The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

 

The Woman in the Window by A. J Finn is a thriller novel centered on the life of Anna Fox. Anna lives by herself in a New York City home, unable to leave the house with her condition. Anna has severe agoraphobia, an anxiety disorder that she acquired after a mysterious accident involving her family. Anna fills her days with drinking wine, helping others through online therapy, watching movies… and spying on her neighbors. With so much time on her hands, she knows each neighbor and their daily schedule by heart. Soon, the Russels move into the house across the street. She sees a mother, a father, and a teenage son. Anna gets to know the mother in a shared conversation over wine, and a lot of it. The book takes a major turn when, one night, Anna sees a terrifying crime occur in one of the bedrooms across the way in the house of her new neighbors. The problem is, Anna has been drinking and taking pills all night, so she cannot actually prove what she saw to the police. Anna starts doubting the people around her and even herself when a new woman appears, claiming to be the recently deceased mother that she saw die… or did she?

I would definitely give this book a very high rating. It started out somewhat slow because the author was building Anna’s character and unfortunate past, but I still could not put the book down. I was amazed by how descriptive the author was, especially considering that they had to work with two simple settings: Anna’s house and her street.  The author is great with characterization, and he really makes the reader empathize with Anna and feel like you’re right there with her. This is one of few books that I read in one sitting, and I would undoubtedly recommend it for anyone, especially those who love mystery and thrill!

-Larissa