Finders Keepers: An absolutely gripping psychological thriller

I’ll give it this much: it took exactly one chapter to make me want to know how it ends. The premise does all the heavy lifting, and it’s a good one. Imagine discovering your diary has been published as a book by someone you’ve never met, complete with deep, dark secrets, and then scrambling to figure out how much of your real life is sitting on those pages for everyone to read. That’s a fantastic hook and the strongest part of the whole novel. That’s it! That’s pretty much the best part of the book. The character interactions and dialogue are mostly insufferable and juvenile, and not just from the teenagers who are supposed to sound that way, but almost everyone. Some of the writing had my face reacting on its own: raised eyebrows, sucked teeth, head shaking, suspicious side-eye. I mean, what else can I do with lines like “It makes me want to bite Ashley’s stupid cat” or “I’m so happy I could burst. Some days I feel like an inflatable balloon, one of those marketing ones, custom-made to look like the company’s mascot”? The central mystery has potential, but the execution gets buried under too many twists, most of which you can spot marching toward you from a mile away by the first third of the book, if not sooner. Once the surprises stop being surprising, it starts to feel like the story is just throwing things at the wall. Overall, it’s clickbaity enough to pull you in, then it feels like doomscrolling your way to the finish line. Luckily, it’s a quick and easy read, so it’ll at least keep you occupied at your next dentist appointment.

Genre: Psychological fiction; thriller
Totally a twisted guilty pleasure read and/or listening audio book.

⚠️: Gaslighting; adultery; twisted ending in the best way.

This is an interesting read where at times, you want to shout at Emily and then Rose (aka Iris) as Rose sees Sweet Emily had found her lost laptop at the airport. However, when Emily used Rose's diary and published a “fictional” book, "Diary of an Octopus" Rose panicked as she wrote about her affair with a certain someone and the killing of that person's wife. Rose literally embedded herself into Emily’s life and goes to great lengths to get that laptop back.

The interaction between Emily and Rose/Iris is like a psychotic ping pong match. The question is, who’s crazier? The first part is totally told from Rose’s point of view.

The second half of the book has some prospective, from the teacher, Mr. Bellamy. This is the teacher who Rose/Iris referenced and was infatuated with. Like heavily and creepily intoxicated with. As in “I would do literally anything for you,” obsession.

You just can’t stop yourself from being drawn in, as many times I screamed, “You’re kidding me! Aggggh!” or “if I hear one more ‘sweetie’ out of Em’s mouth…”

Truly the best of who’s gaslighting who and a great physiological thriller. Exceptionally addictive.

I loved the narrator. She did a fantastic job bringing all the different characters to life, giving each a different pitch and cadence for each person. She had me hating and then feeling sorry, and back to despising those characters again. Brilliant and no small feat.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for their e-audio copy for an honest review.

Rose Dunmore was shocked to see the author's novel, "Diary of an Octopus," being promoted at a bookshop. She wrote her diary at 13, stolen with her computer two years ago. The novel was a fictionalized version of her diary with a different ending. If her laptop journal was found, she could end up in prison. She bought a copy, relieved to see a positive conclusion, but remembered the terrible thing she documented. Rose panicked and devised a plan to retrieve her laptop at any cost, but she was not alone in playing this risky game. The dark truth about events from nine years ago emerged with twists and turns, leading to a satisfying conclusion. The author's writing style was captivating, and I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for allowing me to listen to and review this audiobook.