First, it must be said that this book is not “Gone Girl” and the comparison mentioned on the book jacket is utterly ludicrous. This book is not written so much as it is constructed and orchestrated. It is heavily plot-driven, but the plot is not riveting or absorbing. The intrepid reader keeps turning pages in hopes that the book will gain momentum or that the writing quality will improve, but the promises of the novel never materialize. The characters seem trite, wooden, one-dimensional and Harlequin-romance-inspired. Nellie is flaky, flighty, ditzy and hesitant. It takes her over 200 pages to grow a backbone. Prior to that, she has subsumed her every thought and desire, in an effort to please and placate her wealthy, mercurial husband, whom she decides to get to know better “after” her marriage??? There is no discernible chemistry, compatibility or believable bond between them. Richard is the solicitous (read: controlling) spouse who alternately dotes on, and gradually terrorizes, his often-clueless wife. If the reader can tolerate this drivel, a mystery then ensues amid all the cheesy domestic drama. Conceivably, it is supposed to be a heart-stopping, twisty, page-turner with shocking revelations, but the book misses the mark on so many levels. It is not well-written. None of the characters are particularly likable, save for Samantha and Duke. The reader is told about the characters, but never shown. The characters lack depth and sufficient backstories. The pace moves swiftly enough, but the action is contrived and formulaic. Plot twists at the expense of actual content. This book is light, escapism that tries too hard to be more than it is. It jumps on the psychological thriller bandwagon like so many others, but the true accolades belong solely to its predecessors.