Inspired by the Hitchcock classic Vertigo, Eye of the Beholder is a psychological thriller exploring how much you can trust what you see.
As embarrassed as this cinephile is to admit it, I’ve never seen Vertigo. So, I didn’t know what to expect as ghostwriter Maddy Wight travels to the remote Scottish highlands to write the biography of an enigmatic beauty guru and cosmetic surgeon. Dr. Angela Reynolds. But it didn’t take me long to figure out what was going out. Certainly not as long as it took Maddy.

I enjoyed the vibes of this book and was into it at first, but the middle dragged and everything felt too obvious and it’s frustrating waiting for the protagonist to catch up.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for an ARC of this book! Eye of the Beholder by Emma Bamford was a fun mystery that kept me guessing up until the last pages.

Once I started reading this book I couldn’t put it down, I had to keep reading to see how it would end. Maddy is a ghost writer who gets her dream job, writing a biography with her name listed on the cover. What’s more, she gets to write in a beautiful home a remote area. But things get weird when her deadline keeps getting pushed and she just can’t get adequate information for the biography. Also, her boss’ business partner shows up and food keeps mysteriously disappearing. There were times where I was frustrated with Maddy as a character, especially when her obsession with Scott completely took over her life! She only knew the man about 2 weeks??? I was pleased with the ending as it did resolve all issues, but it did feel slightly rushed in a way. Overall, I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a fun mystery beach read.

Thank you so much to Emma Bamford, Netgalley, and Gallery Books for my copy of this novel. I am so sad that this was a DNF for me. It was just such a slow story that I couldn't get into it. I got around 40% of the way into this story and still felt that nothing was happening. I think I'll try to come back to it in the future, but I'm putting it down for now.

A ghostwriter, Maddy, agrees to work on a memoir for a famous cosmetic surgeon. She finds that the doctor is reluctant to tell her much, especially since she quickly leaves for a business trip. The doctor's business partner, Scott, stays behind though and Maddy finds herself more and more intrigued by Scott. However, she learns that he has leapt to his death from a Scottish castle. Devastated, she returns to London, but soon she is pretty sure she sees Scott. But how is that possible if he has died?

I was really intrigued by this one because of the synopsis blurbs about similarities to Hitchcock. However, I did not get the suspense I wanted from this one. Part of it was that I don't think the dialogue was written super well. It was really choppy for me, which made it hard to get through, especially because there was a lot of dialogue early on. Maybe others who don't have a problem with that will enjoy it more than I did.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book ahead of publication! The review will be live on my blog on 7/26/24. I will also feature the review on Instagram that same day and post my review to Goodreads, The Storygraph, Fable, and retail sites.

Review:

When I read the synopsis for this book, I expected a fast-paced thriller wrapped in an excellent mystery. Sadly, it slightly missed the mark for me. It's not a bad read, just not as thrilling as I'd hoped.

The story follows Maddy Wight, a talented ghostwriter who is hired to work on the memoir of the enigmatic cosmetic surgeon Dr. Angela Reynolds. Maddy is swept away to Angela's isolated home in Scotland to write the book, but much to her surprise, Angela is very busy and will be traveling during this time. She leaves Maddie alone at her home and schedules several check-ins with her to review the book and answer any questions she may have. Maddy is confused as to why she couldn't just do this from her flat in London but decides that maybe the isolation and the beauty of Angela's home will help her focus.

But then Angela's business partner, Scott, arrives to stay at Angela's home. Scott is sexy but also very mercurial, and according to Angela, he is dealing with alcoholism and mental health issues. Still, Maddy finds herself drawn to him, but then, just as Maddy is about to wrap up her time in Scotland, Scott is found dead at the bottom of a cliff. His death is ruled a suicide, but Maddy doesn't believe it. To make matters worse, when Maddy returns to London, she thinks she saw Scott one evening. Convinced it is him, Maddy follows the man and opens up a whole new mystery. Who is Angela, really? Even more perplexing, who is this man that looks so much like Scott?

First, I have to give kudos to the author for creating a great sense of place during the book's first half. The remote estate in the Scottish Highlands serves as the perfect backdrop for act one of the novel and helps generate a sense of isolation and foreboding as the drama unfolds. In the second act, Maddy is back in London, and I will admit, the switch in location was definitely felt, and the tension didn't feel as palpable.

