Just Read: “Rock Paper Scissors” by Alice Feeney

Read September 8, 2021 – September 10, 2021

This was one of my Book of the Month picks for September and it was actually published last week, officially! BOTM always has new and early release options every month, which makes me feel on top of the latest and greatest. Sometimes I’ll pick one for the shelf, a hardcover to stare at me until I’m ready, but I’m glad I started reading this as soon it arrived. Feeney’s new twisty thriller is set in Scotland and has a bit of a chill factor – snow and creep.

What is it about? 

Amelia and Adam have been married for some time now and their marriage is on the rocks. When a raffle at work wins Amelia a getaway to Scotland, she knows vacationing to a remote inn could be the perfect opportunity to rekindle their romance. Adam is always deep in his work writing screenplays based on frightening novels and he makes his wife feel completely invisible. It doesn’t help that Adam has a condition that distorts faces and so at times he isn’t able to distinguish her in a crowd or interpret her facial queues. Lately it seems Amelia is trying to take advantage of his partial blindness.

Adam can see more than Amelia realizes but he isn’t showing all of his cards… and neither is she. Everyone is hiding something and they both realize it isn’t luck that brought them to Scotland. It becomes apparent the trip was a huge mistake; unfortunately, they get snowed in and can’t seem to find a living soul to help them. One of them has an ulterior motive but they soon find out they aren’t so alone… working together might be an exercise in repairing their marriage, if only the looming secrets weren’t so damning. It’s dangerous to live in a web of lies.

What does it have?

• Multiple Point of Views
• Chilling Remote Inn
• Unreliable Narrator
• Twist on Twist on Twist

I read this book while my students were reading their author biographies for an independent novel project and the further I got into reading, the more distracting I became. The gasps, noes, and OMGs as the plot thickened and unraveled definitely caught their attention. My study hall class became invested and when I returned to work after the weekend, several students had to know the spoilers. Minds… blown! It was hard for me to articulate some of what went down and I hope they decide to read the book for themselves.

Is it worth reading?

If you are into thrillers, this is going to be right up your alley! I enjoyed it and am not even sure what I’ll read next…what can heal me from the whiplash of the twists? I think Forever sent me an ARC that might do the trick…