‘The Wrong Woman’ by J.P. Pomare | #20BooksOfSummer

Author : J.P. Pomare
Title : The Wrong Woman
Pages : 320
Publisher : Hodder & Stoughton
Publication day : August 4, 2022
Source : Netgalley

| ABOUT THE BOOK |

A private investigator returning to the hometown he fled years ago becomes entangled in the disappearance of two teenage girls in this stunning literary crime thriller.

Reid left the small town of Manson a decade ago, promising his former Chief of Police boss he’d never return. He made a new life in the city, became a PI and turned his back on his old life for good.

Now an insurance firm has offered him good money to look into a suspicious car crash, and he finds himself back in the place he grew up – home to his complicated family history, a scarring relationship breakdown and a very public career-ending incident.

As Reid’s investigation unfolds, nothing is as it seems: rumours are swirling about the well-liked young woman who was driving the car which killed her professor husband, while a second local student has just disappeared. As Reid veers off course from the job he has been paid to do, will he find himself in the dangerous position of taking on the town again?

| MY THOUGHTS |

So good! So, so good!

This is one of those books that is, despite the many misses I’ve been having, responsible for yours truly returning to the psychological thriller genre again and again. Because once in a while you come across a gem and this is definitely one of them.

‘The Wrong Woman‘ is told by way of chapters set in the past and the present. In the present, Vince Reid returns to his hometown of Manson, a place he left behind a decade ago for reasons that will be explained as the story continues. Reid is now a private investigator and he’s been sent to Manson to investigate a car crash for an insurance company. But when Reid arrives in Manson, he catches word of a missing girl and she isn’t the first one.

The chapters set in the past deal with the couple involved in the car crash Reid was sent to investigate. Oliver and Eshana were on their way home after dinner at a restaurant, when the car Eshana was driving hit a pole. Oliver was instantly killed, his wife is in a coma. They had only been married a few years but rumours have been swirling around Oliver for ages. By way of Eshana’s point-of-view, we get a glimpse into their marriage and the events that lead up to the night of the accident. Did Eshana really know her husband? Was the car crash an accident? Will the things that Reid uncovers put him in danger?

Such a clever plot, such incredible writing and then there’s that always atmospheric small town vibe that I love so much. On top of that, Reid, our main protagonist is a fascinating character. There’s quite a bit to discover about him and his previous life in Manson. Questions that need to be answered as to why he left and was asked never to return. This complicates his investigation as he tries to get around the town unnoticed but nothing stays a secret long in a small community like Manson. Or does it?

There’s also plenty to learn about Oliver and Eshana. Can Oliver be trusted? Is Eshana paranoid? Why is it so hard for her to believe her husband? Did she mean to kill herself? Did she mean to kill her husband? Nothing is what it seems in this town and I was never entirely sure of any of the theories that popped up in my head. The author kept me guessing until the end. It’s one of the things that made ‘The Wrong Woman‘ extremely addictive, you just have to know how it all fits together, and it was near impossible to put this book down until all the threads came together and I finally realised what had been going on. Quickly followed by a massively satisfied sigh and a “wow, that was so good!”.

‘The Wrong Woman‘ is easily one of the best books I’ve read so far this year and you’ll definitely be seeing it again in my books-of-the-year list. Pomare is a new-to-me author and one I’ll undoubtedly be keeping an eye on. Recommended!

The Wrong Woman is out now! Huge thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for the advanced review copy, which I received via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Bookshop UK

---

20 Books of Summer : 16/20