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The Wrong Move
YOU THOUGHT IT WAS THE PERFECT FLAT...
When Jessie moves into a flatshare at Maver Place, she’s finally found a decent place to live.
And when she’s befriended by fellow tenants Lauren and Sofie, she’s got great flatmates to share it with.
You think she’s safe. You think she can trust these people.
You’re wrong.
When you flatshare, how well do you really know the people that you're living with?
A dark, twisty domestic thriller about the perfect flatshare gone wrong for fans of Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door and Louise Candlish's Our House.
When Jessie moves into a flatshare at Maver Place, she’s finally found a decent place to live.
And when she’s befriended by fellow tenants Lauren and Sofie, she’s got great flatmates to share it with.
You think she’s safe. You think she can trust these people.
You’re wrong.
When you flatshare, how well do you really know the people that you're living with?
A dark, twisty domestic thriller about the perfect flatshare gone wrong for fans of Shari Lapena's The Couple Next Door and Louise Candlish's Our House.
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2019
42 people are currently reading
484 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
October 16, 2019
This is the story of Jessie Campbell who after a break up with an abusive boyfriend, seeks a new life and new flat mates in Brighton where she has been to university. She eventually finds a room and meets a disparate bunch of room mates - Lauren who is very friendly, Marcus who is a loner and quiet and Sofie who is lively but rarely at the flat as she is in a relationship with Henry.
The book starts well and the scene is set with some tension between Henry and Marcus and it shows the difficulties of flat sharing with strangers. The characters are well crafted and easy to picture, some are likeable and some are not. As the book progresses a series of incidents happen to Jessie which grow progressively worse. The storytelling is competent and the quality of the writing whilst it’s good, I didn’t get as much suspense or menace as the series of events warrant. However, I think the end is good as it leaves you guessing to a certain extent.
I think one of the issues with the book that did not work particularly well is the random switching of characters whose perspective is being told. It isn’t until about 40% that this happens and it took me by surprise, especially since the character switch doesn’t last for long before it flips back to Jessie. I think it interrupts the flow.
Overall, this is a promising debut novel and I think the author is one to watch as she shows real potential.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ebury Publishing for the ARC.
The book starts well and the scene is set with some tension between Henry and Marcus and it shows the difficulties of flat sharing with strangers. The characters are well crafted and easy to picture, some are likeable and some are not. As the book progresses a series of incidents happen to Jessie which grow progressively worse. The storytelling is competent and the quality of the writing whilst it’s good, I didn’t get as much suspense or menace as the series of events warrant. However, I think the end is good as it leaves you guessing to a certain extent.
I think one of the issues with the book that did not work particularly well is the random switching of characters whose perspective is being told. It isn’t until about 40% that this happens and it took me by surprise, especially since the character switch doesn’t last for long before it flips back to Jessie. I think it interrupts the flow.
Overall, this is a promising debut novel and I think the author is one to watch as she shows real potential.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ebury Publishing for the ARC.
April 17, 2020
Jessie moved to Brighton after her relationship break up. She gets a room in a flat share. She soon makes friends with Lauren and Sofie. But then strange things start to happen. Jessie thinks it's her ex-partner that's responsible. When she learns about the other tenants that lived in her room, she uncovers things that could put her life in danger.
The story is told mainly from Jessie's perspective but all the characters have a voice. There's also Marcus who hardly ever leaves his room and the letting officer Ian whom keeps popping in. The story is a it predictable in parts. The ending felt a it flat and a abrupt. There's twists, secrets and ,lies. A decent debut novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and the author Jennifer Savin for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told mainly from Jessie's perspective but all the characters have a voice. There's also Marcus who hardly ever leaves his room and the letting officer Ian whom keeps popping in. The story is a it predictable in parts. The ending felt a it flat and a abrupt. There's twists, secrets and ,lies. A decent debut novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and the author Jennifer Savin for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
April 17, 2020
Jessie moves to Bright on after her relationship break up. She gets a room in a flat share. She soon makes friends with Lauren and Sophie. Ut then strange things start to happen. Jessie thinks it's her ex-partner that's responsible. When she learns about the other tenants who had lived in her room, she uncovers things that could put her life in danger.
The story is told mainly from Jessie's perspective but all the other characters do have a voice. There's also Marcus who hardly leaves his room and the letting officer Ian who keeps popping in. The story is a it predictable in parts. The ending felt a it flat and abrupt. There's twists secrets and lies. A decent debut novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and the author Jennifer Savin for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The story is told mainly from Jessie's perspective but all the other characters do have a voice. There's also Marcus who hardly leaves his room and the letting officer Ian who keeps popping in. The story is a it predictable in parts. The ending felt a it flat and abrupt. There's twists secrets and lies. A decent debut novel.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and the author Jennifer Savin for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 1, 2020
The Wrong Move is a terrifying, addictive read which is hard to believe is a debut novel.
Firstly the things that most stands out about this book is how realistic this book is. We’ve all had bad housemate experiences which make it easy to relate to some of Jessie’s experiences. The tension in the book slowly increases as we learn more about the situation Jessie finds herself in, some of which made my hair stand on end. It’s definitely a lesson in how little you actually know the people you live with.
I found myself in the perhaps unusual position of not liking the main character very much. Jessie is incredibly annoying and quite whiny at times which made it difficult to warm to her. I really wished I could reach into the book and shake her at times. Honestly some of the things she moaned about where ridiculous, the most memorable being the cobwebs- um never heard of a duster?! I did wonder why she didn’t just move out as she was obviously so unhappy.
Overall I enjoyed this book and found it an entertaining read. There were lots of twists and turns to keep me very intrigued. The feeling of paranoia was strong throughout the book and I liked that I was never entirely sure if it was all in Jessie’s mind which made things very interesting. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Ebury for my copy of this book.
Firstly the things that most stands out about this book is how realistic this book is. We’ve all had bad housemate experiences which make it easy to relate to some of Jessie’s experiences. The tension in the book slowly increases as we learn more about the situation Jessie finds herself in, some of which made my hair stand on end. It’s definitely a lesson in how little you actually know the people you live with.
I found myself in the perhaps unusual position of not liking the main character very much. Jessie is incredibly annoying and quite whiny at times which made it difficult to warm to her. I really wished I could reach into the book and shake her at times. Honestly some of the things she moaned about where ridiculous, the most memorable being the cobwebs- um never heard of a duster?! I did wonder why she didn’t just move out as she was obviously so unhappy.
Overall I enjoyed this book and found it an entertaining read. There were lots of twists and turns to keep me very intrigued. The feeling of paranoia was strong throughout the book and I liked that I was never entirely sure if it was all in Jessie’s mind which made things very interesting. I look forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Huge thanks to Anne Cater for inviting me onto the blog tour and to Ebury for my copy of this book.
