Title: A Woman Alone by Nina Laurin
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Suspense
Length: 337 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
A house with the darkest of secrets.
A woman who is the only one who knows.
It’s another bright, sunny day in Venture, Illinois, the sort of place where dreams come true and families can get a fresh start. Cecelia Holmes deserves it after the home invasion that shattered her previous life. Now everything seems perfect – her high-security SmartHome, her doting husband, her sweet daughter.
Until she begins to feel spied on. Her husband doesn’t believe her. Her neighbors ignore her. So when she discovers a shocking secret about the prior occupant of their house, she feels that she has no one to turn to. And now Cecelia must face her fears alone…
Review:
A Woman Alone by Nina Laurin is a sinister domestic mystery.
Cecelia Holmes, husband Scott and three year old daughter Taryn live in an exclusive community which utilizes AI technology to keep them safe and perform daily household activities. Initially comforted by the security measures, Cecelia is becoming increasingly uneasy about their home. She is also troubled by Taryn’s tantrums and odd behavior. But it is not until the smart home begins calling her “Lydia” and starts malfunctioning that she becomes truly frightened. Who is Lydia? And why doesn’t anyone in the community want to talk about her?
Cecelia is a stay at home mom who is extremely stressed despite their home’s numerous conveniences. Scott does not take her concerns seriously and she is growing angry with his dismissive attitude. Cecelia gives in to his suggestion to go to counseling although her previous bout of therapy did not help her. She has many regrets about their move into the SmartHome, but Scott quickly shuts down her requests to move back to the home they own. Convinced the house is out to get her, Cecelia is determined to find out the truth about Lydia.
Cecelia runs into roadblocks everywhere she turns in her quest for answers. She is intimidated by their few neighbors around them and they are not exactly helpful when she asks about Lydia. After meeting another school mom, Cecelia realizes that many of the people in the community are harboring secrets. Which brings up concerns about how the company who owns the SmartHomes is using their data. Worrying about her own secrets, Cecelia hopes to escape the enclave before her past catches up with her.
A Woman Alone is a mesmerizing mystery with an innovative plot and spine chilling setting. The characters are not particularly likeable but they are interesting. The story is well-written and moves at a brisk pace. With stunning twists and turns, Nina Laurin brings this suspenseful mystery to a very unanticipated conclusion. I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend this clever domestic mystery.
