This is my first John Lanchester novel and I really enjoyed the way he crafts a slow burn suspenseful story that makes you think deeper.

Kate and Jack have been married for decades, sharing a life built on seemingly absolute familiarity. Kate is left reeling when a character in a new television show about cheating bears an uncanny, unsettling resemblance to Jack. This twist hooks you in and you find yourself cruising through the book to find the answers.

The writing is sharp and I especially loved Kate and her unfiltered viewpoint on grief, friendship and family. The author is masterful at highlighting the dark underbelly of his characters thoughts and musings.

A masterclass in slow-burn tension that lingers in your mind long after you’re done reading.

Kate and Jack have been married long enough to have their own language, inside jokes, and personal quirks. When Jack suddenly passes away, Kate is struggling to heal from her grief. And things only get more heart-wrenching when a new TV focused on a husband cheating on his wife is scripted with the same inside jokes and language only she and Jack knew.

This book constantly flips between the POV of the show's scriptwriter and Kate. I found that as the two stories unfolded, the book's “twist” became very obvious. However, the way the two women reconcile this is unexpected. This is a story first of relationships and how they can be both loving and volatile and warm and cold and all the messiness in between. Second, it is a story of women who will do anything for those close to them. It was an unexpected read.
3.5 stars

This was a really smart and thought provoking read. It looks at power, money, and how systems affect people in a way that feels very current. I liked how detailed and sharp the writing was without feeling too heavy to follow. It definitely made me stop and think a lot while reading. Not a light read, but very engaging and well done overall.