Alice Feeney’s His & Hers is the kind of psychological thriller that works by making almost everyone look suspicious.
A woman is murdered in the small village of Blackdown.
Newsreader Anna Andrews reluctantly returns to cover the case.
Her ex-husband, DCI Jack Harper, is investigating it.
Then Jack himself starts looking suspicious.
From that point on, the story becomes less about simply solving a murder and more about deciding whose version of events can actually be trusted.
If you enjoy murder mysteries with competing perspectives, old secrets, personal history, and a constantly shifting suspect list, His & Hers is one of Alice Feeney’s strongest books to consider.
Feeney’s official site describes the setup as a murder in Blackdown village involving Anna Andrews and her ex-husband Jack Harper, who eventually becomes a suspect in his own investigation.
Quick Verdict
Rating: 4.4/5
His & Hers is a sharp psychological murder mystery built around two narrators who both have reasons to hide things.
Its strongest elements are:
- competing perspectives
- a strong murder mystery
- constant suspicion
- old personal connections
- short, readable chapters
- effective misdirection
- a strong final reveal
The main weakness is that the book pushes hard on deception. Some readers may feel the story hides too much information purely to protect the twists.
Still, if you enjoy psychological thrillers where the truth keeps changing depending on who is speaking, this is a very strong Alice Feeney read.
What Is His & Hers About?
Anna Andrews is a television newsreader whose career has recently become less secure.
When a woman is murdered in Blackdown, the village where Anna grew up, she is sent to cover the story.
The investigation is led by DCI Jack Harper.
Jack is also Anna’s ex-husband.
That connection immediately complicates things.
Jack knows the victim.
Anna knows more about Blackdown than she initially reveals.
And as the investigation develops, both of them start looking increasingly suspicious.
The book alternates between their perspectives, giving you two versions of the same investigation.
Neither version feels completely safe to trust.
Why the Dual Perspective Works So Well
The title His & Hers tells you exactly how the story is structured.
You get:
His version.
And:
Her version.
The clever part is that neither narrator gives you the whole picture.
Anna notices things Jack does not.
Jack knows things Anna does not.
Sometimes one narrator contradicts the impression created by the other.
This gives the book a strong sense of instability.
You are not only asking:
Who committed the murder?
You are also asking:
Which narrator is telling me the truth?
That second question is what makes the book work as a psychological thriller rather than just a straightforward crime novel.
The Murder Mystery Is More Traditional Than Some Alice Feeney Books
Compared with Rock Paper Scissors or Daisy Darker, His & Hers feels closer to a traditional murder investigation.
There are:
- police interviews
- evidence
- suspects
- connections between victims
- old relationships
- secrets from the past
But Feeney still adds her usual psychological layer.
The investigation gives the story structure.
The unreliable perspectives create the uncertainty.
That balance makes this one of her easier books to recommend to readers who enjoy both thrillers and conventional murder mysteries.
Blackdown Is a Strong Setting
The village setting is important because everyone seems connected to everyone else.
Anna grew up there.
Jack has personal ties there.
The victims are not random strangers.
The past keeps returning.
That creates the feeling that the crime is part of something much older.
The setting is not as visually dramatic as the Scottish snow of Rock Paper Scissors or the island in Daisy Darker, but it works differently.
Blackdown feels familiar.
And that familiarity makes the secrets more uncomfortable.
The Characters Are Difficult to Trust
One of the strongest parts of His & Hers is how quickly suspicion spreads.
Anna has reasons to hide information.
Jack has reasons to hide information.
Other characters have their own histories and motives.
That means there is rarely a point where the reader feels completely certain about anyone.
This works especially well if you enjoy books where your opinion of a character changes several times.
Anna Andrews Is More Complicated Than She First Appears
Anna initially appears to be focused on her career and the story she has been sent to cover.
But returning to Blackdown forces her to confront parts of her past.
That gives her perspective more emotional weight.
She is not just reporting on a murder.
She is returning to a place connected to memories she would rather avoid.
That makes her involvement increasingly personal.
Jack Harper Is Not a Neutral Investigator
Jack should theoretically be the stable side of the story.
He is the detective.
He is investigating the crime.
He should be the person bringing order to the mystery.
Instead, Feeney makes him part of the uncertainty.
His connection to Anna matters.
His connection to the case matters.
And before long, the investigator is also being investigated.
That is one of the most effective ideas in the book.
How Is the Pacing?
The pacing is strong.
The story does not spend too long establishing the murder before moving into the investigation.
The alternating perspectives help keep chapters moving.
New information appears regularly.
And the final portion becomes increasingly twist-heavy.
I would describe the pacing as:
steady, suspicious, and increasingly fast.
It is not quite as immediate as a Freida McFadden thriller, but it rarely feels slow.
Are the Twists Good?
Yes.
This is one of Feeney’s more twist-driven books.
The story repeatedly encourages you to build theories.
Then it gives you reasons to doubt them.
The strongest twists work because they change how you understand earlier information.
However, the book is also highly dependent on withholding details.
That means readers who prefer mysteries where every clue is clearly available may find some reveals more frustrating.
If you enjoy being manipulated by the structure, it works very well.
Is His & Hers Scary?
Not really.
It is dark and tense rather than frightening.
The suspense comes from:
- murder
- hidden relationships
- old secrets
- unreliable narrators
- suspicion
- personal history
It reads more like a psychological murder mystery than horror.
Is His & Hers Easy to Read?
Yes.
The structure is straightforward.
The alternating narrators are clearly separated.
The chapters are manageable.
And the central murder mystery is easy to understand.
The challenge comes from deciding what information to trust, not from following the plot.
What Works Best
1. The dual perspective
The His/Her structure gives the story its identity.
2. The murder investigation
There is a strong central mystery to keep the plot focused.
3. Constant suspicion
Almost everyone feels potentially important.
4. Personal connections
The case becomes much more interesting because Anna and Jack are not detached from it.
5. Pacing
The alternating viewpoints keep the story moving.
6. Final reveals
The ending delivers the kind of perspective shift Alice Feeney readers expect.
What Might Not Work for Everyone
1. Heavy withholding
Important information is sometimes deliberately kept from the reader.
2. Difficult characters
Neither narrator is always easy to trust or like.
3. Twist-first storytelling
Some readers may feel the book prioritizes surprise over realism.
4. Dark subject matter
The story deals with murder, trauma, and difficult personal histories.
5. The ending may divide readers
The final reveal is memorable, but not everyone will find it equally convincing.
His & Hers vs Rock Paper Scissors
These two Alice Feeney books have very different structures
His & Hers
- Murder investigation
- Village setting
- Two competing narrators
- Police involvement
- More traditional crime structure
- More suspects
Rock Paper Scissors
- Marriage thriller
- Remote Scottish setting
- Anniversary letters
- Face blindness
- More relationship-focused
- More isolated atmosphere
If you want a murder mystery, choose His & Hers.
If you want a marriage thriller, choose Rock Paper Scissors.
His & Hers vs Daisy Darker
Both books involve murder, secrets, and unreliable storytelling.
But the experience is different.
His & Hers
- Village murder
- Police investigation
- Dual perspectives
- Broader suspect pool
- More procedural structure
Daisy Darker
- Private island
- Family gathering
- Closed-circle mystery
- More atmospheric
- More family-focused
If you want a stronger investigation, choose His & Hers.
If you want isolation and gothic atmosphere, choose Daisy Darker.
Who Should Read His & Hers?
You should consider reading it if you enjoy:
- psychological thrillers
- murder mysteries
- unreliable narrators
- alternating perspectives
- complicated ex-relationships
- small-town secrets
- police investigations
- twist-heavy endings
Who Might Want to Skip It?
It may not be the best fit if you prefer:
- completely straightforward narration
- highly sympathetic protagonists
- mysteries with minimal manipulation
- slow literary suspense
- mysteries where every clue is openly presented
The book is designed to keep changing your interpretation of events.
If that style frustrates you, you may prefer a more conventional mystery.
Is His & Hers Worth Reading?
Yes.
Especially if you enjoy:
murder mystery + dual narrators + old secrets + shifting suspicion + major twists
It combines enough traditional crime structure to keep the mystery satisfying with enough psychological manipulation to feel distinctly Alice Feeney.
Feeney’s official site confirms that His & Hers was first published in 2020, and the novel has since been adapted for Netflix.
For me, it is one of her strongest choices for readers who want something more investigation-focused than Rock Paper Scissors or Daisy Darker.
Final Rating
4.4/5
Mystery: 4.5/5
Strong central murder investigation with plenty of suspicion.
Characters: 4.2/5
Complicated, flawed, and difficult to trust.
Pacing: 4.4/5
Consistent and increasingly fast.
Atmosphere: 4.1/5
Less dramatic than Feeney’s isolated settings, but still effective.
Twists: 4.6/5
One of the strongest parts of the book.
Ending: 4.5/5
Memorable and likely to generate discussion.
Overall: 4.4/5
His & Hers is a sharp psychological murder mystery built around competing versions of the truth.
If you enjoy constantly questioning the narrators, the suspects, and your own assumptions, it is absolutely worth reading.
What to Read After His & Hers
If you want another Alice Feeney thriller:
Rock Paper Scissors Review: Is Alice Feeney’s Thriller Worth Reading?
For a more atmospheric family mystery:
Daisy Darker Review: Is Alice Feeney’s Thriller Worth Reading?
For Feeney’s full bibliography:
Alice Feeney Books in Order: Complete Reading Guide
And for recommendations beyond Feeney:
Books Like Daisy Darker: 12 Isolated Mysteries to Read Next
Frequently Asked Questions
They both use unreliable storytelling and personal relationships, but His & Hers is more murder-investigation focused while Rock Paper Scissors is more relationship focused.
Both involve murder, secrets, and major twists. His & Hers has a broader investigation structure, while Daisy Darker uses a more contained closed-circle setup.
