My review
I am setting up the stage for the scene as I imagined it.
Susanna as the counselor waiting for her patient and in comes Adam! They get to talking and Adam hints at wanting to hurt a woman and it turns out to her daughter Emily.
The story takes a turn when Adam wants to talk about her son Jake
What happened to Jake? And why did he die?
My first book by Simon Lelic, and I was pleasantly shocked at the way he could draw me into the story. The mid section was absolutely fabulous, the place which kept me glued to the story — what, when, why. There was an atmosphere of curiosity so intense that I had to complete the book even when it was 2am. I needed to know the hidden secrets!! Hats off to the author for creating this aura!!
Susanna as the main character was initially very standoffish, I couldn’t connect to it. But as Adam slowly made her drop her veneer, I could see her pain as a mother losing her son. She kept on talking about past secrets of hers, never did come to know what they were.
Adam didn’t feel quite as sane, but he had his own crosses to bear, his own interpretations of the past. The mind is funny, it fills in parts with thoughts and memories when the reality is fuzzy. Adam had his own delusions about the past!!
Emily as a fun bubbly teen was okay, didn’t really get to know her. She appeared as intermittent chapters. Jake as the troubled teen wanting to fit in, choosing the wrong crowd, ending up doing acts he normally wouldn’t, his obsessiveness was the fuel to the plot to make it run smoothly.
I didn’t care much for the ending, not that it wasn’t apt, but just that it didn’t hold the same fervored pitch. On the whole a good way to spend Sunday night, reading through the bewitched hour.
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Penguin Books UK, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
My rating : 4 stars
About the Author
Simon Lelic is a former journalist and the author of three award-winning literary novels, and The New Neighbors, his first psychological thriller, inspired by a love of Alfred Hitchcock and Stephen King. Simon lives with his wife and three children.
Book blurb
Susanna Fenton has a secret. Fourteen years ago she left her identity behind, reinventing herself as a counsellor and starting a new life. It was the only way to keep her daughter safe.
But everything changes when Adam Geraghty walks into her office. She’s never met this young man before – so why does she feel like she knows him?
Then Adam starts to tell her about a girl. A girl he wants to hurt.
And Susanna realises she was wrong. She doesn’t know him. BUT HE KNOWS HER.
AND THE GIRL HE PLANS TO HURT IS HER DAUGHTER…
Product Details
Publication date : 9th August, 2018
Publisher : Penguin Books UK
The Thriller’s Room
40 Responses
Kept you glued and had you pleasantly shocked…. good!!! 🙂
Yp surprisingly good mid section
,Aww !! Great , you had written it very much interestingly , deep – vivid – dense
Good job
I think this become an honour for Simon Lelic & for his awesome work The Liar’s Room as you had read his latest work & Expressed its review beautifully & interestingly.
I had read his work “The child who” , few weeks ago .
Thanks for sharing this
Keep sharing 💜
That is great. This is my first book by him… So it was quite a fun read.
Thank you Akshaya for your sweet words…
Excellent review, you quickly convinced me with perfect word choices, I covet your skills!
Look who is talking, my darlin.. Nobody and I mean nobody can hold a candle to you
Nevertheless, thank you so much
Great review!! I want to read it now!
Thank you so much. It was a fun book
…. Aren’t you ALWAYS reading through the witching hour?? Do you even STOP READING? EVER? 😘 I’m glad this one kept you interested, it’s a shame that the ending didn’t QUITE hold up. 😊
Well darlin, when do I sleep? 🤔🤔 I am always awake at the witchy hour… You know that… It’s 3am eyes closing is the standard dialog 😂😂
3am doesn’t even exist to me… I try to be in wonderful dreamland by then! 😉🌚🌟🌟🕑🛏️
Wellll….. I hope one day soon, I can say the same
Me too, dear! Me too! (just drink one of my magic elixirs… It’ll have you out before 3am!😉🍻)
I think I have got to do that soon
OMG! If you do, we would TOTALLY have to have some sort of skype ladies night!! We’ll all hang out and drink! 😂💖💖
Hahaha… What you doing? How was your day? And the place where you were going to? Did all go well?
… They never called me… 😔 Hopefully they just got distracted, or the manager was busy.. 😕
They will, don’t worry
… I hope so… 😔
Another nice review, Shalini! This sounds interesting. Hope you are having a good week. 🙂
I am doing okay. How are you, Leslie? Did you finish up the books which you sent me the mail?
I actually started reading a different book that was so good, I couldn’t put it down (it was the first in a 3-book series and now I’m on to book 2). I will get to those thrillers as soon as I finish this series. LOL. So many books, so little time…sigh.
Omg what book held you so much in its grip. I got to know that…. It is very important. Leslie so deeply involved with a book that she is having an affair with 2 of them
Haha. It’s Meli Raine’s Shameless series. Here’s the link for the first book (which is currently free): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077H5MLQP/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0
I found it addicting from the first page. She does drag on a bit sometimes with internal thoughts and descriptions, but I really like her writing style. It pulls me in. You should check it out. I’m curious to see if you like it too. 🙂
I just downloaded book 1.thanks
yes! great review and so many times i’ve had the same let-down with the ending, but you voiced it best–“didn’t hold the same fervored pitch.” good one, Shalini!
Thanks Gin… It read past 2am hence I wanted the same pitch. I wanted to be benefited in some way if I am losing out on sleep…. Alas
👍
Thank you 😊
This sounds good! Wow, you had me at “detting up the stage for the scene as I imagined it”.
Thank you Justine… Some days I can write 😉😊
Really love your reviews?
Thank you?
Haha sorry for the typo *!
Hahaha 😉😂😂