Book Review: Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney

Okay, so I just finished Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney, and I have to tell you, it was such a wild ride!

The story is about this married couple, Amelia and Adam, who are clearly struggling in their relationship. They decide to take a weekend trip to this remote estate in Scotland, hoping to reconnect and maybe fix things. But, of course, things don’t go as planned. They start experiencing all these creepy, strange occurrences, and it becomes clear that something is seriously off. The whole weekend turns into this nightmare, and they’re forced to confront all these dark secrets they’ve been hiding from each other.

What I loved about it was how the characters are so layered. Amelia, in particular, is an unreliable narrator, which always makes things interesting. She’s dealing with a lot of insecurities and fears, and it’s hard to tell if what she’s saying is really the truth or if she’s just seeing things through a warped lens. Adam’s no better, and their relationship is so tense from the start. You can really feel the cracks in their marriage, and it makes you wonder how much of it is their fault versus how much of it is because of the stuff they’re hiding from each other. The more you learn about their pasts, the more you realize how deep their issues run.

Feeney’s writing is so atmospheric. The way she describes the setting—this isolated, snow-covered estate—really amps up the tension. It’s like you can almost feel the cold and the isolation they’re going through. The whole environment mirrors their relationship, and it makes everything feel more claustrophobic and uneasy. The pacing is also spot on. It’s slow at first, but you can feel the tension building, and then by the end, everything just unravels in the craziest way.

And the twist! Oh my god, the twist. I won’t spoil it for you, but just know that it totally blindsided me. It was one of those twists where everything you thought you knew gets turned on its head. The way Alice Feeney ties everything together at the end is just so clever. It’s one of those endings that makes you go, “Wait, what?!” and then you have to go back and think about everything that led up to it.

The atmosphere in Rock Paper Scissors is one of the things that really stands out. Feeney does such an amazing job of setting the mood, and it’s like you can feel the tension in the air as you’re reading. The remote Scottish estate where the couple is staying is described in such a way that it almost becomes a character in itself. It’s isolated, cold, and feels like it’s cut off from the rest of the world. Imagine this huge, old house surrounded by nothing but snow and wilderness—there’s something so eerie about it. It’s not just the setting, though; it’s the way Feeney uses it to amplify the tension. The isolation really plays into the couple’s growing unease. They’re stuck in this house together, with no one else around, and that feeling of being trapped really builds the suspense. You can almost feel the claustrophobia as you read, like you’re right there with them, getting more and more uncomfortable as the hours tick by.

The weather adds to it too. There’s this constant storm brewing outside, which makes the whole situation feel even more intense. You’re not just dealing with two people who are at odds with each other—you’re dealing with this relentless, harsh environment that’s pushing them to their breaking points. The snow, the howling wind, the coldness—it’s all so vivid that it feels like the weather is reflecting their internal chaos. And then there are these little moments when the house itself seems to be hiding something. Strange noises, odd occurrences—nothing is ever quite as it seems, and it keeps you on edge, wondering if it’s all in their heads or if there’s something truly sinister going on.

The way Feeney builds the tension between Amelia and Adam is also so well done. The more you read, the more you sense that something is off between them. Their interactions are laced with passive-aggressive comments, lingering silences, and these little moments of doubt. You can feel the years of resentment and mistrust weighing on them, and it’s almost suffocating. Every conversation feels like it could tip over into something darker. You’re constantly questioning what’s real and what’s imagined, and that uncertainty just heightens the overall tension.

It’s like the whole book is wrapped in this thick, almost oppressive atmosphere that makes you feel uneasy the entire time. The slow unravelling of the characters and their secrets is mirrored perfectly by the growing sense of dread and isolation in the setting. By the time the twist hits, you’re so wrapped up in the tension that it’s like the ground has been pulled out from under you. The atmosphere isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a key part of what makes the story so gripping.

Honestly, I think you’d love this book if you’re into psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators and twists you don’t see coming. It’s definitely a page-turner, and even though some parts are a little hard to believe, it’s so well done that you don’t mind. Definitely recommend it if you’re in the mood for something that’ll keep you guessing until the very last page!