Be prepared to be scared! This is a deeply disturbing, intense read.

Following an horrific attack in their home, a young couple, Edward and Isabel, try to cope with just carrying on living a normal life. But it is clear from the off that life will never be the same again nor will their marriage.

If you live alone, read this book in the daytime! Abigail Dean skillfully ramps up the tension and whilst, thankfully, there are no overly-graphic details of the attacks, her writing is so masterful that your imagination can't help but work overtime to fill in the missing pieces.

Edward and Isabel's stories are told in separate chapters and the latter's ongoing 'conversation' with the perpetrator was a very clever way of demonstrating the utter devastation he had caused.

This is a cleverly written book. Emotions are high throughout. There is little real action and the pace can be slow at times, but this work for this book. Abigail Dean has told this story with care and compassion but due to the subject matter, it is a difficult read. It is, however, an important one which highlights the utter devastation violence can cause.

Edward and Isobel, a divorced couple in their fifties, reunite at the trial of the man who impacted their lives so severely many years ago that he destroyed their marriage. They've both lived with the consequences of his actions, but will seeing him finally brought to justice allow them to readjust their relationship?
This was a very tense and dramatic story. Toggling between the past, from the time Isabel and Edward met as teenagers, to the present day, the narrative was perfectly paced, allowing us to get to know the main characters and fully empathise with the horrors they have experienced. Isabel's voice in particular is loud and clear and honest, and she wins the respect of the reader very quickly.
Funnily, I did not find the plot too triggering because the overall arc of the story was not about the crime per-se. It was about Edward and Isabel's relationship, which was intricate and beautiful even after they went their separate ways,
The story is written with sensitivity, grace and even humour - no mean feat for such a distressing subject. Despite its bleak central pivot of violence and rage, it left me feeling hopeful and happy with its message that love can conquer hate and goodness triumph over evil.

This is a story brilliantly told of the effects that crimes committed by one individual have on everyone whose lives he touched: his victims and their family and friends, the police and his own family. In fact, the whole novel can be read as one giant impact statement. At its centre stand Isabel and Edward, who we meet 25 years after they had been victims of a violent attack by a person who is now facing trial.

Edward’s story is told by a narrator, Isabel tells her own story – partly by addressing the perpetrator of the crime directly. Since the attack happened, he has always been there, lurking in the background of her mind ready to pounce. Their life is divided to the Before and the After of the attack, which is reflected in the narration, as it not only changes perspectives from one person to the other but also jumps with time. I found myself going back to the beginning of the book to re-read what I first time round only half appreciated without the much later emerging context.

This book is put together very well, there is no rushing at any point but a slow revelation of events that lay bare raw emotions as we come to fully understand the complexity of Isabel’s and Edward’s relationship. Despite its slowness -or maybe even because of it - it is gripping, suspenseful and hard to put down.

I am grateful to NetGalley and Hemlock Press / HarperCollinsPublishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I found this to be a very slow burn and was close to putting it down at around 20%. I persevered and things picked up nearer the 40% mark.
Personally, I didn’t like the toing and froing of timelines, finding myself reading a few sentences and realising ok, we’re back in the present day again.
I didn’t mind the storyline and didn’t find it particularly harrowing as I’ve read some have. The repeated use of the C bomb however, I did not like and felt it unnecessary, but that’s personal preference.
The book did pick up somewhat towards the latter end but I can’t rave about it unfortunately.
I’ve read Day One by the same author, which I much preferred.
Review will also be posted to Goodreads.
Many thanks to NetGalley Uk and HarperCollins for the advance copy.

One night it was that something had happened outside the door
The attacker has been caught and to tell everyone what happened
I had an ARC

THE DEATH OF US BY ABIGAIL DEAN.
Release date set for the 10th of April 2025.
5 STARS.
I honestly don't know how anyone can rate this book lower.
WOW what a powerful story this was.
It's heartbreaking and thought provoking.
I had a sense of dread in my stomach the more i read.
I've never read a book by this author before and i can say that i thought it was brilliantly written.
Parts of this book had me speechless and sometimes made me emotional.
The trauma was very real and shows how people react differently to trauma.
Honestly a very powerful book

This was absolutely awful but in the best way possible. I've never felt that deep sick feeling from reading a book until now.

The Death of Us is an insight into a marriage and the challenges they face as a couple and as individuals. Also, how those challenges have not only the opportunity to break you but also to bring you back together again.

Whilst this story was a slow burn, it wasn't boring or drawn out unnecessarily. The writing was emotionally raw and brutal at times. I enjoyed the way the author had Isabel talking to someone but not letting on initially who it was. The dual POV between Isabel and Edward was also superb and gave us as readers two sides to the story, two sets of feelings and emotions.

I appreciated how the author didn't hold back in relaying the pain and the struggle the characters were facing. It was refreshing and relatable.

Overall, it is a superb psychological thriller that is equally heartbreaking as it is infuriating. Despite this, there are some happier moments, so don't let that put you off. I would encourage readers to check out the trigger warnings beforehand.

Thank you to Netgalley, Viking, and Abigail Dean for an advanced copy of this novel.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 nearly 5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book and it was very close to five stars. I like the narrative style of the characters telling their story and the build up to what happened to them and the aftermath.

Only dropped a star because it was a bit slow in places and I was hoping for/ expecting a bigger reveal of what happened to Edward than the one we got.

But overall recommended.

This was a difficult read at times - and I don’t think I enjoyed it as much as Abigail Dean’s previous books - I didn’t really warm to the two main characters although I did like done of the supporting characters. It was very well written and pit together but for me, there was just something lacking - I would give it three and a half stars.

