The Soulmate
“To society, there is nothing purer than a family with small children. Except, perhaps, being elderly and enjoying gardening. We trust people based on the strangest, more arbitrary things, none of which have any bearing on whether or not you are inherently good. The Hegartys have no idea what we are capable of. No one does.”
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth has everything I want from a domestic thriller: love, loss, and betrayal; secrets, death, and lies; suspense, twists, and turns. Hepworth’s unique use of POV provided readers with dramatic irony without giving too much away, and the conclusion left me sufficiently chilled, yet satisfied.
Synopsis:
Gabe and Pippa love their cottage on the coast. They live close to family, their neighbors are lovely, and their beautiful home is a mere walk away from their daughters’ school, the surf, and the local restaurant. It’s their perfect house, their perfect chance to start over after moving from the city. There’s only one problem: The Drop.
Right outside their backdoor lives the tall cliffs that overlook the ocean, an unfortunately popular spot where people come to end their lives, dropping hundreds of feet into treacherous, rocky waters. Since moving to the cottage, Gabe has successfully saved numerous people from the drop, spending hours literally talking them off the ledge. He’s turned into a hometown hero, becoming friendly with the police and doing interviews with the local paper. Until he fails.
One night, Pippa watches from the kitchen window as Gabe approaches their most recent visitor, having already alerted the police and ushering the girls into the family room. But instead of his usual routine, Pippa sees Gabe and the woman begin to argue, and when she glances away, the woman jumps, leaving Gabe on the edge of the cliff, hands reaching out to grab her.
Suddenly Pippa and Gabe’s perfect life is shattered, with old cracks in their marriage resurfacing and questions of innocence whispering in the backs of everyone’s mind. And when Pippa discovers Gabe knew the victim, she starts to wonder if his hands were reaching to save Amanda, or pushing her off.
Told from Pippa’s present perspective and Amanda’s point of view leading up to The Drop as well as what she sees from the afterlife, Hepworth weaves a shocking and thrilling story that leaves Pippa questioning everything, even her supposed soulmate.
Thoughts:
I absolutely loved this book. From the very first chapter I was hooked, and when the point of view shifted to the victim’s perspective from the afterlife, I was sold. Having the dramatic irony provided by Amanda’s afterlife observations paired with Pippa’s frantic, existential spiral made the story that much more compelling. I enjoyed both narrators, and found myself sympathizing for both their situations, despite being on opposite sides.
The gasp-worthy reveals were perfectly balanced with moments of domestic normalcy, and even twists set up from the beginning were executed so well that I was still surprised when they happened. I loved the Australian setting, as well as Pippa’s family as the cast of side-characters.
The Soulmate is my first Sally Hepworth read, but I will definitely be back for more. For fans of Gillian Flynn, Greer Hendricks & Sarah Pekkanen, and Geneva Rose, this twisty, psychological, domestic thriller is a heart-pounding read.
My Rating: 5/5
Goodreads Average: 4.03/5
Information:
The Soulmate by Sally Hepworth (St. Martin’s Press)
Publication Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9781250229700