The Missing Pieces of Sophie McCarthy

'Impossible to put down and irresistibly good' Liane Moriarty

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Pub Date 27 Dec 2018 | Archive Date 18 Mar 2019

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Description

'Intriguing, compelling. Impossible to put down and irresistibly good' Liane Moriarty

She's the victim.
But is she so innocent?

Sophie McCarthy is known for her determination, ambition and brilliance at work. She's tough, but only because she wants to get the best out of people.

Aidan Ryan is strong, honourable, and a family man. He's tough too; the army requires it.

When these two strangers are brought together in a devastating incident, Sophie's life is left in ruins. Her family wants to see Aidan pay for what he did.

Aidan's prepared to sacrifice everything - including his marriage and his child - to fix the mess he's made.

But some things can't be fixed, and Sophie is not at all what she first appeared . . .

The Missing Pieces of Sophie McCarthy is a gripping, impossible-to-put-down exploration of betrayal and revenge.

'Sucked me in from the first page. The characters were intriguing, the plot thrilling and the writing effortless. It has been a long time since a book engaged me like this. I will be telling everyone I know to read this book' Sally Hepworth, bestselling author of The Family Next Door

'What starts as an intricate, multi-narrator domestic drama slowly reveals its secrets to become something much darker indeed' Heat

'Utterly compelling with complex and real characters, and echoes of both Liane Moriarty and Charity Norman. A completely gripping and emotional page-turner' Lucy Clarke, bestselling author of You Let Me In

'Very well written and suspenseful with characters to believe in; it was deeply psychological and I thoroughly enjoyed it' Lisa Ballantyne, bestselling author of Little Liar

'Intriguing, compelling. Impossible to put down and irresistibly good' Liane Moriarty

She's the victim.
But is she so innocent?

Sophie McCarthy is known for her determination, ambition and brilliance at...


Available Editions

EDITION Other Format
ISBN 9780718186715
PRICE £7.99 (GBP)
PAGES 400

Average rating from 62 members


Featured Reviews

Firstly I just want to say this is a brilliant book that you will be unable to put down. A story of love, determination, betrayal and so much more.

Sophie, is a determined, ambitious young lady, who finds her life turned upside down as a result of the actions of Aidan. Aidan, is an honourable family man with an army career. He will do anything he can to make things fight after a moments lapse in concentration which led to Sophie’s life changing forever.

Throughout the story we learn a lot more about Sophie and Aidan, plus their families. How will all of their life’s be changed by one moment in time ?

This book is a great story and you will not want to put it down until you find out how things turn out in the end. The book has a bit of everything ...... love, lies, betrayal, ambition, pain and so much more. Definitely needs to be added to your reading pile, right at the top,, one not to be missed.

Thank you to Penguin UK, Michael Joseph and NetGalley for a digital copy of this book.

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Sophie McCarthy is ambitious and determined. She sets high standards for herself and those around her. When she is involved in a car accident, she suffers life-changing injuries and is in daily pain. However, it’s impossible to feel much sympathy for her as her story is told through the voices of other people in her life. While novels that switch between narrators in each chapter can sometimes be confusing, this one is well-written with each narrator adding something to the story.

The book covers lots of difficult issues: guilt, remorse, suicide, single parenthood, fertility problems, bullying and friendship. The story is nicely drawn with believable characters and it’s an enjoyable read.

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Wow! It's quite some time since come across a book which has surprised me as much as this one .. what a fantastic read!

Sophie: focussed, ambitious and smart. Aiden: army career, rigid routines, family man. Sophie and Aiden first crossed paths - literally - at the scene of a serious car accident, as we discover bit by bit throughout this tale. Sophie has always been close to her father, and as she struggles through her injuries he is on hand to help her at every turn. Aiden is an honourable man; his years in the army have left him with a strong moral compass and he strives to be a good example to his daughter by always doing the right thing.

There are several other characters in this wonderful story and, long before it's mentioned, 'six degrees of separation' shot through my mind, and more than once. Family and work colleagues feature strongly in this novel. Friends not so much. It is, without doubt, a riveting read and one which demanded my full attention and with no idea where it was heading, I could hardly bear to put it down! What you see isn't always what you get and the varying personalities enticed me into the story, enthralled me while I was there and left me feeling in awe of this author's skill. The writing flows beautifully and this is a quite mesmerising read. I didn't know what to expect, but in retrospect the ending is absolutely perfect! This novel alone has propelled the author's name onto my 'must find out more' list. A full five stars (I'd give more if I could) and the highest recommendation.

My thanks to publisher Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin UK, for my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

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Different to my usual choice of book but incredibly good. I liked how it went from one person to the next, all telling their story. I found Sophie very unlikeable but was hooked waiting to see if she was a good person really. A good read all in all.

Thanks to NetGalley for the Arc

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This was quite different to my usual choice of books I am not sure I would know what genre to slot it into, but that doesn't matter.I really enjoyed this,the characters were well written and believable and the story kept me page turning and staying up way too late to finish it.I loved it I thought it was a good story and I liked the story being told from different points of view ,it really worked with this book.I don't do spoilers but there was more to this book than I expected and it kept my interest all the way through.Thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for an ARC.

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This book flows beautifully you see the world through the eyes of various people who are involved in Sophie’s life including herself. How did she become the character she is today and what are her influence on others. This book invites you in and keeps you there right till the end. It feeds you information along the way that builds the picture. Definitely one to read

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Ooh this book really made me think and had me guessing all the way through! Thanks very much for the ARC.

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I never liked Sophie throughout this book and Aiden’s Obsession infuriated me,Chloe’s acceptance annoyed me, Sophie’s behaviour at work l sadly recognised from people l have worked with and you could only feel sympathy for little Jasmin caught in the middle. So you might think l didn’t rate this book but you would be mistaken it was a great storyline full of life’s twists and turns and perhaps in this case karma did prevail

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Thank you to B M Carroll, Penguin UK and Netgalley for my advanced review copy of The Missing Pieces of Sophie McCarthy, in return for an honest review.
Sophie is a intelligent, successful woman, who has been involved in a near fatal car accident. After a long time in hospital, she is left in severe and chronic pain, which impacts upon every aspect of her life. Aidan, army captain, family man and father, immediately claims responsibility for the accident.. He is unable to deal with the guilt he is left with and his frequent visits to Sophie, in an attempt to make amends for the accident, eventually lead to a declaration of love, with Aidan leaving his wife and daughter for Sophie.
Initial sympathy for Sophie soon fades and she is portrayed as a very unlikable character. I found it very difficult to feel any empathy or sympathy for Sophie. Sophie comes across as a bully with an overwhelming sense of entitlement. There is no love lost between Sophie and AIdan's daughter, Jasmin, who suffers from a severe sleep problem. Towards the end of the book we see Sophie positively blaming Jasmin for the accident.
Each chapter sees the story told from another persons perspective, and it was this that made the book flow and develop into a great piece of women's fiction. It is fascinating to see the story grow to see if Sophie has any redeeming features. It is interesting to watch how Aidan deals with the negative aspects of Sophie, particularly in relation to his daughter,
Interesting read with great characters, My first read by this author. I would seek another book by her.

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Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Sophie is recovering from injury following a car accident. The driver, Aidan, tried to make peace with his actions and help Sophie and they fell in love. He left his wife and daughter to be with her. The pending court case, aidan’s Daughter, Jasmin, is having sleeping issues and Sophie’s abhorrent bullying attitude all entwine through various points of view.

This was a great read and Sophie certainly wanted things done for her and her only. I enjoyed the characters, their flaws and beliefs.

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Sophie McCarthy's life changes in an instant when Aidan, an army captain, crashes into Sophie's car one morning in Sydney, Australia causing catastrophic life altering injuries to Sophie. Aidan, married to Chloe with whom he has a 9 year old daughter, Jasmine, is racked with guilt and determined to make amends to Sophie. Aidan and Sophie eventually acknowledge that they have feelings for each other and Aidan leaves his family to move in with Sophie.

Sophie is not a nice person. She is demanding, exacting, selfish and holds herself to an incredibly high standard. She holds those around her to the same unattainable high standard. She is a very unlikeable character with few redeeming qualities but ultimately she is a fighter. This story is told in chapters narrated by the different characters in the book, Sophie, her father, her mother, Aidan, his wife, his daughter and Sophie's work assistant, Hannah. Each person gives you further insight into Sophie's charachter.

I enjoyed this book, particularly the complex issue of what made Sophie tick. Through scenes recounted from her school days and her childhood, we find Sophie to be a dominant and extremely competitive character who will stop at nothing to succeed. But how much of that is nature and how much is nurture? I'm still thinking about that issue now that I have finished the book.
There are lots of other issues dealt with in this book... chronic pain, invisible illness, bitterness, regret, revenge, determination, along with fertility, bullying in the workplace, separation, the balance between work and home life, all giving you pause to think that you can never truly know what is going on in someone else's life. A very good read.

Thank you to Netgalley, B.M. Carroll and the publisher for an e-arc of The Missing Pieces of Sophie McCarthy in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Life can change in so many ways in the blink of an eye. For good or for bad. This book is riddled with pain and guilt. The different points of view, give a wide spectrum of opinion; we see characters as several others in the book see them. I really like the little girl Jasmin, a skillfully drawn personality. An outstanding novel on many levels and a great read.

