ALC Review: A Very Twisty Thriller

It’s Not What You Think by Clare Mackintosh

Read by Richard Armitage, Samuel Barnett, Tuppence Middleton and Vineeta Rishi

Publication Date: September 22, 2026

Summary from Netgalley:

He has a secret. She knows he’s lying…

YOU THINK YOU KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU LOVE

Nadeeka is certain Jamie is having an affair. She knows the tell-tale signs. She’s been here before.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHO YOU CAN TRUST

When Jamie claims to be at work late, she knows he’s lying. He’s with another woman, and she’s determined to catch him in the act.

YOU THINK YOU KNOW HOW THE STORY ENDS

But when Nadeeka arrives home to confront him, Jamie can’t explain himself. The house has become a crime scene…Jamie is dead.

ALC provided by Sourcebooks Audio via Netgalley for an honest review.

Confession:

What a wild ride this was. Your perception of what is going on changes constantly throughout the story. Because of this I found myself unable to put this audiobook down. Very well written and a lot of fun to listen to.

All four narrators do a fabulous job of portraying the characters. The anguish that Nadeeka feels at the death of her partner was done excellently by Vineeta Risha. Tuppence Middleton also did a great job with Detective Lauren. The two men’s characters were also very well done by Richard Armitage and Samuel Barnett, who really brought across all of the emotions that these men were going through, both the good and the bad.

The story is told in six parts with the first five parts split between three characters, Nadeeka, Jamie, and Lauren the detective in charge of the case. A fourth point of view is added in the last section where the chapters switch between the characters. This format really allowed you to understand what was happening from the perspective of these characters. It really kept you guessing as the characters perceptions of what was going on really drove the narrative.

I really liked all of the characters and thought they were well rounded out, although this isn’t a character driven story so much as one that is all about how we perceive people and about how even though we think we know someone, they are probably keeping secrets from you. Jamie’s story about what lead up to his death was particularly heartbreaking because he was doing everything in order to protect the ones he loved. Nadeeka’s story was mostly about her grief but also her wanting to believe that Jamie was a good person who loved her which was hard at times given what the evidence was pointing to.

The story was well written and the pacing was excellent. Just fast enough to keep the tension throughout the story, but not so fast that you missed something. There were many twists in this story as the police uncovered evidence and each time something new was discovered it really did change your perspective of what was going on. The ending was a bittersweet one and almost made me cry. Although I have to say the final chapter was a bit harrowing.

If you are looking for a fast paced thriller with lots of twists and where your perception of what really happened changes every few chapters this is one you really need to read. What happened to Jamie is not what you think and the truth is scarier than the fiction.