She Didn't See It Coming by Shari Lapena Summary

Hello, hello thriller loving friends!

I am so excited to finally sit down and chat with you about one of my most anticipated reads of the year, She Didn’t See It Coming by Shari Lapena. If you’ve been here a while, you know how much I love a twisty domestic thriller, and this one did not disappoint.

In this post, I’m giving you the full experience, a complete book summary, a chapter-by-chapter breakdown, an end explained discussion, my honest review, and even a handy character list. Basically, everything you need if you’ve read it and want to unpack it together, or if you’re still deciding whether to pick it up.

So grab your drink of choice, settle in, and let’s dive into this story together!

Spoiler-Free Zone
This section of the post is completely spoiler-free, no twists revealed, no key plot points given away. It’s safe to keep reading, even if you haven’t started the book yet.

“The plot is simple, the characters are all hiding something, and the chapters are short and addictive. This is another unputdownable read from Shari Lapena, and a big yes from me!”
Definitely a 5-star read!

She Didn’t See it Coming – Book Synopsis

She Didn’t See it Coming – Shari Lapena

Published 17 July 2025

Bryden and Sam have it all: thriving careers, a smart apartment in a luxury condominium, supportive friends and a cherished daughter. The perfect life for the perfect couple.

Then Sam receives a call at his office. Bryden–working from home that day–has failed to collect their daughter from daycare. Arriving home with their little girl, he finds his wife’s car in the underground garage. Upstairs in their apartment her laptop is open on the table, her cell phone nearby, her keys in their usual place in the hall.

Except Bryden is nowhere to be seen. It’s as if she just walked out.

Goodreads Rating

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Title	She Didn’t See it Coming
Author	Shari Lapena
Genre	Domestic Thriller, Psychological Thriller, Thriller
Format	400 pages, Hardback
Published	17 July 2025, Bantam
ISBN 10	0857506196
ASIN 13	978-0857506191
Language	English

Author’s Bio – Shari Lapena

Shari Lapena is a former lawyer and English teacher, Shari now writes full time from a farm in Ontario, where she lives with her husband.

Her first thriller, The Couple Next Door, was a runaway global bestseller, selling 4 million copies worldwide. It was WHSmith’s “Book of the Year” in 2016 and the #1 Adult Fiction Title in the UK for 2017. All of Shari’s novels have been New York Times, UK Sunday Times, and Globe and Mail bestsellers. Four of her books have been Richard & Judy Book Club Picks.

Her books have sold into forty territories around the world and have been optioned for film and TV.

She doesn’t want you to be able to put her books down

Check her Official Website: Shari Lapena

Consider adding She Didn’t See it Coming to your TBR list on Goodreads.

She Didn’t See it Coming – Quick Details

She Didn’t See it Coming – Trigger Warnings, Sensitive Topics and Age Rating

Before we go any further, I always like to include a quick note on sensitive content. Every reader is different, and some themes in this book might be difficult for certain people.

If you prefer to check content warnings before reading, just click below to reveal the list of trigger warnings, sensitive topics and age ratting.

Age Rating

18+ (Mature Readers Only)
Due to the intense subject matter, and mature themes, this book is best suited for adult readers. It may not be appropriate for younger teens.

Trigger Warnings / Sensitive Topics:

Murder
Domestic abuse
Infidelity
Drug addiction
Child endangerment
Psychological manipulation
Sexual assault (referenced, not depicted)

Notes

This book includes a range of sensitive topics that may be distressing for some readers. While the writing is literary and not overly graphic, the themes are emotionally heavy and complex.

Plot Overview

She Didn’t See It Coming is a domestic thriller that pulls us right into the heart of a community where nothing is as perfect as it looks on the surface.

Bryden, a successful accountant, a devoted wife, and a loving mother, vanishes into thin air while working from home inside her luxury gated community. One moment she’s there, the next she’s gone. She doesn’t step outside the neighborhood, yet nobody can find her.

The police jump in right away. They begin their investigation inside the community, questioning friends, neighbors, and family as they try to piece together what happened to Bryden and where she might be.

As the investigation moves forward, we meet the people closest to her life, a caring husband, a loyal best friend, a helpful neighbor, a strange resident who never quite fits in, her devoted sister, and even a peculiar couple from outside the community who somehow connect to Bryden’s story.

In this book, nothing is what it seems. Lapena gives us layered characters, constant tension, and secrets hiding behind every door. If you love thrillers that feel both intimate and unsettling, where danger lives close to home and the truth always twists in unexpected ways, this one is for you.

