***** 5 star Thriller Read - Could not put down! *****
I really enjoyed my reading experience with "Woman on the Edge." It was all the things I love in a great thriller - harrowing tension, psychological mistrust, family intrigue, a past that affects the present, and an unreliable narrator. It was full of conflict and twists, and action and intrigue that had me turning the pages non-stop! I almost finished it in one sitting except that it got really late and I passed out! This was a really quick intense read.
New mother Nicole, tortured by her past experience as a nanny, fears constantly for the safety of her new baby girl Quinn. Her paranoia and over-reliance on pills to calm her constant panic quickly exacerbate what is already a stressful time - being a new mom. Her quick dissolution from super efficient and competent CEO of a leading brand to an unhinged mother desperate to keep her daughter safe, even to her own detriment, was extremely fast and at times I wondered, could this really happen to someone? The believability all is due to a past traumatic event related to being a nanny as a teen, and being stalked by that child's mother over the period of years. The paranoia she has is therefore justified at first with the thought that this jealous, angry mother could still be wanting to "attack" her or take from Nicole her precious baby. Aside from this, things start happening around the house that make her doubt her sanity vs. intensifying her paranoia that someone is after her and the baby. Did she forget to lock the door? Did she leave that album out? Did she see someone watching her, stalking her on the few occasions she left the house? One day, she decides that the only way to keep Quinn safe is to get her to someone who will care for her, someone she can trust. Morgan seems just like that person, except, to Morgan, Nicole and Quinn are strangers. When Nicole approaches Morgan in the subway, clutching Quinn, eyes desperate, looking disheveled, insisting that Morgan take the baby and "protect her" Morgan is startled and confused. Standing dangerously close to the tracks, Nicole shoves the baby into Morgan's arms whispering frantically, "love her for me...Morgan" and jumps onto the tracks on an ongoing train.
Traumatized, Morgan is left holding a baby, unsure what just happened. Her main concerns were to do as instructed, "keep Quinn safe" and she goes on quite an adventure while trying to do so!
This book will have you whizzing through it, as it is very well paced and will keep you guessing on who is out to get Nicole, Quinn, and Morgan! If you like psychological and/or family type thrillers, this one will be for you. In fact, if you just like thrillers, fast paced reads, and nail-biting, pick up this book as soon as possible!
WOMAN ON THE EDGE BY SAMANTHA M BAILEY - out for Publication on Mar 3, 2020
