Her Name Was Rose is Claire Allan's first thriller after writing women's fiction, and even though it took a bit for me to get into it, it ended up really popping! At 336 pages this isn't a very long book, and it is a pretty quick read, especially on audio. Emily is the story's main focus but there are also past chapters from Rose, and we slowly get to know both characters. I can't actually say I really liked anyone in this story, but I didn't mind that, and I thought they were all very well drawn out and characterized. There are a handful of TWs as this goes into some darker subject matters, so I would recommend checking out StoryGraph before reading. That being said, Allan doesn't go into a ton of detail, so it should remain palatable for most readers.

I think the audiobook would have benefited from a narrator for both Emily and Rose, but Melanie MacHugh still did a really nice job and was both easy to understand and pleasant to listen to. Despite the one-woman show on the audio, I would definitely recommend it and I think most listeners will find it quite enjoyable. Unlike some readers, I didn't find the end to be predictable and I honestly had no idea what the climax would have in store. There are a handful of twists and turns, but they were pretty believable and not so out of left field that it doesn't make sense. I got pulled into Allan's writing style, and after finishing Her Name Was Rose, I would certainly read more from this author!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.