This book is hard to categorise - it is literary fiction? literary crime? What is unarguable however is the author's skill in capturing the heightened emotions that exist in the aftermath of serious crime and how life is altered ever after. The book is hard hitting, devoid of cliche yet full of empathy and will live long in the mind of the reader.

This book caused me to suffer a truly horrific nightmare as it really got inside my head but I was just too invested in the story and the characters at its heart to stop reading. It really is a brilliant work of fiction - yes, it fits into the psychological thriller genre but there is a huge amount of character depth and development within this that raises it above other popular books of this type. It would work well for a reading group and I will definitely be recommending it to friends...but with a warning about the potential for nightmares!

This is the second Abigail Dean book I have read and I really enjoyed this one. The book follows Isabel and her husband Edward each told by chapters POV following a home invasion and how it shaped the rest of their lives after the terrible ordeal. The book flicks from past to present and I was really bought into the terror. It was really well written especially as there was a love story element to such a sickening encounter at the core. Really good writing and character building. I will be recommending to others and looking out for more from Abigail

This is one of the best crime novels I've read in recent years. It's an exceptional study if the aftermath of the crime and is layered, profound and wise. It's a beautiful and compelling book to read. I couldn't put this down and read it in 24 hours.
I loved the flawed characters and felt so deeply invested. I was moved to tears toward the end.
I couldn't have liked this more. 5 stars isn't enough

Let me just start by saying that this is the best book I have read in as long as I can remember. The plot surrounds the upcoming trial of a London home invader. His crimes were carried out 25 years ago but with each he became more and more sadistic and brutal. He has spared his living victims by pleading guilty. However, they are given an opportunity of writing a victim impact letter prior to his sentencing.

The story is narrated through the perspective of Isabel and Edward who have since divorced. Edward has moved on but has agreed to support her in court. As we delve back into their past, we meet colourful and complex characters like Freddie, a loyal friend from uni and Etta, the courageous detective in charge of their case.

Dean tackles some dark and triggering issues here as the true horror surrounding Nigel Wood’s attack on victims is revealed. What is so beautiful, however, is the unwavering love story that unfolds between the couple and their friends. This is a novel that will be talked about for a long time and giving it a 5-star review doesn’t seem sufficient.

May I take this opportunity to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for allowing me to read it ahead of publication.

This tops Girl A for me. Note perfect on first love, long-term relationships as well as living in South East London in the 1990s, intertwined with a tense 'how it happened' serial rapist and murder case. Dean manages that rare thing - a page-turning plot and the deft, clever sentences worthy of a Booker longlister.

Thanks to the publisher for an advance copy of this book - I loved Abigail Dean's first two books and this is just as compelling a read, and takes you on an emotional journey.

A couple goes through an unimaginable traumatic experience - the worst night of their lives. Many years later, the attacker is caught - after leaving a trial of other victims. The couple has broken up at this point - and the story is told from both perspectives, while moving back and forth between the future and the present. With the story spanning decades, every page reveals more about what happened - as we go through the trial.

An amazing read - and another classic in the making !

I really enjoyed this book. Edward and Isabel were happily married and enjoying life. Then something terrible happened. They were the victims of a home invasion when Isabel was raped and Edward traumatised. The book tells the story of their relationship before and after this horrific event. Probably not advisable to read this if you are of a nervous disposition.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

The Death Of Us is an emotionally resonant read dealing with the aftermath of trauma and the effects of such on a previously strong relationship.

It has the benefit of also being a bit of a page turner, you absolutely live the story of Edward and Isabel right along with them. The author tugs at the heartstrings throughout the narrative and it is thought provoking.

Overall an excellent read.

I can't lie, I found this book quite hard to get into. However, the further it gets the more you get sucked in by the story. There's no doubt this is a cleverly written thriller and the relationship between the two main characters is fascinating to watch throughout the years. I have no doubt Abigail Dean has another success on her hands. Thank you to Netgalley for allowing me this ARC.

4-5 stars

This is the story of Edward and Isabel, how they meet aged 19, fall in love and marry. When they are 30, the South London Invader, who goes on to become a serial killer, enters their home and his violent assault devastates and upends their lives. Now aged 58, the perpetrator is finally caught thanks to modern forensics and it’s now his trial. Edward and Isabel are given the opportunity to read their victim impact statements in court. This is the story of their relationship, examining the impact the attack has on their lives. Will they finally get some sort of closure? The pair tell their story which alternates between the past and present day.

Abigail Dean always gives her readers something different and that’s certainly the case here in this slow burner psychological thriller. It’s so good to have a novel that is entirely from the perspective of those impacted by serious crime rather than an “exciting” police procedural with efforts to apprehend the criminal. You see the effect it has on them and others loud and clear and inevitably it affects the couple differently. The storytelling has real intensity as you witness what they suffer and go through. One of the most poignant stories is that of Nina which I won’t spoil for future readers. I like too how it shines a spotlight on the officer in charge for much of the investigation. DCI Etta Eliogu is desperate to catch him and this impacts on her in many ways. The tension and the heartbreaking pain is palpable at times and there are several OMG moments.

It’s a painful, traumatic and raw story and inevitably it’s dark but it’s a novel that needs telling. My heart goes out to the couple as they try to handle the situation in their different ways. It’s poignant and sad but the ending makes me feel grounds for optimism. It’s carefully told , it’s respectful and honest but don’t expect something fast paced - to be frank, that wouldn’t work here. It’s extremely real, powerful, thought provoking and fascinating.

Ps I do enjoy the swipes at media, at ‘corruption’ at incompetence and there are several well earned hits.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins, HarperFiction, The Hemlock Press for the much appreciated epub in return for an honest review.