Bamford's tribute to Hitchcock's "Vertigo" is evident in the novel, and there is a decent mystery here, my problem was it felt unnecessarily long, and many times, I felt like there was a lot of information that was repeated - almost as if to say "See - you really can't trust this person," or "Remember this mysterious behavior? It's still happening." On the one hand, I get that the author wants us to believe that Maddy had spent enough time with Scott that she developed feelings for him, and was also setting up a mystery surrounding Angela, making us not trust her. Honestly, I felt like both of these (and many other) points were established early on, and cutting some of the extraneous scenes would have helped tighten the novel's pacing.

The characters in the book are where I really struggled. I didn't necessarily like or dislike anyone. They were just kind of "meh." Angela's elusive nature and Scott's mercurial moods fit their character arcs, but otherwise, they felt pretty one-dimensional. As far as Maddy goes, she was fine as a protagonist, but I also found her to be pretty dense. Obvious clues smacked her in the face several times, and she never questioned them until much later. It got to be very frustrating after a while.

In the end, this had the potential to be a compelling and thought-provoking read, but I found it pretty predictable. There's a decent mystery, but the clues are so obvious that it kind of takes away the fun. If you like a slow-burn mystery that's not overly complex, then this one might be for you. If you like a faster pace, good twists, and complex characters, you may want to look elsewhere.

Thank you NetGalley and Gallery Books for the copy of Eye Of The Beholder by Emma Bamford. I loved how this book started and Maddie’s move to the island was intriguing. I’m glad all of the strange events all came together in the end, but the explanations were so convoluted they were hard to follow. The story was good and captivated me from the beginning. If you’re looking for a fun book that will keep you guessing, try this one. 4 stars.

I tried really hard to get into this one but it just wasn't for me. I am still really thankful to the publisher, author, and Netgalley for granting me advanced digital access to this one before it hits shelves on August 6, 2024.

Oh my goodness, this was BORING!

This isn't a long book in terms of page count, but it was truly one of the longest, most drawn-out, most dull books I've EVER read. Maddy was a very peculiar and uninteresting main character, Angela is thoroughly unbelievable and boring as a villain, Scott and Connor were himbo weirdos who fell in instalove with boring Maddy in ways that didn't make sense, and the twists and turns were contrived—the worst crime of all being that these twists and turns that took forever to get to were also unexciting.

There are a lot of potentially triggering or heavy topics handled completely carelessly by Bamford. I'm not sure if this is an actual psychological thriller because it is indeed psychologically taxing but the thrills never kicked in.

Nothing about this book made sense! I also did not pick up the Vertigo vibes it tried to put down.

Thank you to Gallery Books, Gallery/Scout Press, and NetGalley for providing an ARC!

1 ⭐️
🚨 Pub Date is 08/06/24

A genuine phycological thriller!!
Maddy is hired to ghostwrite the bio of famous plastic surgeon Sr Angelea Reynolds: a fairly straight forward
job with a great salary. Recommended by her successful previous ghost-writing experience, Maddy expects this to be similar in experience.
She could not have been more wrong.
A great story that builds continually and takes you along for the strange, and a times, nerve wracking ride of a tale.
Angela's assistant Scott, sharing the house space with Maddy when Angela unexpendedly takes off leaving communications via face time only, Maddy forges a semi close relationship with Scott.
Or does she?
Nothing is as it really seems.
Great story - good character foundations that draw you right int to them.

I got absorbed in this very well written story right away, it was like running into an old friend and feeling that connection, comfort. Insightful, moving, a love story as well as a mystery, Who is Angela behind the mask and what is she trying to hide. While I figured out some of it, that didn't matter as the characters really spoke and it was their stories that mattered

I love the film "Vertigo," so I was excited to read this book, and was equally amused when the main characters also turned out to be named Scott and Madeline. This is a fun update on Vertigo with a decidedly noir tone befitting that bygone era. The update: Maddy is a ghostwriter for a plastic surgeon (or, as she would correct: "cosmetic surgeon"); and even as the doctor sculpts faces to perfection, nothing is as it seems in her cold and foreboding mansion. Emma Bamford is a talented writer, particularly in establishing a mood and a vibe that is born of a bygone noir era and yet still very current. I was spooked and delighted by this novel. You don't have to be a Hitchcock or a film noir fan to enjoy this, but if you are, there are all kinds of fun Easter eggs in the book for you.

Maddy Wight is hired by world-renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr. Angela Reynolds to ghostwrite her memoir. Maddy has ghostwritten several memoirs, but this is a vastly different project. Reynolds offers a hefty payment and promises to give her writing credit on the cover. Furthermore, she is whisked away to Reynold’s remote Scottish estate. The downside: Reynolds has given her one month to finish the book!

