“The Safe Place” is a slow burn, similar to a Ruth Ware book, but not as creepy or mysterious. It is just too slow. I would give it 3 stars because it’s a solid, quick read, but it is by no means a mystery/thriller as marketed. Even the cover and cover blurb is misleading. This is not a book about a holiday gone awry; it’s a domestic drama with mystery woven in at the halfway mark.
Emily was a solid character at the start. A realistic person, stumbling through life and making bad decisions. This job, though? I’m not sure I believe that even a fool like Emily would have fallen for this scheme AND been completely fine with it so far down the rabbit hole.
Scott’s chapters are ridiculous with the bizarre self-harm, his own stupidity and tunnel vision.
I predicted the big reveal (there was a pretty good horror movie with this exact plot), shrugged my shoulders, and finished the book out of obligation. But for me, it was a flatliner.
It might have worked better if we had some Nina chapters, present day, not just the italicized past entries.
Emily was a solid character at the start. A realistic person, stumbling through life and making bad decisions. This job, though? I’m not sure I believe that even a fool like Emily would have fallen for this scheme AND been completely fine with it so far down the rabbit hole.
Scott’s chapters are ridiculous with the bizarre self-harm, his own stupidity and tunnel vision.
I predicted the big reveal (there was a pretty good horror movie with this exact plot), shrugged my shoulders, and finished the book out of obligation. But for me, it was a flatliner.
It might have worked better if we had some Nina chapters, present day, not just the italicized past entries.