Think you know the person you married? Think again…

Things have been wrong with Mr and Mrs Wright for a long time. When Adam and Amelia win a weekend away to Scotland, it might be just what their marriage needs. Self-confessed workaholic and screenwriter Adam Wright has lived with face blindness his whole life. He can’t recognize friends or family, or even his own wife.

Every anniversary the couple exchange traditional gifts – paper, cotton, pottery, tin – and each year Adam’s wife writes him a letter that she never lets him read. Until now. They both know this weekend will make or break their marriage, but they didn’t randomly win this trip. One of them is lying, and someone doesn’t want them to live happily ever after.

Ten years of marriage. Ten years of secrets. And an anniversary they will never forget.

This has been the BEST mystery/thriller that I’ve read so far. I listened to the audio by Richard Armitage and Stephanie Racine, who both did a fabulous job of narrating this story. Now, I want to buy this book to add to my physical collection. 

At first, I thought it was just an interesting domestic thriller, but then it turned into an absolute mindbender of a psychological thriller. I did not expect or see any of the twists and turns, and there are a lot. I was quite surprised by how twisty it got. BUT, the big reveal….WHAT?!?! 

We are in three POVs – the husband, the wife, and a woman who lives in a cottage near the chapel where the couple is staying. So we are inside all of their minds and see the different perspectives each one has about the present and the past. This is a dual past/present timeline, and it is very interesting to see things play out from the two time periods. Alice Feeney did an amazing job of weaving this web of lies, deceit, and betrayal, and we are taken on such an unexpected yet thrilling wild ride. 

At first glance, it seems like it’s just a couple having some marital problems, but there is so much more to their story and their pasts. The problems they were having as a married couple felt extremely relatable. The characters, especially the wife, also felt very relatable. She is a lonely wife who feels neglected by her husband and upset by some infertility problems they are having. When she lashes out, it’s because she’s severely hurt by his actions or lack thereof. She deals with anxiety and abandonment issues. But then, the husband sees her in a completely different way. He thinks she’s selfish and unsupportive, but really, it’s self-preservation from childhood trauma. They both have trust issues and feel resentment toward each other. They are definitely keeping secrets from one another, and trying to unravel this story was a lot of fun. 

I also liked how the wife writes letters to her husband every anniversary, but never gives them to him. It’s more for therapeutic reasons she’s doing it as her frustrations toward him grow. We get more insight into their marital woes through these letters, which is interesting. The face blindness that the husband has is also a fascinating element. I have heard of this disease, but to see and understand how it affects someone was really captivating. Plus, it does play a part in the story. 

The setting of the Scottish highlands in a remote area during a snowstorm adds to the suspense and builds tension in the story. This old, rundown chapel is creepy and eerie with its own history. The atmosphere definitely leaves you feeling unsettled and slightly disturbed.

Everything comes together perfectly in the end. It’s so well-written and crafted beautifully. I highly, highly recommend this one!