Cover Image: A Double Life

A Double Life

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Member Reviews

Another excellent title, which will challenge readers and writers alike. Excellent choice of protagonists and plot line that will engage all.

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I love being given the opportunity to update our school library which is a unique space for both senior students and staff to access high quality literature. This is definitely a must-buy. It kept me absolutely gripped from cover to cover and is exactly the kind of read that just flies off the shelves. It has exactly the right combination of credible characters and a compelling plot thatI just could not put down. This is a great read that I couldn't stop thinking about and it made for a hugely satisfying read. I'm definitely going to order a copy and think it will immediately become a popular addition to our fiction shelves. 10/10 would absolutely recommend.

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This book is nothing at all like what it is portrayed as
Everything about this book is lacking in depth
A poor book

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Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

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It took me a while to get into this one and I stopped and started a few times first. I didn't enjoy Gabriela's character much and I found the link between the two women quite tenuous at best.

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Great start but the ending was a bit of a let down for me.

Thank you for the copy to read and review.

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Charlotte Philby follows up her excellent debut Part of the Family with this equally compelling thriller which follows the lives of two women- Gabriela a Foreign Office negotiator and Isobel a local journalist. I love the elegance and flow of Philby's writing and how she has placed women centrally and firmly in a genre that has previously been dominated by men. The novel switches between the narratives of Gabriela and Isobel and we gradually see how their lives converge. Her characterisation of the two women really brought them to life for me and I really cared about them, despite their flaws. This is not a genre I would usually read but Philby has given me an insightful glimpse into a genre that she has made her own and I look forward to the follow up to A Double Life. Recommended.

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Thoroughly enjoyed this! Lots of twists, that just kept me guessing until the end.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

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Wow! Gorgeous novel, a wonderful read!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me access an advance copy of this book in exchange for my feedback.

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My first book by this author, and I will read her again in future. I love the way she spins a story, and how everything flows together. Recommended.

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Really did not enjoy this read. This was confusing from start to finish. There was a glimmer of something in the middle which just saved this from being a 1 star review. Philby writes this between Gabriella and Isobel but it is all so confusing, the characters are not very well defined and how the two are connected is not really clear. Then the ending! Well I can hardly say it is an ending, it just stops. I understand there is another book to come in the series but nothing about this made me want to pick up the next one.

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This is a unique and unusual story about two women drawn into a noir world. Gabriella leads a double life which implodes. Isobel is struggling, and as a witness to a violent attack, she is in danger.

Driven but flawed and vulnerable female protagonists are complex and unreliable. The intricately plotted story draws the reader into a deceitful and dangerous world. It's addictive, provoking reading with an unexpected conclusion.

I received a copy of this book from Harper Collins- The Borough Press via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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Gabriela has a senior role with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in counter terrorism. She is dedicated and has worked long hours to get where she is today.
She is married to Tom a free lance architect, who is a stay at home parent to their two children, occasionally taking on freelance work while his wife is the major breadwinner.

When Gabriella returns from Moscow, something does not feel right at work and soon her very organised life starts to unravel.

Isabel is a local journalist who sees a woman being attacked whilst on her way home. She can not get this incident out of her head and starts to investigate herself, even though this will put her own life at risk.

I loved how the two ladies stories run parallel to each other without any obvious connection and seamlessly join together at the end.

After really enjoying this, I am going to look for her other books!!

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

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It took me a while to get into but I did enjoy this thriller. Lots of twists and turns but it was interesting.

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Read this as The Most Difficult Thing.
Confused as the precise on this is totally different to The Most Difficult Thing so any review may be wrong. Therefore even though I enjoyed The Mist Difficult Thing I feel I can’t review properly.

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I came into this review blind as I was unaware of the authors connections - this said I really enjoyed the almost espionage theme running through this.

Gabriela was unliveable and selfish at times. It’s understandable to want a career, but when that’s over to lie to one person, your children and then lie to another who you’ve made a life with is awful! All for her own gain.

Isobel is a mess - but she has a good heart and her investigative intuition is spot on.

What I didn’t like was the ending. WHAT!!!! Is there another book? So much is left unsaid!!

I would’ve liked the two women’s lives to have become entwined earlier, as for most part, it was like reading two novels in one. The collision of the two stories was very clever although I did see it coming (sort of).

A real page turner of a book, it certainly left me wanting more!

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This book started off well, very readable and I wanted to know what was going to happen, but the ending left me astounded! I couldn’t believe the book had ended, thought there would be a connection between the two women but nope not a clue. Really odd good, good storyline

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I was intrigued by the author of this book- she is the granddaughter of the notorious Russian spy, Kim Philby, and wrongly surmised that it would be an espionage thriller.
However A Double Life was more of a domestic noir novel told from the view point of two characters: Gabriela who works for the foreign office and is living with her partner and two young children is the main focus. Isobel, the other protagonist is a reporter who witnesses a murder whilst high on drugs.
Gabriela has the “double life” and the novel endeavours to explain how she has ended up in this position.
I didn’t really like Gabriela who makes some very strange life choices- in fact her outlook seems to be quite amoral. At one point she is accused of being selfish and I think this does sum up a major part of her character as everything has to be about her. Even her children are not as important as what she wants and the life she perceives she should lead.
Isobel appears to be a reasonable journalist but is on a downward spiral after some of her own life choices have not worked out well. She drinks and takes drugs to dull the pain of a previous mistake.
The story is told in alternative sections between the two women and the author does not reveal the tenuous link between the two of them until quite near the end.
I did really enjoy this book but found the ending somewhat unsatisfying so I have only given it 4 stars! Maybe I will need to read this author’s next book to resolve some of my questions in which case the ending is rather clever!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

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Thank you to @harpercollinsuk, @boroughpress, @netgalley and @charlotte_philby for an e-copy of 'A Double Life'. A brilliantly layered book, full of twists and turns, I devoured it. In a week when I've felt I've been living my own double life - Monday to Wednesday running around manically with my sprawling to-do list, then Thursday and Friday slowing right down and taking time for me, this was the perfect literary feast. @charlotte_philby is an author I will definitely seek out and recommend in particular for lovers of the domestic thriller genre but this seems to be mingled with the spy thriller too in a gripping amalgamation. With deception at the core, this will stay with me for some time as I wondered how on earth, the protagonist would ever bring both of her 'lives' (for those who have read it, it will make sense!) together under one roof!? "A Double Life" has Gabriela as the main character, a married mother who works for the FO's Counter Terrorism Unit. She is a tenacious woman; going after what she wants in her career and personal life and this leads to her living two separate lives. At home is her loyal and devoted husband Tom, willing to let Gabriela do what needs to be done in her high-profile job, including a seven month excursion to Moscow, and completely unaware of the other life she is leading both in Moscow and across the city.

Alternate chapters are narrated by Isobel, a journalist investigating an assault in North London. Although she is a stand-alone character, seemingly unconnected to Gabriella, their lives are inextricably linked.

I was unaware at the time of reading that @charlotte_philby had written a previous novel so that has been added to the digital (and ever-growing) TBR pile.

Thank you @charlotte_philby for keeping me gripped and allowing me to live vicariously through both of Gabriela's lives!

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Gabriella works for the Counter Terrorism Unit and is the main bread winner. Her husband looks after the children. Isobel is a journalist who witnesses a horrific attack. The book follows the two and slowly you understand how Gabriella and Isobels lives entwine. Sometimes uncomfortable, plenty of twists, would really recommend....

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