Absolutely loved the premise of this - what a great idea. This author does seem to specialise in how the biggest, darkest, most grim of crimes or situations can affect the tiniest minutae of life. There is a really good balance between the dark and the domesticity - because even if something so terrible has happened to you you still have to live in your home, work at your relationships, make food etc. And it's these little details that really highlight the horror.
The characters felt incredibly real and with authentic motivations and narratives, and I really enjoyed the slow reveals of the court case and other crimes. Yes the chopping and changing between timelines may annoy some but I liked the 'hide and seek' effect it gave to the storyline.
A great novel!

Extremely triggering and powerful novel that explores a lot of very important issues. Extremely enjoyable but proceed with caution! It will tear your heart out and make you a blubbering mess (or is that just me?!) I loved the deep dive into the relationship following the ‘event’ and how it changed them etc and I thought the way the story was told (essentially a retelling of the night) was a really clever and unique viewpoint!

How do you rebuild a life shaped by violence, especially when justice takes years to arrive? This novel explores that question with depth and empathy, following the long shadow a brutal crime casts over those left behind.

Told through a mix of courtroom drama, past and present timelines, and intimate character moments, it gives voice to survivors in a way that feels raw and honest. The emotional weight of the story is powerful- especially when layered with a love story tragically interrupted by violence. That thread gives the book an added ache, watching how lives unfold after something so devastating.

It blends psychological thriller, police procedural and emotional drama in a way that’s undeniably compelling, though I did find it a bit of a slow burn. Some parts dragged a little for me and I found my attention dipping in places.

Still, despite the pacing, this is a thoughtful and harrowing read, brutal at times, but grounded in compassion.

Having previously read ‘Girl A’ and ‘Day One’ I was really looking forward to reading this the latest book by Abigail Dean, and I am glad to say that it did not disappoint.
‘The Death of Us’ is a thriller that turns into something deeper by examining the long-lasting effects that the events of one violent encounter have on a seemingly solid loving marriage.
It starts with the meeting of the two main characters Edward and Isobel who are still teenagers, they eventually become a couple, marrying in their early twenties. They have each carved out successful careers for themselves. They are happy and successful both professionally and personally until they become victims of a horrific home invasion which alters their lives forever.
Twenty – eight years later retired police officer Nigel Woods the ‘South London Invader’ has been caught and is on trial. This is not a spoiler as this information is given in the first pages of the novel. Isobel and Edward are forced to recall their ordeal (of which we readers are spared none of the details of what their endured) at the invaders hands and confront what has subsequently happened to their lives as a result.
We are exposed to both Isabels and Edwards innermost thoughts as well as the slow breakdown of their relationship which can be uncomfortable at times. Bur this novel is not just about the disintegration of a marriage but also about Love, courage and survival in the face of adversity.

A very different crime thriller.

The Death of Us was a beautifully written and powerful novel. It was hard to read at times, but well worth it at the same time.

Abigail Dean is a very talented author. Her writing is deeply emotional, raw, and realistic.
Isabel and Edward telling their stories about their attack and trauma that came with it was heart-wrenching to read.
First and foremost for me, though, was their love and how it endured.

The Death of Us is a love story and a survival story. I loved that Abigail didn't go into too much detail about the attack itself, as the story didn't need it.
This is the third book I've read from Abigail Dean, the other two being Girl A and Day One. Both of which were also great reads.
I look forward to seeing what she comes up with next.

I highly recommend it.

4.5 stars from me.

Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins UK, and Abigail Dean for the chance to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A serious and sombre look at the devastating and ongoing effects of a brutal attack on a happy couple and the ripples that are felt in so many parts of their lives. It is a steadily paced book with time given to allow each character to explore their situation.

Not a thriller as such but the story of a couple whose lives are traumatised by a cruel and sadistic home invasion.

The story is told from two perspectives, in two distinct timelines: one in the present, covering the court case of the accused; the other looking back over the period leading up to the present.

Isabel’s voice in particular is strong and convincing as she talks directly to her rapist and torturer in her planned victim statement. The effect on her and on her relationships is told with great insight and self-reflection.

A really intensive but intelligent and rewarding read.

A devastingly good book. I've just finished reading it and I am in tears. Utterly stunning, heartfelt and raw.

