Book Review: The Nightspinners

the nightspinners book cover

Remember my last post about popcorn books?  And how Girl Soldier was definitely NOT a popcorn book?  Well, guess what?  This one is.  In fact, if you look in the dictionary under the phrase “popcorn book” you’ll see this picture.

This book was a real change of pace for me, a sort of supernatural thriller.  Not the type of book I normally choose, but the book jacket intrigued me and sometimes that’s all it takes to get a book lodged in my library bag.  Somewhat surprisingly, I’m glad it did.

When we meet Susannah, she is a successful interior designer living in Philadelphia.  Her twin sister, Marina, was brutally murdered 18 months prior and the search for her killer has grown cold.  As children, Marina and Susannah could communicate telepathically, a skill they labeled “nightspinning”.  As the girls mature, Susannah begins to resent the nightspinning and yearns to distance herself from both her small-town upbringing as well as her controlling twin.

Then, suddenly, the copycatting starts.  Bizarre incidents – acts of vandalism, random gifts, strange notes – lead Susannah to wonder if Marina is attempting to contact her beyond the grave, or if she, perhaps, is the killer’s next victim.

Each character we meet in the book becomes a potential suspect.  Every act becomes a potential clue.  I even found myself looking over my own shoulder a few times and double-checking to be sure the doors were closed and locked.

A great, fun, summertime read with an unexpected ending.  Be sure to get your popcorn ready.