The Engagement is a twisty psychological thriller told through the eyes of Hannah, a mother who learns that her beloved eighteen-year-old daughter, Belle, is engaged to a much older man. But that isn’t the real issue. The real issue is that Belle’s fiance, Jack, isn’t who he says he is. Jack is a memory from Hannah’s distant, dark past, and he is here for gruseome revenge.
As a writer, I loved Samatha’s ability to manage so many overlapping plots. The pacing was excellent – it kept gaining pace until the breathless finale. The contrast between her modern, safe suburban world and her grotty, seedy past really hit the mark.
As a writer, I would have developed Belle’s character. It was clear from the beginning that Jack was playing her, but it was difficult to feel much empathy because she came across as spoilt and selfish.