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It is a fantastic book, well written and easy to read. My favourite character here is Jasmin. I dislike Sophie from the beginning. Sophie is not a nice person and i don't feel a lot of sympathy for her. The story isn’t predictable and each chapter was told from a different view. I definitely recommend this book
Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing this wonderful ARC

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Quite a good book. Well written and easy to read. Sophie has a serious accident when Aiden drives his car into hers. He wants to make things right, The story shows the impact on everyone in a family when something like this happens. From Sophie herself, her parents, Aiden and his wife and daughter. Sophie is not a nice person and actually, you don't feel a lot of sympathy for her. Sophie's father is struggling and will do anything to help his beloved daughter.

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Wow, Wow,Wow. This book is exceptionally brilliant. Sophie was in a car crash and suffered severe injuries. The crash was caused by Aidan. During Sophie's recovery time she and Aidan fall in love and he leaves his wife and daughter. They move in together. During the story we discover the real Sophie and how she affects those around her. I found this book so good that I couldn't put it down! Read on!

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The missing pieces of Sophie McCarthy by B M Carroll.
 Sophie McCarthy is known for her determination, ambition and brilliance. She's tough, but only because she wants to get the best out of people. Aidan Ryan is strong, honourable, and a family man. He's tough too; the army requires it. Now Sophie's life is in ruins and Aidan is responsible. Her family wants to see him pay for what he did. His family is just as devastated. Aidan's prepared to sacrifice everything - including his marriage and his child - to fix the mess he's made. But Sophie, who is facing a lifetime of pain, is darker and much more complicated than she first appeared . . .
A very enjoyable read. Loved the story and the characters.  With twists and turns.  5*.

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I really enjoyed this book. I could not understand though how anyone could like Sophie. It could only have been guilt that made Aidan move in with her. I think Sophie's unlikable character is what made me keep reading. I wanted other people in the story to deal with her behaviour. This is a well put together story and I would definitely read more by this author.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy.

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I absolutely loved this book by BM Carroll that I received from Netgalley. It was like looking through a keyhole and seeing a different drama being carried out in each room of the house.

I really felt I knew these characters by the end of the book and now that I've finished it I am missing them, always a sign of a good book in my opinion.

I disliked Sophie from the outset so it was no surprise to find out what she was ultimately capable of. The rest of the characters were rather likeable although Dee and Jacob were never really fully developed.

Having worked for many years in a Primary school I did find Jazmin's reaction to her time in the bush a bit far fetched but it wasn't enough to irritate.

I was initially pleased to see Mental Health being portrayed in a realistic and, eventually, sympathetic manner but then Hannah's decision to keep information from the twins until their mid teens did somewhat jar.

I thoroughly recommend this book to anyone who likes to read about other people's dramas, or indeed, people watch.

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Aaaah what a wonderful read.

Sophie and Aidan are both fully developed characters and I really enjoyed reading all their interactions. I felt that the story was explained well and I would recommend this!

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I enjoyed reading this and it held my interest throughout. It was interesting to fill in the background of Sophie and find out her true nature from other people's views. Sophie herself, is unaware of her true character and sees others as an aid to her or as obstacles to avoid or get rid of.. The novel had an exciting finale and a satisfactory ending.

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After a car accident leaves formerly strong, capable and independent Sophie a helpless wreck, the other person involved in the wreck, Aidan, feels so guilty, he spends all his free time with her. So much so, he ends up falling in love with her and moves in, leaving his wife and child behind. Sophie will never be the person she was before the accident, the only question that really remains is who is she now, and what is she really after? If you like your stories with a wicked twist, this book is for you

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I wasn’t sure what to expect from it, but The Missing Pieces of Sophie McCarthy is a really fantastic read.

The eponymous Sophie isn’t a particularly nice person - in fact, she isn’t a nice person at all. At times, she’s horrifying.

But she’s also a victim - having sustained life-altering injuries in a car accident which was no fault of hers, and suffers chronic pain as a result.

We see Sophie both through her own eyes (“I’m exacting. I set high standards.”) and from the point of view of people around her - her parents Richard and Dee, her new boyfriend Aidan, his deserted wife Chloe and their nine-year-old daughter Jasmin, and Sophie’s new assistant at work, Hannah. While there are several viewpoints here and we move fairly rapidly between them, each voice is so distinct that I never became confused as to who was speaking.

There’s an awful lot in this book. A child with severe sleeping problems; the challenges of single parenthood; bullying at work; fertility issues. A lot of this I could personally relate to. The characterisation is excellent - Jasmin, the soccer playing nine-year-old, is particularly great, and her sleeping problems are portrayed with great empathy for both sides.

Sophie herself is not without her strengths - she’s tough, determined, ambitious and resilient, all excellent qualities to have in the situation she finds herself in. But it would be impossible to call her likeable. As a character study of a complicated and difficult personality, it works brilliantly, and is also a hugely enjoyable read, culminating in a genuinely and nerve-shreddingly dangerous situation for one character.

Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

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