Member Review

I’ve read several of Liz Nugent’s books and they all have one thing in common, particularly nasty, amoral characters that are impossible to like but interesting to read about.
This novel was no exception. Ruby and Erin Cooper are sisters living in Boston. Their father is a preacher with his own church and also an investment advisor so the family have plenty of money.
When an “incident” occurs involving Ruby and her sister, Erin’s boyfriend Milo, Ruby has to endure a court case and due to the embarrassment and shame, her mother takes her to her home country of Ireland leaving Erin with her father in Boston.
The book follows Ruby and Erin’s lives in the form of a first person narrative, almost like a diary which makes it difficult for the reader to get to the truth of the situation as Ruby is a particularly unreliable narrator.
This “incident” has repercussions on everyone’s lives and Ruby goes down a particularly dark road into addiction until one day her past catches up with her.
This is a sad and dark tale of jealousy, lies and secrets but it was a book I couldn’t put down. The characters were well drawn and the story compelling- I just had to know what would happen and even the denouement revealed a twist which sent a shiver down my spine!
This is a five star read and I definitely recommend it to those who enjoy dark thrillers that will keep you up all night!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my advance copy.