Review: Suspicion by Alexandra Monir

A modern-day twist on the classic thriller, Rebecca, with a dash of the supernatural, a powerful romance, and a deadly family mystery.

“There’s something hidden in the maze.”

Seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford has never forgotten the last words her father said to her, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family’s English country manor.

For seven years, images of her parents’ death have haunted Imogen’s dreams. In an effort to escape the past, she leaves Rockford Manor and moves to New York City with her new guardians. But some attachments prove impossible to shake—including her love for her handsome neighbor Sebastian Stanhope.

Then a life-altering letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor in England, where she quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind Rockford’s aristocratic exterior. At their center is Imogen herself—and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.

Combining spine-tingling mystery, romance, and unforgettable characters, Suspicion is an action-packed thrill ride.

Goodreads | Source: Finished copy provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review

Review:
I had read quite a few 1 star reviews for this book. I was kind of terrified to read it. Also, I’ve never read Rebecca. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing (as most of the negative reviews were as a result of comparing it to the original) or a bad thing (I had no idea what was going & maybe I would have if I read Rebecca).

Suspicion is a thriller with paranormal elements, romance and a bit of princess makeover thrown in. I’ve read several books this year that have tried to combine mystery with other elements – Made for You by Melissa Marr and Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick come to mind.

I find when there are more than 2 or 3 different genres/themes mixed together, the bigger story starts to fall apart and that happened here.

We meet 10 year old Imogen Rockford as her family visits the Rockford Manor. This sets up her relationship with her cousin Lucia, her crush on family friend Sebastian, the class differences aspect and the paranormal elements.

After a tragic event at the manor during that visit we shift to 7 years later. Imogen’s parents are dead and she’s living happily with her adoptive family in NYC. She receives word that the last of the remaining Rockford’s have passed away and she’s now the sole heir and needs to return to the estate to takeover.

I don’t know. I enjoyed each separate thing in regards to Suspicion. Imogen needs to take lessons to be lady of the manor, her unusual powers spark to life once she arrives, she’s reunited with her friend/crush Sebastian, there’s a murder mystery, possibly ghosts. Separately it’s all kind of cool but all together in one book? Not so much. No one thing has time to be developed and then the twist ending throws even the meager world building into chaos.

Like I mentioned earlier - I haven't read Rebecca - so maybe it needed to end that way but there were so many better directions it could have gone in.

I didn’t dislike it as much as some readers did – I was entertained and read it it one evening but I find that a lot of these genre mash-ups just don’t work for me.

*You can check out my friend Jen’s review over at YA Romantics. She has read Rebecca and has a breakdown comparing the two if you need a little help deciding if this book is for you.

P.S. That cover is gorgeous in real life!