ARC Review: Suspicion

Suspicion by Alexandra Monir
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: December 9th, 2014
Source: Netgalley
Date Read: 1/9/15 to 1/9/15
368 Pages
Rating: ✰✰1/2

A modern-day twist on the classic thriller, Rebecca, with a dash of the supernatural, a powerful romance, and a deadly family mystery.

“There’s something hidden in the maze.”

Seventeen-year-old Imogen Rockford has never forgotten the last words her father said to her, before the blazing fire that consumed him, her mother, and the gardens of her family’s English country manor.

For seven years, images of her parents’ death have haunted Imogen’s dreams. In an effort to escape the past, she leaves Rockford Manor and moves to New York City with her new guardians. But some attachments prove impossible to shake—including her love for her handsome neighbor Sebastian Stanhope.

Then a life-altering letter arrives that forces Imogen to return to the manor in England, where she quickly learns that dark secrets lurk behind Rockford’s aristocratic exterior. At their center is Imogen herself—and Sebastian, the boy she never stopped loving.

Combining spine-tingling mystery, romance, and unforgettable characters, Suspicion is an action-packed thrill ride.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

I received Suspicion from NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion.

Suspicion was, well, it was pretty bland for me. I understood the motivations of the characters and the mystery surrounding the whole Rockford Manor, but I honestly could not bring myself to care about any of it.

Suspicion starts with the Imogen Rockford, and her past with her parents. Although she moved to New York City, every summer her family visits the Rockford Manor because 1) it's theirs and 2) they're important or something. I'm not familiar with the roles of Dukes and Duchesses and the whole social hierarchy. All I know is that they are important.

Long story short, tragedy happens, Imogen is left without a family, and she moves back to New York City to live with her family's best friends/neighbors instead. Seven years passes, and she finds out that BAM, both her grandfather and cousin died so now she's the Duke and she's inherited the entire manor. So now she goes back to FIGURE OUT ALL THE MYSTERIES.

Imogen is nice enough, but I'm not exactly sure where her elemental powers come into play. Like why are they there in the first place? And then, her childhood, "romantic interest" is just "eh". First off, he was with her cousin, and second, does he even have a personality? For me, I use the five-finger rule, in other words, if a character does not have at least five characteristic traits by the end of the book, then they aren't well-developed. For Sebastian, his looks were mentioned a lot, and that was pretty much it. Oh and I guess he is good at polo. Ok then.

Have I mentioned that this is also a mystery? Ok. I thought the way everything played it was pretty clever, but unbelievable. I also didn't like how Imogen automatically assumed things without taking the time to investigate on her own. WOULD NANCY DREW DO THAT? No (I have been playing too many Nancy Drew games)

So yeah, Suspicion reminded me of a poorly made Nancy Drew game (especially with that "wrapping it up conclusion" epilogue at the end). Everything was also just telling rather than showing, which is what I think really brought the novel down with me.