New York Times bestselling author of Pretty Little Liars Sara Shepard makes her mark on adult fiction with this Hitchcockian double narrative composed of lies, false memories, and a protagonist who must uncover the truth for survival. When debut novelist Eliza Fontaine is found at the bottom of a hotel pool, her family at first assumes that it’s just another failed suicide attempt. But Eliza swears she was pushed, and her rescuer is the only witness. Desperate to find out who attacked her, Eliza takes it upon herself to investigate. But as the publication date for her novel draws closer, Eliza finds more questions than answers. Like why are her editor, agent, and family mixing up events from her novel with events from her life? Her novel is completely fictional, isn’t it? The deeper Eliza goes into her investigation while struggling with memory loss, the closer her life starts to resemble her novel, until the line between reality and fiction starts to blur and she can no longer tell where her protagonist’s life ends and hers begins. Fans of Pretty Little Liars, S.J. Watson’s Before I Go to Sleep, and Ruth Ware’s The Woman in Cabin 10 will be drawn to the drama of feeling like no one is on your side, the high tension of not knowing who you can trust, the hair-raising truths hidden among lies, and a faceless, nameless presence controlling Eliza’s life from the shadows.
Source: Publisher![]()
Three and a half stars: A twisty little mystery with an unreliable narrator whom you just can’t trust.
Eliza checks into the hotel and immediately raids the wet bar. She knows she shouldn’t drink, but just one or two drinks won’t hurt, right? The next thing she knows, Eliza is waking up in the hospital after nearly drowning in the hotel pool. Her family and doctors believe that Eliza once again tried to commit suicide, but Eliza is over the suicidal tendencies after overcoming her brain tumor. Eliza is certain that someone pushed her, but who would push her why, especially right before her debut novel releases? Is someone out to get Eliza?
What I Liked:
- The Elizas is a suspenseful mystery with two story lines. It follows Eliza, a debut novelist, who is certain someone tried to kill her. Then there is the secondary story arc that features the tale between the two Dots, which is the story in Eliza’s novel. I enjoyed the double story lines and the suspense in this one. Plus, add in Eliza, the unreliable narrator, and you have the makings for a solid psychological thriller.
- I enjoy a good unreliable narrator, and Eliza is definitely someone you can’t figure out. I wanted to like her, but she doesn’t even truly like her self. She engages in destructive behaviors, and her mental stability is questionable. She swims in a fog, and often appears delusional. Yet, there is so much more to her than meets the eye. It was fascinating to watch her overcome and learn the truth.
- At first, I wasn’t sure about the secondary story line of the two Dots, but the more I read, the more invested I became in this portion of the story. It was just as interesting as the main story line.
- There are some twists and turns, that I enjoyed. For the most part, the big reveal was easy to see coming, for me at least, but then there were a few other surprises that I didn’t anticipate. I liked that suspense and the reveals.
- The ending was satisfying, it appeared that all the loose threads were done up, and I was relieved at the outcome, but then the author throws in one final twist that leaves the reader wondering......
- I listened to the audiobook version narrated by Jayme Matler. This is my first time listening to Ms. Matler, and I would certainly listen to her again. She did an excellent job with the characters and the voices, I especially liked her depiction of Dot.
And The Not So Much:
- I think the drawback for me with this one was that I spent the entire time clamoring for a character to latch onto and like. I could never really relate to anyone, and I ended up finishing the novel not liking any of the characters. It makes it harder to become invested in the story when you don’t like any of the characters.
- I was satisfied with the ending until the author threw in that final wrench. It felt that last twist was unnecessary and I didn’t like that it left me wondering.
- For me, it was easy to figure out how the two story lines were going to intersect, I wish that it had been more of a surprise.
The Elizas is an entertaining mystery with a great deal of suspense and plenty of twists and turns. It features an unreliable narrator whom you want to like, but you just can’t. Overall, I enjoyed the story, but my one big hesitation with this book was that I ended up not liking any of the characters, and it is hard to truly invest oneself in a story when everyone remains unlikeable. Still it was an interesting read, one I would recommend for anyone who wants a good psychological thriller.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review.