I first saw her on the platform on my way home from work a few weeks ago. She had an aura about her that made people stop and stare. Then I saw her again. And again. Our twice weekly commute into London Waterloo insync. She was always so poised, so pretty, so perfect.
Everything I’m not.
In my head, her name’s Lucia, and she’s a glamorous catwalk model from Milan who commutes from Winchester to attend casting calls in the city. But this morning she’s late, barely making the train as
the doors close. She doesn’t take her usual seat, instead staying close to the doors…
Then it hits me – she looks terrified.
I feel compelled to help her, and against my better judgement I stand up and move towards her. It’s then the illusion crumbles. Her name’s not Lucia, but Allie. Not a model, but a woman in need of dire
help. She tells me she’s in danger, that she’s done something dreadful and I don’t know why I do it, but I promise to keep her safe.
But I shouldn’t make promises I know I can’t keep.
Because my life isn’t as picture perfect as I like to pretend, and I can’t stop wondering if maybe I’m not the only one pretending…
M.A. Hunter is the author of psychological and crime thrillers, including The Boat Party, One Wrong Turn, and Every Step You Take. Born in the north-east of England, he now lives in Southampton
where many of his stories are set, allowing him to use his insider knowledge to deliver realistic and unsettling suspense on every page.
Away from writing, M.A. loves to read anything that will keep him awake at night. He’s also a passionate advocate for contemporary cinema and binge-watching the latest offerings from streaming services. He is married with a son and a daughter, and two dogs.
M.A. also writes under the name Stephen Edger.
Facebook: @AnAutieAuthor
Twitter: @AnAutieAuthor Instagram:@AnAutieAuthor
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My thoughts: when I used to commute across London for work, aiming to get the same train every day, I did sometimes recognise some of my fellow passengers (the 8am pigeon for example) but I never spoke to any of them. Unlike Jenna who offers assistance to a woman she recognises when she sees her in distress.
Unfortunately for Jenna, Allie isn’t the innocent victim she pretends to be, she’s a cuckoo in the nest. She uses Jenna’s fears, her struggles to read people (she’s autistic) and her family’s mental health issues (her mother is sadly very unwell) against her. Or is Jenna just paranoid?
This is a twisted psychological thriller, is Jenna the victim or the aggressor? Is Allie who she claims to be or there to destroy Jenna? As Allie seems to be taking over her life, can Jenna fight back or will she lose everything?
The twists are so good, you won’t see them coming. Promise. I gasped at the ending. So good.
*I was kindly gifted a copy of this book in exchange for taking part in this blog tour, but all opinions remain my own.
ramblingmads 