Mysteries are afoot at the estate: items go missing, an unknown person has left handprints on the windows, and Reynold’s business partner, Scott, unexpectedly visits.

I was drawn into the story immediately with the opening flashback scene. Banford’s writing was compelling and engaging. As the story progressed, minutiae about feeding the dogs, rushed romances, and an inaccurate depiction of mental health/depression pulled me away from the story's core. I enjoyed it and would like to read more of the author’s work. It is a great atmospheric novel.

Thanks to Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved the way this was written. It is separated between before and after Madeleine Wight is commissioned to ghostwrite a cosmetic surgeon's biography. It had me guessing throughout the entire story and the twists were compelling.

Thank you so much to Scout Press and NetGalley for my ARC!

“Vertigo” is one of my favorite movies, so I was really excited to read this. It didn’t disappoint! The author used some of the best ideas of Hitchcock’s classic and meshed it with more modern times. I thought the ghostwriting premise was a brilliant way to tie it together. There is so much going on in the book, and you’re meant to feel a bit disoriented while reading; stick with this! It’s worth the ride. Thanks so much for allowing me to read in advance!

I still remember sitting on the couch after watching Vertigo for the first time, mind spinning and adrenaline rushing through me as I tried to wrap my head around what I’d just watched. Emma Bamford’s Eye of the Beholder is an impressive tribute to this film masterpiece, and I felt a similar reaction to that of watching Vertigo as I unraveled the plot one page at a time.

So many elements of this novel worked well for me. I loved getting to see behind the scenes of a ghost writer at work. The remote estate, the enigmatic and secretive cosmetic surgeon, and the tightly spiraling tension all drew me in until I reached the last page late at night, far past my bedtime.

There were a few times when I struggled to suspend disbelief.. Some of our main character Maddy’s relationships with others felt a bit rushed, and I didn’t buy everyone’s motivations. (I’m being intentionally vague because everything is a spoiler with such a tightly knitted plot!). However, I thoroughly enjoyed Emma’s writing style, and the tension kept me reading regardless of a few small doubts.

In a sea of thrillers following the same tired plots, Emma Bamford’s Eye of the Beholder skillfully nods to Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo while setting a course of its own that many thriller lovers will enjoy.

ARC received from Gallery Books | Gallery/Scout Press via Netgalley.

"Eye of the Beholder" by Emma Bamford promises an intriguing dive into the complexities of the beauty industry, wrapped in a mysterious narrative set amidst the Scottish Highlands. Yet, while the premise holds much potential, the execution falls short in delivering a truly captivating read.
The story follows Maddy Wight, a ghostwriter tasked with penning the memoir of Dr. Angela Reynolds, a renowned cosmetic surgeon with a secretive past. As Maddy delves deeper into Angela's world, she finds herself entangled in a web of puzzling characters and unsettling occurrences at Angela's remote estate. With the eerie atmosphere of the Scottish moors adding to the suspense, the stage is set for a gripping tale.
However, despite the promising setup, the pacing of the narrative proves to be a major stumbling block. The initial chapters drag on, burdened by excessive exposition and a lack of significant plot progression. Maddy's characterization adds to the frustration, as her constant yearning for affection comes across as more melodramatic than empathetic.
It isn't until the latter part of the book, around the 80% mark, that the story gains momentum. As Maddy finally begins to put everything together, the pace finally quickens, offering some respite from the earlier sluggishness. Yet, by this point, the reader may find themselves more relieved than enthralled, having endured a prolonged wait for the narrative to find its footing.
Despite its shortcomings, "Eye of the Beholder" does manage to tie up loose ends with a satisfying conclusion. The resolution brings closure to the storylines and offers a glimmer of redemption for the characters. However, this redemption may come too little, too late for readers who have struggled through the preceding chapters.
In summary, "Eye of the Beholder" presents an intriguing premise marred by sluggish pacing and a protagonist whose struggles fail to resonate. While the book eventually finds its stride in the final stretch, it may require considerable patience from readers to reach the satisfying conclusion. Ultimately, while it may not offer anything particularly groundbreaking, those willing to endure the slow start may find solace in its ultimately uplifting resolution.

