On a sunny summer morning by the sea in New England, Susan Ford’s cocoon of privilege is threatened when an Iraqi man from her distant past boards a plane in Baghdad to come find her.
Mrs. Ford leads a privileged life. From her Blenheim spaniels to her cottage on the coast of Watch Hill, Rhode Island, she carefully curates her world. Hair in place, house in place, life in place, Susan Ford keeps it under control.
Early one morning in the summer of 2014, the past pays a call to collect. The FBI arrives to question her about a man from Iraq—a Chaldean Christian from Mosul—where ISIS has just seized control. Sammy Fakhouri, they say, is his name and they have taken him into custody, picked up on his way to her house.
Back in the summer of 1979, on the outskirts of a declining Detroit, college coed Susan meets charismatic and reckless Annie. They are an unlikely pair of friends but they each see something in the other—something they’d like to possess. Studious Susan is a moth to the flame that is Annie. Yet, it is dazzling Annie who senses that Susan will be the one who makes it out of Detroit.
Together, the girls navigate the minefields of a down-market disco where they work their summer jobs. It’s a world filled with pretty girls and powerful men, some of whom—like Sammy Fakhouri—happen to be Iraqi Chaldeans.
What happened in that summer of 1979 when Susan and Annie met? Why is Sammy looking for Susan all these years later? And why is Mrs. Ford lying?
I remember growing up and watching soap operas with my mom or my grandma. One of the favorites was All My Children. I remember watching almost every episode that came on and I definitely remember the legendary Silver Kane! So, I was beyond thrilled to learn that she wrote a book and even more thrilled to know I got to review it! Let me tell you what. This book was amazing! Deborah Royce’s talent shines through with this thrilling novel and really kept me captive through out.
Her characters are wonderfully chiseled. They have so much depth and I felt like I knew each one on a personal level, that’s how amazingly created they are. Added to these amazing characters, is a detailed and twisting plot. The suspense is riveting and the pages were turning late into the night for me. That’s just how I love my thriller novels!
If you have not picked it up yet, you must. You’ll find yourself getting pulled into the story instantly and held there, following each turn, and gasping at every twist. Mrs. Royce wrote this novel like a seasoned author and it is one I won’t soon forget it! I highly recommend it to all who love thrillers. From hit actress, to amazingly talented author…..Mrs. Royce is now on my must reads list! Well done! I can’t wait for the next one!
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Publisher and was under no obligation to post a review, positive or negative.*
Reading updates
-
Started reading
-
Finished reading
-
16 April, 2020:
Reviewed