*** Warning; this is not a lighthearted book - it deals with trauma, rape, murder ***

Where to start with this book…
The book is written from the points of view of the two main characters, Edward and Isabel. It is in different timelines, the present, and moving back in time to fill in the gaps of their life.
I didn’t care for the characters, that didn’t change at the end of the book, but that is my personal opinion. I was getting to know the characters and their foibles slowly, snippets of their personal life, which should always be that way, until the person who attacked them, known as the “House Invader” changed the normality of their existence.
Isabel and Edward seemed to exist on their intimate connections, but didn’t appear to talk deeply to each other, which then became a major problem trying to deal with the aftermath of the Invader.
I saw things through the eyes of people who have experienced terrible atrocities, through the authors writing, candid, but written well.
It made me think about how people try to find their way through life dealing with these traumas, when others are mostly doing life. That’s deep.
It is a dark, heavy book, that told the story through to the end. I was a little surprised at the ending, in my opinion I didn’t see why the other character who had a brief introduction earlier on came back just as briefly. That sounds a little bit cryptic, but I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
To sum this book up, it’s not for the faint hearted, but it does raise issues that I would not normally choose to read.
Having said that I found it well written, powerful and impactful.

Abigail Dean is so good at writing about traumatic events, but not the events themselves - how the event affects people afterwards. And it is so interesting. (I think she has a psychiatry background which would make sense?) In this book, it focuses on how a couple separated due to growing apart, years after they were targeted and brutally attacked by an intruder. The current tense POV is them being reunited in the face of the culprit being caught and brought to court, and we get snippets of their lives dealing with the aftermath of the event. A difficult read in parts, but very well written.

Another incredible novel from Abigail Dean, who is one of a handful of authors whose book I would purchase without even knowing what the plot was about. An exploration of the impact of a terrible crime on one couple - of love, of loss, of grief, and eventually of reclamation. I loved it.

This book had both happy and terribly sad aspects to it. It was a good read but very harrowing in parts,

Unfortunately, The Death of Us did not grab me like I thought it would. I found it to be too dark for my taste and very slow paced.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Really wanted to love this one but it just wasn’t for me. I found it super dragged out, couldn’t connect with the characters, and honestly had no clue what was going on half the time 😂 I probably should’ve DNF’d it but I was already halfway through and didn’t want it to feel like a total waste lol. Oh well – onto the next!

I know the golden state killer case VERY well, so this one was a little predictable at times for me, but still none the less was enjoyable

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