In the Dark I See You: A Novel

by Mallika Narayanan

An exciting debut novel of psychological suspense from successful short story writer Mallika Narayanan. 
When a young woman, Sarah Connelly, is found murdered in her home in New York’s elite Sleepy Point suburb, it triggers questions about the neighbor who discovered the body, Audrey Hughes. This kind of attention is the last thing Audrey wants. Moving to Sleepy Point was supposed to provide her with a new, quiet start after a trauma left her with incurable blindness. But the other reason she settled next door to Sarah was to spy on her. Police scrutiny moves Audrey like a pawn on a chessboard from witness to suspect, after it's revealed that she had a volatile argument with Sarah hours before her death. The deeper the police delve into the case, the murkier the truth becomes. As the book twists and turns through alternating points of view and timelines, a compelling and complex scheme emerges that threatens all involved . . . and the ticking clock of investigation collides with the explosive secrets Audrey and Sarah have been keeping.

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller, Fiction, Thriller, Suspense

336 pages, Paperback

Published October 24, 2023

Reviews

[Brianna Walker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I want to give this book 3.5-3.75 stars!!

In the beginning, I struggled to read this book. I felt like it didn’t give me enough info to make connections or really try to see where the storyline was going. I pushed through & I’m glad I did- the confusion is necessary for the author to pull off the twist that she did! It’s not the “craziest” twist ever, but it’s in no way predictable (IMO). I feel like in some thriller books I can figure it out within the middle, not this book! Good read, author keeps you guessing. Enjoyed this book!!

[Skylar · Rating 3 out of 5]

very thankful that i did not guess the ending of this book. i was lost the entire time which is probably why i never guessed what was going to happen lol. there were 326 pages, and the plot twist didnt happen until page 300, give or take. it was a slow read for sure, and i struggled to convince myself to pick up the book and read at times.

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m so mad I wasted time reading this.

[Amanda Woodward · Rating 3 out of 5]

idk….it had a plot twist that i didn’t see coming but like i just did not enjoy this book at all 😭

[Paula Minydzak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mallika Narayanan’s “In the Dark I See You” sets a high bar for unique storytelling when Audrey, a blind woman, finds her neighbor Sarah’s body by tripping over it. The police question Audrey, as they do all the others living in Sleepy Point, a quiet town on the Hudson River.

The story dives into the Sarah’s and Audrey’s past lives as the police try to make a case against Audrey, interrogating her several times. To herself, she admits that she is guilty of some things, but killing Sarah is not one of them. As their pasts are laid bare, motives of multiple parties surface. When neighbors’ homes are burglarized, the tension in and around the town increases.

Each chapter sheds light on the history of these two women, making one question each small detail and how it might lead to the culprit. The faults and successes of each seem to intertwine as past and present leave a trail of clues to follow. Both Sarah’s and Audrey’s points of view let the reader experience life as they see it, or in Audrey’s case, as she feels or hears it. And just when someone thinks they’ve figured it out, the story culminates in an unimaginable ending that would please any reader! Highly recommended!

[Alora · Rating 4 out of 5]

For book club.

Ummm wuuuut. It was actually Kelly?! Sarah is grace ?! Audrey is Sarah?! Sherman is Dan?! What a wild ride lol

[Divs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m not that big of a fan of crime novels, but this one was really brilliant. I read it straight in an hour, and I didn’t even suspect the twist until just before the reveal. There are enough moving parts and complexities to disguise the twist, which is a good thing, because without the twist this book wouldn’t have half of its impact. I loved how the author didn’t neglect character work in favor of the plot, and I really felt connected to Audrey and Sarah as well as many of the side characters, particularly Dan, Celia, Priya, and Detective Greene. Docked a star for some of the writing, especially concerning the character of Mac, who was really important but barely built up.

[C.M. Chafin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so hear me out. While I did guess all of the twists very early on, this is definitely one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a minute and reminded me why I love the genre. The ending was sped up a little bit too much for my liking, but that’s way better than dragging it out and treating their reader like they’re stupid. I thought the characterizations matched perfectly and that very very end…oof. I’d love to see a movie version of this someday; add a little bit of, spice.

[Juliette Puchner · Rating 3 out of 5]

writing style was a little strange. did not understand why the addition group and the soil eating were part of the story it really wasn’t necessary. the pacing of the book was so slow in the first half and really fast in the second. plot twist was interesting but not the best book i’ve ever read.

[Audrée · Rating 1 out of 5]

"There is some knowledge that can be too intimate, too invasive, the revelation of which could irrevocably change the way people look at you."

