THE PLOT: ‘The Switch’ by Lily Samson is a domestic psychological thriller about two couples who are part of a twisted partner-swap game. Elena and Adam are house-sitting in their dream upscale South London neighbourhood. But when Elena crosses paths with the beautiful Sophia and her handsome husband, Finn, she and Adam are pulled into their orbit. Sophia is everything Elena isn’t (glamorous, alluring, successful) but then Sophia proposes a thrilling game to her new friend—to swap partners in secret. It’s not long before Elena experiences a sexual awakening, but Sophia’s plans are far more dangerous than Elena could ever have imagined…

SUMMARY: This book is a wild ride. It has so many twists and turns, it’s one of those books you’ll be itching to read throughout the work day. The premise is unbelievable (literally, I don’t think swapping partners without their knowledge is remotely feasible in real life), but the exaggerated plot belies a relatable social commentary about money, class and power. Inspired by Roald Dahl’s short story ‘The Great Switcheroo’, you can forgive the initial premise as it’s based in literary history and could loosely be badged as a feminist take on the original. But, most importantly, it’s fast-paced, compulsive and absorbing, which is exactly what I want in a thriller.

GOOD BITS: I tend to prefer thrillers that have a social narrative so the exploration of class is what really hooked me. Though everyone in this book is comparatively wealthy, it raises great questions about what we overlook when someone is in a class we aspire to. The social dynamics are well-layered throughout the book so the exploration feels deeper than just Elena’s insecurities. I also like how the author bread-crumbed the twists, allowing the reader to guess what was happening and, crucially, providing answers throughout the novel (which led to other questions). Instead of hinging on one big reveal, you’re kept theorising and guessing throughout the book, which kept the pacing lightning fast.

NOT SO GOOD BITS: Ultimately stories are meant to entertain and I believe novels should exaggerate life. Taking situations to their extreme allows authors to bring out universal themes while keeping the story interesting (otherwise novels would be as mundane as choosing dinner each day). However, I had to suspend a lot of disbelief to get on board with the central premise of this novel. OK, I will accept it in order to enjoy the book BUT the idea you could sneak into a man’s bed and have sex with him without him questioning your identity is wild. I mean, I rarely back men but I’d like to give them a little more credit.

OVERALL: I’d recommend this book to fans of ‘The Last Mrs Parrish’ by Liv Constantine and ‘None of This is True’ by Lisa Jewell. If you want a zany, slightly ridiculous but highly enjoyable thriller, this is one for you. However, I probably wouldn’t recommend it to male readers as the underestimation of your gender might infuriate you…!

I’ll be interviewing Lily Samson on Saturday 21st September, at Bookheath – a charity literary festival for Age Exchange. You can get more information about purchase tickets here: Blood on the Page

You can purchase this book with a discount and support @aminasbookshelf via my bookshop.org account.