digestives. They are necessary. You will search for a support group to discuss it with. I am here for you.



5. In case there was any doubt, BUY THIS BOOK NOW. Five cwtches.

I was another one who saw the #WTFthatending hashtag and was lured in to seeing what all the fuss was about! And now I have finished it I can totally understand the excitement and interest that has surrounded the release of this book!

The book follows the story through the eyes of Adele and Louise who are both very different kinds of women. Adele has a troubled background but is beautiful and always has her successful husband David to rely on and take care of her condition and issues. And Louise is a single mum who works part time in the local clinic, doing all she can to raise her son the right way

Their lives are soon connected in more ways than one and it soon becomes a very tense and chilling story as manipulation takes over and dark pasts are revealed. I found the story built up really well with the guessing games beginning as to who to trust and to what would be the twist....

and when the twist came I think that is when I struggled with the whole book! What had become a gripping drama almost became a little farcical with the shocking end and that did spoil the enjoyment and believability for me, but it was still a fascinating, if a little far fetched, read!

Started to read it and only read 3 chapters as it's confusing and it unfortunately did not capture me

Right from the start of this book I know something was not quite right. I didn't know what, or who was the problem.

What a brilliant book it is, the twists kept me reading with bated breath. And the last twist, well I never saw that coming.

This is a book I will remember for a long time! 5*

There's been an awful lot of hype about this book, leading up to publication. Everybody is using the hashtag #WTFthatending so I knew that there was going to be a massive twist at the end. In a way I think that shaped my reading of the book, particularly the first half, and I was wondering if it was really going to live up to such high expectations.

The story is almost completely centred around the three characters mentioned in the blurb. David is charismatic and Louise falls for him but she also falls under the spell of his beautiful wife, Adele. They should be the perfect couple but there are many problems beneath the surface and Louise finds herself drawn in and unsure who to trust and who to believe. I daren't say any more about the plot!

This is such a hard book to review because it's so important not to give anything away. There are some fascinating threads to the story which I kind of want to search for on the internet just to see if they can really be possible but maybe I'm better off not knowing as it might just blow my mind!

Whilst the first half of the book set the scene and introduced the characters and their relationships with each other, the second half really took off for me and I became thoroughly engrossed in the unique and clever story. As I headed towards #WTFthatending I was trying to think about what on earth was going to happen. It's a testament to the writing that I didn't guess until it was totally upon me and the thoughts in my head were basically of the 'no no no' variety. And then I was hit with another shock which left me with my mouth hanging open.

This is an ingenious and dark psychological thriller with just the right level of believability to make it work. Sarah Pinborough is by no means new to writing but I think this book is going to propel her into another stratosphere.

Louise is a single mother not looking for fun when she meets an attractive stranger in a bar on a rare night out. It all looks promising and she is left with the memory of a kiss from the handsome stranger. Sadly for Louise, she also finds out that he’s married, and will be starting work as the new psychologist starting at the private practice she works for. As a modern woman she grabs whatever she can from the encounter and uses it to entertain her friend over a bottle or two of wine and a big belly laugh at her expense.
The reality of course was different to the tale she spun her friend. Louise had been devastated to see David walk into the office where she works as a PA, not least because his stunning wife Adele was on his arm, she did the only thing she could think of, she hid in the toilets until his welcome tour was over.
David and Adele have just moved to the area and Louise’s luck just isn’t playing ball. Would you believe it? Just a few days later she literally bumps into Adele on the street near her son’s school and before she knows it she is having coffee with this slightly timid but lovely woman. What Adele tells, or in part leaves unsaid, her makes her view her new boss in a different light.
Now this is the most highly hyped psychological thriller of the year – it comes complete with the killer hashtag #WTFthatending so I was expecting something brilliant, and yes, I got it. I was determined not to be drawn in by the hashtag, but despite that, this really wasn’t what I was expecting at all, and if I’m honest, if I’d had an inkling beforehand, I might very well have dismissed this book. But, and here’s the thing, sometimes brilliant writing can and does overcome what I think I do or don’t like in books and while I was in the grip of the action, Sarah Pinborough’s writing had me completely convinced. She did a marvellous job of creating all three main protagonists, not a hint of a cardboard cutout filled in with clichés but people who appear to be a mixture of good, and the not so good, and that went a hell of a long way into making me care, in part about all three although in the best traditions of the genre, my sympathies altered depending on the latest piece of information – and believe me, there are lots of pieces to put together before you get to that ending! Despite the hashtag there is a lot of enjoyment to be had throughout the story, this isn’t a book that stands on its ending alone, in many ways trying to grapple with where the truth may possibly lie during the main part of the book was equally, if not more satisfying.
I can see this being a massive hit, perfect for diving into on winter’s nights and equally likely to be seen around the pool while on holiday. Yes, you may well finish the book like I did and on reflection wonder how the book had you quite so hooked, but the truth is, it did and I was! I can assure you that I won’t forget David, Louise or Adele in a hurry and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.