My Thoughts

That I love a good, well-executed domestic thriller is no secret to anyone here, and I also adore a detailed police procedural. She Didn’t See It Coming is what happens when you combine both, and I have to say, it works beautifully.

This was one of my most anticipated books of 2025, and I’m happy to say it didn’t disappoint one bit. The story is tight, cleverly built, and makes perfect use of the “perfect/not-so-perfect family trope” that I never get tired of.

The setup is instantly gripping: Bryden vanishes without a trace from her gated luxury condo. Her car, her purse, her phone, all still there. She never left, so whatever happened, the answer has to be inside, and everyone living there feels suspicious.

I love it that the cast of characters isn’t overwhelming, which makes it easy to follow the threads, connect the dots, and pick up on the clues Shari Lapena drops along the way. You also get a multi-perspective story, with each chapter putting you inside a different character’s mind as they deal with Bryden’s disappearance. That makes it even more exciting, because as readers we get access to thoughts and secrets the police don’t know yet.

Lapena is one of the best when it comes to red herrings, and trust me, this book is full of them. You’ll have your theories, you’ll point fingers, but you won’t know for sure until those very last chapters.

None of the characters are particularly likable, and that’s exactly the point. When everyone feels dodgy, everyone feels like a suspect. Lizzie stood out for me with her strange and erratic behavior while coping with her sister’s death. I also loved Detective Jayne Salter, sharp, bold, and completely in charge of the procedural side of the story. She brings such a strong presence to the investigation.

Yes, the final twist is somewhat predictable, but honestly, I didn’t mind at all. The journey is so gripping, the tension so steady, that it’s completely worth it.

The plot is simple, the characters are all hiding something, and the chapters are short and addictive. This is another unputdownable read from Shari Lapena, and a big yes from me!

Some Book Quotes

“We start with perfect little families, then we look beneath the surface, and all the ugliness spills out.“

“The danger doesn’t always come from enemies, sometimes it comes from the person sitting closest to you.”

“The walls of this condo feel like they’re closing in, and somewhere inside them is the truth.”

She Didn’t See it Coming – Full Spoilers

Contains Major Spoilers
If you haven’t finished the book yet, you might want to bookmark this page and come back later. I’ll be diving into important plot points, big twists, and key character details.
Read on only if you’re ready for the full story!

She Didn’t See it Coming by Shari Lapena – Character List

Character Name	Character Role
Bryden Frost	Accountant, wife, mother; murder victim central to the plot.
Sam Frost	Bryden’s husband, portfolio manager; struggles with addiction and infidelity, suspected in murder.
Paige Mason	Bryden’s best friend; murders Bryden out of jealousy and tries to frame Sam.
Lizzie Houser	Bryden’s sister, nurse; posts online about the case, seeks answers.
Detective Jayne Salter	Lead investigator; probes Bryden’s disappearance while balancing personal life.
Clara Frost	Bryden and Sam’s 3-year-old daughter.
Derek Gardner	Tesla driver in accident with Bryden; suspected due to rumored affair.
Alice Gardner	Derek’s wealthy, secretive wife; manipulates and hides dark past.
Angela Romano	Bryden’s neighbor; supports family, cares for Clara.
Michael Fraser	Jayne’s boyfriend, psychologist; offers emotional support.
Donna Houser	Bryden’s mother.
Jim Houser	Bryden’s father.
Henry Kemp	Neighbor with scandalous past; fuels suspicion.
Tracy Kemp	Henry’s wife; adds to condo’s tense atmosphere.
Detective Kilgour	Jayne’s partner; assists in investigation.
Kayly Medoff	Henry Kemp’s accuser; mentioned in rumors.
Brittany Clement	Facebook poster; speculates on case.
Cynthia Rollo	Facebook commenter; suggests motives.
Deep Diver	Anonymous poster; fuels online case discussion.

She Didn’t See it Coming by Shari Lapena – Book Summary

Prologue – A Crash That Changes Everything

Bryden Frost rushes through traffic to pick up her daughter, rear-ends a sleek Tesla at a light, and though the handsome driver seems calm and civil, the encounter leaves her unsettled.

Chapter 1 – The Day Everything Shifts

Bryden works from home while Sam heads to the office. Later, she never shows up to pick up Clara from daycare. Sam rushes to get his daughter, and when he gets home, he finds Bryden’s car, phone, and purse in the condo, but no sign of Bryden anywhere.

