I received an Advance Reader Copy of this book at Bouchercon Toronto. I’ll admit my first thought was “Please, not another book with girl or woman in the title.” Then I read the first chapter and I was hooked.
The woman in the window is Dr. Anna Fox, a psychologist with a serious drinking problem who also suffers from an acute case of agoraphobia. To pass the time, she spies on her neighbors, in much the same way Jimmy Stewart does in Hitchcock’s classic Rear Window. It’s not the only nod the author gives to Hitchcock: beyond the fact that her protagonist is a classic movie buff, the pacing of this suspenseful thriller pays homage to Hitchcock’s style (there are even a couple of MacGuffins).
The chapters are short, often no more than one or two pages, which makes for a quick read (I can read one more chapter before bed…maybe another…and another…). Each chapter represents a new day in the life of Dr. Anna Fox, gradually unraveling the reason for her downward spiral, and cleverly juxtaposed against her fascination with the Russell family across the way. The end result is a fast-paced psychological suspense thriller with a believable plot, plenty of twists and turns, and a satisfying end with a couple of surprises I didn’t see coming. One, in particular, I actually gave a little gasp. Love when that happens!
The Woman in the Window is scheduled for release in January 2018, with a major motion picture already in the works. Word has it several A-list actresses are vying for the role of Dr. Anna Fox. Kudos to A.J. Finn for a phenomenal debut novel.
Sounds like I definitely need to read this!
It’s very clever. I did, on occasion, get a bit tired of her drinking, but not enough to take away from the story.
I had that issue with Girl on a Train.
Yes so did I. In many ways, this is similar. Unreliable narrator (though not as unreliable), substance abuse problems…