Disclaimer by Ren�e Knight

ISBN-13: 9780062362254
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: 19 May 2015
Format: Hardcover, 352 pgs
Source: Purchased

It first started with the book titled The Perfect Stranger. Catherine Ravenscroft doesn't remember buying that book or brought it back home, but there it is by her bedside, calling out to her to read it. Out of curiosity she flipped through the pages, and the more she read the more she is terrified of the story it turns out to be. You see, the story is about her and the secrets she has tried to hide twenty years ago. 

Stephen Brigstocke, the self-published author, who's out to get Catherine is sure he is doing the right thing by taunting her and humiliating her. He wants to see her world crumbles and suffer from it, after all what she did to his family is deemed unforgivable and had caused a death due to her involvement. 

Told in Stephen's first person and Catherine's third person, Disclaimer tells a taut, riveting story of how secrets and misconceptions will tear two families apart, and how far one would go under hatred and grieving circumstances. 

It was an emotional roller coaster ride reading this book; initially it'd made me feel unsettling, then that feeling quickly turned to contempt and ultimately shocked over the revealing truth towards the end. While the truth might be thrilling and satisfying for some, personally it left me cold because I was thinking of reasons why Catherine kept those secrets all along under that certain circumstances (I can't say what since that'd a huge spoiler.) It made me angry and felt I was being deceived by her. 

That said, it was also a thought-provoking read. I do sympathised with all the characters involved, and at times I felt sad for Stephen's wife, Nancy, because the tragedy of losing a family member has crippled her so much so that she embraced cancer like it'd saved her sanity. It was those scenes that was heartbreaking and had really struck me. I should have given this book 4� stars but I settled for four due to my mixed feelings towards the conclusion. Still, it was a good psychological thriller and I'll be looking forward to Ms. Knight's future release.