The Eden Test by Adam Sternbergh (Review by Jessica Heatherly)

5 stars

Seven Days. Seven Questions. Forever Changed. One week to decide if your marriage is worth fighting for…or not.

I am a huge fan of a prologue. When written well, it’s like tasting the options on the dessert menu before even ordering the entrée…and this one is *chef’s kiss*! It gives you just enough information to know that something sinister happens. It even tells you on which day! I was so intrigued by these first few pages that I had no choice but to cancel all preconceived notions of what my day looked like and pour through the pages in an attempt to find out what happened!

Daisy and Craig are not your typical likeable characters; however, their personality quirks are seeded in lifelong traumas making them a perfect match for each other. Daisy has secretly planned a week-long getaway to a secluded cabin for their wedding anniversary as a last-ditch effort to save their tumultuous relationship. What she doesn’t know is that Craig planned to leave her for another woman on the same day. The Eden Test is exactly what they both need. Seven questions over seven days. All they have to do is answer the questions honestly and enjoy the rest of their time however they please. Sounds easy, right? (Adam Sternbergh is an Edgar Award finalist! There’s absolutely no way this week is going to be easy!)

The secrets these two characters have! The author did an amazing job weaving together small secrets, big secrets, clues to what they could be, and red herrings. Just as soon as you think you know what’s going on…you don’t! The entire book is a thrill ride as you navigate through the complicated lives of Daisy and Craig and how they got to this point in their lives. All of the secrets culminate in an explosive ending that I, for one, didn’t see coming.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves fast-paced psychological thrillers with short chapters that you can read in one sitting.