“Riveting psychological suspense! This book will keep you up all night, while making you second-guess everything you know and everyone you’ve ever loved.”

 

NO MAJOR SPOILERS

Newlyweds, Jake and Alice, seem like a perfect couple. Alice, previously a rock singer is currently a lawyer whereas Jake is a counsellor, having a decent psychology practice. On the day of their wedding, Alice receives an exciting gift from one of her most prominent clients: an invitation to an exclusive and mysterious group, known as the Pact.

The goal of the Pact is simple: to keep marriages happy and intact. It aims to bring balance and fairness to a marriage. However, it comes with a manual, which each member is expected to read and follow to the T.

It is divided into five parts: Our Mission, Rules of Procedure, Laws of the Pact, Consequences and Arbitration. Seems all jargon? Well, the rules seem simple – always answer the phone when your spouse calls, exchange gifts monthly, plan a trip together every quarter, attend glamorous parties and most importantly never mention the Pact to anyone.

Too good to be true? Absolutely!

Initially Alice and Jake were seduced by the mysterious aura surrounding the Pact, the excitement of new things to come and unchartered territories to explore. The Pact had the mysterious draw of those things that both repulse and attract you at the same time. It had a strong inexplicable magnetic pull which they were unable or unwilling to resist.
Little did they know their life was going to become a living hell.

What happens when you don’t follow a rule of the Pact, either accidentally or on purpose? The barbaric “consequences” start.
And very soon Jake and Alice realize that “you don’t leave the Pact and the Pact doesn’t leave you”.

Fast-paced, riveting and equally repulsing, the Pact is a test of wit and grit. How far would one go to protect their own marriage?
Can Jake and Alice escape, or will they be sucked into the whirlwind of terror that will forever engulf their lives?

I found the concept intriguing initially, but as I progressed into the book, I thought it was really bizarre and unreal. The notion that following a certain manual and guidelines will help better marriages was utterly preposterous and very far-fetched.
The writing and the fast-paced nature of the plot is the only thing that made finish the book and perhaps warrants an extra star.

I am confused whether to recommend this one or not.

My rating: 3/5

 

Reviewed by:

Ranjini Sen

Added 14th October 2017

More Reviews By
Ranjini Sen