WRITING: 4.5/5
ENTERTAINMENT: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5
“But remember, just because someone else suffers more, it doesn’t mean we’re not suffering too. There’s always someone worse off and, by that logic, we’d never be allowed to admit to finding anything difficult at all.”
– Andrea Mara, No One Saw a Thing
I had never heard of the Irish author before and had no clue about her writing style when I picked up this book. It was a couple of months ago that Penguin India sent me a copy, and I decided to give it a go. And oh boy! Did I love it? Absolutely, positively, yes! A big, enthusiastic yes. No One Saw a Thing isn’t your typical domestic drama thriller. It takes everything up a notch, making for an incredibly entertaining read.
The story as it goes
In London, Sive is about to board the tube when she suddenly gets a call. The station is crowded, and the train has just arrived. She tells her little girls, Faye (6) and Bea (2), to jump in, but before she can catch up, the doors close.
Panicked and confused, she gestures for them to get off at the next station, where she’ll pick them up. But at the next station, there is only one girl. Bea is there, but Faye, with her beautiful blonde hair, her pink denim jacket, and her cute Frozen backpack, is missing.
No one sees a thing, and it seems that everyone is lying.
The plot
The plot seems simple at first, yet as you dig deeper, it reveals itself in layers. There’s Aaron and Sive’s long and successful marriage, a marriage that is bound to make anyone jealous. With their perfect good looks, rich and flashy lifestyle, great careers, and three perfect children, Aaron and Sive seem to have it all. They tick all the right boxes.
Then there is Aaron’s reunion with his old friends, friends who are always taking a dig at each other, friends who used to have great fun fifteen years ago, but not so much now. There exists a long list of tensions between them, as well as a 15-year-old incident that still looms large, among many other interconnected stories.
The kidnapping in the middle of a crowded city of 8 million people is every parent’s nightmare, and it’s portrayed quite realistically. It is difficult not to feel sorry for the distraught parents, especially Sive.
The characters
There are plenty of characters, each carefully crafted. The group of friends—Nita, Scott, Maggie, Dave, and Aaron—is all very different, with hardly anything in common. They each have their secrets, some dating back to their student days and early career days, and as the story progresses, these secrets come tumbling out.
Then there’s Jude, whom we hate at first, but eventually come to admire. Sive is your plain, normal girl who doesn’t stand out much, except for her naivety and good heart.
It’s a treat to witness the sudden and dramatic shift in Aaron’s demeanor when it comes to his children. He might be the big bully, the tough guy, the toxic colleague, the ruthless lawyer who never takes no for an answer, and the alpha male competing for all the attention, but when it comes to his kids, he is a total softie.
The thrill and suspense
As I said, there’s a discovery, a new twist now and then, which throws the current tangent off course. There are many suspects—some are visible throughout the story, while others remain hidden until the end. Almost all the characters are flawed, and the search for Faye keeps taking unexpected turns. The pace is quick, and the stakes are high.
In the end
In the end, No One Saw a Thing is truly spectacular! The tension is there and very much palpable. The book has everything you could hope for in a mystery thriller and some more. Binding all the amazing subplots, twists, shady characters, and their motives is excellent writing that makes them all shine together, delivering a compelling read.
Can’t wait to read it? Buy your copy of No One Saw a Thing using the link below.
