Tuesday, 28 February 2017
Everything but the Truth by Gillian McAllister Book Review
BLURB
Do you ever check your partner's phone?
Should you?
Are you prepared for the consequences?
Everything but the Truth is Gillian McAllister's stunning breakthrough thriller about deceit, betrayal and one woman's compulsive need to uncover the truth.
It all started with the email.
Rachel didn't even mean to look. She loves Jack and she's pregnant with their child. She trusts him.
But now she's seen it, she can't undo that moment. Or the chain of events it has set in motion.
Why has Jack been lying about his past? Just what exactly is he hiding? And doesn't Rachel have a right to know the truth at any cost?
MY THOUGHTS
There are so many books that I have seen floating around on social media recently, some shout louder than others and Everything but the Truth was one of them, I was desperate to get my hands on a copy to review.
Everything but the Truth is Gillian McAllister's debut novel. It tells the story of Rachel and Jack who are beginning their new life together as they prepare for the birth of their first child. In the beginning of the novel, their relationship appears perfect; Rachel believes that Jack is the one for her and Jack showers Rachel with love. But one night, Rachel reads an email on Jack's I-pad that has arrived in the middle of the night and this changes everything that she thought she knew about him. Is everything she thought she knew about Jack a lie?
When Rachel first begins to suspect Jack of keeping secrets from her, I thought that her change of feelings for him were fair. But as Gillian delves into Rachel's personality it becomes clear that she finds it difficult to trust people and becomes paranoid. Her quest for the truth takes her on a dark path and it becomes unclear as to where this will end up for her. I did find her a little bit annoying, particularly when it was very clear to see how much Jack loved her but I did understand her desire to get to the truth even if it did make her seem a little mad.
At its heart, this book is really a love story but there are dark elements to it as well. I really liked the ending for this book which I thought closed Jack and Rachel's story really well; it wasn't an ending I was expecting. Everything but the Truth is very different to the trends we are seeing now in the psychological thriller market and I liked that, it doesn't rely on unreliable narrators or big twists that leave you questioning what you have just read. If you are looking for something that is different and draws you in with mystery and suspense, this is a book for you. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing me with a copy to review!
Publisher: Penguin
Print length: 432 pages
Publication date: 9th March 2017
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE
Saturday, 25 February 2017
The Lost by Claire McGowan Book Review
BLURB
Not everyone who's missing is lost
When two teenage girls go missing along the Irish border, forensic psychologist Paula Maguire has to return to the hometown she left years before. Swirling with rumour and secrets, the town is gripped by fear of a serial killer. But the truth could be even darker.
Not everyone who's lost wants to be found
Surrounded by people and places she tried to forget, Paula digs into the cases as the truth twists further away. What's the link with two other disappearances from 1985? And why does everything lead back to the town's dark past - including the reasons her own mother went missing years before?
Nothing is what it seems
As the shocking truth is revealed, Paula learns that sometimes it's better not to find what you've lost.
MY THOUGHTS
The Lost is an exciting
start to a new series by Claire McGowan. It is Claire McGowan’s second novel - her
first novel, The Fall, being a standalone thriller - and with the Dr Maguire
series I think I have found a new favourite to add to my reading list.
In Northern Ireland, a
new task force, dedicated to finding missing people has been set up in the
small town of Ballyterrin. Dr Paula Maguire has joined the new team after
returning home after spending time in London. Paula is a forensic psychologist but
she has a habit of throwing herself into investigations and isn’t good at
following orders. But Paula gets results, and I imagine that she makes most of
the police officers who are working on cases jealous and that these officers
would like to see the back of her which I’m sure the police in London are glad
to be seeing.
There are many themes in
this book which feature heavily in the South of Ireland and Northern Ireland’s
dark, modern history. The IRA and the recent scandal of the Catholic Church
form the basis of the investigations which the new team are overseeing. I
thought the idea of using a forensic psychologist was an interesting one and I
was intrigued to see how that would work. In the many crime novels I have read,
psychologists are often met with a great deal of skepticism and I was interested
to see, from Paula’s point of view, how she gets on with her team.
Paula is a troubled
character and it is clear that something has happened in her past, something
dark that she has tried to forget. Claire does not reveal Paula’s back story
until we are quite a way in and it added an interesting element to the current investigations
that were taking place. Paula’s character really grew on me and Claire has left
me wanting to find out more about her, so much so that I think I’ll be starting
the second book straight away. I still can’t get that ending out of my head and
it made me race to download book two.
If you love a good
mystery that’ll keep you guessing, this is a book for you. I really liked the
plot and how Claire slotted everything into place. The Lost made for a gripping
and pacy read; I would definitely recommend this one.
Publisher: Headline
Publication date: 26th September 2013
Print length: 384 pages
One Little Mistake by Emma Curtis Book Review
BLURB
YOU TRUSTED YOUR BEST FRIEND . . . YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE.
Vicky Seagrave is blessed: three beautiful children, a successful, doting husband, great friends and a job she loves. She should be perfectly happy.
When she makes a split-second decision that risks everything she holds dear, there's only one person she trusts enough to turn to.
But Vicky is about to learn that one mistake is all it takes; that if you're careless with those you love, you don't deserve to keep them . . .
MY THOUGHTS
I was lucky to receive an early copy of One Little Mistake thanks to Dead Good Books. I really enjoyed this book and found it a gripping page turner, it only took me a couple of days to finish.
Vicky has everything that most people desire: three beautiful children, a doting husband, a job she enjoys and great friends. Her friend, Amber has been around the longest and its to Amber who she feels closest to. Vicky should be able to trust her best friend with anything, shouldn't she? But has she underestimated Amber? Once Vicky starts digging herself a hole it then seems impossible for her to climb out.
For me I thought Amber and Vicky's relationship was what really gripped me and it was the source of most of the tension in the book. Throughout the story it felt as though their relationship was on a knifes edge and I was waiting for that moment when one of them would snap. The story is told over two time periods, between 1992 and the present day in 2010. For about half of the book I really wasn't sure how the tow timelines connected but when the connection was made I thought, yes, well done, Emma! Although there were already tensions in the beginning of the novel, it reached its peak in the last quarter and I literally couldn't put it down until I had finished.
One Little Mistake is a chilling read and an outstanding debut. This book is a real corker of a page turner and the ending will leave you reeling. I can't wait to read more from Emma Curtis.
Publisher: Black Swan
Publication date: 23rd February 2017 (kindle) 15th June 2017 (paperback)
Print length: 416 pages
CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE
Tuesday, 21 February 2017
Ragdoll by Daniel Cole Blog Tour
I can’t believe how quickly the publication date for
Ragdoll has come around. I can remember spotting it on Twitter last year back
in April and February seemed like miles off! I’m thrilled to be taking part in
the blog tour. Ragdoll is a book that you do not want to miss!
BLURB
The
nation is gripped by the infamous ‘Ragdoll killer.’
Your
friends, your family and your neighbours are all talking about it.
‘...utterly
addictive with brilliant characters and a killer twist you will never see
coming – the best debut I’ve ever read.’ Rachel Abbott, No. 1 bestselling
author.
‘A
star is born. Killer plot. Killer pace. Twisted killer and a killer twist. Kill
to get a copy.’ Simon Toyne, Sunday
Times bestselling author.
‘A
brilliant, breathless thriller. If you liked Se7en, you’ll love this!’ M.J. Arlidge, Sunday Times bestselling author.
Believe the hype. Sold in over 32
countries and counting, RAGDOLL is the standout thriller of the year.
A
body is discovered with the dismembered parts of six victim stitched together
like a puppet, nicknamed by the press as the ‘ragdoll.’
Assigned
to the shocking case are Detective William ‘Wolf’ Fawkes, recently reinstated
to the London Met, and his former partner Detective Emily Baxter.
The
‘Ragdoll Killer’ taunts the police by releasing a list of names to the media,
and the dates on which he intends to murder them.
With
six people to save, can Fawkes and Baxter catch a killer when the world is
watching their every move?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
At
33 years old, Daniel Cole has worked as a paramedic, an RSPCA officer and most
recently for the RNLI, driven by an intrinsic need to save people or perhaps
just a guilty conscience about the number of characters he kills off in his
writing.
He
currently lives in sunny Bournemouth and can usually be found down the beach
when he ought to be writing book two instead.
MY THOUGHTS
I’m
always a little wary when it comes to a lot of hype surrounding a book, for me
I often end up thinking, what was all the fuss about? But Ragdoll deserves all
the attention and hype that it is getting. Ragdoll is one of the best thrillers
of the year.
In
Daniel Cole’s debut, we meet Detective William Oliver Layton-Fawkes, aka Wolf,
to his team and members of the press. Four years ago, Wolf headed up the
enquiry into a series of murders publicised by the press as ‘The Cremation
killings.’ After losing control on the final day of the trial, which almost
ended his career, Wolf was subjected to months of psychological assessment
before returning to the police force.
When
Wolf arrives on the scene in the present day, he is faced with a career
defining cadaver, which his colleague Baxter excitedly describes as: ‘the one,
a once-in-a-career case.’ One body, six victims sewn together to make a corpse;
the cadaver is soon dubbed by the press as the Ragdoll and has everyone in the
media world talking and speculating. Whilst Wolf and his team are trying to
identify the body parts, the investigation into the killing steps up a pace
when the killer releases a list of six names to the press and six dates on
which the killer intends to murder them. The final name on the list is Wolf’s.
Daniel
Cole has created a stunning cast of characters in his first novel. I would have
to say that my favourite character was Baxter; I loved her wit and sense of
humour which made me laugh out loud in places. I found myself feeling sorry for
Edmunds, who is trying to impress the team and crack the case before anyone
else, but he struggles to juggle his work and home life together, especially as
his girlfriend, Tia, is pregnant.
There
are some clever and original ideas in this book, you can see the influence from Daniel's days working as a paramedic.
If you love crime, I challenge you not to love this book. Many thanks to Ben
Willis and Sam Eades at Trapeze for the advance review copy.
Publisher: Trapeze
Publication date: 23rd February 2017
Print length: 384 pages
FOLLOW THE BLOG TOUR
Saturday, 18 February 2017
Those Who Lie by Diane Jeffrey Book Review
BLURB
Emily Klein doesn’t know she has killed her husband until the day of his funeral.
At first, signs point to a tragic accident. Yet, as Emily pieces together the events before his death – events which led to her own memory loss – she begins to suspect that her husband’s death may have been the result of more than a terrible twist of fate…
But the accident is only the beginning. Because while Emily’s physical scars will heal, the trauma of the accident has awakened old ghosts. She hears strange sounds, catches things that can’t possibly be there in the corner of her eye. Before long, everywhere she looks, she seems to see her husband.
And suddenly, Emily finds herself asking the most dangerous question of all.
Can she really trust herself?
Reviewers love Those Who Lie:
‘This is a must read for anyone who lives to delve into psychological thrillers!’ – Linda Strong, Netgalley
‘With brilliant main characters and a wonderful plot, this book is a real page turner. I would highly recommend this book.’ – Stephanie Collins, Netgalley
‘I absolutely adored this book’ – Lu Dex, Netgalley
‘Great book.. keeps you guessing!! If you love twists and turns then this book if for you!’ – Diane Merrit, Netgalley
‘With twists and turns that will wrong-foot you all the way, a dash of dark humour and a strong emotional punch, this is an excellent debut that more than earns its place within the genre.’ – S.J.I. Holliday, author of Black Wood
Don’t forget to leave a review and tell us what you thought!
MY THOUGHTS
Diane Jeffrey’s debut, Those Who Lie, is perfect for fans of Fiona Barton’s The Widow, a tense story that will have you gripped right up until the final page.
I was excited to read this book after spotting it on social media and I was lucky enough to win a copy on publication day thanks to the publisher. I wasn’t disappointed.
In Those Who Lie, Emily Klein’s husband has been killed in a car accident. She awakes in hospital to find two policemen seated beside her bed intent on questioning her. They are convinced that Emily isn’t telling them all that she knows about the car accident.
Emily has had to rebuild her life on the shattered remains of a childhood she has long since tried to forget. The story is told over two time periods, in 2014/2015 when Emily is coming to terms with her husband’s death and in 1995 when we learn of the true horrors she faced when she was a young girl. In the present day, Emily has started to receive messages on Facebook from her late husband, Greg’s account. She begins to think of the possibility that he might still be alive and is trying to get a message to her. The timelines were managed really well and I didn’t find myself getting lost or confused as this can sometimes happen when a novel is told over dual time periods.
Emily is a complicated character, it is clear that she is still suffering from the trauma that she faced when she was a child, and when events start to spiral out of control she finds herself making rash decisions, some of the decisions she makes, for me, didn’t paint her in a very good light and at times I found it difficult to like her. But by the end of the novel I really felt that I understood her.
I did find it a little unusual at the start of the novel, for the police to be sitting beside Emily’s bed waiting for her to wake up. I would have thought that the doctors would have kept them outside and made sure that Emily was well enough to talk to them. I didn’t like one of the detectives, who seems to dislike Emily right from the start. The detectives were great tool to use for suspense as I kept wondering when was the moment going to come when they would make their move or when they were going to announce that they had found something. I really liked the ending and I thought that Diane pulled it off in a really neat and satisfying way.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I’m interested to see what Diane will do next! Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy to read.
I was excited to read this book after spotting it on social media and I was lucky enough to win a copy on publication day thanks to the publisher. I wasn’t disappointed.
In Those Who Lie, Emily Klein’s husband has been killed in a car accident. She awakes in hospital to find two policemen seated beside her bed intent on questioning her. They are convinced that Emily isn’t telling them all that she knows about the car accident.
Emily has had to rebuild her life on the shattered remains of a childhood she has long since tried to forget. The story is told over two time periods, in 2014/2015 when Emily is coming to terms with her husband’s death and in 1995 when we learn of the true horrors she faced when she was a young girl. In the present day, Emily has started to receive messages on Facebook from her late husband, Greg’s account. She begins to think of the possibility that he might still be alive and is trying to get a message to her. The timelines were managed really well and I didn’t find myself getting lost or confused as this can sometimes happen when a novel is told over dual time periods.
Emily is a complicated character, it is clear that she is still suffering from the trauma that she faced when she was a child, and when events start to spiral out of control she finds herself making rash decisions, some of the decisions she makes, for me, didn’t paint her in a very good light and at times I found it difficult to like her. But by the end of the novel I really felt that I understood her.
I did find it a little unusual at the start of the novel, for the police to be sitting beside Emily’s bed waiting for her to wake up. I would have thought that the doctors would have kept them outside and made sure that Emily was well enough to talk to them. I didn’t like one of the detectives, who seems to dislike Emily right from the start. The detectives were great tool to use for suspense as I kept wondering when was the moment going to come when they would make their move or when they were going to announce that they had found something. I really liked the ending and I thought that Diane pulled it off in a really neat and satisfying way.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. I’m interested to see what Diane will do next! Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy to read.
Publisher: HQ Digital
Publication date: 27th January 2017
Print length: 233 pages
Wednesday, 15 February 2017
Perfect Remains by Helen Fields Book Review
BLURB
The first in a nail-shredding new crime series. Fans of M.J. Arlidge and Mo Hayder will be gripped from start to finish.
On a remote Highland mountain, the body of Elaine Buxton is burning. All that will be left to identify the respected lawyer are her teeth and a fragment of clothing.
In the concealed back room of a house in Edinburgh, the real Elaine Buxton screams into the darkness…
Detective Inspector Luc Callanach has barely set foot in his new office when Elaine’s missing persons case is escalated to a murder investigation. Having left behind a promising career at Interpol, he’s eager to prove himself to his new team. But Edinburgh, he discovers, is a long way from Lyon, and Elaine’s killer has covered his tracks with meticulous care.
It’s not long before another successful woman is abducted from her doorstep, and Callanach finds himself in a race against the clock. Or so he believes … The real fate of the women will prove more twisted than he could have ever imagined.
Fans of Angela Marson, Mark Billingham and M. J. Aldridge will be gripped by this chilling journey into the mind of a troubled killer.
MY THOUGHTS
In Perfect Remains,
Helen Fields has exploded onto the crime fiction field, in her first, gripping,
and totally addictive crime novel.
In Perfect Remains we
are introduced to DI Callanach who is half French, half Scottish. He sparks
curiosity amongst his new team in Edinburgh when he transfers there from
Interpol. There is some animosity in his new team, a few feel that someone from
within the team should have been given the role as inspector whereas others
embrace the change and welcome him, particularly DI Ava Turner. But DI
Callanach knows he will have to do a lot to impress his new colleagues if he
wants to win their approval and he is trying to hide a past that he wants to
stay buried.
The villain in this
novel is really creepy; Helen has thought of some ingenious ways in which he
disposes his victims, there are some quite violent scenes in the book, perfect
if you love gritty crime fiction.
Helen’s writing is
gripping from the start and it didn’t take me long to finish the book. Helen
does a great job with building suspense as she brings the book towards its climatic
conclusion.
I really enjoyed this
book and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series, I’m hoping
that there’ll be many more books featuring Callanach and Ava.
Publisher: Avon
Publication date: 26th January 2017
Print length: 416 pages
Thursday, 9 February 2017
Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney Book Review
BLURB
My name is Amber Reynolds. There are three things you should know about me.
1. I’m in a coma
2. My husband doesn’t love me anymore
3. Sometimes I lie
Unnerving, twisted and utterly compelling, you won’t be able to put this new thriller down. Set to be the most talked about book in 2017, it’s perfect for fans of Behind Closed Doors, The Girl on the Train and The Widow.
MY THOUGHTS
From the beginning of
this novel we know that our character lies and she confesses without
hesitation. But what does she lie about?
Sometimes I Lie is
Alice Feeney’s debut novel. Amber Reynolds is in a coma; her memories of what
happened the night she ended up in this position are sketchy. She is beset by
strange dreams as she tries to piece together what she knows and make sense of
everything that is happening around her.
I have read a couple of
novels recently in which the main character is in a coma and is experiencing
what we know as ‘locked in syndrome.’ That is they can hear everything and
communicate with themselves inside their mind but they can’t reach out to
anyone on the outside, they are imprisoned within their body. It is a fantastic
tool for writers to use. The character is trying to unravel events as the
reader is trying to do and they are learning new things that they might have
forgotten about themselves all the time.
I loved Alice’s writing
and Amber’s voice. We learn that she is married to Paul, but their relationship
has hit a rocky point and she has a sister called Claire. Amber works for a
programme called Coffee Morning but she hasn’t got a very good working
relationship with her boss, Madeleine, and she has been given until Christmas
to sort things out between them or one of them will have to go.
So what happened to
Amber? Why is she in a coma?
Alice has created some
really intriguing characters in her novel, as the reader I had no problem
engaging in the story, Alice’s writing is really addictive. She delivers some
startling twists that will leave you gasping. Her writing is taut and full of suspense;
Alice knows how to keep her readers on tenterhooks, every time I picked it up
to read I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.
Sometimes I Lie is one
of 2017’s hotly anticipated thrillers. I’m sure this book will be a top
bestseller, I highly recommend it. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for
providing me with a copy to review.
Publisher: HQ
Publication date: 23rd March 2017
Print length: 384 pages
Monday, 6 February 2017
Cursed by Thomas Enger Book Review
BLURB
When Hedda Hellberg fails to return from a retreat in Italy, where she has recently been grieving for her dead father, her husband discovers that her life is tangled in mystery. Hedda never left Oslo, the retreat has no record of her and, what's more, she appears to be connected to the murder of an old man, gunned down on the first day of the hunting season in the depths of the Swedish forests...
MY THOUGHTS
Wow, what a novel. This is the first book I have
read by Thomas Enger, and you can label me a big fan, it only took me a couple
of days to finish, and I’ll certainly be looking out for more on Henning Juul.
Gripping from the first page to last.
The novel opens with a striking scene: a man is
walking through his forests with his dog, and in no time at all, he is dead,
shot. I loved the eerie atmosphere that Thomas created: ‘He knew that, right
now, the forest would smell raw and cold, but soon the adders would slither
out, unsure about what time of year it was.’ And so begins a dark and dangerous journey
which will take our characters right to the terrifying edge in their quest to
find answers.
Nora, a journalist, working for a newspaper, is
surprised when she is paid a visit by the husband of an old friend of her’s,
Hedda Hellberg who she studied and shared accommodation with. Hedda’s husband
is concerned for his wife’s whereabouts after she failed to return from a three
week trip to Italy. The police have done little in their investigation to help
find Hedda, and her husband’s concerns are increasing, and he has their son to
think about who is missing his mother. Nora agrees to take on the case, and she
soon begins to build a picture which hides a dark past. But as Nora gets closer
to the truth, she finds that she might be putting herself in danger.
Meanwhile, Nora’s former partner, Henning, who is
also a journalist is trying to find the man who set fire to his flat a couple
of years ago while he is on leave. The fire killed his son, and Henning is
still reeling from what happened, whereas Nora has attempted to move on with
her life. Searching for answers as to who was behind the plot is the only thing
keeping him going and focused on staying alive. But when the case with Hedda
and Henning’s quest for answers is connected, they have no idea what they are
going to find.
This is Nordic Noir at its best. I haven’t read much
in this genre since I read Stieg Larsson’s The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
series which was a few years ago, but I’ll definitely be reading more now. Thomas
grabs you by the throat with this one, and I found the novel impossible to put
down. I think my favourite scenes were probably the chapters when he followed
Nora’s story as she delves into the Hellberg family unmasking a history of lies
and deceit. There is also an added layer to the mystery of the Hellberg family
that has haunted the family for decades: the disappearance of Hedda’s aunt. Is
it possible that history is about to repeat itself? Can the past finally be put
to rest?
I hope that Thomas is writing fast because that
twist at the end really did knock me off balance. I really wasn’t expecting
that revelation!
I think I have definitely found a series that I will
keep coming back to with this one, if you enjoy Stieg Larsson and Jo Nesbo,
this is a book for you.
Thank you to Karen Sullivan at Orenda for sending me a copy
to review!
Publisher: Orenda
Publication date: 15th February 2017
Print length: 342 pages
Trust Me by Gemma Metcalfe Book Review
BLURB
One phone call. Two lives. Their darkest secrets.
Lana needs to sell a holiday, fast. Stuck in Tenerife, in a dead end job, she never expected a response quite like Liam’s.
Thousands of miles away a phone rings. Liam never intended to pick up, he’s too busy choosing the quickest way to die. But at least someone should know the truth before he goes, even if that someone is a stranger.
As time runs out both are drawn to the other, expressing thoughts they never imagined they would share.
When you’re about to die will your secrets even matter?
MY THOUGHTS
Trust Me is Gemma
Metcalfe’s debut novel and what a corker of a read it is. I was hooked from the
first page and it only took me a couple of days to finish it.
Lana is working at a
call center in Tenerife selling cheap holidays to British tourists. She is
struggling to make that all important sale and her boss has warned her that she
will be sacked if he does not see improvement. But when she phones a number and
speaks to Liam who lives hundreds of miles away in England, she could not
possibly have known how much this phone call would change her life forever.
Liam confesses to Lana
over the phone that he is intending to kill himself but Lana tries desperately
to stop him. What do you do when someone tells you something so horrific? Can
Lana really afford to help him at that moment when her boss is breathing down
her neck all the time demanding that she make a sale?
Gemma will keep you
turning the pages as she delves deeper into her character’s lives. I wasn’t
sure where this story was going to go, when Lana and Liam began to talk about
their pasts, but the direction it took really did shock me, the ending left me
reeling, not just for Liam but for Lana as well.
A terrific debut novel,
I’m looking forward to seeing what Gemma does next. Thank you to HQ Digital and
NetGalley for providing me with a copy to review.
Publisher: HQ Digital
Publication date: 10th
March 2017
Wednesday, 1 February 2017
Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough Book Review
BLURB
Don’t Trust This Book
Don’t Trust These People
Don’t Trust Yourself
And whatever you do, DON’T give away that ending…
Behind Her Eyes has been called the new Girl on the Train and Gone Girl . This is one psychological thriller you will not want to miss.
Louise
Since her husband walked out, Louise has made her son her world, supporting them both with her part-time job. But all that changes when she meets…
David
Young, successful and charming – Louise cannot believe a man like him would look at her twice let alone be attracted to her. But that all comes to a grinding halt when she meets his wife…
Adele
Beautiful, elegant and sweet – Louise's new friend seems perfect in every way. As she becomes obsessed by this flawless couple, entangled in the intricate web of their marriage, they each, in turn, reach out to her.
But only when she gets to know them both does she begin to see the cracks… Is David really is the man she thought she knew and is Adele as vulnerable as she appears?
Just what terrible secrets are they both hiding and how far will they go to keep them?
Just what terrible secrets are they both hiding and how far will they go to keep them?
MY THOUGHTS
Oh my God, I couldn’t believe
what I was reading when I turned the final page of Behind Her Eyes last night, absolutely
superb.
In the weeks prior to
the book’s publication there was huge hype on social media about the book,
especially about THAT twist. On the back cover, the publishers tell you: don’t
trust this book, don’t trust these people, don’t trust yourself and whatever
you do don’t give away that ending.
I was a little bit
dubious about all the excitement about the twist when I first started this book
and I was worried that it would fall a bit flat, but Sarah Pinborough really
pulls it off well and in a really fresh way. I spent reading the last few pages
with my jaw wide open and I have to say that the book certainly lived up to the
hype which is a very rare thing to do. It deserves all the praise that it is
getting!
At the start of the
novel we meet Louise. Louise is telling her friend about a man she kissed at a
bar, her friend is someone who has no problems with having an affair with
married men and seems to be having them all the time, but Louise can’t believe it
when she turns up for work at her new job the next day and finds out that this
man is her new boss, David. Keen to avoid any awkward situations, Louise takes
the first step and tells David that she would like to remain just friends. But
the situation becomes more complicated for Louise when she strikes up a
friendship with David’s wife, Adele. As Louise and Adele’s friendship grows so
does her relationship with David and they realise that it isn’t easy just to
switch off their feelings for each other. As Louise is drawn into David and
Adele’s world, she finds it even more difficult to break away from them but she
is torn between taking sides, Adele’s or David’s.
The three main
characters in this book: Louise, Adele and David were crafted really well. Throughout
the story I never could quite be sure about David who seems to have his Dr
Jekyll and Mr Hyde moments; that really helped with the tension, especially in
the final few chapters. At the beginning of the book I really liked how Adele
took Louise under her wing as they formed their friendship although you would
never have put the two together. Louise is a divorced, single mother who is
struggling to come to terms with the fact that her ex-husband is now having a
baby with his new partner. Her friendship and obsession with Adele and David
are perfect for her to keep her distracted and so she begins to unravel their marriage
and she tries to find out what is really at the heart of it.
I don’t want to say
anymore of the plot here, as the story is impossible to talk about anymore
without giving away spoilers, but once I had finished it I couldn’t wait to
talk to someone about it and I managed to persuade a few of my work colleagues
to buy it immediately. I loved how Sarah wove everything together in the end
and once I realised what that ending was, everything made sense. It’s going to
be so difficult to keep the ending from them when they’re telling me their
thoughts on what they think is going to happen.
The tension in this
book builds really well and you can sense the oncoming storm from just a few
pages in, I really can’t stop talking about how good this book is, I only wish
I could give more than five stars, Sarah Pinborough knows her craft. I don’t
think that I will be able to stop thinking about this book for a long time. I
really did think I could see where this ending was going, but in the final
pages Sarah really does pull that final twist right out from under you. Once
you finish you’ll want to get your all of your friends to read it just so you
can talk about it but don’t let anyone spoil it for you before you have the
chance to read it and do not give that ending away. A very satisfactory read. This
is, I’m sure, going to be one of THE books of 2017 that everyone will be
talking about; I can’t recommend it highly enough! #WTFThatEnding very much
indeed!
Publisher: Harper Collins
Publication date: 26th January 2017
Print length: 384 Pages
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)