Title: Rock Paper Scissors

Author: Alice Feeney

Release Date: August 19, 2021

Length: 294 pages

Genre: Mystery / Thriller

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***My Review***

Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

Every marriage experiences problems now and again. The tension increases as the passion and sensations start to wane. What could be a more perfect remedy than a romantic getaway?

Amelia believes that her husband, Adam, and she might be able to repair their relationship after she wins a mysterious weekend getaway to an old chapel in the Scottish Highlands. She believes the time and apart from his job will make it easier for them to rekindle their feelings.

Interestingly, Adam concurs, and the two leave. Their trip is challenging due to the poor weather and heavy snowfall.

Adam and Amelia rapidly discover they might not be alone on this vacation, and what should be an opportunity to bond and converse turns into something far more dangerous. What is the game being played, who is the game being played, who is participating, who will win, and what is the reward?

This book was really enjoyable and interesting to read! The brief chapters allowed for quick passage. As the plot developed, a great sensation of dreadful anxiety gradually increased. Every time I took this book up, I wanted to reach for a blanket because of the book’s pronounced wintery mood and icy, remote region.

Rock Paper Scissors was a captivating thriller with supernatural undertones that was mostly recounted through Mr. and Mrs. Wright’s points of view. Through yearly unsent anniversary letters from Mrs. Wright to her husband, it transitioned between the present chronology in Scotland and the past.

This book by the author has a slightly different tone than the author’s earlier works. The chapters are not as suspenseful as those in earlier novels, where each one seemed to finish on a mini cliffhanger.

 It should also be noted that the first half of the book unfolds at a slightly slower speed, switching back and forth between the chapel’s present-day situation and the meticulously crafted letters that offer background information.

Let’s begin with Adam, who is a perfect case of an unreliable narrator. He is a narcissistic, workaholic, and self-centered man. Add to this his neurological disorder “Prosopagnosia,” which prevents him from seeing differentiating characteristics on faces, even his own. If we add that their relationship is in disarray, readers cannot help but wonder why anybody would want to marry him, yet he does appear to be charming when he wants to be.

His wife Amelia has about had it with his lack of interest in her. He avoids discussing her career or potential pals with her. After unsuccessful attempts at counseling, it is suggested that a weekend getaway would be the answer. She is optimistic but keeps her concerns hidden. Yet throughout the whole novel, her resentment and disillusionment are evident.

There were several amazing twists and revelations in this story, including a finale that truly worked. I like the way the plot was organized and the different secrets were disclosed, first to the characters and then to the reader.

Although I normally avoid stories with impossible components, the language in this book was so engrossing, compelling, and addicting that I felt obliged to complete it.

Try this book if you want to read something filled with deceit, secrets, slowly rising suspense, ingenious twists, and manipulative people. The suspenseful, fast-read Rock Paper Scissors will have you guessing right up until the very last page.