Title: Open Your Eyes by Paula Daly
Publisher: Grove Press
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 304 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
From acclaimed novelist and “master of psychological thrillers” (Library Journal) Paula Daly, Open Your Eyes follows a bestselling crime novelist’s tragic turn from fictional perpetrator into real-life victim.
Jane Campbell avoids confrontation at any costs. Given the choice, she’ll always let her husband, Leon―a bestselling crime writer―take the lead, while she focuses on her two precious young children and her job as a creative writing teacher. After she receives another rejection for her novel, Leon urges Jane to put her hobby to rest. And why shouldn’t she, when through Jane’s rose-tinted glasses, they appear to have the perfect house and the perfect life?
But then Leon is brutally attacked in their driveway while their children wait quietly in the car, and suddenly, their perfect life becomes the stuff of nightmares. Who would commit such a hateful offense in broad daylight? With her husband in a coma, Jane must open her eyes to the problems in her life, as well as the secrets that have been kept from her. Although she might not like what she sees, if she’s committed to discovering who hurt her husband―and why―Jane must take matters into her own hands.
A surprising and gripping thriller of pride, ambition, and envy, Open Your Eyes is an unsettling whodunit about the illusions of a perfect marriage that confirms Paula Daly as a writer at the forefront of domestic suspense.
Review:
Open Your Eyes by Paula Daly is a clever, twist-filled domestic mystery.
Jane Campbell and her husband Leon are happily married with two young children. As they are leaving to celebrate Leon’s birthday, Jane runs into the house to grab something and when she returns, she notices something is not quite right with her husband. After he crashes their car into a neighbor’s brick wall, Jane learns the stunning truth-Leon has been brutally attacked. As Leon is placed into a medically induced coma, Jane learns some unsettling information that leads her to question everything she thinks she knows about her husband. When Detective Inspector Hazel Ledecky suspects Jane might be responsible for Leon’s injuries, Jane begins conducting her own investigation to find out who wanted to kill her husband. Will she uncover the truth before it is too late?
Jane is a fairly passive woman who avoids confrontation. After giving birth to their children, she also turned over all financial responsibility to Leon. Jane has struggled for years to publish her manuscripts and Leon is quite supportive of her efforts. She teaches creative writing and after her husband’s attack, she realizes that Leon has been keeping several secrets from her. She also finds some troubling files on his computer, but she is having trouble making sense of what her discoveries mean.
Leon is a moderately successful author of a gritty detective series. He has a bit of a short fuse but Jane has no reason to fear for her safety. Leon can be a bit dismissive of other writers and he has had a few run-ins with another author. But as far as Jane can tell, no one would have any reason to want to harm her husband.
After Leon emerges from his coma, Jane is shocked by the changes in her husband. His traumatic brain injury is quite serious and his recovery will be long. Although Jane is ill-prepared to care for him, Leon is quickly released from the hospital and sent home. His memory issues are severe and he is prone to angry outbursts. Jane is surprisingly firm with him when she needs to be but she continually questions whether she is up to the task of caring for him.
The police investigation into Leon’s attack soon stalls due to a lack of evidence, motive and suspects. Jane has reason to fear for her family’s safety and she quietly continues trying to figure out who is responsible. When Jane stumbles onto the startling truth, will DI Ledecky believe her?
Open Your Eyes is an absolutely riveting mystery that is quite engaging. Jane is a sympathetic and likable protagonist who discovers hidden strengths when faced with adversity. The storyline is tautly plotted and moves at a brisk pace. Paula Daly’s meticulous research into traumatic brain injuries adds authenticity to the plot. Readers will be genuinely surprised when Jane uncovers the perpetrator’s identity and motive for Leon’s attack. I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend this suspenseful mystery to fans of the genre.
