British author Clare Mackintosh is a former police officer who seems to know what she is writing about in her novel ‘I See You’, a crime thriller set in the elaborate labyrinth that is the London underground. Many scenes jump off the page and feel very real. It’s almost like watching a crime drama series. But, for me, the ending was a letdown despite the numerous twists and turns. It felt a little clumsy. As if the author couldn’t decide what to do, which direction to take. It makes for a rushed and a little unbelievable ending. If you are someone who’s read or watched a lot of crime stories, you can sense where things are headed.
Zoe Walker is 40 and divorced with a son (22) and a daughter (19). Her boyfriend, Simon, lives with them but her children don’t like him much. It doesn’t help that Zoe’s ex-husband, Matt, is also in the picture and still loves Zoe. Simon is jealous of Matt and her children blame her for leaving their father. Then, one day, she sees her photo in a newspaper advertisement for a dating service. The problem is she hasn’t signed up for one. As Zoe starts looking into it, she finds that women who have appeared on the advert have been victims of abuse and crime.
Enter Kelly Swift, a police officer who patrols the subway, keeping an eye out mostly for pickpockets. She was demoted to the position after she attacked a prisoner who provoked her. The man had raped her twin sister in college. Kelly learns that there’s a mysterious website that lists the subway routes of women along with their personal details. There are different subscription plans to access this information. When her team finds out that at least two women on the website have been raped and murdered, they start looking for the website owner.
The novel’s first sentence holds a lot of promise: ‘The man behind me is standing close enough to moisten the skin on my neck with his breath’. I bought the book because I felt the tension would escalate. But the danger lurks more in Zoe’s mind rather than actually out there. For the most part, it feels like Zoe is just scared and making things up, even when she’s not. And because there are only a handful of characters, it’s not that difficult to guess who might be behind it all.
Mackintosh, having served in the police force for 12 years, definitely understands the complexities of the job and it is this richly portrayed side of the story that is more interesting than the actual plot. I’d still recommend the book, purely for the vibes of the chaotic London subway system and numerous mentions of tea.
Three stars
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26233572-i-see-you
Thriller
I See You
Clare Mackintosh
Published: 2016
Publisher: Berkley
Pages: 388, Paperback