Having enjoyed Abigail Dean’s previous novels, I had been really excited for this one but found it a bit of a slog in the end.

I felt like the synopsis made this seem like much more of a suspenseful thriller than it ended up being and the flashbacks really slowed the reading pace.

This was such a thought provoking book. A violent home invasion changes Isabel and Edward’s life forever. I loved that the book has been narrated from both of their perspectives. The unthinkable that happened on the spring night was devastating and unsettling, but now when the attacker has been found, the truth slowly comes out and the author has shared aftermaths of the event that destroyed not just their lives but their marriage too. Now years later when the truth came out, it might mend their hearts but will it mend their relationship? This was such a heart wrenching book yet it also gave hope.

Thanks to the Publisher

Let me start with the positives. I think Abigail Dean is a very talented writer and I think that this is a great book. I did, however, struggle to read this one. I have read her other books so I knew this wouldn’t be a fluffy, holiday read but I didn’t expect to take so long to read it. While I was reading I would get caught up in the story of Edward and Isabel, then I wouldn’t pick it up again for days or weeks. There was something about their attacker that made me reluctant to read more. I dare say it’s some sort of compliment to the author that she created a character that had this effect on me.

Abigail Dean is such a wonderful writer, tackling difficult topic, revealing them to us slowly but with perfect pacing.

In this novel, we witness the relationship between Isabel and Edward and how it was affected by one terrible night that saw them violated in their own home by a rapist and murderer who also happened to be an acting police
Constable.

Many novelists use multiple time frames but few do it as effectively as Dean. She. Intersperses the blossoming of their romance, its development and its end, with the present day and the trial of the perpetrator. She doesn’t ask you to care for her characters, she simply makes it happen.

A beautifully drawn character study with plenty of plot and added social commentary. Stunning.

With thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Late on a summer’s evening when they are thirty years old, husband and wife Edward and Isabel’s home is invaded by a serial killer. Theirs was a classic story of young love that moves into true partnership—but their solid foundation implodes in the wake of this violence.

This a slow burner that is written through different timelines and characters. The story is well written, the characters are well drawn and the plot is paced perfectly.

If you like psychological suspense novels that are pieced together slowly then you will enjoy this.

4 stars

Sometimes you come across a book that makes you stop and think - this is one of those! It deals with a very challenging subject area, a physical attack, and demonstrates clearly the life changing, long-term effects on people’s lives. It is a slow burn story, telling the tale from two distinct timelines. Firstly, Edward & Isabel’s early life, from meeting one another, up to the attack and moving beyond. Secondly, attending court for the trial of the attacker.

It is told from dual perspectives within each timeline; with the narration of Isabel and Edward, Isabel talking directly to the attacker through her writing, Edward’s reflecting his stalwart personality and avoidance of dealing with the trauma, told interestingly in the third person. The story moves between each timeline, gradually drawing nearer to the attack.

The characters are portrayed with sensitivity and skill, developed carefully, comparing clearly their laid back lives before the attack and their confusion and emotional pain, trying to find their way forward, after.

I feel this story is the closest you can get to understanding the long lasting effects of a traumatic event, without being personally involved. It is recounted with ferocious realism and yet it is the relationship between Edward and Isabel that is the most compelling.

This is not an easy read, it is brave, emotional, compelling and raw.

This is an excellent literary thriller. Sometimes, you read thrillers for the twists and thrills; sometimes, you read them to be riveted and intrigued. This one will keep you awake reading into the night, but it will also blow you away with its depth of understanding of human nature and its brilliant writing.

Isabel and Edward are a young married couple living in London whose lives are overturned when the South London Invader (similar to the Golden State Killer) enters their home one night. He restrains Edward while he assaults Isabel before leaving and evading capture. 25 years and more victims later, he is on trial, and Isabel and Edward wait to give their statements in court.

This is not a book about a serial killer. This is a story about how a marriage can crumble after trauma; how a violent attack can affect people so hugely, they struggle to hold onto each other.

Abigail Dean is a master at this. In Girl A, again inspired by a real-life case, she focused on the aftermath of trauma and on recovery. In her second book, Day One, she looked at a community devastated by a school shooting. Her subject matter is truly gripping, but it's the focus on human response in the aftermath of trauma that fascinates me.