June 15, 2020
Whoa!! A fast paced thriller which kept me on my toes. My first introduction to this author's writing was suspenseful.
Jessie moved in with 3 flatmates when she started receiving threatening letters. Her flatmates too were all behaving strange.
The story had intrigue written in every few chapters. I felt bad for Jessie who only wanted a new start to life. The plot kept her quite embroiled in confusion until things began to clear.
The ending felt abrupt, but the overall story kept me hooked.
Jessie moved in with 3 flatmates when she started receiving threatening letters. Her flatmates too were all behaving strange.
The story had intrigue written in every few chapters. I felt bad for Jessie who only wanted a new start to life. The plot kept her quite embroiled in confusion until things began to clear.
The ending felt abrupt, but the overall story kept me hooked.
October 20, 2020
Jessie moves to Brighton after a break-up and rents a room in a flat share where she makes friends with some of her flatmates. When strange things happen, Jessie thinks her ex-partner is responsible, but then she begins to uncover details about the tenant who had previously lived in Jessie's room...
This is not...a great book.
The villain is predictable, and the characters feel flat. None of the twists were surprising and the ending is a bit abrupt.
There are better psychological mysteries out there.
This is not...a great book.
The villain is predictable, and the characters feel flat. None of the twists were surprising and the ending is a bit abrupt.
There are better psychological mysteries out there.
April 24, 2020
If commanding thrillers give you a buzz, then you must read
The Wrong Move,
written by Jennifer Savin. Having read the intriguing synopsis I was hoping that I was going to be in for a treat with this one and it was extremely good!
In The Wrong Move, the author explores the darkest corners of psychological torment in a mesmerising and chilling tale of menace, secrets, lies, and deviousness.
Narrated from multiple viewpoints, I was given the opportunity to see things from several angles, making the story altogether more interesting. The author cleverly drip-fed the reader snippets of key information so I was never exactly sure what the next development might be which also fuelled my need to continue reading. The characterisation was excellent, and pretty much made this story the remarkable read it was. The characters were very credible, though none were likeable, however, I think this was the author's intention. Their interactions and relationships added depth and illustrated how their pasts shaped them and affected the perceptions they currently possess. Everyone had different motives and priorities for their actions, thoughts or behaviour. The Wrong Move brought me no disappointments, capturing my attention from the prologue to the final word. Jennifer Savin created an underlying sense of tension that was totally gripping. I appreciated the tautness of the plot, the twists and revelations, and the overall quality of the writing. My interest never wavered as the story spiralled its way towards an interesting denouement.
The Wrong Move is compelling fiction that I can highly recommend.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing via NetGalley at my request and this review is my unbiased opinion.
In The Wrong Move, the author explores the darkest corners of psychological torment in a mesmerising and chilling tale of menace, secrets, lies, and deviousness.
Narrated from multiple viewpoints, I was given the opportunity to see things from several angles, making the story altogether more interesting. The author cleverly drip-fed the reader snippets of key information so I was never exactly sure what the next development might be which also fuelled my need to continue reading. The characterisation was excellent, and pretty much made this story the remarkable read it was. The characters were very credible, though none were likeable, however, I think this was the author's intention. Their interactions and relationships added depth and illustrated how their pasts shaped them and affected the perceptions they currently possess. Everyone had different motives and priorities for their actions, thoughts or behaviour. The Wrong Move brought me no disappointments, capturing my attention from the prologue to the final word. Jennifer Savin created an underlying sense of tension that was totally gripping. I appreciated the tautness of the plot, the twists and revelations, and the overall quality of the writing. My interest never wavered as the story spiralled its way towards an interesting denouement.
The Wrong Move is compelling fiction that I can highly recommend.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing via NetGalley at my request and this review is my unbiased opinion.
July 1, 2020
With thanks to Netgalley and Penguin for this ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.
Jessie Campbell had moved to Brighton for a fresh start after leaving an abusive relationship. She was excited when she moved into a flat share at 4 Maver Place with Lauren, Marcus and Sofie.
Marcus was dour and spent hours alone in his room. Sofie spent most of her time at her boyfriend Henry`s flat. Jessie felt uncomfortable in the flat from the beginning. Items from her room started to disappear and Sofie had begun dressing like her.
However Jessie quickly became best friends with Lauren a photographers assistant. Lauren told Jessie that her bedroom had previously been rented by Magda. Lauren explained that Magda had taken off in the middle of the night without paying her rent.
Jessie was settling into her new life when she began to receive threatening phone calls from her ex Matthew. By chance Jessie met Magda on a night out. When she explained she had moved to 4 Maver Place, Magda Oakes and told her to move out. Intrigued Jessie and Magda agreed to meet up and talk a couple of days later. That night on her way home Jessie was viciously attacked on her way home.
The story was told from the POV of Jessie, Lauren and Sofie. The plot was menacing and you could feel Jessie`s suffocation at Maver Place. As the story progressed I wasn't sure who to trust. I liked Jessie who was actually stronger then she thought.
However I was disappointed by the rather abrupt ending which annoyed me. Also without giving too much away I would of liked to have know more about Elizabeth Holliday.
This was a promising debut from Jennifer Slavin.
Jessie Campbell had moved to Brighton for a fresh start after leaving an abusive relationship. She was excited when she moved into a flat share at 4 Maver Place with Lauren, Marcus and Sofie.
Marcus was dour and spent hours alone in his room. Sofie spent most of her time at her boyfriend Henry`s flat. Jessie felt uncomfortable in the flat from the beginning. Items from her room started to disappear and Sofie had begun dressing like her.
However Jessie quickly became best friends with Lauren a photographers assistant. Lauren told Jessie that her bedroom had previously been rented by Magda. Lauren explained that Magda had taken off in the middle of the night without paying her rent.
Jessie was settling into her new life when she began to receive threatening phone calls from her ex Matthew. By chance Jessie met Magda on a night out. When she explained she had moved to 4 Maver Place, Magda Oakes and told her to move out. Intrigued Jessie and Magda agreed to meet up and talk a couple of days later. That night on her way home Jessie was viciously attacked on her way home.
The story was told from the POV of Jessie, Lauren and Sofie. The plot was menacing and you could feel Jessie`s suffocation at Maver Place. As the story progressed I wasn't sure who to trust. I liked Jessie who was actually stronger then she thought.
However I was disappointed by the rather abrupt ending which annoyed me. Also without giving too much away I would of liked to have know more about Elizabeth Holliday.
This was a promising debut from Jennifer Slavin.
November 22, 2019
I will not trash a book. I will not trash a book. I will not trash a book.
There. I did not trash a book.
There. I did not trash a book.
