Book review: Don't Close Your Eyes + competition

By Holly Seddon

Published by Corvus Books

Synopsis: Robin and Sarah weren't the closest of twins. They weren't even that similar. But they loved each other dearly. Until, in the cruellest of domestic twists, they were taken from one another. 

Now, in her early 30s, Robin lives alone. Agoraphobic and suffering from panic attacks, she spends her days pacing the rooms of her house. The rest of the time she watches - watches the street, the houses, the neighbours. Until one day, she sees something she shouldn't…

And Sarah? Sarah got what she wanted - the good-looking man, the beautiful baby, the perfect home. But she's just been accused of the most terrible thing of all. She can't be around her new family until she has come to terms with something that happened a long time ago. And to do that, she needs to track down her twin sister.

But Sarah isn't the only person looking for Robin. As their paths intersect, something dangerous is set in motion, leading Robin and Sarah to fight for much more than their relationship…

How did this book end up in my hands? I was browsing titles in the BorrowBox app looking for inspiration and this audiobook caught my attention as I have previously enjoyed Holly Seddon’s work.

Was it a page-turner? I downloaded the audio version of this book and finished it in three days, cursing every moment that I wasn’t able to listen to it. So the answer is Yes! The story gripped me from the very beginning but the pace picked up even more towards the end and all of a sudden – one twist after the other – I wasn’t sure what had hit me!

Having read the synopsis, did the book meet my expectations? The book very easily surpassed every expectation. It’s funny that – for a good part of the novel – I didn’t particularly agree with the ‘psychological thriller’ label it seemed to have been given. I had spoken too soon!

Did I like the ending? [no spoilers] The final chapter was a mellow affair after the whirlwind of all that preceded it and I appreciated the opportunity to slow down my thumping heart! 

Three words to describe it. Unexpected. Tear-inducing. Suspenseful. 

Do I like the cover? Yes, I do. I wish I could have held it in my hands too instead of being only able to see it on my phone’s screen.

Have I read any other books by the same author? Yes, I have read Love Will Tear Us Apart, the author’s latest novel, which I loved as much as this one.

Will I be recommending this book? Yes, totally, yes. If you like dual narratives, great characters and lots of unexpected events, this is the book for you.

Anything else? Yes! The publisher has kindly offered one copy of Don’t Close Your Eyes to go to a lucky reader! All you have to do is follow me on Twitter and retweet the competition post by 06/01/2019. UK only. All comments left below will count as extra entries (one per person). Good luck!