Chapter 2 – A Detective Steps In

Sam calls the police, Detective Jayne Salter leaves her anniversary dinner to investigate, meets Sam and Lizzie (Byden’s sister) at the condo, and immediately orders a full search when she sees Bryden’s belongings still there.

Chapter 3 – Family in Shock, Secrets Begin to Stir

Lizzie calls their devastated parents in Florida as detectives and a search team begin canvassing neighbors. Angela Romano, a good friend and neighbor of Bryden’s, nervously hints to the detective that another resident may have a dark past.

Chapter 4 – The Neighbors with a Past

Detective Jayne questions Tracy and Henry Kemp in unit 811, the neighbors Angela Romano mentioned. Tracy seems defensive and afraid, while Henry is hostile. Jayne learns he was once accused of abducting a woman, though never charged.

Chapter 5 – Dead Ends and Broken Cameras

Despite Henry’s disturbing past there’s no evidence linking him to Bryden, the search of the building turns up nothing, and CCTV shows she never left through the lobby while the garage cameras were broken.

Chapter 6 – Fear Grows, Suspicions Rise

Sam struggles with Clara and leans on Angela for help, while Detective Jayne briefs her team that Bryden vanished sometime between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and that foul play is now the most likely explanation.

Chapter 7 – Sleepless Nights and Growing Doubt

Tracy Kemp lies awake fearing her husband might be guilty, while Sam and Lizzie endure a sleepless night with Clara and by morning their dread has only deepened.

Chapter 8 – Narrowing the Window

Detective Jayne learns Bryden’s last computer activity was at 12:42 p.m., finds evidence of a suspicious cash withdrawal, and presses Sam about his movements, catching him in a shaky alibi about leaving work at lunch.

Chapter 9 – The Man with the Tesla

Detective Jayne questions Derek Gardner, the man from the car accident, who smugly confirms Bryden paid him cash but claims that was their only contact, and though arrogant his story checks out.

Chapter 10 – Family Tensions and Fractured Trust

Bryden’s parents arrive from Florida devastated, Clara is terrified without her mom, Angela confronts Tracy who angrily shuts her down, and detectives confirm Henry’s alibi, narrowing the disappearance to around 1 p.m.

Chapter 11 – Lizzie’s Theories

In a private interview Lizzie insists Bryden was loyal but confesses she fears her sister never left the condo at all, even comparing the case to Elisa Lam, and the detectives realize it’s possible she’s right.

Chapter 12 – Bryden’s Best Friend Arrives

Sam gets a call from Paige Mason, Bryden’s best friend and Clara’s godmother, and when she shows up he completely breaks down in her arms, while detectives press her with questions she insists Bryden was happy and loyal, though Detective Jayne senses she’s holding something back.

Chapter 13 – Tension in the Family

Donna clings to hope but overhears Sam and Lizzie admitting the police asked for alibis, and when Sam confesses he left work at lunchtime. A K-9 unit with Brutus the German shepherd arrives to search the condo.

Chapter 14 – The Search with Brutus

Brutus picks up Bryden’s scent from her clothes, follows it through the elevators, Angela’s unit, and even the trash chute, then down into the garage where he trails it to both Bryden’s car and Sam’s, before finally fixating on a basement storage locker.

Chapter 15 – The Suitcase in the Locker

When the detectives crack open the locker Brutus barked at, they find a large suitcase hidden behind boxes, and inside is Bryden’s lifeless body, turning the missing person search into a full-blown homicide case.

Chapter 16 – Breaking the News

Detective Jayne and her team break the devastating news to Sam, Lizzie, and Bryden’s parents, and the room collapses into raw grief.

Chapter 17 – Secrets Behind Closed Doors

Lizzie takes her parents and Clara back to her place, but once she’s alone she reveals her dark secret, she’s running a fake profile in a true crime Facebook group, feeding details about Bryden’s case to strangers online.

Chapter 18 – Suspicions Turn to Sam

With Bryden found in Sam’s suitcase and his shaky alibi, Jayne’s suspicion lands squarely on him, while Derek Gardner insists on his innocence at home, and a worn-out Sam moves into a hotel with Lizzie’s help as detectives wonder if he’s guilty or being framed.

Chapter 19 – The Night After

At the hotel, Sam shares drinks with Lizzie and admits the police think he did it, while Lizzie tries to defend him, Donna sits alone questioning everything, and detectives call Paige back for another round of questioning.

Chapter 20 – Paige’s Confession

Under pressure, Paige finally confesses that Bryden was having an affair with Derek Gardner, whom she calls irresistible. Jayne realizes Bryden’s life was far less perfect than everyone believed.

