One genre I don’t typically gravitate towards are psychological thrillers - no particular reason, though I do like Daphne du Maurier and I would put her in this category.
There are two recent releases that caught my eye - The Turnout and Mrs. March. I rarely impulse buy books, but the synopsis of both of these novels I knew I wanted to squeeze them onto my reading list this year.
The Turnout by, Meg Abbott - I couldn’t say no to a psychological ballet thriller. Apparently this novel is quite twisted and dark. The Turnout is about two sisters who’s mother founded a famous dance school. The sisters end up running the school together after their parents’ tragic death, along with one of the sisters’ husbands. However, leading up to the annual Nutcracker performance a strange incident happens. I also love the title - turnout is crucial in ballet. It refers to how flexible a dancer is at the hips; the goal is to have the thigh get as parallel as possible from that joint that connects it to the hip. This helps produce those long, graceful lines and extensions that ballet dancers are known for. I’ll be curious to see how and if Abbot plays on this a metaphor.
Mrs. March by, Virginia Feito - Mrs. March’s husband is a famous novelist and she a person who places the utmost importance on appearances. She portrays a perfectly tailored life in the Upper East Side. However, someone points out to Mrs. March that the main character in her husband’s new novel, a prostitute, is about Mrs. March, or rather assumes that it’s Mrs. March. From there, Mrs. March begins to psychologically spiral. What really convinced me to pick up this novel is the nod paid to du Maurier’s novel Rebecca that Mrs. March has on her nightstand. I’ve heard this this novel is a slow burn but worth it, as Mrs. March’s mental state begins to decline and there are points in which the reader isn’t quite sure what’s real or what’s a figment of Mrs. March’s imagination. Also, I HATE roaches and the roach this cover is creeping me out!
Have you read either of these books and are you a fan of psychological thrillers?
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