She escaped her crime family, changed her name, and built a new life. Unfortunately, her past didn't get the memo.
I chose this book because I saw the name Iris Johansen. That's it. I didn't even bother investigating what it was about. So although the paranormal aspect took me completely by surprise, I thoroughly enjoyed the novel.
Imagine being able to read people's memories. Now imagine being born into a crime family where your father discovers your unusual talent and decides to put it to work in his various ... business ... dealings.
Welcome to Teresa's world. And it's not a particularly pleasant one.
Teresa has spent her life being used for an ability she never asked for. When she finally gets the chance to escape, Andre Mandak appears and helps her disappear. He arranges a new home, a new family, and a new identity, giving her something she's never really had before: a chance at a normal life.
Of course, this is a thriller. Normal lives don't tend to last very long. And there's the small matter of Andre expecting her to repay him someday.
Teresa doesn't trust anyone at first, and who could blame her? But as she settles into her new life as Allie, she gradually learns to trust her new family and Andre. Unfortunately, the past has an annoying habit of refusing to stay where it belongs, and Allie soon finds herself fighting to protect everything she's come to love.
I liked Allie. She's been dealt a pretty rotten hand, but she's determined to make something better of her life. I enjoyed watching her grow from someone who couldn't trust anyone into someone who had a family, a home, and something worth fighting for.
I also liked Andre, and for reasons I can't quite explain, I trusted him from the beginning. Maybe it was because he helped Allie escape when she desperately needed someone on her side. Maybe it was because he gave her hope for a future that didn't involve being exploited by her own family. Whatever the reason, I never really questioned his intentions.
The paranormal element was a departure from my usual thrillers. Allie's ability to read memories isn't exactly something I encounter in everyday life, but I have no problem suspending my personal beliefs for the sake of a good story. That's why they call it fiction, after all.
There was also some steamy romance, which I happily skipped. I'm here for the suspense, danger, and people behaving badly. I'll leave the bedroom gymnastics to someone else.
What I particularly enjoyed was that the suspense wasn't so much about figuring out who the villain was or waiting for some enormous twist. It was about watching Allie build a life worth living and then fight to keep it. She wasn't simply trying to escape her past anymore. She had something to lose, and that made her struggle all the more compelling.
The Perfect Witness was a good, solid read. It kept me interested, and I enjoyed the characters and the storyline. It didn't keep me up half the night promising myself just one more chapter, but not every book has to threaten my sleep schedule to earn a good rating.
Four stars. An entertaining thriller with a paranormal twist, a little more romance than I needed, and a protagonist worth rooting for. The dust bunnies survived another day.
