The Pact

Title: The Pact

Author: Sharon Bolton

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Published: 2021

Obtained: Audible

Six friends spend the summer together before embarking on their bright futures. The six of them have a secret game, however, that is dangerously risky; while they lucked out the first 5 times, they aren’t so lucky on the 6th turn. Privileged, young and self-centered, they panic. Megan, one of the six, agrees to take the blame for the accident–with a catch. Her friends soon turn their backs on her, leaving her to rot in prison. Twenty years later, she is a free woman and is out to collect on their part of the deal…and revenge.

Let me start of by saying that Sharon Bolton is one of my favorite authors. And The Pact starts off in true Bolton fashion–tense and suspenseful. I loved the premise of the story and the building tension. Of course, I also love the twists and turns Bolton writes. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters, so I found myself surprised that I was so quickly engrossed in the novel. I was disappointed, however, by a few things–including the ending.

The Pact is almost like a character study that looks at how people deal with trauma and guilt in vastly different ways. Each one of these characters has flaws and ugly habits/tendencies that stem from the horrible accident they caused; this leads to the various dysfunctional ways they dealt with the aftermath. The only person I was rooting for was Megan, and that was mostly on principle. I disliked the other characters so much I wanted her to destroy them in vengeance. I was disappointed when her plan was revealed, as it was anticlimatic.

Bolton is the absolute queen of twisty thrillers. I devoured this book for it’s mounting suspense and the idea that I wasn’t sure how it was going to end. I enjoyed watching the five friends squirm as Megan always seemed to be a step ahead of them. I liked the way Bolton revealed more depth to the history of the friends. But, some of the plot devices seemed out of left field–unbelievable and disappointing. While I typically enjoy the surprising endings to Bolton’s books, they always seem to work. When I reach the end of her novels, I can look back and be mindblown that there were clues all along that I just didn’t grasp or pick up on along the way. I didn’t guess the ending to The Pact. But, in all fairness, I don’t think it made any sense. It felt cheap; I felt blindsided and cheated. There were so many other directions the story could have taken, and I was left feeling let down. Not every story can be everyone’s cup of tea and I can totally see how some people loved this novel entirely.

I am giving The Pact 3 out of 5 stars. I liked the book, but I didn’t love it. Maybe because I’ve gobbled up so many of her other books and felt consistently mind blown by the twists—I was just expecting so much more from the ending! But, as I’ve said, I can see why some readers wouldn’t have my same complaints. I paired this book with a rosé prosecco. La Marca was fitting as it made me feel like I was sitting by Tal’s lavish pool…minus the reckless joyride! It’s a perfect bubbly beverage for reading—it’s dry and crisp with hints of peach and berries. Honestly, I think I’d take the zesty prosecco over this read any day! Happy reading (and sipping)!

Rating: 3/5

Wine Pairing: La Marca rosé prosecco

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