The Woman on the Ledge, Ruth Mancini, Penguin Random House, ISBN: 9781529909807

The Woman on the Ledge is a gripping, revenge-filled mystery thriller with an unreliable narrator. It will keep you on your toes with the unexpected plot twists. Just as you think you have things figured out, Ruth Mancini will pull the rug from right under you.

The story follows Tate Kinsella, a thirty-something struggling actress working an office temp job at a bank in London. Her life takes a dramatic twist after she stops a woman, Helen, from jumping to her death at an office Christmas party.

The next day, however, a second suicide attempt seems to have been shockingly successful. But things are not as they seem, and turn from bad to worse when it appears that the woman who died was not only murdered but is actually the wife of one of Tate’s bosses – a man she is said to be having an affair with, and not Helen. In fact, police are unable to find a single shred of evidence to prove that Helen ever existed. When police start to poke holes in Tate’s statements she is quickly named the primary suspect.

Also read: Fabulous reads: Chris Carter delivers gore, grief, and grit

Although Tate protests her innocence, all the evidence points to her being the murderer.

There was a fair amount of repetition as Tate backtracks and makes amendments to her accounts, which was somewhat irksome. However, Ruth Mancini manages to deftly weave these alternative accounts into the storyline.

I suspect that there will be a few that find the motive and true plot a bit trite. Personally, I would like to read inspiring stories with strong female characters where the women do not have to endure abuse. – Mariclair Smit 3/5 stars

For more from Berea Mail, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.

Click to subscribe to our newsletter – here