Pippa and Gabe were starting their life over (again) in a new home on the beach. Pippa wasn't sure about the house being on a dangerous cliff, though, on account of their two young daughters. Gabe loved it and so she settled. Then, as Pippa guessed, their location became dangerous in other ways. It was a famous suicide spot! This doesn't deter Gabe though. A master of persuasion, he is able to talk many wayward beings off the ledge and becomes a town hero. Until one night, he just couldn't save one!
Spoilers ahead (skip to the next section if you haven't finished reading yet)
On this dark and stormy night, Gabe claims the incident was an accident, but Pippa (having seen some of the interaction from the kitchen window) doesn't seem so sure. So, she discovers that the victim was none other than the wife of his former boss, Amanda Cameron! Could that be a coincidence? Not really. Amanda was there to confront Gabe and Pippa about something she saw on her husband's (Max) computer. Only when she mentioned it to Gabe, he wasn't surprised, but he was still worried about what was on the disk Amanda had in her hand.
When Max finds out he's shocked and insists that Amanda would never commit suicide. He lost his mother and brother to the same and Amanda knew that and was sympathetic. Besides, they were happy, right? Until he realizes that Gabe and Pippa were the homeowners of the house on the cliff near where it happened, Max is lost and confused not understanding what could have happened. He wanted answers. He also knew that he owed Gabe some answers, too. All this confusion and all the lies led to his wife's demise, so what could Max do to make it better?
(OK, done spoiling it) My take on the book.
The author chose a great way to convey the desperation in each character as the plot progresses. You get to read the point of view of Pipp and Amanda (yes, even after death) and truly understand how a wife reacts to their husband's lies. Relationships and connections are important in this book. Most of the situations are highly believable; however, I personally did not like Pippa's reaction to Gabe's actions. Yet, I understood her desire to maintain their home.
So, about the psychology.
As I am seeking to continue educating and helping others understand the psychological aspects of all the thrillers I read, I have to comment on the psychology of the characters. In this book, essentially Gabe. He was misdiagnosed as having ADHD towards the beginning of the book. This diagnosis helped explain his lack of attention to detail and his inability to maintain a job or stay on task, but it hardly accounted for his reckless behavior and bouts of extreme depression.
The doctor who misdiagnosed him originally prescribed medication that would reduce the symptoms of ADHD, which was probably a stimulant. Although it may have helped with his focus and attention to detail, the medication could also have made the manic and depressive symptoms worse. In fact, it did. Gabe escalated his risky behavior to downright dangerous. He hurt himself and others in the process. When he was properly diagnosed, it was too late to change the past and the consequences of his actions were already underway.
SO, bottom line - I liked this book and highly recommend it. 5 out of 5 "stars."
Next month's book: Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
