Review: See How They Fall - Rachel Paris



Review: See How They Fall - Rachel Paris - April 2025
After redundancy left me searching for escapism beyond my usual romance reads, I found myself on an unexpected thriller mission. Romance novels, with their predictable happy endings, felt hollow during this uncertain chapter of my life. I craved something grittier, more reflective of how unpredictable life can truly be. Enter Rachel Paris's See How They Fall, a book that arrived via Tandem Book Collective at precisely the right moment.
This New Zealand author has crafted a psychological thriller that transplants family dysfunction to the sun-soaked backdrop of Sydney, Australia. The Campbells appear to have everything—wealth, status, the kind of lifestyle that looks perfect from the outside. But as Rachel Paris expertly demonstrates, the most dangerous predators often lurk within our own bloodlines.
What begins as a family reunion quickly descends into a nightmare when arsenic poisoning claims one life and leaves six-year-old innocence hanging by a thread. Skye's world crumbles as she watches her daughter fight for survival in a hospital bed, while simultaneously grieving her sister-in-law's death. The psychological torment intensifies when her own husband begins gaslighting her, making her question her sanity just when she needs clarity most.
Rachel Paris excels at depicting the claustrophobic nature of family secrets. The setting—a family gathering where everyone becomes a suspect—creates an atmosphere of paranoia that kept me reading well past bedtime. Skye's desperation as a mother resonates deeply; her fierce protectiveness feels authentic and raw.
While the pacing occasionally stutters in the middle act, the explosive conclusion makes the journey worthwhile. I genuinely didn't see the ending coming, which is rare in a genre often predictable in its twists. Rachel Paris has created a story that feels both familiar in its family dynamics yet fresh in its execution.
For readers seeking psychological thrillers that explore the dark underbelly of family loyalty, See How They Fall delivers. It's a reminder that sometimes the people closest to us pose the greatest threat—and that in the aftermath of life's upheavals, we might find exactly the kind of story we need to read.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4jzHlXI
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