Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent
It's Ireland, it's the 1980s, and a young woman is dead. Whether or not she deserved to die is up for debate, but Lydia, our first narrator, certainly thinks she had it coming. By the end of the book, Annie will not be the only person in whom life is extinguished, and for all the characters lives will be irrevocably changed.
| Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent | |
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| Category: Thrillers | |
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Reviewer: Zoe Morris
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| Summary: A superb thriller, this keeps you guessing throughout with twists to shock even the most expert of sleuths | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 368 | Date: December 2016 |
| Publisher: Penguin | |
| ISBN: 978-0241974063 | |
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I don't read a whole lot of Irish fiction, nor many books set in the decade I was born, but I took to this story easily. It's unusual to have a story that is semi-modern and semi-historical at the same time, especially one which does not steadily make its way forward to the present day, but the Ireland described here is traditional and one I recognise from the news during my childhood. Lydia is a devoted, conservative mother to Laurence her much loved only child. He is growing up, but she is reluctant to let go of their relationship, which is much closer (unhealthily so) than the one he has with his father. As girls come and go in his life, his mother is the one constant...until he meets Karen. As transformations go, Karen's is the starkest. From small-town girl to young wife to career girl, she became one of my favourites and I was so pleased when she stood up to the men who tried to control her life.
I liked the way that sometimes when we switched to a different voice, the story went back in time a few days, so we could see the same events from a completely different perspective. I also enjoyed the way Laurence could put 2 and 2 together and get 5, blinded as he was by his unshakeable belief in his mother and her capabilities. Lydia is not particularly likeable towards the end, but she starts off well and you have to admire her quick thinking.
This is a slow burn thriller, not because the crimes take so long to emerge, but simply the opposite. We know what has gone on but must await the consequences, in a way which tortures the reader just as much as the characters. And the twists keep coming, right to the final chapter which left me truly gobsmacked.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, especially the unique combination of voices. I didn't know what was going to come to light next, and this kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. I'd like to thank the publishers for sending me a copy to review. It was spectacular.
Another family-focussed thriller that hits the spot, Everything You Told Me by Lucy Dawson is excellent. We've also enjoyed Unravelling Oliver by Liz Nugent and The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard.
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You can read more book reviews or buy Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent at Amazon.com.
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