When Pippa and Gabe moved their family to a new house near a beautiful cliff, they had no idea how the house would change things for them. But as it turns out, the cliff is known as The Drop, and it’s where people come to jump.
The first time they look outside and see a stranger standing on the cliff, Gabe went out to talk to them while Pippa called the police. Gabe managed to talk them down, as he has with several others since. There was even a newspaper article about how many lives he has staved. Now, when Pippa calls the police, she just has to say her name and they know what’s wrong.
But this time, even though Gabe goes to talk to the woman and Pippa calls the police, just like always. But the woman goes over the cliff anyway. Pippa stayed inside the house, keeping an eye on their two young daughters, and she can’t help but feel something was wrong out on the cliff. Gabe had been standing closer to this woman than he usually gets. His hands were up. Pippa can’t put her finger on it, but something feels different about this one.
The police show up to investigate, and Gabe tells a story that is different that what Pippa thought she saw. She’s not sure why he did that, but she doesn’t feel like she can contradict him. She lies about what she saw. And then, a couple of days later, she sees the newspaper article. The police finally named the victim, and the woman was Amanda Cameron, the wife of Gabe’s former boss, Max.
Pippa had no idea that the woman on the cliff had been someone that Gabe knew. But it did make her wonder what exactly happened on The Drop that night. Is it possible that Pippa’s husband had something to do with Amanda’s death? And if he did, what kind of trouble is Pippa in now that she’s lied to the police for him?
The Soulmate is the latest from bestselling Australian author Sally Hepworth. It’s a layered slow-burn thriller that throws the reader into the action, literally, and then carefully goes back through all the secrets of both couples, dropping bread crumbs to the truth until the end. It’s a little crazy and intense, but it all comes together in the end.
I really enjoyed The Soulmate. Narrated by Pippa and Amanda in alternating chapters, both in the past and the present, it tells the story of two marriages. It’s about love and loyalty, mental illness and support systems, fidelity and family. And when you get to the end and all the pieces come together into the bigger picture, it’s a remarkable moment of clarity and awe at what Hepworth has been able to put together. This is an exceptional domestic thriller and a compelling read.
Egalleys for The Soulmate were provided by St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley, with many thanks.
