4 out of 5 stars
On Amazon (universal link)
On Goodreads
How I discovered this book: it was submitted to Rosie's Book Review Team, of which I am a member.
In a Nutshell: Psychological mystery about grief, guilt and lies
I was most intrigued by this book from the word go - I won't go into the plot as that's in the blurb. I was struck by how clever the writing was, it flowed so well, and also I loved how the author did not reveal essential detail about the events the book hinged upon - I was thinking, what's going on here? Happily, the writing was compelling enough to keep me wondering and turning the pages, as the picture came into focus.
Sadly, I did lose interest in the second half, much of which was dialogue between the main character (Nora), and various others, in which they discussed intricate points and details. It started to feel like a report, rather than a story, which made the drama ebb, somewhat. I realised then that I wanted to read the actual story from, when the accident took place, with Lydia's rise in real time, as they say. Her scheming, her manipulation of just about everyone, her need to redeem herself. She was a fascinating character, and I would have liked to see her in action. Know more about her. There is more than one way of telling a story - choosing the right one can be very difficult!
'The reveal' did bring all the threads together, and explain much that went before, with all its implications and long-ranging effects. The change in character focus really worked. Completely satisfying end (loved the very last lines), always appreciated.
This is a debut novel, and I wish Vera Mercer all the best in her literary career :)
