The Death of Us is a haunting and tragic novel. It's a slow burner that tells of the aftermath and effects of a home invasion 20 years ago. 'The South London Invader' has thanks to modern technology now been caught and the book revolves around victims Edward and Isobel as they prepare for court to give their witness statements. As we read of their lives in the intervening years you can't help but sympathise and rage with them as their story unfolds. Definitely not an easy read but one I'm glad that I did. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an early e-copy.

Wow! This book pulled me in to the story from page one, an emotional, heart breaking and a thought provoking read.
When Isabel and Edward first meet through a mutual friend, they are drawn to one another, though Edward already has a girlfriend.
The two talk on the phone regularly and meet for outings, they are meant to be together, Isabel can feel it, she thinks about Edward constantly.
They have been happily married a number of years when the South London Invader chooses them, enters their home, this violent assault is not only devastating for them both, it rips their marriage apart. Edward can’t speak of it, Isabel wants him to ask her questions, but he remains silent. Can their marriage survive the trauma?
Years later the South London Invader has been caught, they are attending his trial, they have been given the opportunity to read a victim impact statement.
The story tells of the impact the assault has had on their lives, how they have both been affected differently, you can feel Isabel’s pain as she is curled up on the bedroom floor, face down night after night. It’s a raw story, very well written, the reader can feel the tension and hurts that grow between the couple. In their pain they loss each other, but the trial throws them together again and there is hope of a new chapter.
This book will be in my top reads for 2025.
Many thanks to Net Galley and Harper Collins UK for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. This is my third book by Abigail Dean.

As always Abigail Dean always manages to keep me captivated all the way through, this book was a very poignant and powerful read.

I devoured Abigail Dean’s two previous novels, ‘Girl A’ and ‘Day One’, so could not believe my luck when I was gifted a free digital ARC of ‘The Death of Us’ to review for NetGalley. Thank you to the publishers too! My review is what follows.
As in her other novels, Dean meticulously charts a modern household, that of professional married couple Isabel and Edward. Successful and happily settled in South London, their contentedness is shattered when they become the victims of a brutal attacker in their own home. In the aftermath, Edward, whose timeline is in the present tense, bottles up his traumatic experiences whereas Isabel, whose points of view are delivered via victim impact statements, is keen to relive, talk about, and make sense of her trauma. Sadly, their marriage does not survive – but when Isabel and Edward meet again at the sentencing of their attacker several years later, will they be able to forge a new relationship and to finally heal the past? Slower in pace than Dean’s previous novels, this is nevertheless a book that provides lots of food for thought.

Girl A by Abigail D blew me away, so I had high expectations for her new book The Death of Us. It's a psychological thriller that centres on Isabel and Edward, a couple in love whose lives are torn apart one night by the invasion of a serial killer.

The story is told from the perspective of the characters in the current day, as they gather together to relive that nightmare as their attacker has been caught and is on trial. But as they build courage to face their assailant as witnesses in the dock, they must also face their own demons from the past as they finally share the truths of what happened that night and deal with the breakdown that happened after that fateful night.

The synopsis of the book reads, "This is a story of murder. This is a story of survival. But most of all, this is a story of love." This is a very apt description of The Death of Us, a slow-burn suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the e-ARC.

Second book I have read by Abigail Dean. For me it lacked a decent storyline and did not really grip me which is sad for a new author. Perhaps she might read some Peter James and Jeffrey Archer books and see how they include a lot of content and grip the reader. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to ARC this book.

My thanks to HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read ‘The Death of Us’ written by Abigail Dean in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

Isabel and Edward are at home when a serial killer breaks in and damages their lives forever. Some years later their serial killer is caught and identified as ‘The South London Invader’, a seventy-year-old retired police officer called Nigel Wood living in Dorset. Isabel and Edward are brought together again to attend Court on sentencing to give their victim statements.

