My review
OMG OMG OMG!! This was the first book where I hated the main character and wanted bad things to happen to her. And I was so glad when it did!! What does that say about the book?!!
Ten years of non communication between sisters Nina and Hannah, ended when Hannah received a call informing her about Nina’s death, first declared as accidental then murder!! Abe, Nina’s son was brought to Hannah’s home, but there was only silence between them. A stalker was soon added to the plot along with letters of truth!!
And they all came to the point, where I was ready to throw the main character down the cliff!! I loved that surge of emotions where I wanted to be a part of the plot. I wanted vengeance!!
I loved the way author Debbie Howells has plotted her main character, Hannah. She was surly, unreliable narrator, paranoid, lousy aunt to Abe, always worried about secrets of the past being revealed, clingy leech of a sister to Nina, and who alienated practically everyone. And an alcoholic to boot!! One would wonder what was her redeeming quality – Believe me, NOTHING!! And I loved this wave of hate and frustration I felt throughout the book!!
The story did end with the secrets being unveiled, and they were all shocking and cringe-worthy. And then justice was meted out!! What a way to get it!! I didn’t like anything what happened in the story of these two sisters, but that was because I was so immersed in their life and I could only read the story with a horrifying silence!!
I loved it!!!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Kensington, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
My rating : 5 stars
About the Author
International bestselling novelist Debbie Howells is the author of The Bones of You, her debut thriller, as well as The Beauty of the End, and Part of the Silence. While in the past she has been a flying instructor, the owner of a flower shop, and a student of psychology, she currently writes full-time. Debbie lives in West Sussex with her family, please visit her online at DebbieHowells.com.
Book blurb
It’s been ten years since Hannah Roscoe saw her older sister, but that distance fades to nothing when she receives a call from the police saying Nina is dead. Now Nina is gone, and Hannah is left to care for her young nephew, Abe, who’s remote and moody in the wake of his loss.
But worse is to come, as Nina’s death, first ruled an accident, becomes a murder investigation. Hannah is drawn back into her past, forced to confront the ghosts of their unhappy childhood and the reasons she and Nina finally drifted apart.
Through it all, Hannah can’t shake the feeling that someone else knows all about the secrets she and Nina shared—and the ones they kept hidden, even from each other. Perhaps Nina’s death is not a tragic ending after all, but the beginning of a new and twisted nightmare . . .
Product Details
Publication date : 31st July, 2018
Publisher : Kensington
71 Responses
I love when a character gets to me like that too, super review
Oh yes, this was one book in which I hated the main character and loved the ending
It’s so much fun when an author can effectively write a terrible character! Glad you enjoyed it.
Oh yes, I hated her and loved the ending however morally wrong it was!!
Great review Shalini.. this is so intriguing.
Hey Lili how are you? This was a different read, for sure
Loved this review!
Thank you so much. Quite a different story. Had fun reading it
Ah, this book sounds like one I should read!! Great review!
It is a fab book. The main character is bad. You are too cute… So is the book for you?
I think so. It went to my tbr, but I don’t know in which century I get to it
Next one?
♥️
Probably
Thanks for sharing.
wow, I really like the sound of this one and you have made me curious about the very unlikable MC. This one goes straight to my TBR. Great review!
It has to go. Diana, she was so awful. I wanted to slap her most of the time. Selfish
Wow, Shalini! I love your enthusiasm for this one, and the book sounds spectacular- making you feel all those things. Amazing review!
It is still making me feel hatred for main character like I felt when I read this
hence a great read
Oooh! This sounds so good. Will have to check it out. Great review, Shalini!
This is one book where that main character was soooo bad Leslie… I am generally non violent and I wanted to slap her
Hahaha, sometimes we like to indulge in a little schadenfreude and hate-reading! (It’s fiction so, no one’s really getting hurt, right
) Your review has made me wanna get it 
I can feel my anger even now
Awesome. So glad his one enthralled you. I’m not happy about which sister got killed though
Hahaha exactly but she too got her goods for deeds done
Great review, Shalini! Glad you ended up loving this. I have to go add it now.
This was fab… Brought out a lot of emotions Jenn… Hope you are having fabulous days.
I am missing your nails… What color are they
They are bare.
I haven’t felt like painting them, but will soon!
Everything is going well. Thanks for asking. I hope all is well with you too, friend.
Ha! Don’t lump alcoholism in as an annoying, awful trait!!… Some of us are very loveable!
Hahaha… Yea yea on you they are lovable…
Maybe.. You do get paranoid, rigghhhtttt? But again, who are you?? 
Ha ha ha!!! Ouch….. I see how it is….
Hehehe couldn’t resist
I love your posts but you are killing my TBR. I raced to Netgallery – but again – I am too slow ;(
I was slow to read this…. This was archived long back… But what a story… First time didn’t feel bad supporting morally wrong things…. Wow quite different.
Reblogged this on Angie Dokos.
Thank you Angie
You’re welcome.
WOW! Too bad you couldn’t share your opinions! Talk about some strong emotion! I’m thinking this must be a double douzy–what a fab job on your review, lady!
Damn, I’ll have to go looking for another one?!
This was one of those head spinners which start with unreliable narrators till I want revenge…. Hehehe great book
Woohoo! Fabulous review Shalini!!! I am so excited to get to this one after reading your amazing review!
Ooooo this is something else… I still feel anger coursing down my veins when I think about main character. I the read and forget kinds… But this book still has me in its grips. Even when I cannot read much now.
Oh wow! You have me super intrigued!!! I love when a book grips me like that.
Oooh this still has the power to make me angry. Loved it because I hated the main character
Awesome review Shalini! Sometimes the antagonist can be far more interesting than the protagonist. This definitely looks like a book for me!
Protagonist was my antagonist.. Kim I hated her. I hate her even a month after I finished reading the book!!!!!!!!
That kind of passion about a character says a lot, especially as your still thinking about her a month after you read the book. I hope my library has this.
I hated her…
I did get that vague impression.
Girl, you are so perceptive, I must say!!
How’s your health? Are you resting up well, building up your strength?
Hehehe!
I’m feeling a lot better better Shalini. I’m still really tired though and don’t have much energy.I’ve been eating very healthy and my husband has been making me fresh fruit smoothies.
That’s great…. 3 months post pneumonia, you have to be very careful. Was just speaking to a doc friend regarding my own immunity, they say pomegranates are a great source of antioxidants… So make sure you eat it raw not a smoothie twice a day. Dragon fruit is something which has great antiviral and other properties, if you can get it, then it would be great. I am unable to get it here as it is extremely expensive. It helps against low platelet count during dengue and other unknown properties. I remember 2 slices of it every day and it helped in immunity. Kiwi fruit is another such fruit.
Thanks for the advice my friend! I love pomegranates, but I haven’t tried dragon fruit or kiwi. I’m not sure how expensive they are here, but I’ll take a look.
When a character gets you riled up like that, you know the book is good haha. Loved your review!
Oh yes she did… Even today.. Even now… Whew
Great I am glad you found a good one with bad characters. Sometimes it is necessary.
Ooooh this was bad but oh so damn good… I feel anger even now
It is wonderful when an author can make you feel so strongly about a character good or bad.
Oh yes this still makes me feel anger
Wow, Shalini! What an enthusiastic review. I enjoyed reading it. It had my heart pumping with excitement as you explained it.
Sometimes hating a character and then seeing that they get what they deserve is so fulfilling.
Thanks for reviewing. That cover is really enticing too.
Ooooh this angers me even now… She was awful…
So was that little girl in Baby Teeth but I loved it!! Especially how it ended!
Wow! This book looks… interesting. It’s a rare talent for an author to be able to describe a mean, horrible character and manage to make it work
Is this book worth a read? 
Oh my YESSS it was fab the hatred for the main character I felt, made me feel alive
I love books which do that, make yoy feel like you’re actually in the story and feel the emotions the characters are feeling
Defo giving this one a go.
I was so reasy to hit this babe… And I am non violent