February 27, 2020
my 1st book buy this author I so enjoyed Jessie finds a flatshare she likes and makes friends with 2 of the women but is all as it seems very addictive twisty gripping a must read
May 2, 2020
Well, this one started off well but that was it.
I found Jessie to be an annoying and whiny character and the rest of the characters were one dimensional and fell flat.
It was blindingly obvious from the start who the protagonist was and where the story was headed. The ending felt rushed and after finishing it, I'm left thinking: 'was that it'
Also the narration would switch between characters with no warning, making you stop to think who was now speaking, therefore taking you out of the story.
I gave it 3 stars as it did start out well, but the rest just did not work for me.
I found Jessie to be an annoying and whiny character and the rest of the characters were one dimensional and fell flat.
It was blindingly obvious from the start who the protagonist was and where the story was headed. The ending felt rushed and after finishing it, I'm left thinking: 'was that it'
Also the narration would switch between characters with no warning, making you stop to think who was now speaking, therefore taking you out of the story.
I gave it 3 stars as it did start out well, but the rest just did not work for me.
April 27, 2020
First up I want to say, for a debut novel this is an absolute corker. And, I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for more offerings of Jennifer Savin's books in the future.
Ok, so The Wrong Move is about Jessie. She's just come out of an abusive relationship and wants to up sticks and start afresh. Get away from her old life and try and forget the past. Cue the hunt for a new flat, and the new flatmates.
I've flatshared before, but not with total strangers like Jessie is doing. So, I can kind of relate to a certain extent. Now, the synopsis clearly states Jessie's flatmates aren't all they seem. And, this is where the story really gets going. I love how Savin slowly drip feeds and drops hints about each character as the story develops. And, to make things more interesting and keep us guessing, the flatmates are all holding some kind of negative issues.
Lauren, she may come across as nice, friendly and welcoming but is she jealous? Is she all that she seems? Can anyone be that nice?
Marcus, he is the classic goth type, very secretive. From the get go Savin portrays him as a loner with strange noises coming from his room. Definitely someone to watch? Or is he?
Sofie, very mother earth, into all the good things in life. Loves nature, wouldn't hurt a fly. But, does that mean she wouldn't hurt a human?
Obviously, there's the small matter of why the previous flatmate Magda just disappeared in the middle of the night. All these elements and strange goings on result in Jessie getting very paranoid.
The Wrong Move is your classic psychological thriller, so many avenues leading to you second guessing each character. A fantastic debut novel. Not to be missed.
Thanks to Anne at RandomThingsTours for my stop on the blog tour. And, thanks to the publishers for my gifted digital copy.
Ok, so The Wrong Move is about Jessie. She's just come out of an abusive relationship and wants to up sticks and start afresh. Get away from her old life and try and forget the past. Cue the hunt for a new flat, and the new flatmates.
I've flatshared before, but not with total strangers like Jessie is doing. So, I can kind of relate to a certain extent. Now, the synopsis clearly states Jessie's flatmates aren't all they seem. And, this is where the story really gets going. I love how Savin slowly drip feeds and drops hints about each character as the story develops. And, to make things more interesting and keep us guessing, the flatmates are all holding some kind of negative issues.
Lauren, she may come across as nice, friendly and welcoming but is she jealous? Is she all that she seems? Can anyone be that nice?
Marcus, he is the classic goth type, very secretive. From the get go Savin portrays him as a loner with strange noises coming from his room. Definitely someone to watch? Or is he?
Sofie, very mother earth, into all the good things in life. Loves nature, wouldn't hurt a fly. But, does that mean she wouldn't hurt a human?
Obviously, there's the small matter of why the previous flatmate Magda just disappeared in the middle of the night. All these elements and strange goings on result in Jessie getting very paranoid.
The Wrong Move is your classic psychological thriller, so many avenues leading to you second guessing each character. A fantastic debut novel. Not to be missed.
Thanks to Anne at RandomThingsTours for my stop on the blog tour. And, thanks to the publishers for my gifted digital copy.
March 6, 2021
3.5/5
I've been trying to write this review for an hour, wondering how I could possibly write something coherent that sums up how I feel. All I can say is that it was going so well. I really don't know how it went so wrong so quickly.
The Wrong Move is a book that's so filled with tension that I became the cliched girl who let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding. There were so many incredibly tense moments where I genuinely held my breath to see how the scene would turn out. In general, this book is so well-written. It didn't feel predictable but, at the same time, I'm not sure that this was ever a book filled with plot twists. The 'big' moments of this book are rather slow reveals that build up as the story continues. You know what's coming and you await it patiently as you get to know all the characters.
I loved the feeling of not knowing who I could trust. By the halfway point, there wasn't a single character that I trusted fully. Jennifer Savin writes red herrings really well - even when characters clarify that they did nothing wrong or provide an alibi, you're still on the edge of your proverbial seat waiting for them to slip up somewhere.
All of these amazing things aside, the ending completely caught me off-guard and not in a good way. I read page 384 and went to the next, only to find the acknowledgements. The ending of The Wrong Move is so incredibly abrupt and so rushed compared to the slow, tense build-up of the rest of the book. Had the writing of the ending continued as the book was already progressing, this book would have been at least 4.5 stars, it was that good for me as a thriller. But the ending was so abrupt, I honestly thought there were another two or three chapters left once I turned the page. It felt really rushed, almost like there was a great idea but the author wanted to get to it as soon as possible. It needed more tension and more argument - I would argue it needed an open ending rather than the very final ending we got. It's a shame, as the ending makes or breaks a book for me and, unfortunately, it broke this thrilling reverie I was in.
Conceptually, The Wrong Move was amazing. Until the final few pages, the execution was amazing too. The ending, sadly, didn't quite feel so amazing.
Content warnings: domestic abuse, drug overdose, emotional manipulation, gaslighting, mugging, murder, PTSD, recreational drug use, sexual harassment.
Thank you to Jennifer Savin, Ebury Press and Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I've been trying to write this review for an hour, wondering how I could possibly write something coherent that sums up how I feel. All I can say is that it was going so well. I really don't know how it went so wrong so quickly.
The Wrong Move is a book that's so filled with tension that I became the cliched girl who let out a breath she didn't realise she was holding. There were so many incredibly tense moments where I genuinely held my breath to see how the scene would turn out. In general, this book is so well-written. It didn't feel predictable but, at the same time, I'm not sure that this was ever a book filled with plot twists. The 'big' moments of this book are rather slow reveals that build up as the story continues. You know what's coming and you await it patiently as you get to know all the characters.
I loved the feeling of not knowing who I could trust. By the halfway point, there wasn't a single character that I trusted fully. Jennifer Savin writes red herrings really well - even when characters clarify that they did nothing wrong or provide an alibi, you're still on the edge of your proverbial seat waiting for them to slip up somewhere.
