Tasha Jenkins is returning to her abusive husband for the sake of her teenage son when Madeline Gingell runs up to her in traffic and bangs on her window, begging to be let in. Tasha sees the angry man, and lets Madeline into her car, a decision which will change her life. It isn’t long before Madeline reaches out to Tasha with a proposition – they both need to escape their husbands and with no obvious connection between the women and their very different lives, neither would be a suspect were they to kill the other’s husband.

L.S. Stratton’s Not So Perfect Strangers takes the well-worn concept of making a pact to kill a stranger to provide an alibi and avoid suspicion, sticks a knife in the plot conceit and twists to create a pacey and unpredictable thriller which subtly explores dynamics of power, gender, race and class. With a split narrative that follows the separate threads of the story from Tasha and Madeline’s perspectives, it draws the reader into a story of an improbable temporary alliance which becomes a cat and mouse game, as Tasha soon realises that she’s unwittingly escaped one abusive relationship for a new one which puts everyone she loves at risk.

I was impressed by this book, which in addition to being a strong example of a thriller done well felt very fresh and zeitgeisty. If you’re a fan of the genre, I’d recommend adding Not So Perfect Strangers by L.S. Stratton to your reading list.