Chapter 21 – Derek Under Scrutiny

Sam struggles under the weight of his family’s suspicion, Donna and Lizzie whisper about whether he’s guilty, Alice starts doubting Derek herself, and detectives haul Derek into the Police Station where his defensiveness only makes him look worse.

Chapter 22 – A Family Frays, A Case Deepens

Lizzie focuses on caring for Clara, while Donna and Jim quietly struggle with their grief and fears about Sam. At the station, Derek refuses to talk and hides behind his lawyer, leaving detectives wondering if Bryden’s killer was Sam, Derek, or someone else.

Chapter 23 – Cracks in Trust

Donna nervously confides in Lizzie that she thinks Sam might have done it, Paige overhears and feels the tension spike, and at the Police Atation Detective Jayne lays out theories about Sam and Derek while pointing out Bryden’s missing clothes as the puzzle piece they still need.

Chapter 24 – The Autopsy Results

Detective Jayne learns from the coroner that Bryden was suffocated with a plastic bag, that she fought back, and that her missing clothes were likely taken to hide evidence. Paige wrestles with grief and the heavy secrets she’s been carrying.

The Forensics and the Perfect Crime

Detectives Jayne and Kilgour learn from the lab that the suitcase was scrubbed clean and likely vacuumed by a gloved killer staging the “perfect crime”. Meanwhile, Derek tries to charm Alice, but she secretly doubts him.

Chapter 26 – The Doctor’s Revelation

Bryden’s doctor recalls she once came in with a cracked rib and brushed it off as a fall, which shakes Detective Jayne into suspecting abuse, while at the park Paige finally tells Sam about Bryden’s supposed affair with Derek and Sam explodes with fury.

Chapter 27 – Sam and Paige’s Secret

Sam remembers how his affair with Paige began innocently during Bryden’s business trips until it became their pattern, and now he fears it will surface as motive, while Donna voices her fear that maybe Sam really did it.

Chapter 28 – Confronting Sam with Evidence

Detective Jayne drags Sam back to the station and confronts him with details of Bryden’s suffocation. She questions him about abuse and the alleged affair, but when pressed about suspicious calls, he shuts down and demands a lawyer.

Chapter 29 – Panic and Pressure

Sam spirals into a panic attack during interrogation, sticks to “no comment” on his lawyer’s advice, and though he’s released, detectives clearly suspect him, while Derek and Alice circle each other warily, both knowing the other is dangerous.

Chapter 30 – A Bombshell for the Family

Sam shocks Bryden’s family by admitting she had an affair with Derek and sharing the autopsy results, devastating everyone and eroding trust, while Lizzie secretly logs into her Facebook group as “Emma Porter” to post inside details.

Chapter 31 – Lizzie’s Double Life

Lizzie throws herself into her online sleuthing, enjoying the attention as she posts theories under her alias, while Donna grows more convinced Sam could be guilty.

Chapter 32 – Sam’s Dark Confessions

Alone at night Sam admits to himself that he sometimes hit and insulted Bryden, fears all of his sins will be exposed, and meanwhile Alice searches Derek’s secret basement suite for proof of cheating but finds nothing, fueling her paranoia.

Chapter 33 – Secrets of the Past

Detectibe Jayne discovers Alice inherited millions after her mother’s suspicious hit-and-run, which funded Derek’s business, and she begins to wonder if murder runs through their marriage, while Sam feels the walls closing in and Lizzie promises her shaky support.

Chapter 34 – The Gloves Come Off with Alice

Detective Jayne confronts Alice directly about Derek, about Bryden, and even about her mother’s death, but Alice holds her mask and seethes inside, later warning Derek that whatever happens they must always cover for each other.

Chapter 35 – Donna and Paige’s Conversation

Donna visits Paige, who admits Bryden’s affair but defends Sam, yet Donna leaves unconvinced, while Alice confesses to Derek that police now suspect them both and coldly reminds him she already killed her mother.

Chapter 36 – Old Fears Resurface

Tracy Kemp, still haunted by Henry’s past, nervously seeks out his accuser Kayly Medoff for the truth, while Lizzie thrives online and detectives officially name Derek a person of interest.

Chapter 37 – A New Witness Appears

Francine Logan comes forward saying she saw someone in the elevator with a suitcase around 1:30 p.m., likely the killer, while Derek snaps in public, vandalizing a car, and Jayne can’t shake the feeling Alice may be just as cold as her husband.