All of these amazing things aside, the ending completely caught me off-guard and not in a good way. I read page 384 and went to the next, only to find the acknowledgements. The ending of The Wrong Move is so incredibly abrupt and so rushed compared to the slow, tense build-up of the rest of the book. Had the writing of the ending continued as the book was already progressing, this book would have been at least 4.5 stars, it was that good for me as a thriller. But the ending was so abrupt, I honestly thought there were another two or three chapters left once I turned the page. It felt really rushed, almost like there was a great idea but the author wanted to get to it as soon as possible. It needed more tension and more argument - I would argue it needed an open ending rather than the very final ending we got. It's a shame, as the ending makes or breaks a book for me and, unfortunately, it broke this thrilling reverie I was in.
Conceptually, The Wrong Move was amazing. Until the final few pages, the execution was amazing too. The ending, sadly, didn't quite feel so amazing.
Content warnings: domestic abuse, drug overdose, emotional manipulation, gaslighting, mugging, murder, PTSD, recreational drug use, sexual harassment.
Thank you to Jennifer Savin, Ebury Press and Netgalley for providing me with an e-copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
April 24, 2020
Set in Brighton, Jessie is looking for a new flat share after ending an abusive relationship. After many viewings she finds the perfect place to live. Her flat mates are friendly, some more than others.
Lauren is super friendly and welcoming, helping a Jessie to settle in, Sofie is in a relationship with the ego that is Henry and is rarely at home and Marcus is quiet and a bit of a loner, but friendly and helpful,
For the first couple of months everything is fine and settled but then Jessie’s anxiety ramps up due to odd little incidents…...what happened to the previous occupant of her room, Magda?
Who can she really trust?
I really enjoyed The Wrong Move, it has a creeping, subtle tension which is enhanced by the clever writing, the way the perspective of the narrative changes between the characters, sometimes within the same paragraph really added to the weird sense of unease.
An unsettling, gripping and thoroughly entertaining read.
Thank you to the author. The publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Wrong Move for free. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Lauren is super friendly and welcoming, helping a Jessie to settle in, Sofie is in a relationship with the ego that is Henry and is rarely at home and Marcus is quiet and a bit of a loner, but friendly and helpful,
For the first couple of months everything is fine and settled but then Jessie’s anxiety ramps up due to odd little incidents…...what happened to the previous occupant of her room, Magda?
Who can she really trust?
I really enjoyed The Wrong Move, it has a creeping, subtle tension which is enhanced by the clever writing, the way the perspective of the narrative changes between the characters, sometimes within the same paragraph really added to the weird sense of unease.
An unsettling, gripping and thoroughly entertaining read.
Thank you to the author. The publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read The Wrong Move for free. This is my honest, unbiased review.
April 24, 2020
Set in Brighton, Jessie is looking for a new flat share after ending an abusive relationship. After many viewings she finds the perfect place to live. Her flat mates are friendly, some more than others.
Lauren is super friendly and welcoming, helping a Jessie to settle in, Sofie is in a relationship with the ego that is Henry and is rarely at home and Marcus is quiet and a bit of a loner, but friendly and helpful,
For the first couple of months everything is fine and settled but then Jessie’s anxiety ramps up due to odd little incidents…...what happened to the previous occupant of her room, Magda?
Who can she really trust?
I really enjoyed The Wrong Move, it has a creeping, subtle tension which is enhanced by the clever writing, the way the perspective of the narrative changes between the characters, sometimes within the same paragraph really added to the weird sense of unease.
An unsettling, gripping and thoroughly entertaining read.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Lauren is super friendly and welcoming, helping a Jessie to settle in, Sofie is in a relationship with the ego that is Henry and is rarely at home and Marcus is quiet and a bit of a loner, but friendly and helpful,
For the first couple of months everything is fine and settled but then Jessie’s anxiety ramps up due to odd little incidents…...what happened to the previous occupant of her room, Magda?
Who can she really trust?
I really enjoyed The Wrong Move, it has a creeping, subtle tension which is enhanced by the clever writing, the way the perspective of the narrative changes between the characters, sometimes within the same paragraph really added to the weird sense of unease.
An unsettling, gripping and thoroughly entertaining read.
Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour, for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.
March 27, 2020
Moving into a new shared house flat and finding yourself among creepy housemates – that sounds intriguing. I must admit that the story held my interest and I had no problem finishing it. But that does not mean that I think it is a good book.
For me all the characters felt flat. They are merely roughly sketched while Jessie is very self-centered and annoying. The story is quite far-fetched but the main problem is the writing. I did not like how the perspective changed within paragraphs often without any reason and without indicating in which head were are suddenly in. There are no real surprises in the story and you can indicate the villain very early on. At the end there is a lot of talking and showing but it still felt rushed. The poor characters and the standoffish writing made this book and an easy, predictable and forgettable read.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
For me all the characters felt flat. They are merely roughly sketched while Jessie is very self-centered and annoying. The story is quite far-fetched but the main problem is the writing. I did not like how the perspective changed within paragraphs often without any reason and without indicating in which head were are suddenly in. There are no real surprises in the story and you can indicate the villain very early on. At the end there is a lot of talking and showing but it still felt rushed. The poor characters and the standoffish writing made this book and an easy, predictable and forgettable read.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
November 23, 2019
#TheWrongMove #NetGalley #JenniferSavin
Would do well as a movie, rating 2.0
Okay, so the book has its moments. Unfortunately, they are far and few between. A consistent feeling I was unable to shake off was that the writing effort was focused on a screenplay; the book being a 'eh, why not?'
The narration is varied and the characters switch with a flick, making it difficult for the reader to keep up.
The genre and setting is similar to The Girl Before, The Girl on the Train, Before I go to Sleep, etc.
Having said that, I'd say the plot-line invites you to read ahead. In subtle episodes, it introduces the many issues one may face when flat-sharing with complete strangers.
I'd like to watch a movie based on the plot..
Thanks Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and NetGalley.
Would do well as a movie, rating 2.0
Okay, so the book has its moments. Unfortunately, they are far and few between. A consistent feeling I was unable to shake off was that the writing effort was focused on a screenplay; the book being a 'eh, why not?'
The narration is varied and the characters switch with a flick, making it difficult for the reader to keep up.
The genre and setting is similar to The Girl Before, The Girl on the Train, Before I go to Sleep, etc.
Having said that, I'd say the plot-line invites you to read ahead. In subtle episodes, it introduces the many issues one may face when flat-sharing with complete strangers.
I'd like to watch a movie based on the plot..
Thanks Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and NetGalley.
December 11, 2019
Jessie Campbell moves to Brighton to start a new life, surrounded by new flat mates that are a very mixed bunch of characters and it just doesn’t go to plan. This is a hard book to review as I struggled to enjoy it as although there were some good parts I found the majority of the book to drag for me. In parts it seemed to be very disjointed and this made it difficult to hold my interest. There was some twists but all in all this was a read that just wasn’t for me sadly.
