Review: One Step Too Far by Tina Seskis

Title: One Step Too Far   

Author: Tina Seskis         

Published:  January 2015, William Morrow & Company 

Format: Hardcover, 304 pages  

Source: Library  

An intricately plotted,
thoroughly addictive thriller from a major new voice in suspense
fiction–a mesmerizing and powerful novel that will keep you guessing to
the very end

It’s funny how easy it is, when it really comes
down to it, to get up from your life and begin a new one. All you need
is enough money to start you off, and a resolve not to think about the
people you’re leaving behind.”

A happy marriage. A beautiful
family. A dream home. So what makes lawyer Emily Coleman–a woman who
appears to have everything–get up one morning and walk right out of her
life to start again as someone new?

Deliberately losing herself
in London, Emily quickly transforms herself into Cat. Along with her new
name, she finds a new home in a shared house in North London teeming
with an odd assortment of flatmates, and a new job as a receptionist at a
hip advertising agency. Finding easy kinship with the fun-loving Angel,
her savior and new best friend, Cat begins to live on the edge, giddy
with the euphoria of freedom and release.

Cat has buried any
trace of her old self so well, no one knows how to find her. But she
can’t bury the past–or her own painful memories. As the days turn to
months, thoughts of all she’s left behind begin to consume her. She
cannot outrun the ghosts that haunt her, no matter how hard she tries to
elude them.

And soon, she’ll have to face the truth of what she’s done–a shocking revelation that may push her one step too far . . .

Filled
with wonderfully complex characters, brilliantly plotted to ratchet the
suspense, and exploring themes of family, secrets, and the choices we
all must make, One Step Too Far is a mesmerizing thriller that
tantalizingly illuminates just how far we may go to try and forget our
sins.

My thoughts: I had heard a lot about this book around Twitter and knew it was something I wanted to read. Originally published in the UK, it was finally available here and I was so psyched when my copy came in at the library that I put everything else aside. What a roller coaster of a ride, but a tough review to write!

I really, really liked this book. I found myself immediately hooked. While I didn’t necessarily love Emily/Cat’s character, there was just something about her that kept me glued to the pages. What would make a grown woman decide one day to leave her life – with no note – and just walk out the door to start a new life, not once looking back – or at least trying not to. All I wanted to know was what caused this! 

As the book progresses and Emily, now Cat, is adjusting to her new life, there are flashbacks to her earlier life.We learn about her childhood and that she has a twin sister that she has had a tumultuous relationship with, and we also learn about the early days of her marriage. Still, though, we are not given that final piece to the puzzle.

And then…when it was finally revealed – OMG. I actually had to walk away from the book to digest what I had just read. Once I was ready to pick up the book, I went back to reread a few parts and then continued forward. All I kept thinking as I finished up the book was how had I not picked up on that? Did I miss something along the way?  

I’m glad I didn’t guess the secret as I think that would have ruined the book for me. I will say, though, that once you get to that big reveal, it will change the way you feel about some of the characters as well as make you want to go back and reread the book. I thought about doing just that – rereading the whole book once I finished it, but decided that I didn’t want to. I didn’t want to change the way I thought about the book – and that is that it was a brilliantly executed psychological thriller that kept me glued to the pages just to find out how things played out. I don’t want to change those feelings I had by rereading it. I loved the way this book made me think and how it had me completely invested in the characters. I cannot wait to see what Tina Seskis comes out with next!!!