BOOK REVIEW: Wrong Number by Carys Jones

Wrong Number is the first in a series by Carys Jones (author of Prime Deception). The sequel to Wrong Number, titled Last Witness, is already out and receiving great reviews, so admittedly I'm a little late to the party here!

Amanda, a successful web designer, leads a happy  life with husband Will. Until one day, she receives a strange phone call, asking for a Jake Burton. The mysterious caller is adamant that Jake lives at the property. Amanda puts it down to a simple wrong number.

But then Will disappears.

Leaving without so much as a note or call is extremely out of character for her normally meticulous husband Will. Worried and frantic about his whereabouts, she contacts the police. Meanwhile, using her skills as a former hacker, Amanda starts to look into Will's online presence. And things just don't seem to add up...

When will is officially declared missing, the police officer on the case is none other than Amanda's ex boyfriend Shane. A man who knows everything about Amanda's past. Shane is now in a new relationship, but with the pair working closely on the investigation of Will's disappearance, will Shane and Amanda fall for one another again?

When I saw this book on Netgalley I had to request it, because I love a good thriller, and the premise of Wrong Number sounded gripping. It is...but not straight away. The action and suspense seems to pick up in the second half. It's quite slow at first, but I carried on, and was glad because the story does get better.

I particularly enjoyed the darkweb element of the book. It was original, and made for an interesting glimpse into the past of Amanda, who isn't the perfect wife that she initially seems. I liked that Amanda has a secret past, one she's not particularly proud of.

Wrong Number seems, to me anyway, to be less of a fast-paced thriller and more of a mystery with a bit of romance. I found this with Carys's previous novel, Prime Deception. Now, I am partial to a romantic sub-plot, however this book seems to be marketed as a thriller, which may mislead some readers who are looking for something more gripping and psychological. The ending was, in my opinion, a little bit hurried.

I don't want to spoil too much, but I enjoyed Wrong Number; Carys Jones is a great writer, and even though this book is slightly predictable and a bit slower than I had expected, it's still a good read overall!

Rating: 3/5

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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