I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The End of Her by Shari Lapena Published by Transworld Books on July 23, 2020
ISBN: 9781984880529
Genres: Fiction, Thrillers, Psychological, Suspense, Women
Pages: 352
Format: ARC, eBook
Source: NetGalley, Publisher
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The new domestic suspense novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Couple Next Door and Someone We Know
A long-ago accident--and a vistor from out of the blue. . .
Stephanie and Patrick are adjusting to life with their colicky twin girls. The babies are a handful, but even as Stephanie struggles with the disorientation of sleep deprivation, there's one thing she's sure of: she has all she ever wanted.
Then Erica, a woman from Patrick's past, appears and makes a disturbing accusation. Patrick had always said his first wife's death was an accident, but now Erica claims it was murder.
Patrick insists he's innocent, that this is nothing but a blackmail attempt. Still, Erica knows things about Patrick--things that make Stephanie begin to question her husband. Stephanie isn't sure what, or who, to believe. As Stephanie's trust in Patrick begins to falter, Patrick stands to lose everything. Is Patrick telling the truth--is Erica the persuasive liar Patrick says she is? Or has Stephanie made a terrible mistake?
How will it end?
A blog tour invitation for a Shari Lapena book is going to be an automatic yes, and The End Of Her was no different. I don’t think I even read the synopsis properly before emailing back. Some might think that was odd but knowing this author, I knew she would deliver and quite frankly I was in safe hands.
A sleep deprived mother already feeling on edge. A face from the past. Accusations that could have very serious implications for Stephanie and Patrick. We have a knifes edge amount of tension and the plot has a rubix’s cube level of intricacy that made my brain hurt.
A woman from Patricks past, Erica, is one of those characters that you just love to hate. You know that she’s there to cause trouble and dissidence in their marriage, but her actions have you turning those persistent pages at a rapid pace. If this had been a paperback copy I had no doubt that I would have been nursing some savage papercuts. The unique voices of the characters had me up and down like a yo-yo. The emotion, the worry and the stress called to the deepest parts of me. I wanted to reach out and hug Stephanie and I wanted to slap the hell out of Erica for her tactless interlude on their lives.
Erica’s actions are like a bolt out the blue. Apart from the obvious reasonings for stirring the pot what was the link between these three characters? I needed to check under every rock, leave no stone unturned. Did I have to examine every action and every word for a hidden meaning? The End of Her was never boring, it was a cold hand creeping onto your shoulder down a dark alley. It kept me on my toes and the narrative felt like a punch to the jugular at times.
What I enjoyed most about The End Of Her was Shari Lapena’s mind-blowing skill of using a wide spectrum of emotions to convey important aspects of the plot. She can write a soft character; a brutal character and the narrative is utterly compelling. I completely fell in love with the prose. The pages came to life and I was just basking in her skilful glow.
I flew through the book and although I have been deliberately obtuse in regard to the plot, all I can say is, read it – I don’t want to give any little detail away. I don’t want to ruin the experience of this spectacular psychological thriller. Every clue leads down a solitary road and believe me, it’s one you want to travel. This book is worth the cerebral investment and your brain will relish the time taken to pick apart the details.
The End Of Her is a chilling novel that never lets up. The slow burning sense of imminent danger that results in a train hitting you. Dark suspense at its best.
Thanks to Thomas Hill @Transworld Books for an ecopy of the book and my spot on the blog tour.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
SHARI LAPENA is the internationally bestselling author of The Couple Next Door, A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest, Someone We Know and The End of Her. She was a lawyer and an English teacher before turning her hand to fiction.
She lives in Toronto.