Book Review: Delusions by Amy Crandall

Remember when I said that The Kind Worth Killing by Peter Swanson was one of the best thrillers I’ve ever read? This book is up there with it.

Delusions* by Amy Crandall introduces us to Abigale, a teenage girl who finds herself in one of the interrogation rooms of the Arcata Police Department denying multiple murders. She needs to convince the police of her innocence, but that is hard when all evidence points back to her, including messages to the mysterious Facebook profile, DarkHeart434. Soon Abigale’s life starts to unravel and we learn some dark family secrets as her faith in her own innocence begins to fail.

This is a psychological thriller at its finest! If you thought Gone Girl showed just how twisted humans can be, you’re in for a big shock with Delusions. The book begins in the interrogation room but flip-flops between past and present in each chapter. This is great for people with no patience because Crandall really does divulge information in dribs and drabs. Slightly frustrating because this is a story that drives you mad guessing what will happen next, but this method successfully adds to the overall tension.

Abigale is the main character in Delusions so naturally one would expect to find themselves drawn to her. Unfortunately, I couldn’t connect with her, even if she wasn’t necessarily unlikable. However, as I’ve said in many reviews before, having an unlikeable main character is not a bad thing. In this case, it worked excellently as it kept my mind bouncing between advocating for Abigale’s innocence and condemning her. I was actually more intrigued by more minor characters like next-door neighbour Damien and Abigale’s mother (just what does she have to hide?). So, while the focus of this book is mostly on Abigale, there is enough going on in the background to split your suspicions into different directions.

One more thing before I conclude, this is marketed as a Young Adult book. If you are not normally a fan of this genre, please don’t immediately dismiss Delusions. Believe me, this is an excellent book for any age.

Needless to say, I was absolutely hooked. There are so many questions to be answered from the very start and the reader becomes invested in finding out the conclusion – a skillful strategy to keep readers until the very last page. I can’t believe that this is Amy Crandall’s first book!! I’ll be eagerly awaiting her next offering.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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