Hey everyone! I’m currently away on holiday, enjoying some much-needed downtime. Of course, no holiday is complete without a stack of books, and today I’m sharing my thoughts on my latest read: The Assistant by S.K. Tremayne.
I picked this up for just £1 in my local charity shop before heading off, and honestly? Thank goodness it only cost me a quid, because it was a total letdown.
Here is my honest breakdown of why this one didn’t live up to the hype.
The Premise: A Great Concept
On paper, The Assistant has all the ingredients for a gripping, modern psychological thriller. It taps into our collective paranoia about smart home technology and AI spying on us.
The setup is genuinely creepy: Jo, newly divorced and struggling, moves into a luxury apartment equipped with a state-of-the-art voice assistant named Electra. When Electra starts spitting out deeply personal, terrifyingly specific details about Jo’s past, the stage is set for a chilling, tech-driven nightmare.
Unfortunately, while the concept is brilliant, the execution completely misses the mark.
A Disjointed and Frustrating Read
The biggest issue with this book is how disjointed it feels. A thriller relies on building tension, but here, the pacing is a chaotic mess.
I kept reading, turning pages with the desperate hope that the story would finally click into place, hit its stride, and reward my patience. It never did. I wish I’d just call it quits and followed my gut. Instead, it drags you through a repetitive middle section that leads to a conclusion that doesn’t feel earned.
Unbelievable Characters and a Far-Fetched Plot
For a psychological thriller to work, you have to buy into the world and the people inhabiting it. The Assistant fails on both fronts:
The Characters: Jo is incredibly difficult to root for, mostly because her decisions defy all human logic. Instead of doing what any sane person would do when their smart home begins threatening them—like unplugging the device or leaving—she just stays. The supporting characters feel just as unbelievable and flat.
The Plot: As the book progresses, it crosses the line from “speculative tech-horror” into pure absurdity. The twists are so wildly far-fetched that they shatter any remaining suspension of disbelief. Rather than a clever, mind-bending resolution, the climax feels like a series of cheap shocks.
The Verdict
My Rating: ⭐⭐☆☆☆ (2/5)
The Assistant is the textbook definition of a total letdown. It wastes a fantastic, timely concept on a messy plot and unbelievable characters that to be honest I didn’t empathise or relate to. Looks like I could be in a minority because it has a 4.1 star review on Amazon but just didn’t do it for me!
Have you read The Assistant? Did you find it as far-fetched as I did, or did it work better for you? Let me know in the comments below!
You can buy it on Amazon
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