I Did It For Us is a standalone psychological thriller and I raced through the pages eager to find out what happened next. I bought my copy of this book from Toppings book shop in Ely and it has waited patiently for me to read it; I adored the Cambridge Blue series by Alison Bruce and I didn’t want to rush straight into reading it – partly in the manner of saving a particularly pleasing cake for a later date and partly because I so loved the Goodhew series.
Well, even without Goodhew, I Did It For Us is a huge hit with me. Emily, our main character, doesn’t walk the easiest of paths and life certainly doesn’t shy away from dealing her some rough hands, but is she a victim or is she the cause? Alison Bruce demonstrates clearly her mastery of the craft here with the impressive level of skill which must have been involved in creating this twisty tale.
The only similarity to the Goodhew books was the way the story wove its way around Cambridge, I loved reading place names and locations that I could easily picture in my head.
No spoilers from me, as ever, but suffice it to say this clever, psychological thriller will keep you guessing!
Synopsis: “From the first time I saw them together I knew it felt wrong. I didn’t like the way he touched her or the self-conscious way he played with Molly and Luke. Joanne saw none of it of course. So I did it to prove to her that she was wrong. I did it for us.”
Emily’s instincts tell her that best friend Joanne’s new boyfriend is bad news. Emily fears for Joanne. Fears for Joanne’s children. But Joanne won’t listen because she’s in love. So Emily watches, and waits . . . and then she makes a choice.
But Emily has a past, and secrets too. And is she really as good a friend to Joanne as she claims?