Disclaimer – Renee Knight
What if you realized the book you were reading was all about you?
It is unmistakably you.
Worse, it is about something that you have never told anyone – anyone living that is.
Many thanks to Alison Barrow of Transworld for my review copy.
Catherine Ravenscroft is reading a book. As the story unfolds she realises that she is reading her own story, the character names have been changed but there is no doubt that this is a book about her. Unfortunately for Catherine this is not a flattering tale and her darkest secrets are being revealed and even worse the ending is genuinely terrifying as it portrays Catherine’s death.
How has this book made its way into her home? Who is the author that has been able to recount events that only Catherine can know about? And who else is reading the book?
Disclaimer is one of the books that I cannot discuss too openly in a review. A psychological thriller which you need to read for yourself to appreciate the impact of the twists and revelations. Renee Knight has delivered a tight thriller depicting a woman who is trying to retain a degree of control while all around her the life she has built for her-self is crumbling apart.
My (non-spoiler) thoughts in brief:
Initially it is easy to empathise with Catherine: someone is targeting her and she is scared. Then we meet author of the book and learn that there are two sides to every story and we start to question what we know about Catherine. A nice touch as I had been too trusting that Catherine was all she appeared to be – who is telling the truth?
Renee Knight does a masterful job of depicting Catherine’s descent into a fearful paranoia. Secrets will out but there will be pain and heartbreak before all the facts are known.
An unsettling story but one that will keep you reading late into the night.
Disclaimer is published by Doubleday on 9th April 2015.