The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn – a Review

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
What did she see?

It’s been ten long months since Anna Fox last left her home. Ten months during which she has haunted the rooms of her old New York house like a ghost, lost in her memories, too terrified to step outside.

Anna’s lifeline to the real world is her window, where she sits day after day, watching her neighbours. When the Russells move in, Anna is instantly drawn to them. A picture-perfect family of three, they are an echo of the life that was once hers.

But one evening, a frenzied scream rips across the silence, and Anna witnesses something no one was supposed to see. Now she must do everything she can to uncover the truth about what really happened. But even if she does, will anyone believe her? And can she even trust herself?

Review:

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn is a psychological thriller.  The story focuses on our heroine, Anna Fox, who lives alone in a 5 story house in a nice neighborhood.   Anna suffers from agoraphobia, and has not left her house in 10 months.  What is agoraphobia?  It is the fear of being outside, with panic attacks if they leave the house.

Anna spends her days drinking wine;  watching her neighbors through a camera;  goes to various internet chat sites to talk to other people with their own problems (she is a psychologist, though she can’t help herself); watches old movies, and talks to her husband and daughter on the phone daily.

One day, one of those neighbors, saw Anna through the window and came to visit her.  The neighbor, Jane Russell, just moved in, and Anna was able to enjoy the conversation.  A second visit also introduced her to the woman’s son, Ethan.  A few days later, Anna heard a scream, and when she looked through her camera, she sees Jane pressing her hand to her bloodied chest and falling.   Anna calls the police, and even tries to leave the house to help Jane.  The detectives come to interview her, as there is no body, and the family, including the wife, are all there healthy.  They question her sanity, especially since she drinks a lot,mixing it with her pills.   What did Anna see? Was it real or was she having hallucinations?

I do not want to give any spoilers, as in any psychological thrillers, and The Woman in the Window is no different, there are many surprising twists and turns.  What follows is an intense and exciting storyline that follows Anna, as she continues to try to find the truth, even if she thinks maybe they are right and she is seeing things.   I will say that the story in the first half of the book was a bit slow, as we got to meet the main characters, as well as learn more about Anna.  The second half of the book was very good, that I was unable to put the book down,  especially with a couple of shocking revelations that I did not see coming and threw me for a loop. Though she was severely mentally challenged with her phobia, I wasn’t totally crazy about Anna early on, even if she seemed very normal chatting and helping others on the internet; but later on I did like her better, especially after learning more secrets. 

The Woman in the Window was a tense dark thriller that other than the slow start, it was very well written by A.J. Finn.  I do recommend you to read this book, especially if you enjoy psychological thrillers.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher