Message Deleted

Summary

As some of the themes that run through the story can be classified as secrets, revenge and survival, K.L. Slater’s gripping novel Message Deleted deserves to be classified as a psychological thriller. This story begins with Saffy, a single mother, who has no idea how her life got disturbed by some Mystery Deleted Messages and how her best friend Leona and her family went missing. The suspense in Saffy’s quest revolves around her attempts to find out the truth, the fractious relationships which have endured her dysfunctional childhood, history of sexual abuse, and high levels of suspicion.

Saffy is understanding, a primary character who will do anything for her young son Fox and her sister Poppy. Poppy, who handles issues from a terrible background, brings the show emotional resonance and hinders Saffy’s effort to achieve order. Suburban woman Leona, whose life seems to the viewer almost too perfect, is the cause of the film’s main plot – her inexplicable disappearance.

The central question driving the narrative is: Who can Saffy turn to, and what happened to Leona? The book effectively demonstrates the consequences of advanced technology, the absence of a message, and the collapse of a life.

Experience

As much as Message Deleted is such an interesting story, it took me through a loop of emotions. The book begins with five pages of the prologue that creates the kind of expectation for suspense which follows in the book. When Saffy’s life was worsening, I felt her increasing stress and anxiety levels and her desire for something more. It did not leave me bored at any moment, as the fast pace of the plot let me get deeper into the world of lies and half-truths. Most of the time, I was left wondering why such or such was surrounding Saffy.

The book explores several leitmotifs – trust, guilt, and resilience. I think one of the most shocking moments for me was when Saffy points out that she has difficulties raising children as a single mother and she is afraid of losing the power in her life. These moments made her journey easy to relate to and very real. I also enjoyed Poppy’s character growth, despite her chilling approach to dealing with it, the idea of her being traumatized was still apparent.

Through Leona, I was introduced to the dynamics of coercive control and wanted to zoom in on the reliability of friends. Checking in, even when one does not seem troubled.

Strengths

Another strength of the book is the way it systematically preserves the reader’s interest. Sometimes Slater masterfully unveils that information bit by bit making his readers puzzled. The portrayal of the relationships — more specifically, Saffy with Poppy looks real and complex. That true-sibling rivalry is evident but the two are able to maintain their closeness makes the story more emotional.

Last but not least, the work of Slater investigating the technologies we face in today’s world. The setting of the ephemerality of messages and digital traces contributes to social enlightenment that, through technological mediation, people are both united and put at risk. A line that stayed with me was: “People have put their faith in devices to remember things for them, so what happens when they forget?”

The setting also needs commendation. The tranquillity of the sub-urban setting, together with the deceptive respectability, creates an eery backdrop for the chaos the reader learns is Saffy’s life.

Weaknesses

On one hand, suspense, which is the very essence of this book is the book’s strength, although the plots have a tendency to intertwine too much for their own good from time to time. As it may be noted, the two plots’ interconnection together with the red herrings contribute greatly to confusion at certain times due to the number of details involved. Some of the secondary characters such as Ash could have been fleshed out to really increase the dramatic investment.

However, some of the surprises, while stunning were truly contrived and offered by chance as opposed to necessity and development. For instance, some conflicts appeared to be solved in a fit of passion or lack of it leaving some issues unanswered.

The preparation of the set is also commendable. Thus the choice of the setting in a quiet suburb which appears rather ordinary creates a high tension in the book, which reflects the disorder in Saffy’s life.

Final Thoughts

Message Deleted is a recommended read that will interest all lovers of psychological thriller books. It is mind-bending because it touches on such things as relationships, traumatic experiences, and the evils of technology. Minor criticisms present within this book do not overpower the fact that its strong elements far outshine that and the reader is left remembering the story even after the last page is closed.

My Recommendation

If you enjoyed Message Deleted, you might also like:

• The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena — Another tense domestic thriller with secrets and twists.

• The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins — A psychological thriller that dives deep into unreliable narration.

• Before I Go to Sleep by S.J. Watson — A story about memory, trust, and deception.

So, for your next job, check into these books to learn other thriller and human dimension novels. If you haven’t yet, count me among those who have pondered the place that technology takes in one’s own existence, a spooky little piece of business left over from Message Deleted.

Click here to listen to this book for free with Audible.

Disclaimer

This article contains affiliate links. If you sign up for an Audible trial or make any purchases through these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support helps to keep this content free and accessible. Thank you!