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
April 20, 2020
With thanks to the publisher for the copy received. The Wrong Move was a novel that contains everything I like about fiction. A narrator that I was slightly unsure about, an escape from the past and a feeling that life wasn’t going to be as straight forward as hoped for. All combined with some thoroughly unlikeable housemates.
Jessie’s attempts to find somewhere decent to live were convincing. I can just imagine what some accommodation looks like with an exorbitant price tag. I could appreciate how happy she was to be made so welcome by her housemates, despite their differences. It’s not something I’ve ever experienced, and in honesty, I don’t feel I’ve missed out.
There were times when it was very sinister. The feelings Jessie had about being watched and suspecting that people had been in her room. But more so when you got to see what her housemates were thinking. There were two out of the three who I’d have been very reluctant to be over friendly with. The online searches that Jessie could do because of her job left me with a strange feeling. Knowing that it was underhand but fully understanding why she would choose to do it.
This is a book that made me very happy not to be looking for a house share.
Jessie’s attempts to find somewhere decent to live were convincing. I can just imagine what some accommodation looks like with an exorbitant price tag. I could appreciate how happy she was to be made so welcome by her housemates, despite their differences. It’s not something I’ve ever experienced, and in honesty, I don’t feel I’ve missed out.
There were times when it was very sinister. The feelings Jessie had about being watched and suspecting that people had been in her room. But more so when you got to see what her housemates were thinking. There were two out of the three who I’d have been very reluctant to be over friendly with. The online searches that Jessie could do because of her job left me with a strange feeling. Knowing that it was underhand but fully understanding why she would choose to do it.
This is a book that made me very happy not to be looking for a house share.
April 27, 2020
** edit to add review **
Jessie has moved to Brighton and thinks she has found the perfect flat share at no. 4 Maver Place. Though it soon becomes apparent that not all is at it seemed at first glance when she discovers that the previous flatmate Magda who's room she is now taking over, disappeared suddenly and under suspicious circumstances.
I have never multi flat shared but I did rent out a spare bedroom many years ago and I vowed never to do it again, and this book expertly portrays life living in a shared accommodation with strangers. Jessie's flat mates are friendly and welcoming, we have Lauren who does everything to make her feel welcome in the flat, Sofia who is never actually really there as she tends to stay over with her boyfriend Henry and there is Marcus, he is quite shy a bit of a loaner and tends to hole himself up in his room most of the time.
As the story progresses little things start to happen leading Jessie to become paranoid and wondering who she can really trust in the house, Lauren starts to become clingy and slightly unhinged and when the story comes to a head you are met with a twist that you never saw coming.
This was a slow burner, setting the scene and building the tension but I loved this book and for a debut it was a brilliant first book!
Jessie has moved to Brighton and thinks she has found the perfect flat share at no. 4 Maver Place. Though it soon becomes apparent that not all is at it seemed at first glance when she discovers that the previous flatmate Magda who's room she is now taking over, disappeared suddenly and under suspicious circumstances.
I have never multi flat shared but I did rent out a spare bedroom many years ago and I vowed never to do it again, and this book expertly portrays life living in a shared accommodation with strangers. Jessie's flat mates are friendly and welcoming, we have Lauren who does everything to make her feel welcome in the flat, Sofia who is never actually really there as she tends to stay over with her boyfriend Henry and there is Marcus, he is quite shy a bit of a loaner and tends to hole himself up in his room most of the time.
As the story progresses little things start to happen leading Jessie to become paranoid and wondering who she can really trust in the house, Lauren starts to become clingy and slightly unhinged and when the story comes to a head you are met with a twist that you never saw coming.
This was a slow burner, setting the scene and building the tension but I loved this book and for a debut it was a brilliant first book!
July 26, 2023
While nothing out of the ordinary, this is nevertheless an enjoyable read that has plenty of blind alleys and red herrings. The ending felt a little rushed for me and I could see what was coming but that aside, I'd still be interested in reading more by Savin.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC without obligation.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC without obligation.
July 14, 2020
Enjoyed it.
Kept my interest. Liked the setting as I've been to Brighton.
Good suspense which kept the story moving along.
Would read more by this author.
Kept my interest. Liked the setting as I've been to Brighton.
Good suspense which kept the story moving along.
Would read more by this author.
May 5, 2020
I loved this book from the second I picked it up. It was dark, thrilling and creepy - an absolute page-turner. If i was ever considering a flat share, I certainly wouldn't now! I guessed the ending about half way through but I was still shocked. I was pleasantly surprised by this book and it as a refreshing read. I thoroughly recommend,
Thank you to Netgalley, Jennifer Savin and Penguin Random House UK for an advanced copy of this book.
Thank you to Netgalley, Jennifer Savin and Penguin Random House UK for an advanced copy of this book.
March 16, 2022
Story was so-so, but didn't like the ending.
October 7, 2019
To begin, I’d like to thank Penguin Random House UK, Ebury Publishing for sending me an ARC of this book, and to NetGalley for facilitating. And a huge thank you to Jennifer Savin!
No spoilers as usual in this review.
Having devoured a lot of books in this genre I was hoping for more from this. The characters felt quite generic to me and whilst that’s easy to recognise who is who, it is also easier to see through them all and more difficult to connect with them. And when I say “see through them all” I mean that I had the characters figured out almost immediately so the entire book was waiting for the big climatic reveal of what I had already figured out. Which removed all suspense.
There were a lot of subjects explored in the book: friendship, betrayal, relationships, starting over, mental illness... but I didn’t feel that any of them were in depth enough. They were all a little too stereotypical. And whilst there were aspects that this book that touched upon coercive control and spousal abuse, I didn’t feel like any justice was done to how impactful this is on the victims (besides the obvious side effects. But actually having known someone very close to me who has lived that, it all rang a bit too “generic spousal abuse character” for me.
I’m going to rate this 3 stars which I think is fair. I found this mildly entertaining as a way to pass the time but to me it was very average and for the most part I was rolling my eyes at how cliché it was.
No spoilers as usual in this review.
Having devoured a lot of books in this genre I was hoping for more from this. The characters felt quite generic to me and whilst that’s easy to recognise who is who, it is also easier to see through them all and more difficult to connect with them. And when I say “see through them all” I mean that I had the characters figured out almost immediately so the entire book was waiting for the big climatic reveal of what I had already figured out. Which removed all suspense.
There were a lot of subjects explored in the book: friendship, betrayal, relationships, starting over, mental illness... but I didn’t feel that any of them were in depth enough. They were all a little too stereotypical. And whilst there were aspects that this book that touched upon coercive control and spousal abuse, I didn’t feel like any justice was done to how impactful this is on the victims (besides the obvious side effects. But actually having known someone very close to me who has lived that, it all rang a bit too “generic spousal abuse character” for me.
