Open Your Eyes

Starred review from August 27, 2018
Jane Campbell, the narrator of this superior domestic thriller from British author Daly (The Trophy Child), is accustomed to having her husband, Leon, handle their finances, household decisions, and even any comments that may arise over their biracial marriage (she’s white, he’s black). The family lives comfortably in Liverpool on Leon’s income as a top-selling crime fiction writer. Jane concentrates on their two children, their home, and teaching creative writing a couple of times a week. That her own manuscripts have been rejected several times is her one sore spot. Jane’s life changes when Leon is shot in the head with a nail gun in their driveway minutes after a confrontation with their elderly neighbor with whom they’ve had an ongoing feud. As Leon recovers, Jane begins to learn how much her husband has hidden from her—they are deeply in debt, he is way behind in his latest manuscript, and he has made some dangerous enemies. Believable twists and characters who realistically change distinguish this brisk story. Agent: Jane Gregory, David Higham Assoc. (U.K.).

September 1, 2018
When her husband is assaulted in broad daylight, a woman must fight to uncover his secrets in Daly's (The Trophy Child, 2017, etc.) domestic thriller.Jane Campbell prides herself on her equanimity even as she also recognizes that she will do almost anything to avoid face-to-face conflict. She's not someone who actively seizes her dreams, as evidenced by the fact that she teaches creative writing instead of fighting to publish her own book. Her husband, Leon, in contrast, is not only a successful crime novelist, but also a strong personality who doesn't turn away from a fight. One afternoon, as they prepare to pull out of the driveway with their two children in the car, Jane goes inside to fetch something. When she returns several minutes later, Leon has been brutally attacked. Most of the novel follows Jane's struggles as she works to support Leon, who is in a medically induced coma; keep her children safe; and make enough money to keep them all afloat. For as she begins digging into her husband's life, she finds out that he's been lying to her about his writing and about their finances. Perhaps the list of suspects is longer than at first it appears--and maybe Leon was even having mental problems before his brain surgery. This is an evenly paced thriller; Daly delivers just enough clues and twists, a little bit at a time, to keep the reader guessing. It's easy to relate to Jane; her general passiveness leads to few character surprises, but she firmly gains and keeps our sympathy, unlike many more unreliable narrators who pepper domestic suspense novels these days. After the shocking beginning, Jane's dogged pursuit of the truth keeps the novel grounded.A satisfyingly original thriller.

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Starred review from September 15, 2018
This fifth absorbing domestic thriller (following The Trophy Child?, 2017) from acclaimed crime-writer Daly, is afire with her trademark brilliantly defined characters, the nice and the not so nice. Leon Campbell is a best-selling thriller author with everything going for him when he is brutally attacked in the driveway of his own home. His wife, Jane, is catapulted from her happy life?built around a loving marriage, two young children, a playful cat, and a fulfilling job as a creative-writing teacher?into an absolute nightmare. With Leon in a coma, Jane is forced to remove her rose-colored glasses as she begins to realize that he has been keeping secrets from her, secrets that now threaten the emotionally devastated family. And what did Leon do to make someone want to kill him? After she herself becomes a suspect, Jane takes matters into her own hands and faces terrifying consequences for her interference after being warned to stay away from playing Miss Marple. The element of literary ambition makes for a fascinating story within the story, with details on the dangers of plagiarism and the destructive practice of sock puppetry ?posting fake bad reviews of authors' work?enhancing the telling. The turn at the end is an absolute triumph. Readers will hope to hear more of the Campbells soon.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)