The Woman in the Window Review

Synopsis from Harper Collins’ Website:

For readers of Gillian Flynn and Tana French comes one of the decade’s most anticipated debuts, to be published in thirty-five languages around the world and already in development as a major film from Fox: a twisty, powerful Hitchcockian thriller about an agoraphobic woman who believes she witnessed a crime in a neighboring house.

It isn’t paranoia if it’s really happening . . .

Anna Fox lives alone—a recluse in her New York City home, unable to venture outside. She spends her day drinking wine (maybe too much), watching old movies, recalling happier times . . . and spying on her neighbors.

Then the Russells move into the house across the way: a father, mother, their teenaged son. The perfect family. But when Anna, gazing out her window one night, sees something she shouldn’t, her world begins to crumble?and its shocking secrets are laid bare.

What is real? What is imagined? Who is in danger? Who is in control? In this diabolically gripping thriller, no one—and nothing—is what it seems.

Twisty and powerful, ingenious and moving, The Woman in the Window is a smart, sophisticated novel of psychological suspense that recalls the best of Hitchcock.

About: The Woman in the Window is a psychological thriller written by A. J. Finn. It will be published on 1/2/2018 by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins, 448 pages. The genres are mystery/thriller, fiction, and suspense. According to the publisher’s website, “William Morrow is home to bestselling and award-winning authors such as Ted Bell, Ray Bradbury, Meg Cabot, Patricia Cornwell, ..” It was “founded in 1926 by American publisher William Morrow, the house celebrated its 85th birthday in 2011” and “one of the industry’s premier fiction and nonfiction publishers.” Please see below for more information about the author.

My Experience: I started reading The Woman in the Window on 10/11/17 and finished it on 10/19/17. This book taught me a new phobia people may have. This phobia is interesting. . This book has short chapters and some chapters are even shorter. The mystery behind the main character’s family and the cause of her phobia is arduous to wait. I do enjoy the little information being sprinkled at the remaining 40% of the book. I didn’t want to put the book down after that and it keeps me turning the pages.

This book is told in the first person point of view, following Anna Fox, an agoraphobic and an alcoholic. An Agoraphobic is the fear of being outside the home so Anna has been staying inside her home for the past 10 months. She gets panic attacks if she steps outside of the house. When inside, she likes to occupy her time with black and white movies and pinots. She orders her wines in bulk as well as other groceries deliver to the house. She’s a psychologist before she was homebound, and during the day, she counsels other agoraphobics online. On her spare time, she also likes to watch her neighbors through her Nikon camera. Her neighbors lives in $3.4 million mansions and similar in NYC. Her therapists comes to her home to treat her and her medications are delivered to her door. She doesn’t friends with her neighbors and lives alone. One night, while drunk and heavily medicated, she witnessed the aftermath of a stabbing of her neighbor and reported to the police. The police claims that she made a false report because her neighbor is still intact and nothing had happened. Anna knows what she saw. Does the neighbor’s husband have something to hide or is Anna hallucinating because of her medications?

This book is well written, although the first 60% was a bit slow going for me. Mostly it reads like a women’s fiction. The main character is too reckless for a doctor, mixing alcohol and medications, really, I’m surprised she is still sane. That plot twist though, definitely caught me by surprise! I love it! The mystery behind her and her family is uncalled for. A lot can happen in a multi-story house, not just going up the stairs and going down the stairs many times a day everyday. Remember readers, keep your curtains close. You don’t want your neighbors to watch you like you are in a fishbowl (that idea is from the book). Go read it for yourself! I do recommend it.

Pro: cover, plot twist, phobia, mystery

Con: not thrilling until the remainder of the book

I rate it 4 stars!

Buy here for free shipping: Book Depository

About the Author:

A. J. Finn has written for numerous publications, including the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and the Times Literary Supplement (UK). A native of New York, Finn lived in England for ten years before returning to New York City. (Photo obtained from HarperCollins’ website and info obtained from Edelweiss).

***Disclaimer: Many thanks to the author A. J. Finn, publisher William Morrow, and Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review. Please be assured that my opinions are honest.

xoxo,
Jasmine