This book examines the characters' marriage before and after the event and doesn't run chronologically, but it's never confusing thanks to Dean's deft writing. Isabel's chapters are particularly powerful, written like a victim impact statement addressed to her attacker.

If you enjoy literary thrillers with an air of true crime but a focus on the victims - think Notes on an Execution or Bright Young Girls - you'll love this.

The Death of Us opens with a gripping premise and a strong emotional pull that immediately draws you in. Abigail Dean crafts a compelling beginning filled with tension, mystery, and nuanced character development that promises a deeply affecting story.

The conclusion delivers on much of that early promise, tying up the narrative threads with a satisfying and poignant resolution that lingers long after the final page. Dean’s prose shines, especially in these bookend sections, where her control of tone and pacing is at its best.

That said, the middle of the book does drag a bit. The pacing slows down, and some parts feel like they go on longer than they need to. It loses a bit of the momentum from the beginning, which made it harder to stay fully engaged at times. Although the emotional depth and psychological insight remained strong.

Overall, The Death of Us is a haunting powerful read.

The Death of Us is one of those novels that may be hard to pinpoint its genre, as it does fall across a number of genres, be it a romance, suspense mystery, or a domestic thriller set around a marriage, you could even add a bit of family secrets and courtroom drama.
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The story follows the relationship between Edward and Isabel from when they met around the time they went to university to when they reunited at the age of 58, in between they got married, had the perfect life and got divorced.

The catalyst for the divorce was one night their house was invaded and while Edward was in another home Isabell was visually assaulted.

The Death of use was an emotional read from beginning to end as a reader you get to understand the relationship between the two of them.

While Abigail Dean does cover the assault it never goes into too much detail, however due to the nature of the story, be aware of the subject matter before reading.

Not because The Death of Us is played for shock value, In fact it is totally the opposite as this is an emotional book told without fanfare or shock. It is just a novel about a relationship that is changed by a single random horrific event.

While the novel is mainly told in a straight linear format through the eyes of Isabel, Edward to get a point of view as the story reaches its conclusion with the sentencing of the attacker.

While the story focuses on the two main protagonists of the story, you do meet the other known victims of the attack as well as one of the detectives in charge of the investigation, to give a wider perspective of the story without taking the story from the main protagonists.

The Death of Us, is one of those novels thal if you the writer reader will be one of your best reads of any year however if you are not into character driven stories then Abigail Dean’s is not for you.

However if you love stories about a single tragic even can affect a marriage then The Death of Us is a must read.

A slow-burn psychological thriller. This starts with the brutal home invasion and attack of married couple Isobel and Edward, before weaving into a then-and-now perspective to create a powerful and unsettling love story and the impact of the horrific crime on them. A well written, heart-wrenching tale.

THE DEATH OF US

Firstly, thank you to #Netgalley, the author #AbigailDean and the publishers #HarperCollinsUK, for my eArc of #TheDeathOfUs

Having absolutely adored Deans debut novel; Girl A and then finding her second novel; Day One, more of a disappointment than anything, I was keen to read her third book.

Unfortunately, this one ended up as a DNF (Did Not Finish)

Where this novel was thought provoking and somewhat disturbing, I unfortunately found the pace to be agonisingly slow.
And not as it was marketed, “a thriller” instead from what I read(before I gave up on it) it was more of a family drama novel.

Not a bad novel, just not right for me.

My new favourite Abigail Dean book, and one of my all-times faves in general.
This easily could have been a crime novel all centred on finding this attention-seeking lowlife on a power trip. But Dean beautifully crafts a book about a couple trying to figure out life and love after an unthinkable happens to them both. How do you move on? How do you live? The book is about Isabel and Edward, and I’m so pleased with that decision.

I had to take pauses throughout so I could cry in peace. Again, by taking this story in a non-linear fashion, we know from the start the villain has been found (he’s no longer important). Having Isabel’s side of the story speaking directly to him is really poignant; Edward in third person further highlighting his discomfort with speaking about his feelings…I’d love to write a book like this!

Thanks to NetGalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review. I’m going to buy a hard copy so I can reread.