Clare Mackintosh’s 2015 release, I Let You Go, was one of my favourite books of the year. It featured a mid-story twist which almost made me drop my iPad in the bathtub. (In related news, thank god for LifeProof covers!)

So… you can imagine my excitement when I discovered Mackintosh had a new book being released… and fortunately her latest, I See You offers up the complex and twisty plot we’ve come to expect from the former police officer.

I See You
by Clare Mackintosh
Published by Sphere
on July 28th 2016
Source: NetGalley, Hachette Australia
Genres: Thriller / Suspense, Psychological Thriller
ISBN: 0751566047, 9780751566048, 9780751554120
Pages: 368

Goodreads

When Zoe Walker sees her photo in the classifieds section of a London newspaper, she is determined to find out why it's there. There's no explanation, no website: just a grainy image and a phone number.

She takes it home to her family, who are convinced it's just someone who looks like Zoe. But the next day the advert shows a photo of a different woman, and another the day after that.

Is it a mistake? A coincidence? Or is someone keeping track of every move they make . .

In this day and age, swiping a photo of someone from Facebook and using it isn’t that uncommon. All sorts of people suddenly find themselves the face of diet products or owners of social media accounts they know nothing about.

Zoe gets worried however, when she discovers other women who’ve featured in the same classifieds ad have met with various accidents… and then one’s murdered.

Her friends and family remain dismissive but thankfully she meets PS Kelly Swift from the British Transport Police who’s working on one of the cases – involving a woman who was robbed on the Underground.

Kelly is an ambitious officer and desperate for more than the uniformed work she’s doing with the Neighbourhood Policing Team.

Given her role with the transport police and history with the case Kelly manages to convince the team investigating the murder to second her onto their team – determined to move beyond the incident that demoted her to her uniformed role.

The Murder Investigation Team – ably assisted by the resourceful Kelly – discovers a devious game of cat and mouse being played without the victim’s knowledge.

Zoe soon finds herself wondering how she was targeted and who could possibly wish her harm. And it’s not long before she starts doubting those around her – and there are plenty of suspects – from her ex-husband to new husband (so disliked by her children), her creepy boss, their IT-savvy neighbour and her daughter’s strange new boyfriend.

Mackintosh has again come up with an amazing idea for a plot. This – and I can’t say what we learn it is – is VERY different. And kinda creepy.

And like Zoe, we’re kept guessing. And just when we think we’ve got it solved… there’s a spanner tossed in for good measure.

I loved Zoe and Kelly and Mackintosh adds complexity and texture to their characters through the inclusion of Zoe’s relationship with her husband, kids and ex, and Kelly’s relationship with her twin and the baggage that threatens their relationship.

It’s great to see Mackintosh not fall into that ‘second book syndrome’… And although I think I enjoyed I Let You Go more (particularly the plot twist element), she most certainly delivers with book number two.

I See You by Clare Mackintosh will be published in Australia by Hachette on 26 July and elsewhere by Sphere (Little Brown Book Group) on 28 July 2016.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for review purposes.

Do you love good twist?