Hey, it’s Diego.

This week, I read She Didn’t See it Coming by Shari Lapena.

And although it was a domestic thriller, we followed (among other characters) the detective in the investigation of the disappearance of a woman in her apartment.

It’s rare to see detectives at the front of an investigation in a domestic thriller, but I’ve read some. Here is my short list.

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Top Detective Domestic Thrillers

The Wedding Party by L.R. Jones

In The Wedding Party by L.R. Jones, a joint bachelor/bachelorette party at the famously haunted Stanley Hotel ends in murder. FBI agent Andi Castle, attending as a guest, is forced to step into the role of investigator. With secrets, lies, and shifting alliances among the wedding party, the stage is set for a thrilling psychological drama.

Found by Erin Kinsley

In Found by Erin Kinsley, we follow DI Naylor into the investigation of the disappearance of 11-year-old Evan. His parents are plunged into their worst nightmare. Especially as the police, under massive pressure, have no answers. But months later, Evan is unexpectedly found, frightened and refusing to speak. His loving family realizes life will never be the same again. DI Naylor knows that unless those who took Evan are caught, other children are in danger. And with Evan silent, she must race against time to find those responsible...

And the newest addition to the list:

She Didn’t See it Coming by Shari Lapena (A Review)

Sam receives a call at his office. Bryden, her wife, working from home that day, has failed to collect their daughter from daycare. Arriving home with their little girl, he finds his wife’s car in the underground garage. Upstairs in their apartment, her laptop is open on the table, her cell phone nearby, her keys in their usual place in the hall. Except Bryden is nowhere to be seen. It’s as if she just walked out.

She Didn’t See it Coming by Shari Lapena is a domestic thriller set in a luxury condominium.

Lapena’s writing is mostly invisible, which is the best kind. The dialogue flows exceptionally well, which is great for a detective investigation where there are a lot of interrogations.

The story is told from the points of view of detective Jayne and members of Bryden’s family and friends as the police piece together what happened to her. We get to learn new information as Jayne progresses with her investigation, often leading to twists in the story. It’s all told in a single timeline.

Jayne, as expected, is a proactive character. So is Bryden’s sister Lizzie. Other characters are more passive and wait for things to happen to react to them.

There were no real thrills in the story; it’s more about the investigation, which has a ticking clock to find Bryden as soon as possible, and makes for an entertaining read.

The book could have jumped to the top of my best reads this year, but it has a glaring issue with a plot line that is given about half of the book’s attention and is dropped unceremoniously without any resolution whatsoever. I’m not sure why a book would devote so much time to it and then not address it properly, but it stuck like a sore thumb.

There is no romance, and although there is murder involved, there are no scenes of graphic violence. There is plenty of swearing, though.

So, what about the ending? (No spoilers, obviously)

The ending wraps the main mystery nicely, but as mentioned before, it doesn’t wrap a secondary plot line in a satisfying manner, which most of the book is dedicated to. There is also no denouement, which makes it feel like the author was running out of time to finish the book

She Didn’t See it Coming is a pretty good story that would have benefited from more time in the ending. If you like detective stories but also like to hop around in the heads of what each family member is going through when disaster strikes, you are going to love this one.

This Week’s Update

• The Netflix adaptation of Ruth Ware’s psychological thriller, The Woman in Cabin 10, went live on October 10th. Keira Knightley stars as journalist Lo Blacklock, who witnesses what appears to be a murder aboard a luxury yacht, and then finds everyone on board denies it ever happened.

• The Intruder by Freida McFadden dropped this week, and unsurprisingly, it’s already topping the charts.

• Gone Before Goodbye by Harlan Coben and Reese Witherspoon is set to release next week.

That’s all for this week. See you next time.

— Diego Dunne

P.S. Let me know how I did today by replying to this email.

P.P.S. I would love to hear your recommendations for thrillers you loved. Reply to this email and I’ll add them to my TBR list. Thanks!