When the Lights Go Out 🖤 by Mary Kubica

When the Lights Go Out by Mary Kubica | Publication: September 4th 2018 by Park Row | 384 Pages | Goodreads

PUBLISHER’S DESCRIPTION

“A woman is forced to question her own identity in this riveting and emotionally charged thriller by the blockbuster bestselling author of The Good Girl, Mary Kubica.

Jessie Sloane is on the path to rebuilding her life after years of caring for her ailing mother. She rents a new apartment and applies for college. But when the college informs her that her social security number has raised a red flag, Jessie discovers a shocking detail that causes her to doubt everything she’s ever known.

Finding herself suddenly at the center of a bizarre mystery, Jessie tumbles down a rabbit hole, which is only exacerbated by grief and a relentless lack of sleep. As days pass and the insomnia worsens, it plays with Jessie’s mind. Her judgment is blurred, her thoughts are hampered by fatigue. Jessie begins to see things until she can no longer tell the difference between what’s real and what she’s only imagined.

Meanwhile, twenty years earlier and two hundred and fifty miles away, another woman’s split-second decision may hold the key to Jessie’s secret past. Has Jessie’s whole life been a lie or have her delusions gotten the best of her?”

MY RATING

★★★★☆ (4/5)

REVIEW

This novel had an unexpected ending which you may love or you may hate. In my case, it upset me but then I made peace with it. It is the kind of ending that will make you say to the book: are you serious? you cannot possibly do this to me!

And after all those emotions I concluded it was still worth the read.

Jessica Sloane is a 17-year old who applied for college and was informed her social security number does not belong to her. From then on we follow the main character trying to unravel the mystery of her identity. There’s also alternating timelines and point of views.

I picked up this book because I enjoyed the author’s other two books THE GOOD GIRL and DON’T YOU CRY. Just like this novel, those were absolutely engaging page-turners.

The author has a talent for writing relatable characters that make you want to root for them, at least that’s how I’ve felt about them. They have been put in difficult situations which keeps you wondering how are you going to get out of this one?

Overall, I had a good time reading this novel and recommend it to readers of thrillers, mysteries , and contemporary fiction.

Received ARC from the publisher via Netgalley