Title: The Spite Game by Anna Snoekstra
Publisher: MIRA
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
Everyone does bad things when no one is watching
Mercilessly bullied in high school, Ava knows she needs to put the past behind her and move on, but she can’t—not until she’s exacted precise, catastrophic revenge on the people who hurt her the most.
First, she watches Saanvi. Flawlessly chic and working hard at a top architectural firm, Saanvi has it all together on the surface. But everyone does bad things when they think no one is watching and Ava only wants what’s fair—to destroy Saanvi’s life the way her own was destroyed.
Next, she watches Cass. She’s there as Cass tries on wedding dresses, she’s there when Cass picks out a cake, she’s there when Cass betrays her fiancé. She’s the reason Cass’s entire future comes crashing down.
Finally, Ava watches Mel. Mel was always the ringleader and if anyone has to pay, it’s her. But one tiny slipup and Ava realizes the truth: Mel knows she’s being watched, and she’s ready to play Ava’s games to the bitter end.
Review:
The Spite Game by Anna Snoekstra is a compelling and suspenseful mystery that is somewhat dark and just a bit twisted.
A decade after finishing high school, Ava cannot forgive or forget the bullying she experienced at the hands of mean girls Saanvi, Cass and Mel. Over the years, she has stalked, harassed and tried to ruin the women along with one young man who also pulled a vicious prank on her. Ava will go through periods of time where she resists her obsession, but she finds it impossible to let the past go. As she waits to speak to a detective about one of the women who is currently missing, Ava cannot help but reflect back on the horrendous last year of school and how she has exacted her revenge on the girls who tortured her. What will Ava reveal to the police about the disappearance of the woman whose bullying left deep emotional scars on Ava?
Following a deeply traumatic event, Ava, her mum and older sister Beatrice move to a more rural area yet Ava refuses to change schools. She is inching closer to becoming part of Saanvi, Cass and Mel’s clique and she is delighted when they finally add her to their close-knit group. Mel is their undisputed leader and the girls follow along with whatever plan she devises. However, Ava’s friendship with the girls is uneasy and she is often an unwitting victim to their pranks. She falls victim to a final humiliation that ends their relationship and sets the stage for Ava’s obsession with making them pay for their actions.
The chapters alternate between Ava waiting to speak to detectives and flashbacks of her school years and her revenge on the girls. She is rather unrepentant as she looks back on how she has attempted to destroy Saanvi, Cass and Mel’s lives. The tension builds to a fever pitch as the narrative slowly wends its way to finding out what happened to the missing woman.
The Spite Game is riveting mystery that is quite intriguing. The characters are not at all appealing yet it is impossible not to understand Ava’s quest for vengeance. The plot is well-developed and the suspense keeps the pages turning at a blistering pace. Anna Snoekstra brings the novel to a conclusion that is completely unexpected yet quite satisfying. A very clever mystery I greatly enjoyed and recommend to fans of the genre.
