Under Your Skin
Under Your Skin by Rose McClelland 2020 Thriller
The story of an unhappy marriage is told through different characters beginning with the husband, Kyle, calling the police to report his wife is missing. He begins as a sympathetic husband concerned about his wife’s welfare but as the story progresses, his secrets are revealed.
Other characters have secrets as well with police investigator Kerry attracted to her superior Simon, who is married but reveals some cracks in the relationship. Kate and Guy are another couple who have secrets and problems revealed chapter by chapter.
Then there is Hannah, the missing wife, who uses pills and alcohol to cope with life and doesn’t seem to mind being held captive in a basement. Add Julia, who volunteers to search for Hannah but ends up sleeping with Kyle.
McClelland builds the history and adds tension with each new revelation. The story looks at domestic violence and the problems of reporting, escaping, and the escalation of violence. The characters act logically and act intelligently but that doesn’t guarantee safety.
I wrote a news story about a woman who had a restraining order on her husband, owned a gun and a dog, but her husband lured his three teenage sons away from the house and broke down the door. He shot her before she could shoot him – she had a gun in her hand and a cell phone in the other. She did everything right but still ended up dead. He also shot the dog, who survived. The husband then shot himself and the sons returned home to find them.
This story is was well-written but each character told his or her story from first person point of view. Even though each chapter was labeled, it seemed like a lot of heads to get inside of for the story. I would also like to see phrases like “I heard” eliminated and show more than tell. These are minor problems and don’t take away from a page-turning story. Another thing to watch is three names starting with K – Kyle, Kerry, and Kate.
More reviews are available at http://www.authorfreeman.wordpress.com