Book Title: Eye of the Beholder
Author: Emma Bamford
Publisher: Galley Books/Gallery Scout Press
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: August 9, 2024
My Rating: 3 Stars!
Pages: 320

I was drawn to this story as the blurb states ~
it is based on the 1958 Alfred Hitchcock psychological thriller Vertigo.
I did see the movie but honestly don’t remember it other than I loved Alfred Hitchcock’s thrillers.
I still remember the TV show introduction ~
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qx4r21Dw-z4

Maddy Wight is hired to ghostwrite the memoir of world-renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr. Angela Reynolds; she thinks it might just be her chance to get her career back on track. She travels to Angela’s remote estate in the Scottish Highlands to hunker down and learn everything she can. But the deeper she digs, the more elusive the doctor becomes. Is there more hidden beneath the surface of the kaleidoscopic beauty industry than Angela wants to reveal?

Story was okay – not great! However, I am sure someone else will just love this!
I just couldn’t get into it.
I read several Wow reads recently so reading this now was probably poor timing on my part.

Want to thank NetGalley and Gallery Book/Gallery Scout Press for granting me this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 9, 2024.

I loved the premise and was excited to read the book. I found parts of it to be a bit confusing, especially towards the end. The pacing was a bit slow at times and felt like the book could have used a bit more editing. Overall, I enjoyed the story and writing.

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER by Emma Bamford
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Gallery/Scout Press

Other Books I Enjoyed by This Author: First time read

Affiliate Link: https://bookshop.org/a/7576/9781982170394

Release Date: August 6th, 2024

General Genre: Literary, Thriller

Sub-Genre/Themes: psychological thriller, suspense, amateur sleuth, mystery, ghostwriters, the beauty industry, anti-aging, cosmetic surgery, wealthy people, writing a book, houses in remote locations

Writing Style: slow burn, abundance of details, great set-up

What You Need to Know: The synopsis reads, “In exploring the differences between looking and seeing, surface and depth, and the power of the female gaze, this tribute to Hitchcock's 1958 film masterpiece asks: If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, how much can you trust what you see?”
This is what piqued my interest to the point of requesting an ARC. Vertigo by Alfred Hitchcock is one of my favorite movies. The fundamental premise of the film (based on a book called, From Among the Dead) is a retired detective with a fear of heights is hired by a friend to follow his wife, Madeline, whom he suspects is up to something.
During his private investigation, Scottie and Madeline make an emotional connection, Madeline commits suicide, and Scottie is emotionally ravaged by what he witnessed, one day he thinks he sees Madeline–and that’s where the psychological twists & turns begin. If you haven’t seen it, you must. It holds up; timeless.

Final Recommendation: I believe that if an author is going to write a retelling of something iconic, there are three important elements:
1. The author needs to add something unique to the original that helps it stand apart on its own.

2. The story, style, and substance should be on equal footing with the source material. Fans will be showing up for similarities in vibes, mood, and aesthetics–not too much of a copy but a decent homage; it’s a fine line
If the source material is very iconic, in this case, Alfred Hitchcock’s, Vertigo is as iconic as it gets,

3. The writing chops have to be pretty damn good. These are big shoes to fill!
A great example is The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson. Carrie by Stephen King is as iconic as it gets but Jackson’s retelling with a modern update using racial tension and bullying by today’s definitions, was a smart choice. The bones of the story were there but the content was more relevant to kids today. Jackson's retelling convinces readers that King's story needed an update for a modern audience. The Weight of Blood is a successful homage.

I don’t think Eye of the Beholder added anything new to the Vertigo story. Modern technology didn’t change the bones of the story. Maddy’s ghostwriting profession didn’t add anything new. Angela’s (the Gavin character in Vertigo) status in the beauty industry could have inspired some new plot developments with facial recognition or altercations but it never played into the story at all. She could have had any profession–nothing about the beauty industry changed or enhanced this story.
I felt like the author loved the movie and tried to update it for a modern audience without changing very much at all. Even Maddy and Scott’s names were the same. The changes that were introduced, everything readers were waiting for–the big reveals, convoluted the climax.
Things get messy at the end and readers aren’t rooting for Maddy the way movie lovers fell in love with Jimmy Stewart’s character in Vertigo. Madeline and Scott's insta-romance in Eye of the Beholder felt forced.
It just falls really, really short. I was disappointed. Maybe I’m too much of a die-hard Hitchcock fan, but I’m willing to accept that.

Inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller Vertigo , the author of the “subtle and ominous” (Lee Child) debut Deep Water returns with a wholly original and sinister novel about the beauty industry, a ghostwriter, and the reappearance of the lover she thought was dead.

This was really good! Great tension and great plot twists!