Every Vow You Break is a terrific thriller by Peter Swanson. Sure, you need to overlook some logic - but the payoff in twists and clever surprises is worth it.
Abigail is about to be married, but still questions if it is right. A decent amount of backstory sets the scene of past failed relationships, up to her meeting Bruce - a millionaire IT guy, who seems to be Mr. Perfect. Money no object, he sets up her private girls bachelorette weekend while he goes off with the guys - a weekend where she meets a handsome man and accidentally has a last 'one-off fling'.
The honeymoon is on an exclusive private island up the coast, an isolated retreat for the wealthy where there is no cell service, a staff of five-to-one, and all the luxuries you could ask for - individual chef-made Oreos, anyone? Abigail and another newlywed are the only women on the island (strange), and find that both of their 'one-off fling' gentlemen are coincidentally guests as well (strange). They both wonder if they are victims of stalkers, and both are reluctant to tell their new husbands about the men. Are the handsome flings dangerous, or, the only sane men there? Is her husband caring and protective, or, maniacally controlling? Will the staff help her contact her friends on the mainland - or are they all involved in this dangerous trap? At the three quarter mark, everything changes in a heart stopping, chilling moment - and it becomes a very different mystery.
Unputdownable - I read it straight through in a day. It's rare to find a thriller that does just that - actually shocking, actually chilling. This had interesting characters who grabbed me right away, trapped in a remote locale, stuck in a puzzling mystery that slowly grew into real danger, a shocking twist, and a well resolved ending. Like his other novels, Swanson also mixes in pop culture movie and novel references that are fun to discover.
Some negative points: there were some big gaps in the premise (if there wasn't going to be a murder, what really was the plan?), and, although it clearly makes the men look foolish, there is a strong underlying whiff of misogyny spread over everything that's fairly distasteful.
That said, this is a well crafted thrill-ride with inventive writing and twisted action to entertain.
My other reviews of Peter Swanson:
2021 / Tradeback / 308 pages
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