Cover Image: His & Hers

His & Hers

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

This was a very interesting read! The ending I was NOT EXPECTING AT ALL. I would guess who the killer was over and over and was proved wrong over and over.
Overall I liked it but I didn't love it and honestly all of the characters and what happened in the past was just horrible but it was a definite addicting read.

Was this review helpful?

His & Hers is the story of Jack and Anna, who are thrown together when a murder is committed in the town of Blackdown. When Jack, a detective, realizes that the victim is a woman that is well known to him, he decides to keep that detail to himself, but soon realizes that he is becoming a suspect in his own investigation. Anna, a BBC news reporter who just lost her anchor spot, is deployed to Blackdown to cover the murder. However, Blackdown isn’t just a random town to Anna - it is her hometown...and the victim is her former best friend. Told in alternating perspectives, it is clear that both Jack and Anna have not been entirely forthcoming with each other, and the more lies that get told and secrets kept hidden will put themselves and others in danger.
Wow - this was a WILD story. I loved the structure of this book with getting the alternating insight into Jack and Anna’s heads. They were both clearly suffering from intense personal emotional pain on top of trying to deal with this case, which brought a lot of depth to their characters. And it wasn’t like this case was of the “garden variety” either - the author takes the characters and the reader to some deep, dark, twisted places that left me aghast and riveted at the same time. Those feelings were created through the tone the author set for this story from the outset, and also by the just- graphic-enough descriptions of the horrific events in both the past and present. Really well done.
Where the story lost me a bit was the ending. It was a lot of exposition, which had me going back and reevaluating how each piece fit into the story as it happened in the book and if it made sense. I can’t say that I’m 100% on everything fitting, but it was believable for the most part. I also feel unresolved about Jack’s house keys and Priya’s character in terms of her actions and motivations, but don’t want to go into further detail for fear of spoilers. Regardless, this was a very entertaining thriller, and as the publisher’s synopsis promised, I was kept guessing to the very end. 4.25 stars

*I received an advanced e-copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange from an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Holy (insert your choice of expletive here) Moly. This book is literally the definition of the mind blown emoji. This is by far the BEST thriller I have read in 2020. I cannot even explain my thoughts right now because I’m still a little mind blown.

The twists, the turns, the red herrings. All of it was amazing. I usually am pretty good at guessing who did it and why. This book had me guessing until the very end, and I still didn’t guess correctly. Every chapter I felt like a detective trying to solve the case, and I was left with such a satisfying and beautifully executed ending. I went and re-read a few chapters knowing the spoilers that I do now,
and it made the book THAT much better.

At first, I didn’t enjoy the dual perspective chapters. I felt like it was almost repetitive. But, a few chapters in, it made me wonder how the other person was going to react in their chapter and I looked forward to it. It was a clever chapter writing style that paid off in my opinion. It kept me engrossed and helped with character development.

His & Hers is by far, my favorite thriller of the year. I’ve read many thrillers, but this one takes the cake. Thank you Flatiron Books & NetGalley for the ARC. I will be purchasing this hardback when it comes out as this is a book everyone needs on their bookshelf.

Was this review helpful?

So the whole time I was reading this book I kept trying to predict the twist, guessing one character, then the next and nothing could have prepared me for the actual twist!! This book truly kept me on the edge of my seat and I definitely will be recommending it to my friends to read this summer

Was this review helpful?

For a while, I thought I knew what was going on in this, who the killer was. I was wrong at every turn. A fantastic read.

Was this review helpful?

His & Hers is a very dark, twisted thriller. This book needs a trigger warning for assault/rape of young girls and animal abuse. I liked the his vs hers alternating storylines with the murderer occasionally narrating his or her own story, and the ending was very well done; but I found the story difficult to read at times because of how dark it was. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Was this review helpful?

*MANY THANKS to NetGalley, Flatiron Books, and the incredible Alice Feeney for an ARC of this book!*

Anna Andrews has the chance of a lifetime: to step into her dream role as lead TV presenter at the BBC. When she's asked to cover a murder, the victim is familiar...uncomfortably familiar. Enter Jack, DCI assigned to the case who realizes he not only knows this woman, but is dangerously linked to her too...but how? A battle of His vs. Hers begins. Whose story do you trust....His, or Hers?

Feeney is the perfect example of the thriller writer whose books have it all, and I really cannot stress that enough. I knew picking up this book I would be engrossed, terrified, and desperate to know more! The dueling perspectives of His vs. Hers (and the extra added bonus of a 'secret' narrator) kept the story tumbling, twisting, and untangling until the very last page. I think of Alice Feeney's writing as nesting dolls: she slowly unearths one layer at a time, leading you to a different conclusion and a deeper understanding of each character as the story progresses. The pacing is always spot-on, which is so important to me in these types of books. I'm always impressed how she is able to work in such astute observations about the human condition and the good and evil in all of us in all of her novels. Her thrillers make you THINK, and I love that!

Feeney could also teach a master class on how to end a chapter...WOW. This is how reading can keep you up all night!! I had to force myself to slow down and savor this book because I've been waiting so long to read it and I was so sad to see it end. The last killer twist was just the icing on the cake.