Chapter 38 – Alice Remembers Her Darkest Secret

Alice gets upset after Derek is named a person of interest, and in her rage she remembers how she once murdered her own mother in a staged hit-and-run to inherit her fortune, finding comfort in the idea that Derek may now also be a killer.

Chapter 39 – Lizzie Craves Attention Online

Lizzie dives deeper into her true crime group as Emma Porter, posts a private photo of Bryden, pretends she has a police contact, and basks in the attention even as a mysterious user named Brittany Clement claims to know Bryden.

Chapter 40 – Family Dinner, Family Doubts

At a tense family dinner, Donna grows suspicious of Lizzie’s secretive behavior and jittery energy, while elsewhere Alice plays the perfect wife by making Derek his favorite meal and Detective Jayne spends a quiet night reflecting on the darkness beneath “perfect” families.

Chapter 41 – Lizzie Visits Sam and Clara

Lizzie convinces her parents to let her visit Sam, spends tender time with Clara. She promises Sam she believes in his innocence, even as her parents remain doubtful.

Chapter 42 – An Encounter in the Park

When Lizzie takes Clara to the park, Alice approaches her on a bench, coldly warns her to tell Sam “he’s not going to get away with it,” and then whispers she’s “Team Sam,” leaving Lizzie rattled.

Chapter 43 – Lizzie Reports Alice

Shaken, Lizzie tells Sam about Alice’s threat and, at his urging, reports it to the detectives, who note her eagerness for updates and start to worry she seems unusually intense and maybe even unstable.

Chapter 44 – Paige Crosses a Line

Paige shows up at Sam’s place unannounced, and with Clara away they give in to their grief and attraction by sleeping together again, though afterwards Sam panics while Paige convinces herself it’s only natural she stay close.

Chapter 45 – Lizzie Spirals Deeper Online

Locked away in her room, Lizzie obsessively posts in the group while Deep Diver exposes Alice’s inheritance and her mother’s hit-and-run, making Lizzie jealous of the spotlight as her parents quietly fear she’s falling apart.

Chapter 46 – The Missing Clothes Are Found

Police discover Bryden’s missing clothes in a dumpster, and when Jayne shows the photos to Sam he looks stricken and admits his DNA might be on them from a morning hug, while Alice fuels Derek’s fury by revealing her meeting with Lizzie.

Chapter 47 – Lizzie’s Online Obsession Boils Over

Lizzie stays up all night posting, invents fake claims about CCTV footage, and stirs reckless theories until the group turns on her, with some even suggesting Bryden’s own sister could be a suspect, leaving her shaken.

Chapter 48 – The Past Catches Up

Alice and Derek wake to the Albany paper exposing her mother’s hit-and-run, Alice rages and fears the past will catch her, and Detective Jayne uses the chance to grill her, sensing a chilling emptiness behind Alice’s calm mask.

Chapter 49 – Alice Under Fire

Alice scrambles to build an alibi for Bryden’s death with fake receipts, and gets upset when Detective Jayne pushes harder, and later tells Derek they must “stop” Salter, leaving him horrified at what she might be planning.

Chapter 50 – Donna’s Fears About Lizzie

Donna, worried about Lizzie’s paranoia and isolation, confides in Detective Jayne at the station, prompting the detectives to suspect Lizzie’s deep involvement in online sleuthing, while her parents fear they may be losing their second daughter too.

Chapter 51 – Alice Goes Undercover Online

Alice, furious after a fight with Derek, logs into the sleuthing group under her fake name to stir gossip and even hint at a mystery witness, all while seething at online attacks and vowing to stop Detective Salter, who privately admits to Michael gives her the creeps.

Chapter 52 – Derek’s Double Life

Derek hides at his office and admits to himself that he secretly runs illegal cyber schemes with a “go bag” ready to flee, while Alice sneaks into Detective Salter’s apartment in disguise and snoops through her belongings just to rattle her.

Chapter 53 – Lizzie Can’t Resist the Group

Lizzie can’t stay away from her true crime group, panics when she sees Alice’s post about an elevator witness that the police haven’t revealed, and shuts her mother down when Donna gently suggests counseling.

Chapter 54 – Cracks in Sam and Paige’s Dream

At the condo Clara melts down screaming for her mom, Sam frightens her with his temper, and while Paige calms the little girl, inside she convinces herself she and Sam could build a new family together.

Chapter 55 – Jayne Unmasks “Emma Porter”

Detective Jayne scrolls through the Facebook group and instantly recognizes Lizzie’s voice in the posts, so she brings her in for questioning, and despite Lizzie’s denials Jayne corners her with her own words.

