Alice Feeney has built her reputation as a master of the domestic thriller, and Rock Paper Scissors is yet another reminder of why she is often called the queen of the killer twist. With its atmospheric setting, fractured marriage at the center, and layers of secrets slowly peeled back, this novel keeps readers guessing until the very last page.
A Marriage on the Edge
The story follows Adam and Amelia Wright, a couple whose marriage is hanging by a thread. To rekindle their relationship, they set off on what should be a romantic weekend getaway in the Scottish Highlands. The trip, however, is anything but ordinary. Their destination turns out to be a remote, decaying chapel, cut off from the world and haunted by whispers of past tragedies. Snow begins to fall, the power falters, and an unsettling presence suggests they may not be alone.
Adam, a screenwriter with face blindness, struggles to recognize even his own wife. Amelia, weary from years of feeling unseen, is determined to save or perhaps end their relationship. Adding to the tension, every anniversary throughout their marriage, Amelia has written Adam a letter she has never allowed him to read. Until now. Ten years of secrets are finally coming to light, and not everyone may survive the weekend.
What Works Brilliantly
One of the novel’s strongest features is its use of multiple perspectives and the interwoven anniversary letters. This structure reveals the darker truths behind Adam and Amelia’s marriage, making the reader question everything they thought they knew about the couple.
The atmosphere is another highlight. Feeney brings the Scottish setting to life with its biting cold, howling winds, and isolated landscape. The setting itself becomes a character claustrophobic, eerie, and charged with dread.
And then, of course, there are the twists. Feeney delivers them with precision, saving her biggest revelations for the closing chapters. Just when you think you’ve figured it out, she pulls the rug out from under you. For many readers, this ending is what makes the book unforgettable.
Where It Falters
That said, Rock Paper Scissors won’t work for everyone. Readers who consume a lot of thrillers may recognize familiar patterns and predict some of the turns. Others may find certain details stretched for dramatic effect, such as Adam’s face blindness, which at times seems to go beyond medical reality.
The prose style, peppered with aphoristic one-liners, can also divide readers. Some find these lines sharp and memorable; others feel they interrupt the flow of the story. Ultimately, enjoyment may depend on whether you embrace the novel’s slightly theatrical tone.
Final Verdict
Rock Paper Scissors is a fast-paced, atmospheric thriller that thrives on tension and secrets. It blends a gothic setting with the raw unraveling of a marriage, resulting in a story that is both chilling and addictive. While not flawless, it is undeniably entertaining and showcases Feeney’s signature gift for jaw-dropping finales.
If you love domestic thrillers filled with unreliable narrators, creepy settings, and twists that keep you turning pages late into the night, this book deserves a spot on your shelf.
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