This was a weird book for me. I liked the writing a lot, Sarah can write and the idea of the plot sounds really good especially when everyone is talking about what an ending. I read it and kept reading it because I had to know what happened. I'm mostly confused by what happened and I don't like to be confused by any book. Louise was my favourite character and the alternate chapters were good but the past ones were weird. I'd of liked to of seen more from Louise.

I have 13 minutes by Sarah on my shelf so I'm looking forward to reading that. Thanks goes to net galley galley for providing with me a copy in exchange for an honest review

Hard to write a review without saying anything to ruin this very gripping thriller. Do you really ever know the truth behind someone and how they act and behave? This thriller is gripping, one i could not put down. Also it makes you question people and the way they are in real life after reading this book, or maybe that was just me. I began to wonder what people truly are like as this book shows you not everything is as it appears.

same review up on goodreads under the profiel name kimothy

The games people play, this was a story of three people none of whom were being truthful in a way at the centre was a married couple with secrets galore and throw into the mix a single mother who develops connections in different ways to both of them and you have an intriguing read .I had no clue how this was going to pan out and was constantly puzzled by some of the things happening I'm not going to spoil this for other readers but the premise of the book was correct you won't guess the ending I certainly didn't anyway.I would like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

If you only ever read one Sarah Pinborough book in your lifetime, make it this one, but after reading this I defy anyone to not seek out everything else she's ever written.

At the beginning of a lazy Sunday, I thought I'd pick up my ARC of Behind Her Eyes, and read a few chapters before getting out of bed and beginning the weekend chores. I never did get out of bed, and the chores never got done. By mid afternoon I was finished, and sitting there stunned with one of the biggest book hangovers I've had for a long, long time.

It was brilliant. Never has a hashtag been more appropriately coined to cover a book in so simple a way. I sat and said WTF out loud as I closed the final pages. Expertly written, I defy anyone to see that ending coming. I can spot the clues now, as I sit back and think back over everything I've read, but they were so skillfully interwoven into the story I just missed every single one.

Buy it. Buy it NOW. It's going to be one of the biggest books of the year and you don't want ANYONE to spoil that ending...

This book did not quite deliver for me, I can't say it is a bad book and the twist at the end I thought was original but even with that it was just a OK book.

Oh wow... just finished this in one sitting as literally couldnt put it down!

I have to admit I thought this would be a stale love triangle story - boy meets girl, girl finds out not only is boy married but he is her boss, boys wife befriends girl... yawn!

However, this was so much more than that! This was a fast paced tense plot with twists and turns on every page - not quite a love story, not qute a thriller and not quite a paranormal... its impossible to say more without giving it away!

This is a must read for 2017.

Thank you for NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review.

This book is more than a thriller, it also touches on the paranormal. The story is told by Adele and Louise in the present day and by a third person historically. It's the story of David and Adele, who to the outside world appear to have the perfect marriage but things aren't always what they seem and Louise, who had a moment with David after meeting him in a bar and then finds out he's her new boss, is now about to become embroiled in their lives in ways you could never imagine. What are the secrets they are hiding and how will it all end?

