That’s the one.
That’s the girl who’s going to die.
I didn’t believe in the Rule of Three. Not at first.
It was just one of those urban myths you hear about all the time.
A story my boyfriend told me about a girl cursed by the number three.
A girl whose parents had killed themselves after her sibling had died in an accident.
Which meant that she was doomed to die too because that’s the Rule of Three.
Bad things always happen in threes, they say, and they are right.
Because it’s happening again.
But this time the curse is coming for me.
And worst of all?
It’s coming for you, too.
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The Rule of Three by Sam Ripley was published on 22 June 2023 by Simon & Schuster. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this #RandomThingsTours Blog Tour.
The Rule of Three is an intriguing blend of crime fiction and horror, with the theme of 'three' running throughout.
We've all heard that saying 'bad things happen in threes', it's something that I've said many times, but rarely actually thought about it properly. The three lead characters in this creepy, nightmare inducing story certainly take the rule very seriously.
The majority of the first part of the book is narrated by Amy and she speaks directly to the reader, creating a closed-in, almost suffocating atmosphere. Amy has already suffered two terrible tragedies in her life, the rule of three says that she can expect something terrible to happen to her, or so she thinks. Her diary-like narration is packed with her thoughts and feelings, she often appears paranoid and the reader is never sure if she is completely reliable. She has a history of substance misuse and mental health issues and this just adds to the tension.
When we met the other two narrators, later in the book we meet Ila and Eve, another two girls with plenty to say about the rule of three.
The majority of the first part of the book is narrated by Amy and she speaks directly to the reader, creating a closed-in, almost suffocating atmosphere. Amy has already suffered two terrible tragedies in her life, the rule of three says that she can expect something terrible to happen to her, or so she thinks. Her diary-like narration is packed with her thoughts and feelings, she often appears paranoid and the reader is never sure if she is completely reliable. She has a history of substance misuse and mental health issues and this just adds to the tension.
When we met the other two narrators, later in the book we meet Ila and Eve, another two girls with plenty to say about the rule of three.
Sam Ripley deal with some really dark issues within the story, incorporating them cleverly into the narration with ease, and he does it very well. All too often we see novels that can stereotype and almost judge these things, but not in this story. There is most certainly some lightness to balance the disturbing darkness though, the narration often includes wry and quite dry wit, which again is expertly done and brings a touch of realism to the characters.
With twists and unexpected reveals galore, this is an unusual, but well written story that mixes genre very well. I've enjoyed books by this author in the past (this one is written under a pseudonym), it's certainly a different style but it's a gripping read. Recommended.
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With twists and unexpected reveals galore, this is an unusual, but well written story that mixes genre very well. I've enjoyed books by this author in the past (this one is written under a pseudonym), it's certainly a different style but it's a gripping read. Recommended.
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Sam Ripley is the full time author of the Victor series of thrillers, the standalone thriller A Knock at the Door, and two ebook novellas.
He was previously a video editor, with credits including the Big Brother web site and motorsport DVDs, as well as scriptwriting.
Twitter @samripleybooks
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