I’m going to rate this 3 stars which I think is fair. I found this mildly entertaining as a way to pass the time but to me it was very average and for the most part I was rolling my eyes at how cliché it was.
July 1, 2020
Moving in with strangers is always a stressful and nerve-wracking affair. Wondering about whether you'll fit into the established group. Whether new housemates will be clean, tidy, noisy, or just downright weird. Whether the landlord bothers with maintenance or is content to leave the place with no hot water for weeks on end.
Add in the fact that this move is a chance to move on from a controlling and abusive relationship and it's no wonder that Jessie Campbell, the protagonist of Jennifer Savin's debut novel The Wrong Move, has been careful in her search for the perfect flat.
When she enters 4 Maven Place, it appears as if Jessie might finally get the fresh start she's looking for - the place is mould-free, the bedroom is bigger than a shoe-box and, most importantly, the housemates seem nice. Sure, the guy on the ground floor - Marcus - is a bit of a loner, but the two girls - Lauren and Sofie - seem welcoming and Lauren, in particular, is keen to make friends.
But, as Jessie starts to settle into Maven Place, disturbing events keep interrupting her new life. Why are there always strange dragging sounds coming from Marcus' room in the middle of the night? Why do things keep disappearing from her room even when it's locked? And what exactly happened to the previous women who lived in Jessie's room?
The Wrong Move is a psychological thriller that hits the ground running from the very first page. Jennifer Savin has cleverly used new-housemate nerves to pile on the tension, sowing seeds of doubt in the reader's mind about not only what lies behind Marcus, Sofie and Lauren's seemingly pleasant exterior but also Jessie's own reliability as a narrator. So many of the disturbing events that begin to occur - a moving laptop, a lost bracelet, a broken door lock - are so incidental and rationally explained that I began to wonder whether Jessie's unease about Maven Place was simply the result of her understandably paranoid mind. By the end of the book, it's apparent that something considerably more sinister is taking place. I won't spoil the plot but there's certainly some shocking twists and revelations in there, making The Wrong Move quite the page-turner!
I wasn't quite so keen on the head-hopping narrative. Whilst most of the book is told from Jessie's point of view, there are some rather sudden hops into the heads of Sofie, Lauren, Marcus and other, more incidental, characters (Sofie's jockish boyfriend Henry and the overly-friendly letting agent Ian, for example) that are not always especially well sign-posted. As a result, there was the odd occasion where I had to re-read a paragraph to check the perspective I was reading or found the jarring switch from one character to another jolting me out of my immersion in the book.
The Wrong Move also makes liberal use of some of the staples of the genre. Whilst Jessie, Sofie, and Lauren all felt well-rounded, some of the more incidental characters - especially the men - felt a little generic (there's the jock, the creep, the loner, the nice guy etc). And whilst a lot of issues touched on in the plot - coercive control, domestic abuse, drug abuse, mental illness - are covered with sensitivity, it did sometimes feel as if there wasn't enough room in the plot to give all of these aspects sufficient space to breath.
Set these niggles aside, however, and there is a lot to like about The Wrong Move. It's a quick page-turning read and has some fantastic dramatic set-pieces and twisty turning-points. I also really liked the way that the whole narrative is infused with a sense of unease. And whilst the ending didn't have that jaw-dropping twist moment, the ambiguity of it flowed naturally from the preceding events and made for a satisfyingly creepy conclusion.
Whilst it doesn't move away from the staples of the genre, The Wrong Move is an accomplished debut. The old adage of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' applies well here - Savin's debut effectively uses tropes and conventions to create a story brimming with tension, suspicion, and unease and fans of psychological thrillers will find a great deal to enjoy here.
Add in the fact that this move is a chance to move on from a controlling and abusive relationship and it's no wonder that Jessie Campbell, the protagonist of Jennifer Savin's debut novel The Wrong Move, has been careful in her search for the perfect flat.
When she enters 4 Maven Place, it appears as if Jessie might finally get the fresh start she's looking for - the place is mould-free, the bedroom is bigger than a shoe-box and, most importantly, the housemates seem nice. Sure, the guy on the ground floor - Marcus - is a bit of a loner, but the two girls - Lauren and Sofie - seem welcoming and Lauren, in particular, is keen to make friends.
But, as Jessie starts to settle into Maven Place, disturbing events keep interrupting her new life. Why are there always strange dragging sounds coming from Marcus' room in the middle of the night? Why do things keep disappearing from her room even when it's locked? And what exactly happened to the previous women who lived in Jessie's room?
The Wrong Move is a psychological thriller that hits the ground running from the very first page. Jennifer Savin has cleverly used new-housemate nerves to pile on the tension, sowing seeds of doubt in the reader's mind about not only what lies behind Marcus, Sofie and Lauren's seemingly pleasant exterior but also Jessie's own reliability as a narrator. So many of the disturbing events that begin to occur - a moving laptop, a lost bracelet, a broken door lock - are so incidental and rationally explained that I began to wonder whether Jessie's unease about Maven Place was simply the result of her understandably paranoid mind. By the end of the book, it's apparent that something considerably more sinister is taking place. I won't spoil the plot but there's certainly some shocking twists and revelations in there, making The Wrong Move quite the page-turner!
I wasn't quite so keen on the head-hopping narrative. Whilst most of the book is told from Jessie's point of view, there are some rather sudden hops into the heads of Sofie, Lauren, Marcus and other, more incidental, characters (Sofie's jockish boyfriend Henry and the overly-friendly letting agent Ian, for example) that are not always especially well sign-posted. As a result, there was the odd occasion where I had to re-read a paragraph to check the perspective I was reading or found the jarring switch from one character to another jolting me out of my immersion in the book.
The Wrong Move also makes liberal use of some of the staples of the genre. Whilst Jessie, Sofie, and Lauren all felt well-rounded, some of the more incidental characters - especially the men - felt a little generic (there's the jock, the creep, the loner, the nice guy etc). And whilst a lot of issues touched on in the plot - coercive control, domestic abuse, drug abuse, mental illness - are covered with sensitivity, it did sometimes feel as if there wasn't enough room in the plot to give all of these aspects sufficient space to breath.
Set these niggles aside, however, and there is a lot to like about The Wrong Move. It's a quick page-turning read and has some fantastic dramatic set-pieces and twisty turning-points. I also really liked the way that the whole narrative is infused with a sense of unease. And whilst the ending didn't have that jaw-dropping twist moment, the ambiguity of it flowed naturally from the preceding events and made for a satisfyingly creepy conclusion.
