27 March 2025

Zelda’s Review

A Dark, Twisty, and Unputdownable Thriller

Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce is an absolutely captivating psychological thriller that dives deep into the complexities of ambition, guilt, and self-destruction. From the very first page, I was hooked by the raw, unflinching portrayal of Alison—a woman who seemingly has it all but is dangerously close to losing everything.

Alison is a brilliantly flawed character. She’s fiercely ambitious, yet reckless in her personal life—drinking too much, neglecting her family, and entangled in a toxic affair. As a reader, I found myself torn between frustration and sympathy, but I couldn’t look away from the trainwreck unfolding before me. Tyce masterfully brings Alison’s struggles to life, making her both relatable and tragically self-sabotaging.

The murder case at the heart of the story is gripping. Alison’s client is adamant about pleading guilty to stabbing her husband, but there’s something deeply unsettling about the whole situation. The way Tyce weaves the legal drama into Alison’s chaotic personal life is brilliantly done, adding layer upon layer of tension. Just when I thought I had things figured out, the plot twisted again, leaving me stunned.

And then there’s the unnerving sense of being watched. The suspense builds as someone knows Alison’s secrets and is determined to make her pay. The sense of paranoia and impending doom is intense, making it impossible to put the book down.

The final reveal left me speechless. It’s dark, unexpected, and so cleverly executed that I immediately wanted to go back and spot the clues I missed. Blood Orange is a story of betrayal, obsession, and the lengths people will go to protect their secrets. Harriet Tyce has crafted a chilling, thought-provoking read that lingers long after the final page.

If you love psychological thrillers that are equal parts disturbing and compelling, Blood Orange is an absolute must-read. Highly recommended!

Alicia’s Review

This book was such a wild ride, and honestly, I have really mixed feelings about it. On one hand, the story was super intense and kept me hooked the whole time. On the other hand, I absolutely could not stand a single character in this book. Every single one of them was either selfish, manipulative or just straight-up awful. Alison, the main character, was probably the most frustrating of them all. She makes one bad decision after another cheating on her husband, drinking to the point of blackout, and completely ignoring the things that actually matter in her life and yet, I couldn’t stop reading about her. She’s such a mess, but in a way that makes you want to know just how far she’s going to push it.

That being said, I do think the book had some frustrating moments, especially when it came to Alison’s choices. I get that she’s supposed to be flawed, but sometimes I just wanted to shake her and tell her to wake up and stand up for herself. She had so many chances to turn things around, and she just… didn’t. And the people around her weren’t any better. Her husband was cold and distant and mean, Patrick was a complete creep. I kept waiting for some sort of redemption, but this isn’t that kind of story.

Still, I have to give the book credit for making me feel so strongly about it. Even when I was frustrated, I couldn’t put it down, which says a lot. It’s one of those books that gets under your skin and makes you think, even if it also makes you mad. So, while I can’t say I loved it, I definitely won’t forget it anytime soon. And honestly, that’s kind of the best kind of book, right?

I will say, the writing was really well done, and the legal drama with Madeline was super interesting. I liked how the tension kept building, and I never really knew who to trust or what was going to happen next. The ending was kind of over the top, but at that point, I was so invested that I just went with it.

 Even though I didn’t like the characters, I think that was sort of the point, it’s not a feel-good story, it’s messy and dark, and honestly, kind of disturbing at times. Definitely not a book that makes you feel good, but if you like twisty, dramatic thrillers with seriously flawed characters, it’s worth picking up.