Today I’m sharing my review for Seven Days by Alex Lake, but firstly the book description…….
In seven days, Maggie’s son, Max, turns three. But she’s not planning a party or buying presents or updating his baby book. She’s dreading it. Because in her world, third birthdays are the days on which the unthinkable happens… she loses her child.
For the last twelve years Maggie has been imprisoned in a basement. Abducted aged fifteen, she gave birth to two sons before Max, and on their third birthdays her captor came and took them from her.
She cannot let it happen again. But she has no idea how to stop it. And the clock is ticking…
Seven Days by Alex Lake was a book I devoured in a matter of hours, it had all the ingredients I expect from a Psychological thriller, an imaginative plot, interesting characters and a book driven by tension. A young girl getting abducted and held prisoner isn’t an original plot, it’s one that’s been done numerous times before. So I was delighted when I realised the author had created a plot that was imaginative in its writing, sinister, and made for a tense read.
Abducted at fifteen Maggie has spent twelve years living in a basement, abused, ridiculed and terrified. She has given birth to three sons, two have been taken by her abductor on their third birthdays never to be seen again, and now Max’s third birthday is approaching Maggie is determined this won’t be his last. As Max approaches his third birthday, and Maggie marks each day on the calendar I found myself nervously biting my nails with anticipation, at what would happen to Max?
I enjoyed how the author has integrated numerous POV into the story, for me it made the story feel far more credible. Not only do you learn more about Maggie’s imprisonment in a basement, but the story also explores the after-mass that Maggie’s grieving family face as they struggle to come to terms with her disappearance. To compliment these POV we also follow DI Wynne the lead detective in Maggie’s abduction, you may think so many POV could hinder a read, but the three fit perfectly together creating a tense and all to authentic read.
It’s clear Maggie has suffered trauma, physical and mental abuse throughout her captive years, but the author doesn’t compound the fact by including graphic scenes, there’s just enough detail for the reader to understand the severity of Maggie’s situation. I really felt for Maggie and all that she had lost through her abduction, her family, her teenage years, and the everyday things that we often take for granted, eating, drinking, bathing. Her relationship with Max is her only light in the darkness of her situation, her sense of fear was palatable as Max’s third birthday loomed.
Seven Days managed to hold my attention throughout, rather like Maggie you feel time is running out for Max, which adds a sense of urgency to the overall read. If I had one small niggle the conclusion ended a little too neatly for me. I can’t say much more without heading into spoiler territory, although I can’t say it impaired my enjoyment of this read. I found Seven Days to be an addictive, tense and chilling read, and a worthy addition to any psychological or crime thrillers lovers bookshelf.
- Paperback: 416 pages
- Publisher: HarperCollins (31 Oct. 2019)
Buying links: Amazon UK 🇬🇧 Amazon US 🇺🇸
The book review café 