Chapter 56 – Lizzie Exposed

The detectives accuse Lizzie of enjoying the drama, point to her disturbing plastic bag post, and while she admits she’s Emma Porter she denies murder, later telling her horrified parents that the police suspect her because Sam said she hated Bryden.

Chapter 57 – Alice’s Confession (and Lie)

When Derek presses Alice she claims she once killed a man in self-defense as a teenager, though in reality she murdered an older lover she grew bored of, and while Derek admits to his own illegal hacking, Alice worries her past may catch up with her.

Chapter 58 – Alice’s True Past

Alice’s real story emerges as she recalls seducing a married man at sixteen and then luring him to a ravine to bludgeon him to death, a crime she covered with lies so well she almost believed them, while Detective Jayne senses someone has been inside her apartment.

Chapter 59 – Suspects Narrow, Secrets Mount

Jayne confides to Kilgour that her home was broken into, and at briefing she reviews the shrinking suspect pool just as Francine, the elevator witness, returns with new details about the suitcase sticker and a ringtone that matches Paige’s phone.

Tracy skips work again and nervously goes to meet Kayly Medoff, the woman who once accused her husband Henry of assault. Pretending to be another survivor, Tracy gently draws Kayly into sharing her story. Kayly explains how she recognized Henry’s voice and his habit of tapping his fourth finger, even though he wore a mask during the attack. Hearing this detail, something Henry never mentioned, shakes Tracy to her core. Overcome with horror, she realizes Kayly is telling the truth, and that Henry really is a monster.

Chapter 60 – Paige Cornered

When detectives confront Paige, her own ringtone betrays her, and under pressure she finally admits she helped move Bryden’s body but insists Sam was the one who killed her.

Chapter 61 – Paige’s Confession

Paige tearfully describes how Sam supposedly called her in a panic, begged her to help hide Bryden in a suitcase, and made her dump the clothes, confessing their affair and lies before being arrested as an accessory.

Chapter 62 – Sam Arrested

Detectives arrest Sam for Bryden’s murder in front of reporters, leaving Donna relieved that Lizzie isn’t the suspect but devastated by the betrayal, while Lizzie refuses to believe Sam is guilty. Online sleuths drag Henry Kemp back into the spotlight, revealing that he was charged not with Bryden’s murder but with the forcible confinement and rape of Kayly Medoff two years earlier.

Chapter 63 – Alice and Derek Breathe Easier

Jayne calls the Gardners to say Paige lied about the affair, and Alice and Derek celebrate with champagne, finally feeling safe, while in her cell Paige stews, realizing Sam never loved her and tricked her into sacrificing everything.

Chapter 64 – The Truth Comes Out

Sam admits his real secret is a drug problem, not murder, and with his alibi confirmed, detectives confront Paige who rages when she learns she’ll face the charges alone, as a final flashback shows her suffocating Bryden with a plastic bag before stuffing her into the suitcase.

She Didn’t See it Coming by Shari Lapena – End Explained

By the end of She Didn’t See It Coming, all the twists finally settle and the truth comes out. For most of the book, suspicion bounces around between Sam, Derek, Alice, Lizzie, even Henry Kemp, but none of them killed Bryden. The real killer is Paige, Bryden’s best friend and Clara’s godmother.

Paige loved Sam and hated living in Bryden’s shadow. She convinced herself that if Bryden was gone, she could step in and have the perfect little family with Sam and Clara. One day she showed up at Bryden’s condo, pulled a plastic bag over her head, and killed her. Paige then stuffed Bryden’s body into a suitcase and hid it in the basement storage locker, believing no one would ever suspect her.

For a while, Paige manages to shift suspicion onto Sam. She even tells the detectives that Sam called her for help after “accidentally” killing Bryden. But when Sam admits to his own dark secrets, his drug use and abusive behavior, he finally clears himself with a solid alibi. That leaves Paige exposed, and the police put all the pieces together.

The book ends with Paige’s dream life crashing down. She thought Sam would love her once Bryden was gone, but instead, Sam wants nothing to do with her. In the final reveal, we see exactly how Paige killed Bryden and dragged her into the suitcase, a chilling reminder that the danger came not from the husband or the suspicious neighbors, but from the person Bryden trusted the most.

Let’s Chat!

What about you, did you read She Didn’t See It Coming? I have the feeling this book has the perfect setting to become a movie or even a TV series, what do you think?

I’d love to know your thoughts, so drop a comment below and let’s chat!

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