I enjoyed the little plot at the end but I've struggled to not dnf this book.

[Ryan DeRosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

didn’t guess the twist til the very end - was cool how the book keeps up the mystery of the two different characters and timelines, not giving up much but dropping little hints you may glance over initially. also loved the friendship between sarah and dan

[Karley · Rating 4 out of 5]

You have to pay attention to where you are in the timeline of this story. It jumps between two characters, and one of the characters there is a current timeline and a past timeline. The Twists didn't come until the very end of the book, but I do enjoy how it all came together.

[Ryann Halland · Rating 4 out of 5]

slow build-up but crazy ending made it kinda worth it?!

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

7/10 I recommend you read this book. I'm excited to read more of Millika's work in the future.

In the Dark I See You blends the perspectives Audrey and Sarah. The story begins with Audrey hearing Nichole, Sarahs' daughter crying, Audrey goes inside to find Sarah's body bloody on the floor. Audrey leads the story's character development, giving us a rich and scandalous background on Sarah, her neighbor. Sarah's perspective shows a hardworking woman doing everything to save her friend from being framed for fraud. We find Audrey secretly stalked Sarah for months. The threats against Sarah from neighbors pile up. Which neighbor would beat Sarah's skull to a pulp? Mallika's prose ties the story together with believable dialogue and flawed characters. Someone has been wandering around Audrey's apartment... is it the murderer?... is someone watching her now? We explore what it might be like to be blind, living in a world built for the seeing. The condescending remarks fall often, and the detectives trip her by throwing a chair in her way. We know that Audrey researches for a living and Sarah is the research. Greg, Audrey's boss, tells her to be careful as she plays the detective and places trackers on Sarah's car. Did Audrey kill Sarah?... Maybe... not until the final chapters do we find a twist followed by another twist. Sarah's not dead. The other storylines collide, and we find the unfolding as Audrey and Sarah's perspectives fill the canvas. I love the ending. Mallika grabs your attention from the first page and creates a beautiful story of flawed and traumatized humans.

[The Irregular Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

One might be forgiven for thinking the psychological triller genre has suffocated under the weight of too many publishers trying to recreate the lightning in a bottle that was Gone Girl. Many recent entries have (in my experience) focused more on the shock value of multiple twists over telling a cohesive story.

This book is a compelling example of the genre done RIGHT. Yes, yes, we have unreliable narrators. We have twists and turns. We have red herrings galore.

But everything in this book feels earned. Narayanan's narrative is tightly woven. The plot unfolds from two distinct narrators, neither of whom seem quite trustworthy.

As the plots unfolds it doesn't permit relaxation into the cynicism of a jaded reader. Everything you think you have a handle on what is really going on, something comes along to pull the rug out from under your feet.

Fans of the thriller genre will find a wonderful entry to the genre here. And anyone (like me) who has grown jaded from too many mediocre reads may (also, like me) find their love of the genre rekindling with this deftly told story.

[Scott · Rating 1 out of 5]

Hopelessly Muddled. This is probably the worst book I have ever read. I only finished it because I wanted to see how bad it really was. First of all, the dual narration with the time shifting just didn't work for me at all. At about the midway point, I was so confused about the sequence of events and having to keep track of all of the loose threads, most of which were left untied. By the way, what did the geophagia addiction have to do with anything? Or did I miss something of significance? It took 300 tedious pages to get to the "twist" which was fairly implausible. After I was well into the book, it felt like one of those "click bait" articles on the internet.... and then I did this.... but before I get to that, let me tell you about this.... and then there was that.... etc. Really disappointed by this one.

[Monique · Rating 1 out of 5]

Okay boo…I kinda don’t even want to finish this review cause I was so disappointed at the end ugh…okay so found a new psychological thriller and it seemed intense so I decided that was my next read LOL..this one follows two girls Audrey and Sarah–neighbors and enemies, two women in an impossibly complex like-hate relationship…..The book begins by introducing them–Aubrey a visually impaired woman who is impressively independent, is addicted to eating dirt and keeping secrets and Sarah- a young single mom with her share of enemies and admirers—--
“Priya and Brian might be a square peg and a round hole, but that’s no reason for Brian to be sleeping with Sarah. But then, people don’t sleep with Sarah because they don’t couple excellently with their partners. They sleep with her because she’s irresistible, even in her third trimester. (Loc 630)

