Rear Window with a modern twist.

Genre: Mystery

Pages: 447

First published: 2018

Original language: English

The plot: Anna Fox is a recluse, confined to her New York home by agoraphobia. Her days are spent watching black and white movies, drinking (a lot) of wine, and observing the outside world from her window. But when Anna witnesses a crime in the house across the street, she begins to doubt everything she believed to be true. Secrets are laid bare, and her reality is questioned.

What did I think of this book?

After reading two surprisingly wonderful novels one after another, it would have been difficult for this one to top them. It didn’t, sadly. It was ok. Plot wise, it’s very similar to Rear Window (which is potentially deliberate), and has many of the typical features of a psychological thriller – a lonely, damaged lead, a mysterious death, characters who appear to be the villain of the piece but in reality are anything but, a twist ending. You get the picture. It’s a well crafted piece and many people seemed to love it. I wanted to but inevitably did not. It was cliched, derivative, and ultimately didn’t do it for me.

What was most intriguing?

The twists at least were shocking, and I for one didn’t see either of them coming. This is unusual! I have a habit of taking a wild guess at what I suspect the twist will be / who I think the murderer is, and on many occasions I’ve been proved right. This time I was way off, and I couldn’t help feeling impressed. Ultimately, if you enjoy psychological thrillers, you’ll probably love this book. The lead character is flawed but sympathetic (what she suffers before and during the events of the novel is truly horrific), but has been done before and will again. Whilst reading this novel, I couldn’t help but compare it to other similar pieces, such as The Girl on the Train or Sharp Objects.

What am I going to take away from this book?

That’ I’m glad I’m not as nosy as Anna Fox! (Although I can imagine it would be easy to become so, trapped in the house all day) This book was ultimately a diversion for me, returning to work after a relaxing holiday, but that’s where it ended for me. I found it difficult to connect to the story, and found it to be derivative and cliched. Some reviews describe The Woman in the Window as a future classic, but I found this to be inaccurate. There seems to be a trend in recent years for novels of this type, and like many trends, it may not prove to be long lasting.

Will I enjoy this book?

Undoubtedly, if you enjoy psychological thrillers. But if you’re like me and they’re not your thing, approach with caution.

Rating : 3/5