Whilst it doesn't move away from the staples of the genre, The Wrong Move is an accomplished debut. The old adage of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' applies well here - Savin's debut effectively uses tropes and conventions to create a story brimming with tension, suspicion, and unease and fans of psychological thrillers will find a great deal to enjoy here.
April 15, 2020
What drew me first to The Wrong Move was the cover rather than the synopsis, although that too sounds intriguing. I didn’t realise until I started reading that this domestic thriller is set in my hometown of Brighton. My seaside city seems to be a popular choice for writers when choosing a location for their novels (Peter James, Dorothy Koomson for starters) and I feel it’s an added bonus when you recognise street names and venues, a way of making you feel more connected to the storyline.
Indeed the premise for this thriller is intriguing; What could possibly go wrong sharing a house with complete strangers,having no idea if you’ll even like them that much let alone have any inkling of their backgrounds? It’s like taking a step into the unknown, a gamble that may or may not pay off; you could become great friends or be cohabitating with a serial killer!! Obviously it’s a risk many people take and this novel begs the question as to how well do we think we know the people we live with which I believe is a great basis for a twisty, gripping edge of your seat read. Jessie, the protagonist is about to find out that living with strangers should come with a warning to take care!
She is desperate to find accommodation that whilst not necessarily luxurious is at least habitable and her search finally leads her to 4 Maver Place , already home to Lauren, Sofie and Marcus. I expected to be easily drawn into this thriller on the basis that the prologue sounded promising. Instead I found Jessie, escaping from a less than harmonious relationship, to be a character without much backbone, clearly quite vulnerable and naive and desperate to get along with her housemates who appear strange from the start. She is simply annoying and as events unfold I wanted to shake her and scream at her to just move out given all the strange goings on.Luck doesn’t seem to be on her side that’s for sure and rather than deal with things rationally she chooses to find salvation in alcohol. I couldn’t really get a sense of what made any of her housemates tick since their characters are so sketchily drawn, with little or very vague descriptions of their backgrounds, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions. I felt rather frustrated at the lack of depth to the characterisation, rendering them one dimensional. So much is alluded to with one or two line sentences so that the narrative didn’t flow easily, jumping hastily from one person to another.
Whilst the premise is thought provoking with the potential to really keep the reader engaged and entertained, in this instance I just don’t think it’s been well executed . Although I managed to read the whole book within two days, I’m not sure it’s because I had any real desire to discover why Jessie’s housemates are so odd and the importance of past tenants to the storyline which seem to be causing Jessie so much anxiety.Excluding the obvious caution to beware of who you choose to live with, the other main theme is the fragility of mental health and the obsessive nature that some relationships/friendships can take.
Although some reviews have hinted at a disappointing ending I was pleasantly surprised by the last few pages as I do enjoy endings where there is some ambiguity. Despite the fact that on this occasion this thriller didn’t quite live up to expectations, I thoroughly appreciate the opportunity to read courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley.
Indeed the premise for this thriller is intriguing; What could possibly go wrong sharing a house with complete strangers,having no idea if you’ll even like them that much let alone have any inkling of their backgrounds? It’s like taking a step into the unknown, a gamble that may or may not pay off; you could become great friends or be cohabitating with a serial killer!! Obviously it’s a risk many people take and this novel begs the question as to how well do we think we know the people we live with which I believe is a great basis for a twisty, gripping edge of your seat read. Jessie, the protagonist is about to find out that living with strangers should come with a warning to take care!
She is desperate to find accommodation that whilst not necessarily luxurious is at least habitable and her search finally leads her to 4 Maver Place , already home to Lauren, Sofie and Marcus. I expected to be easily drawn into this thriller on the basis that the prologue sounded promising. Instead I found Jessie, escaping from a less than harmonious relationship, to be a character without much backbone, clearly quite vulnerable and naive and desperate to get along with her housemates who appear strange from the start. She is simply annoying and as events unfold I wanted to shake her and scream at her to just move out given all the strange goings on.Luck doesn’t seem to be on her side that’s for sure and rather than deal with things rationally she chooses to find salvation in alcohol. I couldn’t really get a sense of what made any of her housemates tick since their characters are so sketchily drawn, with little or very vague descriptions of their backgrounds, leaving the reader to draw their own conclusions. I felt rather frustrated at the lack of depth to the characterisation, rendering them one dimensional. So much is alluded to with one or two line sentences so that the narrative didn’t flow easily, jumping hastily from one person to another.
Whilst the premise is thought provoking with the potential to really keep the reader engaged and entertained, in this instance I just don’t think it’s been well executed . Although I managed to read the whole book within two days, I’m not sure it’s because I had any real desire to discover why Jessie’s housemates are so odd and the importance of past tenants to the storyline which seem to be causing Jessie so much anxiety.Excluding the obvious caution to beware of who you choose to live with, the other main theme is the fragility of mental health and the obsessive nature that some relationships/friendships can take.
Although some reviews have hinted at a disappointing ending I was pleasantly surprised by the last few pages as I do enjoy endings where there is some ambiguity. Despite the fact that on this occasion this thriller didn’t quite live up to expectations, I thoroughly appreciate the opportunity to read courtesy of the publisher and Netgalley.
April 30, 2020
The Wrong Move is a psychological thriller that hits the ground running from the very first page. Jennifer Savin has cleverly used new-housemate nerves to pile on the tension, sowing seeds of doubt in the reader’s mind about not only what lies behind Marcus, Sofie and Lauren’s seemingly pleasant exteriors but also Jessie’s own reliability as a narrator. So many of the disturbing events that begin to occur – a moving laptop, a lost bracelet, a broken door lock – are so incidental and rationally explained that I began to wonder whether Jessie’s unease about Maven Place was simply the result of her understandably paranoid mind. By the end of the book, it’s apparent that something considerably more sinister is taking place. I won’t spoil the plot but there’s certainly some shocking twists and revelations in there, making The Wrong Move quite the page-turner!
I wasn’t quite so keen on the head-hopping narrative. Whilst most of the book is told from Jessie’s point of view, there are some rather sudden hops into the heads of Sofie, Lauren, Marcus and other, more incidental, characters (Sofie’s jockish boyfriend Henry and the overly-friendly letting agent Ian, for example) that are not always especially well sign-posted. As a result, there was the odd occasion where I had to re-read a paragraph to check the perspective I was reading or found the jarring switch from one character to another jolting me out of my immersion in the book.
The Wrong Move also makes liberal use of some of the staples of the genre. Whilst Jessie, Sofie, and Lauren all felt well-rounded, some of the more incidental characters – especially the men – felt a little generic (there’s the jock, the creep, the loner, the nice guy etc). And whilst a lot of issues touched on in the book – coercive control, domestic abuse, drug abuse, mental illness – are covered with sensitivity, it did sometimes feel as if there wasn’t enough room in the plot to give all of these aspects sufficient space to breath.
