Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeny Review

 Title: Rock Paper Scissors

Author: Alice Feeny

Age Group: Adult

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

Series: Standalone

Star Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

I borrowed this book from my local library and reviewed it.

This book was our book club pick for the month of December, and I’d never read anything by Alice Feeny before, so I was looking forward to it. Normally, I don’t like mysteries and thrillers; I can usually guess what’s going to happen within the first hundred pages. But this book was full of twists and turns, and I was constantly wondering what was going to happen next. I also loved the unique format; I was transfixed, the pages flying under my fingers once the action really started going. I was really confused as the book went on, and the ending was so unexpected. My jaw was on the floor the entire day I finished it. This is my first Alice Feeny book, and it certainly will not be my last! Easily one of my favorite books of 2025!

Adam and Amanda Wright love each other; their marriage is picture perfect. But dark secrets hide beneath the shiny veneer. Adam has face blindness, a condition that renders him helpless with people. He can’t remember what a person looks like, not even his beloved wife. When they are awarded an all-expenses paid getaway in the wilds of Scotland, Amanda eagerly takes this opportunity to get close to Adam again. But Adam has his own plans, and both of the Wrights are hiding secrets. But there is someone who want the Wrights to regret their choices, and they must stick together before someone pays the price…

This book was awfully strange, with sparse prose and an atmosphere that made me feel more than a little claustrophobic. Yet I was immediately intrigued, especially by the format of the novel, half told in letters. The pacing was smooth, but when it ratcheted up, my heart was pounding and the pages were flying under my fingers, almost of their own accord. The twists and turns were many and unexpected. Every time I thought I had the book figured out, it threw me for a loop again. I really didn’t like any of the characters, except for Bob the dog. This book told of a marriage made not in heaven, but somewhere much further south. However, I really enjoyed it! Alice Feeny is a phenomenal storyteller, sharp and concise. The ending really threw me, I was totally not expecting it! What a fun, tightly spun thriller for the ages! The bottom line: Sparse, creepy, and more than a little shocking, I loved Rock Paper Scissors! Next on deck: Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan!