The Terrarium is a psychological thriller wrapped in a true crime podcast.
Annie is, by all accounts even her own, a loser. Part time barista, part time cat sitter, and part time kleptomaniac, Annie has some issues. After a client’s ancient cat dies in her care, Annie is desperate for a job. The mysterious Zoe offers her a cat sitting job at double her usual rates. Annie snaps it up completely missing several glaring red flags. Why has she never met the secretive Zoe? What is in Zoe’s mysterious studio that Annie has been forbidden to enter (because just locking the door is too simple)?
The book has an interesting narrative structure. It is told by a pair of true crime podcast hosts. That’s a great idea because then you wonder whether Annie will make it out of this situation alive. Dread is definitely built up as Annie gets more and more red flags about her new job.
However, I never really believed Annie was a flesh and blood person. Her motivations were fuzzy as was her obsession with stealing worthless objects from her clients. Is she a predator? A victim? Or somehow both? There is only a partial explanation given during the conclusion making The Terrarium a disappointment. A good read but not a great one. 3 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Bantam for providing me with an advanced review copy.