Set these niggles aside, however, and there is a lot to like about The Wrong Move. It’s a quick page-turning read and has some fantastic dramatic set-pieces and twisty turning-points. I also really liked the way that the whole narrative is infused with a sense of unease. And whilst the ending didn’t have that jaw-dropping twist moment, the ambiguity of it flowed naturally from the preceding events and made for a satisfyingly creepy conclusion.
Whilst it doesn’t move away from the staples of the genre, The Wrong Move is an accomplished debut. The old adage of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ applies well here – Savin’s debut effectively uses tropes and conventions to create a story brimming with tension, suspicion, and unease and fans of psychological thrillers will find a great deal to enjoy here.
NB: This is an edited version of a review that first appeared on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for The Wrong Move. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
I wasn’t quite so keen on the head-hopping narrative. Whilst most of the book is told from Jessie’s point of view, there are some rather sudden hops into the heads of Sofie, Lauren, Marcus and other, more incidental, characters (Sofie’s jockish boyfriend Henry and the overly-friendly letting agent Ian, for example) that are not always especially well sign-posted. As a result, there was the odd occasion where I had to re-read a paragraph to check the perspective I was reading or found the jarring switch from one character to another jolting me out of my immersion in the book.
The Wrong Move also makes liberal use of some of the staples of the genre. Whilst Jessie, Sofie, and Lauren all felt well-rounded, some of the more incidental characters – especially the men – felt a little generic (there’s the jock, the creep, the loner, the nice guy etc). And whilst a lot of issues touched on in the book – coercive control, domestic abuse, drug abuse, mental illness – are covered with sensitivity, it did sometimes feel as if there wasn’t enough room in the plot to give all of these aspects sufficient space to breath.
Set these niggles aside, however, and there is a lot to like about The Wrong Move. It’s a quick page-turning read and has some fantastic dramatic set-pieces and twisty turning-points. I also really liked the way that the whole narrative is infused with a sense of unease. And whilst the ending didn’t have that jaw-dropping twist moment, the ambiguity of it flowed naturally from the preceding events and made for a satisfyingly creepy conclusion.
Whilst it doesn’t move away from the staples of the genre, The Wrong Move is an accomplished debut. The old adage of ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ applies well here – Savin’s debut effectively uses tropes and conventions to create a story brimming with tension, suspicion, and unease and fans of psychological thrillers will find a great deal to enjoy here.
NB: This is an edited version of a review that first appeared on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for The Wrong Move. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
November 3, 2019
After a relationship breakdown, Jessie Campbell seeks a new life in Brighton where she flat shares with a bunch of strangers. We meet Marcus who's a bit of a loner and spends most of his time in his room. There's Sofie who is outgoing but spends a lot of time at her boyfriend Henry's place trying to impress his mother, and then there's Lauren who is a little over friendly and eager to please.
As the plot unfolds, not only does the story show the difficulties of sharing with strangers, the learning to give and take, and highlights those all important personal boundaries, it's also very clear that things are not all they seem with the residents of 4 Maver Place when a series of incidents happen to Jessie, leaving her trying to uncover her flatmates secrets alongside figuring out who is behind her misfortune.
The plot is easy to follow and has very little twists & turns. I like how the characters are established early on and all of them are relatable on some level. But during the story there are many instances of POV jumps, sometimes more than once in a chapter, which was a little jarring and did interrupt the flow of read for me. I'm also sad to say that the story in places lacked the suspense I've come to expect from thrillers. However, I did enjoy the way the author ended it. That last sentence still has me thinking now.
Overall, The Wrong Move is a good debut and I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled for this authors future books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ebury Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy to review.
As the plot unfolds, not only does the story show the difficulties of sharing with strangers, the learning to give and take, and highlights those all important personal boundaries, it's also very clear that things are not all they seem with the residents of 4 Maver Place when a series of incidents happen to Jessie, leaving her trying to uncover her flatmates secrets alongside figuring out who is behind her misfortune.
The plot is easy to follow and has very little twists & turns. I like how the characters are established early on and all of them are relatable on some level. But during the story there are many instances of POV jumps, sometimes more than once in a chapter, which was a little jarring and did interrupt the flow of read for me. I'm also sad to say that the story in places lacked the suspense I've come to expect from thrillers. However, I did enjoy the way the author ended it. That last sentence still has me thinking now.
Overall, The Wrong Move is a good debut and I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled for this authors future books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Ebury Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy to review.
January 4, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
The "Wrong Move" is one of those intimate domestic noirs that really get under your skin. Pulsating with tension and things that go bump in the night (and day!), this novel will surely make you think twice about flatsharing with a bunch of strangers. Initially, things go well for Jessie when she moves in with Lauren and Sofie.... that is until they don't. Cue a deliciously unnerving tale of mystery and suspense that evokes the psychological motifs of "Single White Female", with the uncanny, atmospheric tropes of "Psycho". This is a novel though best read in the dark, will leave you screaming for the light to banish that indefinable sense of unease that only the night can bring to the latent fears of an unconscious mind. So, as you can guess I found this novel a real page-turner. Whilst the characters in "The Wrong Move" were not particularly likeable, they were my kind of unlikeable; the type of main protagonists so well-drawn you will revel in their devilish mischief - perhaps even urging them on to even greater atrocities. This is fuelled by the change of perspectives in the narrative, which, though jarring at times, effectively plays with the reader's sense of unease; contributing with some aplomb, to the overall arch of the satisfying story Savin is telling. Overall, this was an absorbing, well-written read that was both psychologically astute and uncomfortably suspenseful - a great novel from a talented author.
The "Wrong Move" is one of those intimate domestic noirs that really get under your skin. Pulsating with tension and things that go bump in the night (and day!), this novel will surely make you think twice about flatsharing with a bunch of strangers. Initially, things go well for Jessie when she moves in with Lauren and Sofie.... that is until they don't. Cue a deliciously unnerving tale of mystery and suspense that evokes the psychological motifs of "Single White Female", with the uncanny, atmospheric tropes of "Psycho". This is a novel though best read in the dark, will leave you screaming for the light to banish that indefinable sense of unease that only the night can bring to the latent fears of an unconscious mind. So, as you can guess I found this novel a real page-turner. Whilst the characters in "The Wrong Move" were not particularly likeable, they were my kind of unlikeable; the type of main protagonists so well-drawn you will revel in their devilish mischief - perhaps even urging them on to even greater atrocities. This is fuelled by the change of perspectives in the narrative, which, though jarring at times, effectively plays with the reader's sense of unease; contributing with some aplomb, to the overall arch of the satisfying story Savin is telling. Overall, this was an absorbing, well-written read that was both psychologically astute and uncomfortably suspenseful - a great novel from a talented author.
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