Ah Sarah accumulating enemies everywhere overt and covert from her hating coworker Celia who started out genuine but is now proving jealous; her creepy landlord who likes to drop by unannounced and offered her rent reduction for attending pool parties with pretty friends; and Priya the understandably mad wife of Brian a man who keeps her company from time to time.Even Aubrey is cryptic on how she feels about Sarah and if she is truly genuinely friends with her though she babysits her daughter Nicole occasionally. Sarah’s relationships and her complex history with Audrey all comes on display when Audrey discovers Sarah dead with her skull cracked and a murder investigation ensues..
“How well would you say you knew Sarah?” I’d like to think I knew her well. But it’s hard to say. How well do we know people?” (Loc 743)

Can we really trust Aubrey and is Sarah all that she seems? This one moves between the two building up suspense and insight into their relationship-

“Even with many suspect and motives, it’s only a matter of time before the detectives get to the truth. The last thing they are is stupid. The thought relieves me, but as I turn over once more and flip the pillow to its cool side, a small seed of fear starts to sprout inside me. What if they’re a little too good at their jobs and find out the truth, not only about Sarah but about everything? I can’t let that happen. (Loc 1930)

The book switches times between the past and the present with Sarah occupied with her friend Dan being fired for embezzling and her quest to prove his innocence which leads her to sneaking in computers and eventually getting mugged and hit by a car with injuries keeping her unconscious for three weeks. The embezzling case was way too drawn out and kinda boring and then the end reveal–boo I hated it. I was not impressed at all with this one and so it must get the dreaded Wanksta status ugh.

[Karine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two women, Audrey and Sarah, who at first seem to be very much alike - tell their stories in dual timelines. This is confusing at first, as they have a lot in common, both New Yorkers, both now live in a stately neighborhood, both have jobs in an accounting or auditing environment. What differentiates them is that Sarah has a kid, but only later and Audrey is blind.

The author clearly favored character development over plot and I applaud that. Halfway into the book I felt the author wrote in the similar style as Moshfegh Otessa, and I consider this a compliment. The downside is that the main plot development only happened at 80% of the book, and sadly the reveal of the mystery just didn't do it for me. It felt very convoluted and strange and I was left with some questions still. What I really liked was that the author had the guts to put her main character as a blind person. I can only imagine that this made the writing extra difficult, but it really added to the main eerie atmosphere.

All in all I believe that this a good debut and that Mallika Narayanan is an author to follow. I sure will read her next book. Thank you to NetGalley, Union Square & Co and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A psychological thriller with a main character named Audrey? Sign me right up!

IN THE DARK I SEE YOU by MALLIKA NARAYANAN was such a wonderfully dark, twisted story that combines so many things I love in a book.

▫️Dual timelines
▫️Multiple POVs
▫️A very Hudson Valley suburban NYC setting
▫️A narrator who has to prove her innocence
▫️Going to all the lengths to protect your secrets
▫️Police investigation

Audrey Hughes lets herself into her neighbor Sarah Connelly’s townhouse when she hears Sarah’s baby crying relentlessly. When she literally trips over Sarah’s dead body she of course calls the police. But she’s not the most reliable witness for the police as Audrey is blind.

Audrey moves from witness to suspect when the police learn the women had a heated argument the day Sarah died. The more questions, the more anxious Audrey becomes. She moved to the quiet suburban community to escape her past but as the investigation heats up Audrey fights harder to protect her own secrets while trying to find out what happened to Sarah.

I love a twisty story that goes to all the best dark places and had the best time reading this debut. If you love a dark and twisty, page-turning story then IN THE DARK I SEE YOU is absolutely a book to check out.

[Reader · Rating 1 out of 5]

I HATED THIS BOOK WITH EVERY BONE IN MY BODY!! WHERES IS THE PLOT TWISTS?? WHERE IS THE DRAMA?? WHERE IS THE EXCITEMENT?? IT WAS SO FREAKING SLOW. THE PLOTS ONLY CAME ONCE IN EVERY 10 CHARACTERS FOR LIKE 2 SECONDS!! READING THIS WAS LIKE NAILS ON A CHALKBOARD!! THERE WAS LITERALLY NOT A SINGLE THING ABOUT THIS BOOK THAT MADE ME WANT TO KEEP READING IT!! NOT A SINGLE CLIF HANGER ON A CHAPTER THAT MADE ME WANT TO READ THE NEXT CHAPTER!! IT WAS EXTREMELY BORING AND SOOO CONFUSING, I FEEL LIKE THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NO CONTEXT FOR ANYTHING IMPORTANT AND TOO MUCH CONTENT ABOUT SOMETHING NOT IMPORTANT. I HATE HOW THEY SLANT WORDS THAT ARE UNNECESSARY. LIKE YOU DO NOT NEED A SLANT FOR EVERY SENTENCE. THERE WAS LITERALLY MORE SLANTS THEN PLOTS IN THIS BOOK. SLOW, BORING, TERRIBLE!! 0/10 WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!! I REPEAT WOULD NOT RECOMMEND!!

