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.
IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK
Book Info: Print Length: 400 pages. Publisher: HarperCollins Publication Date: 26 Mar 2026
My Thoughts:
I am a big fan of Clare Mackintosh’s standalone psychological thrillers and her debut book I Let You Go still remains in my TOP TEN BOOKS OF ALL TIME and I will never tire of recommending it for one of the best twists in this genre.
When I saw Clare on Instagram sharing the exciting news about her latest book It’s Not What You Think I was very intrigued and would like to thank her for arranging an early ARC copy for me to read.
Due out mid March 2026, It’s Not What You Think is being marketed as “Clare Mackintosh’s biggest twist yet”. The story starts with Nadeeka, a divorced mother of two young girls, who suspects her boyfriend Jamie of having an affair. Having been cheated on by her first husband, she comes home early to catch him out, except what she actually finds is worse than she could ever have imagined. Her house is a crime scene and Jamie is lying dead in a pool of blood.
She has absolutely no idea why anyone would kill Jamie, the police won’t let her in the house and now she starts to question everything she thinks she know about the man she let into her family home.
The chapters are pacy and gritty and the author reveals tiny clues to as who Jamie really was.
This book is a timely and topical look at the darker side of humanity and unfortunately I can’t say any more than that as YOU need to read this book for yourself. However, if you are familiar with this author’s previous books you will know that NOTHING is what it seems to be. My only suggestion would be to trust no-one and suspect everyone (including the author) as It’s Not What You Think is going to make your jaw-drop and your eyes pop. I am pretty confident when I say that there is absolutely no way anyone could predict some of the twists in this story and once again the author has managed to blow my mind.
‘I finished it in a day unable to put it down … jaw-dropping twists’ CLAIRE DOUGLAS
‘An extraordinarily clever plot, this was one of my favourite books of the year’ ANDREA MARA
‘Clare Mackintosh has done it again with another unguessable twist’ ERIN KELLY
‘The book everyone will be talking about … more twists and turns than an episode of Line of Duty’ C.L. TAYLOR
‘A brilliant twist that you really won’t see coming’ NIKKI SMITH
‘This book is so addictive it should come with a warning’ ALICE FEENEY
‘The best twist I’ve read all year’ HOLLY SEDDON
‘Her best thriller yet … What a triumph‘ JILL MANSELL
