I See You

Starred review from December 5, 2016
Divorced middle-aged mum Zoe Walker, the narrator of this outstanding psychological thriller from Mackintosh (I Let You Go), is stunned when, during her daily commute to work as bookkeeper/office manager at a London real estate firm, she spots a photo of herself in a newspaper ad for sex chat lines. But the real fear kicks in when she combs through earlier ads and recognizes one face as that of a recent crime victim. After another woman she recognizes from the ads is murdered, Zoe connects with police constable Kelly Swift, who’s chafing under a disciplinary demotion. As Kelly and the task force she worms her way onto race to crack the baffling case, an increasingly terrified Zoe starts to turn a suspicious eye on just about everyone in her life, including her solicitous live-in boyfriend and her overbearing boss. Although some shocking final twists don’t quite convince, Mackintosh scripts a hair-raising ride all the scarier because its premise—that our predictable routines make us easy targets—is sadly so plausible. Author tour. Agent: Sheila Crowley, Curtis Brown (U.K.).

December 15, 2016
Mackintosh follows her wildly successful debut thriller (I Let You Go, 2016) with the harrowing tale of a woman in the cross hairs of a vicious criminal enterprise operating deep within the London Underground. Zoe Walker takes the Tube to her London-based job with a real estate firm. One day, while waiting for her stop, Zoe spies an odd newspaper advertisement bearing the photo of a woman who could be her twin. Soon she's convinced that the woman in the photograph is her and that someone is watching her. The ad directs readers to a site called FindtheOne.com, but Zoe can't get to the site. When she discovers that another woman pictured in one of the website's photos has had her keys stolen, she contacts Kelly Swift, an officer with the British Transport Police. While Kelly investigates, Zoe tries to allay her fears that someone around her could be the culprit. Mackintosh offers up a rich stew of possibilities, including Zoe's boyfriend, former husband, next-door neighbor, and boss. Soon, a third woman connected to the website is murdered. Kelly manages to finagle her way onto the Metropolitan Police's Murder Investigation Team to assist on the case, immediately crossing swords with the lead investigator, DI Nick Rampello, as the MIT scrambles to prevent another tragic death. Mackintosh's debut novel delivered a surprise that left readers reeling, and while her latest one is packed with suspense, twists, and turns, it falls a bit short of her first effort. Most readers will peg the villain early on, while the epilogue will remind them of the loose ends the author--and authorities--has left dangling. The author's meticulous detail to investigative accuracy and talent in weaving a thrilling tale set her work apart from others in the field.

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February 1, 2017

Zoe Walker is a commuter; she takes the same train route and tips the same guitar player in the station every day. She follows this predictable general routine until she spots a newspaper classified ad. A blurry photograph of Zoe is listed along with a phone number and address for a dating website. Intrigued at first, Zoe realizes that a different woman's photo has been running every day with the ad. She soon discovers that these women have been stalked, burgled, assaulted, and even murdered. Is she next? Mackintosh carefully builds suspense by alternating Zoe's obsessive, terrified first-person perspective with that of the third-person viewpoint of London police detective Kelly Swift. With insights into both sides of the investigation, readers will begin to believe that they, too, are being watched. VERDICT Mackintosh's second novel, after her acclaimed debut, I Let You Go, is a chilling addition to the mystery and police procedural genres. The twists and red herrings will attract fans of Tana French and Lisa Gardner.--Natalie Browning, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community Coll. Lib., Richmond, VA

Copyright 2017 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

August 1, 2017

Zoe Walker leads a quiet life, commuting on the London metro to a dull job. One glimpse at her local paper sets her on edge. As Zoe struggles to figure out why she is seeing her photo on the lurid back pages of the daily news, she is pulled into what could be a much larger, more perilous operation. Other women's photos begin appearing in the paper, and as Zoe learns their identities, she discovers that the women are being murdered. Assigned to Zoe's case is PC Kelly Swift, who's hit rock bottom after assaulting a rape suspect. Dogged by a long-ago attack on her sister, the officer must prove her worth to the higher-ups, and Zoe's case may provide the perfect opportunity. With Kelly's help, Zoe draws closer to uncovering the shocking truth. The deft character development of this haunting, claustrophobic work sets it apart from more typical thrillers. Though Zoe appears to be an ordinary suburban mom, her relationships with her grown children and live-in boyfriend add depth. While Kelly is a more familiar character, her motivations, mistakes, and redemption make her compelling. VERDICT Fans of Harlan Coben's domestic suspense will enjoy this portrait of a woman facing inexplicably dangerous circumstances, and the technological components will please dedicated viewers of shows such as Mr. Robot.-Erinn Black Salge, Morristown-Beard School, Morristown, NJ

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from December 15, 2016
While flipping through a newspaper during her morning commute, Zoe Walker spots herself featured in an obscure dating site's classified ad. After efforts to contact the site prove fruitless, she compulsively checks the ads and finds a new woman featured daily. Zoe begins researching the other photos in an effort to control her mounting paranoia and is horrified to find that women from the ads have been victimized in crimes from theft to murder. Only British Transit Authority constable Kelly Swift takes Zoe's fears seriously, but she comes with baggage. Ten years ago, Kelly's promising future as a Sexual Offenses Unit detective was scrapped after she attacked a prisoner. After hearing Zoe's concerns, Kelly calls in her last favor to secure assignment to the murder case, shunting aside fears that confronting her past will result in personal and professional destruction. Zoe's practicality lends gut-clenching credence to her distress, creating sharp contrast to Kelly's wavering stability, and the steadily thickening paranoia will leave readers questioning their comfortable routines. This follow-up to Mackintosh's debut, I Let You Go (2016), is a well-crafted blend of calculated malevolence, cunning plot twists, and redemption that will appeal to fans of Sophie Hannah, Ruth Rendell, and Ruth Ware.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)