Book Review: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney
It’s fair to say I have a mixed history when it comes to thrillers.
I’ve read some dreadful thrillers, it’s a genre I’m a bit wary of. It takes a lot for me to be won over, I hate it when I can guess the twists, I hate being able to predict what’s going to happen.
I’d say I it’s a genre I hold to a higher standard than others. Thrillers that leave me a bit meh, will put me off reading another thriller for months.
Rock paper scissors by Alice Feeney had a lot of work to do if I was going to stick with it, enjoy it and, crucially, be surprised by it.
A few things led to me diving into Rock paper scissors. Firstly, I’d read Alice Feeney’s Sometimes I Lie a few years ago, so I knew that Feeney could deliver on the unexpected twist and write an original psychological thriller.
Secondly, I’d read so many other bloggers reviews that raved about it, that I was curious, I wanted to see if it lived up to the hype.
I had high expectations….so, no pressure.
From the back…..
Ten years of marriage.
Ten years of secrets.
An anniversary they’ll never forget.
Adam and Amelia are spending the weekend in the Scottish Highlands. The remote location is perfect for what they have planned.
But when their romantic trip takes a dark turn, they both start to wonder – can they trust the one they’re with?
Because every couple tells little white lies. Only for Adam and Amelia, the truth is far more dangerous.
I loved this book!
It’s full of suspense, its narrators are questionable, the setting is eerie, the plot kept me guessing.
I questioned Adam and Amelia throughout, there were points where I didn’t trust either of them, I wasn’t sure of their motives. In the early chapters especially, they both seemed to be as awful as each other.
The fact that Adam suffered with Prosopagnosia (face blindness) was genius, I mean, how do you manage when you can’t recognise people’s faces? It’d be awful, the anxiety at every social event and having to rely on someone else to tell you who you’re talking to.
The highland setting Adam and Amelia had headed to was a character in itself; an old, creaky, chapel, miles from nowhere, cut off from civilisation. It felt atmospheric, I could picture every room, feel the cold, and hear every loose floorboard.
The secret letters from previous anniversaries filled in the blanks, they told the story of this couple and how they’d ended up on a make-or-break trip to a chapel in the arse end of nowhere in the winter.
But the triumph of Rock paper scissors is that it kept me guessing. Every time I thought I’d figured it out and sussed where this book was going, Alice Feeney managed to surprise me, and the twists made sense!
The twists weren’t forced, it wasn’t some bull shit that comes from nowhere and leaves you scratching your head for an hour.
I like to be proven wrong when it comes to thrillers, I kind of demand it and Feeney delivered.
It was a well written and well plotted story, with complicated characters that kept you hooked.
Definitely a must for thriller fans, it is excellent. So, I have to end with a thanks to every blogger who wrote about Rock paper scissors especially Lucy @ Bookworm Blogger who gave me the final push (check out her blog), I enjoyed it as much as you said I would, thank you!
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Journalist, writer, traveller, music lover, collector of hats, news addict, bookworm
Sarah Collins Bookworm 
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it! Thanks for the mention 😊
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No worries, thanks for the recommendation 🙂
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Sounds like this book has an intriguing storyline. You make me interested to read it even tho this kinda story aren’t my cup of tea. Thank you for sharing.
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It’s a really good read, I find stories like this can be hit and miss but this one was fab. Thanks for reading
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I’ve heard really good things about this book, and it sounds like my kind of read. Thank you for sharing x
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Thank you! One of the best I’ve read this year
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No one can deliver quite like Alice Feeney. This is hands down one of my favorite books of 2021. That big twist is so!!!! And the subsequent twists just made my head spin. Excellent review ❤️
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Thank you! I have to agree, she is excellent at keeping readers on their toes!
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Thanks, Sarah. Once again, I share your reservations with thrillers. Even some of the very ‘best’ have left me frustrated and let down. In fact I can’t remember the last one I read. So this goes on my list! Happy Xmas…
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Ha, ha, ha there’s been many where I think ‘well that was stupid’ I’m pleased this one delivered! Merry Christmas to you too, hope it’s a good one x
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This sounds like it would be a good read! I love the title too. Great review, I’ll have to check it out!
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I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for reading
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