[Addy Richter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounded up from a 3.5! I’m not typically a mystery reader, I grabbed this book at random from the library but found myself ripping through it. While I very much enjoyed the character development and backstory and it really served to ratchet up the tension in the novel, the actual plot seemed reserved for the last 30 pages. I’m a little annoyed at myself because I noticed (and was frustrated by!) the Sarah from Audrey’s POV and the Sarah from her own POV seemed so different, but the twist still caught me off guard. Overall I had enough questions about the whole scenario to keep me turning pages but the actual mystery was not that exciting.

[Julieta Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing thriller for fans of Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train. So refreshing to see a character with a disability, and the author has done an amazing job at putting us in Audrey's shoes. Such a well crafted story with relatable characters. A truly excellent story, witty, funny in places, cute whenever Dan (my favourite character) was involved. I loved the suspense and the surprise at the end. I cannot recommend it highly enough. The only thing I did't like so much is Sarah, but hey, she's the baddie, so what more can I say? Can't wait to read the next work for this debut author who is an absolute gem.

[V · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book is intriguing. The way the narration flip flops between character perspectives was disorientating at first but I eventually got the hang of it. I guess that sort of confusion is purposeful in this type of ‘psychological thriller’ kind of story.

The characters were well developed and the storyline reveals itself nicely albeit a bit painfully (gave myself a headache from furrowing my brow the whole time).

The twist was not predictable and was interesting enough, however nothing that made me gasp. Overall, 3.5 stars.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, what a rollercoaster of a thriller! I loved the back and forth timelines between Audrey and Sarah's POV. Usually, I can kind of piece together where the story is going but with each reveal and twist, this book totally took me by surprise. I think Narayanan did an excellent job writing from the POV of a blind woman, and I felt like I was immersed in her world, relying on other senses, like smell, touch, and hearing. The secondary characters were really brought to life as well. I did not see the ending coming at all. What a debut!

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A blind woman stumbles upon her neighbour who is covered in blood and appears to have been murdered. There’s a baby upstairs and the police seem to be seeing the blind neighbour as the main suspect.

This is heavily character led and a decent read, I just found it a struggle to stick with it, as it’s a slow burn.

A decent, murder mystery with a difference.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

[Ryllei Federly · Rating 3 out of 5]

I grew to be very attached to the characters in this book because it took me a while to get into the story, though I don't know if I'd feel the same if I had read it faster. The issue I had reading this was that there was a lot of telling and not showing when it came to the plot twists, so I felt unaffected when they were revealed. Not to say this story did nothing for me because there were nights where I went to bed wondering who did ___ and where did ___go. I did enjoy the ending :)

[Haight Ashbury · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book!

Normally, I'm a huge fan of unreliable narrators (because I can usually find a few anomalies that tell me that's what's happening) but that wasn't the case here. And it's a good thing.

The back and forth between two POVs and three timelines kept the questions coming and added to the mystery. By the end, there were no questions left unanswered.

If you're a fan of mysteries, multiple POVs, or suspense, you have to read this book.

[Ashley Eatmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Omg this book could be the sister to The Silent Patient. Both of them had crazyyyyyyy plot twists. At first I was so confused. Because from “Audrey’s” pov, Sarah was a whore, but then when it came to “Sarah”, she never mentioned Audrey and she was doing something completely different with “Sherman.” The author did an excellent job of tying everything together. When I first found out Audrey was really Sarah I had to put the book down and walk away.

[Nikita · Rating 3 out of 5]

The beginning was great, then it started to get really repetitive and slow towards the middle. But then it really ramps up and has a solid plot twist (I didn’t predict it at all).

The writing can be confusing at times, but for the most part it was an easy read. The characters can be likable, but the reason why the author doesn’t go in-depth to each character’s background is for the end.

Overall, a good read if you want something suspenseful, thrilling, and entertaining.

[Kas (Hozier’s version) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really was excited to read this for a 24 hour reading challenge, and I bought this book specifically because I thought it sounded good. I was not a big fan of the big plot twist, it was hard to follow at times because of the time jumps and perspective changes. But if the story was arranged differently I would have enjoyed it so much more.