This book has reaffirmed everything I love about Alice Feeney and her beautifully twisted writing. I will continue to highly recommend her to ANYONE who wants a fantastic thriller and easily see this in my top 20 for 2020!

Was this review helpful?

I received an eARC of His & Hers by Alice Feeney from the publisher (Flatiron Books). His & Hers is scheduled for release on July 28, 2020.

At the heart of His & Hers is a murder investigation. Anna is a recently demoted news presenter for the BBC who is assigned to cover the story, which coincidentally happened in her home town. When she arrives, she learns that the victim is someone she knew well, and soon finds herself in the middle of the investigation.

Our other main character is Jack, a police investigator assigned to the case. We quickly learn that Jack knew the victim, as well, though he maintains that secret from the other investigators on the case.

His & Hers is told in chapters that alternate between the points of view of these two main characters. Inserted in some of their chapters is a third point of view, an unknown narrator who presents themselves as the murderer.

The strength of this novel lies in the characters. We have the two main characters, a group of friends from Anna’s high schools days, and the investigative team. Feeney does an excellent job of painting these characters, giving each of them distinctive traits and flaws. What she does exceptionally well is present them in a way that makes it clear none of them can be trusted. There was not a single character in this novel that I took at face value. It is clear that each of them has secrets and blemishes, though none of the characters flaunt their secrets, begging for attention from the reader. Their flaws remain tucked away, a layer beneath the surface that the reader continues to search for.

This uncertainty of who might be telling the truth and about what pulled me through the story, resulting in me not wanting to put the book down during the last half. This drive to finish lasted through the series of twists, turns, and surprises that led to the climax of the plot. There was a bump for me near the end, which one of the final reveals. I love when a mystery is resolved in a way that a single fact or line makes everything that came before fall neatly into place, when that single line allows me to piece together all the shards of story on my own and see the whole picture. This novel didn’t quite have that, and needed a bit of explanation in the final pages to pull the pieces together. Everything made perfect sense, nothing was out of place, it lacked that tiny touch of magic that is so hard to pull off. Looking back through the story, I can’t think of anything Feeney could have done differently, this explanatory bit was just a requirement for this story.

Overall, His & Hers was a can’t put it down novel with a convincing mystery and even more compelling characters. Prepare to question everything and everyone until the very last page.

Was this review helpful?

His and Hers is a wickedly entertaining thriller, dark and twisting and expertly plotted.

Detective Jack Harper and BBC journalist Anna Andrews were married for ten years, until tragedy tore them apart. Now their professional duties bring them together again when a woman is murdered in their bucolic home village of Blackdown. Jack and Anna both knew the victim well, and they are desperate to hide the truth about their relationships with her. When another woman they knew is killed, suspicion is cast on each of them.

Jack and Anna are deeply flawed characters, but Feeney's insight makes them sympathetic.. The author's masterful misdirection leads to a stunner of an ending that is thoroughly satisfying. Highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers.

Sandra Parshall
Author of the Rachel Goddard mysteries

Was this review helpful?

His & Hers knocks it out of the park! As we all know, there are multiple sides to every story, and the truth is usually somewhere in the middle. Alice Feeney plays beautifully upon this principal in her latest thriller, and I dare say this was my favorite book of hers yet!! And I loved her other 2 books! Delightful twisted, His & Hers will keep you on your toes and guessing right up until the end....and then some, in true Alice Feeney fashion.

His & Hers is the story of Anna, a reporter, and Jack, a police detective. They were married, until the tragic death of their daughter tore them apart. Anna and Jack are unexpectedly thrown back together when Anna is sent to her hometown to cover a grisly murder, and as it turns out, Jack is the lead investigator on the case. Soon, nearly everybody is a suspect - evidence shows up in Jack’s car, Anna discovers a body, Jack’s sister jokes that she’s the killer, and Jack’s partner starts acting strangely. Anna’s memory becomes unreliable, and we are left to question her trustworthiness as a narrator. Who will survive? Will the killer be found?

His & Hers is a twisted tale of revenge and cunning, deceit and circumstance, and you’ll want to read it all in one sitting. PRE-ORDER THIS ONE and clear your calendars for July 28th!!! Thank you to Alice Feeney, Flatiron Books, and NetGalley for the early copy - this is a must buy!!

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book! I've been wanting to read Alice Feeney for a while as I've heard so many good things about her writing, so I was excited to get this ARC. Once I started reading, I literally couldn't put it down. I thought the killer was someone different with each passing chapter, but I still didn't guess right in the end. Very well done! Will be reading a lot more Alice Feeney in the future!

Was this review helpful?

So, I'm confused? Did I read the same book that everyone else loved and gave 4/5 stars to?

Once, again Kendall is on her outlier island. I have a really hard time figuring out Alice Feeney's books. On the one hand, her writing is addicting and grabs you in from the get go... but OH NO... that ending?! OH god... that was pretty horrible folks. Yikes.

I enjoyed the way that Alice had the dual POV between His and Hers and the back and forth kept me guessing putting all the pieces together. But, the shocks along the way just didn't do it for me and to be honest just kept rolling my eyes.

