Book Review: Rock Paper Scissors by ALice Feeney
February 28, 2025
This is the last winter book review I can hardly believe how many books I read this season!
We follow the story of a couple named Adam and Amelia. We follow the last ten years of marriage and how it feels like it is coming apart at the seams. As a last ditch effort, Amelia plans a trip for them to a remote chapel in the Scottish countryside at the end of February. Adam is reluctant, but finally agrees to it. Adam is a screen writer, who is obsessed with his job and an author named Henry Winters. In addition to this, he has a neurological issue that causes him to be unable to remember faces. He can recognize people from their body language, their hair cuts or even the glasses they wear, but not their faces. Amelia works at a dog rescue close by, but no one ever really makes her feel like that is a good choice. She really is wanting her relationship with Adam to work and when she wins this weekend away from a raffle at work, she thinks it is the saving grace they both needed. But even from the start, things feel really off. The chapel is almost impossible to get to through the storm and the lack of signs around the area. The whole town that the chapel is located in is completely empty except for one little shack on the edge of town that they assume is the housekeeper. And then when they finally get to the chapel, cold and tired, they aren’t able to get in. They walk around the back side to see if there is another door, there isn't , and by the time they get back to the front, the front door is wide open and waiting for them. Being a little spooked, but a little too cold to care, they go inside and find that it almost seems like they weren’t expected, or welcome. There is dust coating every surface and no lights are on. There is a note on the kitchen counter, though, that suggests otherwise. The longer they are there, the more spooky and uncomfortable everything becomes. Are they playing tricks on each other? Does the other person really want to make this work? And who was the face Amelia saw in the window, staring in at them?
I read this book so fast. It was twisty and unexpected; there was a part of the book that had my jaw on the floor. You aren’t new here, you know I love a twisty book that I don’t see the end coming, and I really didn’t see this end coming. I pride myself in being able to figure things out quickly, and I had plenty of theories, but none of them were correct, and yet all the dots were connected at the end and I felt like I should have known it all along. That is a well written thriller. I am a big fan. I suggest this book to any and every thriller lover.