‘The Death of Us’ is a dark and sometimes distressing novel of two people whose lives are irrevocably changed by a man who remains free for the next thirty years, as it charts the effect the trauma had on them. Although well-written, it’s a slow burn that at times is confusing as to the identity of the narrator who’s speaking. It’s a depressing though thought-provoking novel not helped by my not empathising with the characters, and I’m most likely in the minority with this when I say that the story didn’t work for me. I struggled to get involved but this is my own personal opinion and I don’t want to discourage anyone from reading it.

Written from the viewpoints of the main characters, Isabel and Edward, and with a dual timeline I found this totally gripping. There was a man terrorising the residents of South London and Isabel and Edward were two of his victims. This goes between how they met, the horrific incident that they were subjected to and the trial of the perpetrator. I found this to be a really interesting read that made me think about human nature and how people can experience the same trauma but deal with it so differently. This is so cleverly written and the way the main characters develop alongside the interactions they have with each other and others. Although it jumps back and forth it is easy to follow and I consumed this in one day. Thank you to Harper Collins and Netgalley for the ARC. I highly recommend reading this along with Abigail Dean’s other books.

From the synopsis, you kind of know that this is going to be a tough read as far as the content is concerned. One night that changed the lives of those involved.

The author frequently flits back and forth between the main characters and also in time. This is done very well, and I didn't have any issues with this at all. The characters tell their version of events, and this gives the reader access to the bigger picture, as all perspectives are covered and the emotions of each person are conveyed well.

The event of the night had a profound impact and continued to have lasting effects long after. It is only when the characters are in the present that they finally reveal what happened, what they felt and how they feel. The author does not go into details about the crime, but infers what took place. Having this revealed at trial means that they have to relive the experience. The way the victims have changed over the course of that night and to the trial shows how traumatic the event was and that PTSD is an ever-present shadow.

This is a very addictive book. I did enjoy reading it, but there was something that I couldn't quite connect to. I think it was the characters as they are understandably cut off, not emotionless, but cold. It is hard to explain.

This is one for those who like the tougher crime thriller genres, it is a very good book and one I would be happy to recommend.

That spring night in South London, when Isabel and Edward’s lives were torn apart.
The night Isabel learned that the worst things wait, just outside the door.
The night Edward learned that he was powerless to stop them.

This is a great read which I found a little confusing to start with but the quality of the writing shone through. The characters are real and likeable. The description of feelings is superb as is the way the story moves forward.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper Fiction for an early copy to enjoy. After Abigails first debut book I was really looking forward to reading this! Her writing style is amazing and this book is about a deep and harrowing event of many years ago that tore a couple apart buy it didn't grip me like her first book. It was a slow burn that the light kept going out, I have to say but I did finish it. Not on the same level as her debut! 3*

It’s the story everyone wants to hear.

That spring night in South London, when Isabel and Edward’s lives were torn apart.

The night Isabel learned that the worst things wait, just outside the door.

The night Edward learned that he was powerless to stop them.

The night they never talk about.

When their attacker is caught, it's finally time to tell the story of that night.

Not to the world. Or to the man who did it. But to each other.

This is a story of murder. This is a story of survival. But most of all, this is a story of love.

The Death of Us is incredibly gripping, and beautifully written. A must read.

The Death of Us by Abigail Dean is an emotional crime thriller that will unfold the impact of crime on a marriage and emotional wellbeing.
It's different and usually, I like different but not this time. The writing style wasn't for me. The story was slow and I kept drifting away. Then there were some really good chapters and I got so excited but it didn't last for long and I was drifting away again.

The story of Isabel and Edward was so beautiful. It was sad to witness the dark cloud over their happiness when one day changed everything. The day their home was invaded by a serial killer. Now they must live with this trauma forever.

This will be a perfect read for readers who love deep and emotional slow burns.

Thank you, NetGalley for this copy :)

After a long, long police investigation following some of the most shocking crimes, the South London Invader has finally been caught. Now an elderly man in poor health, it’s hard to reconcile him with the evil monster who did irreparable damage to his victims.