The story is very cleverly written but needs a lot of concentration to follow as it flits between Adele, Louise and the past. It's the sort of book that you don't want to put down once you pick it up as you get so caught up in wanting to know what will happen next.

Oh and one last thing #WTFThatEnding

I will post my review on Goodreads now and on Amazon US & UK and Twitter on publication day. Thank you to Harper Collins for the approval.

Louise is a single mom, a secretary, stuck in a modern-day rut. On a rare night out, she meets a man in a bar and sparks fly. Though he leaves after they kiss, she’s thrilled she finally connected with someone.

When Louise arrives at work on Monday, she meets her new boss, David. The man from the bar. The very married man from the bar…who says the kiss was a terrible mistake, but who still can’t keep his eyes off Louise.

And then Louise bumps into Adele, who’s new to town and in need of a friend. But she also just happens to be married to David. And if you think you know where this story is going, think again, because Behind Her Eyes is like no other book you’ve read before.

David and Adele look like the picture-perfect husband and wife. But then why is David so controlling? And why is Adele so scared of him?

As Louise is drawn into David and Adele’s orbit, she uncovers more puzzling questions than answers. The only thing that is crystal clear is that something in this marriage is very, very wrong. But Louise can’t guess how wrong―and how far a person might go to protect their marriage’s secrets.

For me reading has always been an emotive experience. I’m not hugely interested in the technicalities of writing. Don’t get me wrong, when a story is well written I think it shows, but ultimately if a story makes sense and I can connect with it on some level, I’m sold. Why this preamble? When I first started reading Behind Her Eyes, I was concerned that this wasn’t the book for me, that I wasn’t quite the target audience. I was worried that I wouldn’t find that emotional connection that I am always looking for. The good news is that I needn’t have worried, I was entirely wrong.

At first glance, Behind Her Eyes appears to be a relatively straightforward story about a marriage gone wrong, a resulting love triangle and how each participant is affected by the fallout. Everything moves along quite traditionally until the narrative reaches a point where suddenly you realise there is something far more sinister going on. Behind Her Eyes has a beautifully dark streak running right through its middle, and damn if that doesn’t make for an engrossing novel.

Each of the three main characters – David, Adele and Louise are well crafted and realistic. Their actions and reactions feel genuine. The initial chapter focuses primarily on Louise and the horrible realisation that she has made an error of judgement that is likely to affect her both personally and professionally. David and Adele are also both affected by Louise’s mistake, and all three lives begin to spiral out of control. On top of all that turmoil there are some deep, dark secrets in David and Adele’s marriage that steadfastly refuse to stay hidden. Skeletons have a nasty habit of falling out the closet, and as the plot unfolds we get the opportunity to learn some of Adele’s troubled history. How exactly did David come to be in her life and what is it that keeps him there?

With each new revelation in this complex love triangle, I can guarantee that your loyalties to each of the characters are going to shift. Is Adele quite the perfect wife that she appears to be? Does Louise really care if her relationship with David leads to suffering or not? Is David a self-absorbed dismissive monster, or are there legitimate reasons for his actions? This is where Behind Her Eyes really excels. In other hands, the plot could have easily devolved into a torrid soap opera-esque potboiler, but the writing is far superior to that. The author shines a light directly on the imperfections that lie within us all. We all know someone like Louise, David or Adele. We all know that life is a chaotic affair and personal relationships tend to the messiest part of that chaos. Choices lead to consequences and not everyone will like those consequences. Add to that a less than healthy slice of obsession and some acute paranoia, and you have the makings of a truly compulsive read.

I’ve always felt that Sarah Pinborough’s writing works best when she gets the opportunity to properly explore her characters. She has first rate observational skills, a handy skill for an author I’d imagine, and this transfers directly to her work. She is also very good at picking apart the inherent flaws that exist within us all. The plot the Behind Her Eyes reveals the fact that many are aware of but few ever manage to properly express – no one is perfect. We all live our lives in our own little bubble, often blissfully unaware of the world around us. The bubble is based entirely on our own perspective and preconceived notions. The big realisation? Everyone, and I mean everyone, is broken in one way or another. Attempting to achieve perfection only leads ultimately to pain. Louise, Adele and David are all trying to do what they each see as the right thing. Unfortunately, self-interest, pride and jealousy all have a nasty habit of getting in the way.