Honestly, that final twist and ending was completely ridiculous in my opinion. It was wayyy over the top and just didn't make sense to me.

It was ridiculous too bizarre for me. Which don't get me wrong this can definitely work for some readers but I just couldn't get past all the over the top.

I unfortunately cannot recommend this one.

2.5/5 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and Flatiron for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: 7/28/20
Published to GR: 6/14/20

Was this review helpful?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free digital advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review. I read this book very quickly because the plot moved right along and it was suspenseful. It's hard to talk about this book without spoilers, so I'll be very general. The story is a murder mystery/suspense thriller told from three perspectives: "His" (DCI Jack Harper), "hers" (Anna Andrews) and the killer. I was disappointed that the DCI made several really stupid mistakes that caused a lot of trouble later on - it seemed a bit lazy on the author's part. Sorry, I can't be more specific without spoilers! I also found the book so disturbing at points that I almost stopped reading it half-way through, but I am glad I persevered. I think that there will be a wide range of opinions on this book, which is perhaps the mark of a good book!

Was this review helpful?

A twisty, engrossing thriller with surprises at every turn! As we all know, multiple narrator, unlikable character, “unreliable narrator” thrillers are all the rage right now. I’ve read so many of them lately but few have been executed as well as His & Hers.

This deliciously twisty thriller is narrated partly by heroine Anna, a TV anchor/reporter, partly by her ex-husband Jack, a detective, and partly by the killer, who may or may not be one of these two characters. I absolutely loved the way the plot unfolded and revealed new characters. In the beginning you did not know who the characters were or their relationships to eachother, and the eventual reveals of these things were surprising and fun. The plot is so well-executed and fun to read. I enjoyed every moment of this book.

Like many thrillers of this type, a couple of the twists stretch credulity a little, but Feeney somehow manages to pull them off with carefully laid clues and great explanations of motive. You will be guessing whodunit throughout the book and the eventual answer and motive will be surprising and satisfying. Alice Feeney is masterful at manipulating the reader’s emotions, and I am here for it! Can’t wait for her next novel. This book is definitely four stars plus! Since she just keeps getting better and better (I also really liked Sometimes I Lie), I feel that Feeney has a five star book in her next, and I can’t wait to read it.

Thanks to NetGalley, Flatiron and the talented Alice Feeney for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

This is the first good thriller I've read this summer. It's narrated alternately by the two distinctly unreliable main characters, with the killer's musings interspersed throughout. At first some of the detail seems random and the players thrown together, however, as the story goes on Feeney does a masterful job bringing things together. At one point or another I suspected basically everyone and wasn't sure how it would end. It's an engrossing thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed, although I did manage to guess the final plot twist in the end (which I'm inordinately proud of). This is a perfect vacation, or staycation as it were, read and got my thriller season off to a great start!

Was this review helpful?

"We all hide behind the version of ourselves we let the rest of the world see."

Oh. My. God. I was starting to get frustrated with this one because it seemed so utterly predictable. I could NOT have been more wrong. A must read for fans of "Sometimes I Lie."

Many thanks to NetGalley and Flatiron Books for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Was this review helpful?

Wow!! This one hooked me from the get go. It had everything you could want. Unreliable narrator, check. (It had not one but 2 unreliable narrators.) Dead people, check. Dark and creepy, check. Alice Feeney has you guessing from the first chapter with alternating point of views from, once married, Anna and Jack. I just did not know who was telling the truth. I was so back and forth. And then BAM!!! What?!?! Feeney did a great job of making you feel like you are there watching this whole show unravel and she does it without leaving any loose ends. Great job!! 5 stars!

Was this review helpful?

This was a dark thriller that hooked In the beginning but then I began to lose interest. It had a lot of twists and turns but also a lot of graphic scenes and animal cruelty that turned me off. There were many unlikeable characters which kept me reading to figure out who The killer was but I felt the ending was not believable.

Was this review helpful?

Jumped on this one as I loved her last novel and I knew I would be in for a treat, Feeney has a brilliantly deceptive mind and plotted this one beautifully. His (Jack) ) and Hers (Anna) narratives drive the story in chapters named for them and at the end of each chapter we have the killer speaking in italics. As the killer is using words and knowledge familiar to both we keep wondering which one is too blame. Both have motive and both have circumstances leading us to alternate our opinions. The plot itself is great, the characters so well developed, and described that I could see them clearly as the story progresses. This is written in ‘real-time’ and is one of the best books so far this year. Now, there are only a handful of characters so the killer has to be one of them, doesn’t it? Tricky tricky, Feeney.

Was this review helpful?

There are two sides to every story, and usually, the truth lies somewhere in-between. BBC correspondent Anna Andrews returns to her hometown to report on the murder of one of her high school best friends. Complicating matters, her ex-husband, DCI Jack Harper, is investigating the case. As the investigation continues, past secrets come to light and both Jack and Anna find themselves suspects in the case. A solid psychological thriller, Feeny keeps you guessing until the end -  letting you believe you know the truth, then twisting it until you suspect you finally understand, before twisting it again.

Was this review helpful?