After ‘The Girl on the Train’ and ‘The Woman in Cabin 10’, meet ‘The Woman in the Window’. A.J. Finn’s superior psychological thriller has been sold in thirty-eight territories worldwide and is currently in development as a major motion picture from Fox. It’s easy to see why. This is a master class in Hitchcockian suspense, complete with knowing film references as the woman of the title fills her days watching old movies, popping pills and drinking copious amounts of red wine.
The reason for Anna’s drink and drug-addled agoraphobia isn’t immediately apparent. But her story grips from the outset. Here’s someone who’s highly intelligent, clearly damaged but has enough self-awareness to leaven the self-delusion. So when she thinks she sees a woman being murdered, we’re inclined to believe her.
As with ‘The Girl on the Train’, there’s a sizeable debt to ‘Rear Window’ – a housebound protagonist spies on their neighbour, believes a crime has been committed and goes to dangerous lengths to persuade the authorities and provide proof. There also a hint of ‘Vertigo’ as Anna struggles to overcome her condition and we’re asked to consider whether a key character might be a figment of her imagination or some kind of impostor.
The writing is sharp and the plotting impeccable. Noir-ish and more-ish, this is a book that hooks you and doesn’t let up. But what really impresses is the narrative voice. Not only is this one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a long time. It’s destined to become a classic.