I’m sure there will be a whole host of reviews that will focus on the novel’s final denouement. I can fully appreciate why. It seems unlikely anyone is going to guess how the ending will playout. You might think you’ve got it, but I can assure you that you won’t. Being one hundred percent honest, even though the ending is very effective, I have to admit that I was far more interested in the build-up. I think this is the sort of book I could happily come back to in a few years. I would be keen to re-read it with a completely different perspective rather that going in cold. I want to know if I’ll be able to spot any clues that point to how the story resolves itself. I’m sure they will be in there if I look hard enough.

It is always fascinating to watch an author’s work as it continues to grow and evolve. Sarah Pinborough is the perfect case in point. Each new novel she pens proves her skill irrespective of genre. For me the novella The Language of Dying will always be a personal favourite as it is an emotive gut punch. Mayhem and Murder are a wonderfully dark historical crime duology but Behind Her Eyes is something entirely different. How best to describe Behind Her Eyes? A modern thriller that picks apart the human condition and features a perfectly executed twist within a twist.

Behind Her Eyes is published by Harper Collins and is available from 26th January.

This was a very intriguing book that kept tripping me up with its twists and turns.

Louise, a divorced single mother nearly sleeps with a man she meets in a bar, who turns out to be her married new boss, David.
She then strikes up a friendship with his wife, Adele.
She tries, and fails, to tell each of them about her relationship with the other.
Things get more complicated when she and David start an affair.

Louise suffers from bad dreams and Adele gives her a book, which outlines a technique for controlling one’s dreams.
Adele has a tragic past, and has spent time in a mental hospital.
David is a psychiatrist.
So far, so complicated, is this a love triangle, or is controlling David an abuser? Who is using whom?
Things become more and more tangled, and Adele is very aware of what the others are doing and planning, and seems to have her own agenda.

Then it gets even more complicated.
Needless to say, this is a complete roller-coaster, with a totally unexpected ending.
Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and HarperCollins UK – Harper Fiction for the opportunity to read this book.

This book had be gripped right until the end which was I did not foresee. The story is a complex tale of a love triangle but with so much more. The three main characters are Adele, David and Louise, who all have background stories. Adele and David are married and appear to have a perfect lifestyle. Louise is the new secretary of psychiatrist, David.

I was bewildered throughout as I did not know who to believe as there was so much intrigue and complexity. It has a supernatural element which is not a genre I enjoy but I felt it fitted the book quite well.

I would recommend this psychological thriller.

Louise is a divorced single mum who works in a psychiatrists practice. On one of her very few evenings out, she meets a man in a bar to whom she is instantly attracted and they kiss.

After her night out, Louise gets to work and realises that David, the man in the bar, is her new boss. Thus begins a triangular relationship that will soon spiral into a web of lies and deceit until it is unclear who is telling the truth and just who, if anyone, can be trusted.

Adele is the troubled wife of psychiatrist David. Friendless in a new town, she runs into Louise, seemingly by accident and the two begin to chat. They have soon struck up a friendship and when Louise realises that Adele is David's wife, she begins to extricate herself from their relationship.

As she gets to know Adele, she realises that not everything in David and Adele's marriage is straightforward, and she begins to see that David may be a different character from the man she imagined him to be.

On this level, the book works perfectly well as a domestic noir. Extremely well plotted; tightly written and with the alternating narratives of Louise and Adele, there is enough in the plot to keep the reader interested and intrigued.

But it is Adele's backstory and the subsequent events that raise this book to another level. There is a degree of suspension of disbelief required, but it is so skilfully done, so woven into the domestic noir narrative, that you scarcely realise where you are headed.

This is a dark and twisted story of obsessive love and desperate remedies.

Behind Her Eyes will undoubtedly be one of the Hits of 2017.