The October List by Jeffery Deaver – 2 Stars

[Hannah]

I went into The October List expecting the fast-paced twists and tension I usually enjoy in a thriller, but unfortunately, this one just didn’t land for me. The main issue was the structure — it’s told entirely in reverse, which sounded clever in theory, but in practice, it really took the punch out of the suspense. Instead of building momentum, it felt like the story was constantly backtracking, and by the time things were supposed to be getting tense, I was more confused than gripped.

The characters felt a bit thin too. I struggled to connect with them, maybe because the structure didn’t allow much room for development, as we are thrown into the consequences before we ever get a proper sense of their motivations. There were moments where the plot could have been interesting, but the backwards timeline made it all feel muddled rather than mysterious. I can see what Deaver was trying to do, but for me, the format just got in the way of the story.

[Olivermagnus]

I hated this book. The reverse order made it impossible to enjoy. I understand why an author would like to change things up a bit and try out new things but this just didn't work for me as a reader.

[Olivermagnus]

I hated this book. The reverse order made it impossible to enjoy. I understand why an author would like to change things up a bit and try out new things but this just didn't work for me as a reader.

[Hannah]

Olivermagnus wrote: "I hated this book. The reverse order made it impossible to enjoy. I understand why an author would like to change things up a bit and try out new things but this just didn't work for me as a reader."

We had very similar thoughts on this book, and unfortunately it has put me off trying other books by this author.