This author definitely gets points for the plot, pacing, and the twist. Even the most seasoned thriller reader will probably not see it coming. I thought Alice and Beth were both very strong characters. As for Alice, she could be a bit annoying at times, but considering all she'd been through, I think that is fine for characterization. I didn't connect very much with Beth, but I still believe her character was appropriate for the story. I loved the dialogue between Alice and Beth. The connection between them was on the more predictable side, but I don't consider that to be the big twist. The pacing was really good for this one - I didn't feel like I needed to skip ahead and it felt like every piece of information served a specific purpose. All in all, a good read.