This book follows the lives of Edward and Isabel, now in their fifties, from their first meeting at nineteen years old, right up to their days in court for the case of Nigel Wood, aka the South London Invader, twenty five years after the night he appeared in their bedroom.

Isabel’s POV is more or less chronological from her resurface into society after her troubled teens, through to facing her rapist and tormenter, Nigel Wood, on the stand. Edward’s POV is his current life and how the ordeal that he and Isabel, along with many other victims, has affected him and his relationships.

My goodness this author knows how to write about hard (terrifying!) subjects and certainly doesn’t avoid the human capacity for brutality and evil.

Another first class book, well written with the undercurrent of terror bubbling away constantly. Dark and deeply disturbing, this is not a story for the faint hearted.

A considered read, not a book to be rushed, and though at times it was very slow, every nuance is delivered with empathy and compassion.

A worthy read.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins UK.

I can’t honestly say I enjoyed this book but it did give me food for thought. We don’t give much thought to the ongoing effects of people who are subjected to horrific deeds - in truth whose lives are ruined by some awful excuse for a human being.
So many relationships lack communication but none more so than those who need it most. I don’t know if the author has been through something like this herself or if she has just researched the topic extremely well but either way it certainly seemed very authentic.
I just can’t give it five stars because I read for pleasure and this wasn’t a pleasurable read. It felt like non-fiction.

As always my thanks go to the author, the publishers and to NetGalley for an advanced e.copy of this book.

A rapist is attacking couples and this focusses on one particular couple and how it affected their lives afterwards. A thought provoking story with engaging characters and compulsive storyline

Another character driven tale from Abigail Dean. I have to admit I found this tale confusing at first as it moved time frames and I was not quite sure what the focus was. As I got into the story and the pace I became more involved with the characters and how a home invasion gradually destroyed Edward and Isobel's marriage.
Isobel was a troubled child who spent time in hospital. Edward was involved in a relationship. The two were set up on a blind date by a mutual friend and they spent much time pretending not to like each other. Eventually they became involved and became a couple, finally marrying. They had a wonderful marriage until their house was invaded by a rapist.
We join the story when the perpetrator is finally identified and arrested after many years - how he was identified is not made clear! Edward and Isobel have never discussed what happened before now.
This is not a thriller but an in-depth study of how such trauma can ruin the lives of those involved. It identifies that victims and families of such a violent home invasion can come together to share experiences or rely on each other,
As I neared the end of this book I began to read more slowly not wanting it to finish. A heart-rending tale.
Four and a half stars. Hate the use of the C word!
Many thanks to Netgalley/Abigail Dean/HarperCollins UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily

This is very much a slow burner and admittedly it did take me a while to get into. Once I did however it had me completely hooked. When I got used to the narrative, it did flow nicely between past and present. This is my first book by Abigail Dean and she is a very fine storyteller. The story centres around a brutal crime and the implications afterwards on the marriage and lives of Edward and Isabel. The characters are beautifully portrayed and you can feel the pain and raw emotion especially from Isabel.
This is an original and thought provoking story - it’s very powerful and very character driven. I’m really glad I stuck with this and I will be reading the authors previous books.

Thanks to NetGalley, publishers and author for an ARC of The Death of Us.
This is the third book I've read by Abigail Dean, and it is definitely my favourite of her books. Following a couple before, during and after a disturbing attack, thus book really pushes many emotions all at the same time.
Highly recommend

The Death of Us is a psychological crime story of a 30 year old couple Isabel and Edward whose lives are forever changed after they are attacked in their south London home by a serial killer. It’s the night they never talk about.

A deeply, emotional, traumatic, heartbreaking story of survival, hope and will love prevail through all the trauma?

The story is written in Isabel’s POV set in the past and Edward’s POV set in the present timeline and throughout the book the timelines go back and forth. A truly heartbreaking, emotional read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK for sending me the ARC.