I See You by Claire Mackintosh

I See You.  Claire Mackintosh. Penguin Publishing Group. February 2017. 384 pp. ISBN #: 9781101988299.

Zoe Walker is traveling on the crowded London subway when he sees a photograph in the newspaper that looks just like her.  It’s a creepy feeling, indeed, as she has no connection with the website.  She shows it to her family and they think the picture is her but might not be as it has a grainy quality.  Meanwhile she’s dealing with her family, particularly a partner who thinks her son should pay rent and contribute to the family finances as he’s 22 years old and other minor issues. 

We are then introduced to Kelly, a detective demoted to a police officer who has a bad work history that she is trying to overcome by proving herself in her new job.  Her biggest problem is that she tends to react on instinct and that’s not always the brightest or safest way to perform.  Assaulting an alleged criminal is a no-no that has left Kelly with a hot-head reputation.

The next day Zoe sees a different woman’s picture in the same classified ad section and wonders what’s going on.  As time passes, we also have italicized messages from a voyeur who is taking pictures of women with a very set purpose; the messages are creepy and make the reader tense with anticipation of some crime soon to be committed.

So, the plot moves forward alternating between the mundane, everyday thrills and tussles of life and these photos of different women appearing in the daily newspaper.

Suspicions begin to form around Zoe’s acquaintances, even those who have been very good to Zoe and her family.  No spoilers here.  Suffice to say that the last portion of the novel is stunning as we discover who is behind these pictures – and a murder – and why.

Claire Mackintosh has crafted an interesting mystery that bounces between some boredom over the simple family discussions and the chilling fear elicited over who is clearly a dangerous stalker!  Nicely done, Ms. Mackintosh!