Beneath the Surface is the debut novel written by Heidi Perks and I have got to say right from the start of this review that it absolutely blew me away. With a unique storyline and Heidi’s truly magnificent writing style shining through during the entire novel, Beneath the Surface really does stand out from other books that belong to the psychological thriller genre. I thought that it was an incredible novel that surpassed all of my expectations and was, in short, a complete gem that will most definitely be making an appearance in my top 10 reads of 2016.
When Beneath the Surface first opens we are introduced to Abigail who arrives home from school one day to find her house, a place that is usually so full of activity, eerily silent. Wandering through the house and finding that the bedroom that her two little twin sisters, Hannah and Lauren, share is completely empty, Abigail soon realises that her family have abandoned her. She has been left with nothing, except a million burning questions along with feelings of both guilt and apprehension, to fend for herself.
From the very start of this novel I was completely and utterly hooked, I was well and truly glued to my kindle and found myself reading it whenever I had a few minutes to spare. I was entirely compelled to keep turning the pages, wanting desperately to find out what on earth would cause Abigail’s mother, Kathryn, to run away with two of her daughters and leave the other one behind. Had Abigail done something to deserve it? Why did Abigail’s grandmother, Eleanor, not bother to offer her help and support? Both of these questions along with so many others are answered as Heidi took me on an unforgettable journey where nothing was predictable and a lifetime of family secrets were revealed.
What I particularly enjoyed about this novel was that it was told from the perspective of several different characters which meant that it was possible to see the story unfolding from the angles of many key players. Regarding the characters what was also incredibly clear to see was that Heidi had spent a lot of time thinking them through and had constructed them with so much care and attention that I felt something towards each and every single one of them. Much like the other characters, my dislike for Eleanor the grandmother grew every time I heard more about her. She was a world away from my own grandmother who I know would do anything she could to help and protect me that I couldn't help thinking that Kathryn really did need to learn to stand up to her. Meanwhile I felt nothing but sorry for Abigail and all that she had been through and thought that Hannah and Lauren, despite having very different personalities, were just as you’d expect twins of their age to be - supportive of each other and the decisions they made even if their opinions differed.
I could find absolutely no fault with Beneath the Surface which has desperately left me wanting and hoping for more to be written by Heidi Perks. I awarded this incredible novel, which completely captivated me and was so expertly written, five shining stars on Goodreads but honestly do think it deserves so many more than that. If you’re into your psychological fiction and enjoy a book that will keep you guessing and is full of family drama from beginning to end then Beneath the Surface is most definitely for you.
I would like to end this review by thanking Heidi for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
