Review: Every Vow You Break

Every Vow You Break by Peter Swanson

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Every Vow You Break is a surprising departure from Peter Swanson's usual psychological thrillers. The scenario is a fascinating game of cat and mouse in which trust is a fragile illusion, but it sadly deviates into the realm of implausible. This story made me wonder its logic, even if it kept me interested.

When a mystery stranger shows up in Abigail's life, she, a woman on the brink of marriage her dream man, becomes caught in a web of lies. The story's setting, coastal Maine, is stunning and provides a welcome counterpoint to the sinister undercurrents of the tale. Unquestionably, Swanson's ability to establish a setting envelops the reader in a world of approaching doom.

Unfortunately, the main character is flat and lacks depth. The way she met Brendan, her fiancé, is a bit too convenient, and it makes me wonder if she's incredibly naive or just a bit too self-absorbed.

Not one of the other characters was likeable. I found myself rooting for no one, which is unusual for me. The twist, while it had me guessing for a while, felt a little too convenient and expected. Though Swanson's method of storytelling has always been characterized by a gloomy undercurrent, this novel felt different from his normal approach. He seemed to be investigating a different sort of suspense—one that tended towards the unpleasant and the improbable. Though riveting, the story lost its feeling of realism and descended more and more into a psychological horror film than a plausible thriller.

Still with these shortcomings, the book successfully explores the concepts of trust and betrayal. Abigail's path requires confronting the very people she thought she could trust, not only overcoming the dangers against her.

To conclude, the book's intriguing premise and thrilling moments are let down by its lack of compelling characters and an unrealistic plot. It is an entertaining read for someone who enjoys psychological thrillers with a romantic twist; yet, readers who are searching for the same degree of depth and tension found in Swanson's previous works may find this one to be a little disappointing.

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