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Nov 25, 2018forbesrachel rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
The story of Anna Fox is an engaging thriller that plays on our fears of isolation, mental stability, and the dangers that lie beyond the safety of our homes (specifically the neighbours). While the twists are easy to see coming, Finn's writing style still makes it exciting to watch unfold. Anna herself makes for an interesting protagonist too. As a psychologist, she is uniquely situated. She understands that the actions she is taking to deal with her agoraphobia, and trauma are not healthy, but she does them anyways. Which means that every time she tries to make a connection, or to take a step, is a victory that we can cheer for. Her innate sense of duty, and need to help others, ultimately pushes her out the door, both figuratively and literally. Between this and her flaws, she is a likeable character, with an educated, although sometimes unstable point of view. Anna's intelligence, to some degree, tricks us into agreeing with her view of matters, but her "investigation" into the Russell's, and the disappearance of the woman she met, gradually reveal how unreliable a narrator she is. Tension builds nicely along with this realization. The last thing to note about the author's style, is the good use of red herrings, foreshadowing, and especially, irony. Several major plot points are eluded too, and many end up being ironic. Overall, this is an easy one to get into, even if it is not the most surprising.