Synopses & Reviews
What if you realized the terrifying book you were reading was all about you? A brilliantly conceived, deeply disturbing psychological thriller about a woman haunted by secrets—and the price she will pay for concealing the truth.
When a mysterious novel appears at Catherine Ravenscroft's bedside, she is curious. She has no idea who might have sent her The Perfect Stranger—or how it ended up on her nightstand. At first, she is intrigued by the suspenseful story that unfolds.
And then she realizes.
This isn't fiction.
The Perfect Stranger re-creates in vivid, unmistakable detail the day Catherine became hostage to a dark secret, a secret that only one other person knew—and that person is dead.
Now that the past Catherine so desperately wants to forget is catching up with her, her world is falling apart. Plunged into a living nightmare, she knows that her only hope is to confront what really happened on that terrible day . . . even if the shocking truth may destroy her.
Review
“A terrific novel with a brilliantly creepy central premise. One of the best debut thrillers I have ever read.” Paula Daly, author of < em=""> What Kind of Mother Are You? < m="">
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“Disclaimer stealthily steals your attention and by the end holds you prisonera searing story that resonates long after the final page. The best thriller Ive read this year.” Rosamund Lupton, < em=""> New York Times < m=""> bestselling author of < em=""> Sister and Afterwards < m="">
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“Sensationally good psychological suspense…exactly what a great thriller should be.” Lee Child
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“Knights elegant plot and compelling…characters keep the heart of the novel beating.… Atmospheric and twisting…a page-turner. An addictive psychological thriller.” < em=""> Kirkus Reviews < m="">
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“With pitch-perfect pacing and alternating narrators that leap off the page, Disclaimer is both a page-turning mystery and an artful exploration of the explosive intersection between marriage and motherhood, revenge and regret. A wonderfully compelling book.” Kimberly McCreight, < em=""> New York Times < m=""> bestselling author of < em=""> Reconstructing Amelia < m="">
Review
“A mysterious book within a book, which contains potentially damning information about the protagonist, jump starts this remarkable debut by British scriptwriter Knight....This unsettling psychological thriller about guilt and grief briskly moves to a shocking finale enhanced by its strong characters.” < em=""> Publishers Weekly < m=""> (starred review)
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“This debut British psychological thriller engages the reader from page one; mystery aficionados will dash to finish it in one sitting. Deliciously captivating, brilliantly twisty, and enticingly addictive, it hits the trifecta for a strong thriller!” < em=""> Library Journal < m=""> (starred review)
Review
“This is a good psychological thriller with the ever-popular unreliable narrator, in this case two of them, along with lots of family drama. Sure to appeal to fans of Before I Go to Sleep, by S. J. Watson.” < em=""> Booklist < m="">
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“The control of the readers sympathies, the construction and pacing and the interweaving of [the] narratives, past and present, are remarkably accomplished in an addictive novel that has parallels with Gone Girl, but shows no sign of brazenly jumping onto that books bandwagon.” < em=""> London Sunday Times < m="">
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“Renée Knights debut book is being compared with Gone Girl. . . . A chilling premise.” < em=""> Wall Street Journal < m="">
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“Let me now acknowledge having done what thriller writers love doing: burying the lead. Its Disclaimer that turns out to be the Gone Girl of the season.” Janet Maslin, < em=""> New York Times < m="">
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“Knight plays with our allegiances in this juicy domestic noir.” BookPage.com
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“Disclaimer by Renee Knight is an obsessive read. It is not a book to be read a chapter at a time, but one that demands to be devoured at once.” < em=""> NY Journal of Books < m="">
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“A brilliantly conceived, deeply disturbing psychological thriller about a woman haunted by secrets-and the price she will pay for concealing the truth.” < em=""> Quivering Pen < m="">
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“Knight stretches the limits of. . . human emotions and struggles. . . [leading] the reader to a satisfactory and shocking conclusion.” < em=""> The Life Sentence < m="">
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“The marvel of…Disclaimer is that it just about lives up to its unusually gripping premise…[and] forms a trinity alongside Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train as the best of domestic noir.” < em=""> New York Daily News < m="">
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“Knights pace…nuilds momentum and ends with a series of breakneck plot twists and surprises.… A seriously unnerving roller coaster…. Its also a surprisingly sophisticated examination of marriage, motherhood and memory, as well asnaturallyguilt, grief and revenge.” < em=""> Richmond Times-Dispatch < m="">
Review
“Unsettling…. The ending delivers more than one emotional wallop. Readers feelings about each character will likely be upended as theyre reminded that sometimes people commit atrocious acts out of love, and those who behave abhorrently can also be honorable.” < em=""> Shelf Awareness < m=""> (starred)
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“Knight has twisted a story of decaying love, and built a psychological suspense tale that raises the hair on the back of your neck.… If psychological suspense is what interests you, look no further.” BlogCritics.com
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“The first requirement of a fabulous summer read is that it should be too enthralling to put down. Disclaimer meets that requirement mightily.… A gripping, well-written story for those who arent afraid of the darker side of summer reading.” < em=""> Charleston Gazette < m="">
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“New authors need to stand out and Renée Knight has a doozy of an opening for Disclaimer…. Why is the driving question here, not how or who, and its really well done.” < em=""> Globe and Mail < m=""> (Toronto)
Review
“Unsettling, yet impossible to set down…. A captivating read youll find lingers with you long after the final page has been turned.” BookLoons.com
Synopsis
A brilliantly conceived, deeply unsettling psychological thriller— already an international sensation—about a woman haunted by secrets, the consuming desire for revenge, and the terrible price we pay when we try to hide the truth.
Finding a mysterious novel at her bedside plunges documentary filmmaker Catherine Ravenscroft into a living nightmare. Though ostensibly fiction, The Perfect Stranger recreates in vivid, unmistakable detail the terrible day she became hostage to a dark secret, a secret that only one other person knew—and that person is dead.
Now that the past is catching up with her, Catherines world is falling apart. Her only hope is to confront what really happened on that awful day . . . even if the shocking truth might destroy her.
About the Author
Renée Knight worked for the BBC directing arts documentaries and has had TV and film scripts commissioned by the BBC, Channel Four, and Capital Films. In April 2013, she graduated from the Faber Academy "Writing a Novel" course, whose alumni include S. J. Watson. She lives in London with her husband and two children.