(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

Seventeen-year-old Tessa, dubbed a 'Black-Eyed Susan' by the media, became famous for being the only victim to survive the vicious attack of a serial killer. Her testimony helped to put a dangerous criminal behind bars - or so she thought.
Now, decades later the black-eyed susans planted outside Tessa's bedroom window seem to be a message from a killer who should be safely in prison.
Haunted by fragmented memories of the night she was attacked and terrified for her own teenage daughter's safety, can Tessa uncover the truth about the killer before it's too late?

*3.5 stars*

There is something to be said for unreliable narrators - they are the storytelling-of-the-moment and there have been some hugely successful ones. This would have been near-perfect but for a few minor things. But let's look at the positives:

The idea of the "last one standing" after a mass murder isn't a new idea but the way the author developed the story of Tessa was done really well, with large chunks of the book really pumping up the tension and suspense. I found that, for the most part, I kept the pages turning and enjoyed the majority of the book from that perspective.
The two narratives - present-day Tessa and past-Tessa worked pretty well. Hung the story together with enough clues to keep the reader wanting to push forward to find the killer.
The parallel with Charlie, Tessa's daughter, to the past events also worked well for me. It made a connection that the reader could relate to, especially if they are parents themselves. They would understand the fear and panic that Tessa went through.

However, there were a few things that dragged this down for me.

The middle section of the book - the set-up, if you like - was a little meandering. I didn't ever feel like giving up on it but it did make me question just how great this book was going to be.
And the finale, the resolution, was just a little - I don't know how to say it - unsatisfying. I love a good book that makes me believe that a certain character id DEFINITELY the bad guy, only to realise that it was a red-herring and the killer was someone else completely. I like that. What I don't really like is when the reveal is someone who really was out-of-the-box different, then it sort of loses its magic. That's what happened for me.

Is this a good book. Absolutely. Is it the best thriller I have read this year. Sadly, not...


Paul
ARH