Precipice

by Tom Savage

A happy, well-to-do family enjoys its life of privilege in their Caribbean paradise home before the arrival of the beautiful and deadly Diana, a hired secretary who turns their ideal life into a hellish existence. Reprint.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Crime

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

TOM SAVAGE is the USA Today bestselling author of A Penny for the Hangman, the Nora Baron series, and many other novels and short stories. His books have been published in fifteen countries, and his bestselling novel, Valentine, was made into a Warner Bros. film. Raised in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, he now lives in New York City, where he worked for many years at Murder Ink®, the world’s first mystery bookstore.

Reviews

[Ευα Μηλιά Κουτσουμπα · Rating 5 out of 5]

« Άβυσσος»


Μου αρέσουν τα βιβλία που κρύβουν ένα μυστήριο που ξετυλίγεται σιγά – σιγά και σε παρασέρνουν στη γοητεία τους

Η Άβυσσος είναι ένα από αυτά τα βιβλία.
Ένα βιβλίο που σε εξιτάρει.
Σε κάθε σελίδα του αισθάνεσαι ότι η επομένη σελίδα θα είναι πιο δυνατή, πιο ελκυστική άγνωστη μα και τόσο δικη σου.

Αν και στη αρχή ομολογώ ότι δε με έπεισε, αλλα μόνο στη αρχή.
Μετά με σήκωσε και με παρέσυρε στην Αβύσσο.


Το γαϊτανάκι που μπλέκει αρχαία τραγωδία με την άλλη πλευρά του κάκου, τον έρωτα, την αγάπη και την αφοσίωση μα ακόμη εκείνο το πιο δυνατό συναίσθημα.
Τη δικαιοσύνη της εκδικησης. Σκοτεινή και φωτεινή συνάμα.
Δυνατή και αδύναμη.
Ερωτική σχεδόν σαν νότα μουσικής
Και ανέραστης σαν τον ήχο της ψεύτικης βροχής.



Η ιστορία με τράβηξε σαν μαγνήτης έως τη τελευταία σελίδα.

Οι ανατροπές διαδεχόταν η μια την άλλη απαλά χωρίς βιασύνη.
Σου έδινε το Μπαμ και μετά σε άφηνε να απολαύσεις τη τραγικότητα τους στη πράξη.

Και το τέλος;
Απλα δε είχε τέλος γιατί οι εξελίξεις δε σε αφήνουν να πάρεις ανάσα.
Και η τελευταία σελίδα είναι μικρή και τόσο λίγη που κοιτάς να δεις αν είναι το βιβλίο λειψό.


Τίποτα δε ξέρεις και τίποτα δε καταλαβαίνεις μέχρι το τέλος του βιβλίου.
Ένα βιβλίο που παίζει με το μυαλό σου.
Τα ψυχογραφήματα σε πετάνε στα βαθιά της ψυχής των ηρώων αλλα όχι στο μυαλό τους.
Στο αβατο τους.
Τίποτα δε είναι αλήθεια.
Και τίποτα ψέμα.

Αντέχεις να βουτήξεις στη άβυσσο;
Να ζήσεις τη τρέλα και να μην λυτρωθεις ποτε;


Αυτό το βιβλίο είναι ένα λόγος που λυπάμαι που έκλεισε η ωκεανιδα.
Λείπουν τα βιβλία της πολύ.

[Miranda · Rating 3 out of 5]

For being less than 300 pages, this book is very long winded. Big bulky paragraphs, lots of descriptions, but overall the plot was good. There were so many names and characters, it took at least half of the book to figure out who was who. The characters themselves are pretty dull, I had absolutely no attachment to a single one. Towards the end when all the pieces are falling into place and I’m seeing who everyone’s true identity is, instead of being shocked, I’m grossed out. Although that was a twist, it’s not welcomed one.

[Marla Elysian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Contrived. To even remotely consider this scenario a real life possibility, one would have to suspend so much disbelief that reading it is simply not worth it. Not plausible in the least. Spoiler: the killer Adam is Diana's biological father who didn't manage to successfully off her when he killed his wife and Diana's mother years ago. Savage, you expect me to believe that Diana would just allow her father to kill her without a fight? Really fucking stupid. Skip this.

[Carl Brookins · Rating 3 out of 5]

A thriller. A novel of suspense. Also a novel of many words, and of such intricate and convoluted plotting as to be difficult to follow at times. Sometimes it is hard to determine who is speaking.

So little in this novel is as it seems on the surface, except for the Virgin Islands which form the setting. Cliffhanger is an estate peopled by wealthy Kay Prescott and her overly handsome husband, Adam. With them is Kay’s ideal daughter, Lisa. Into this idyllic appearing family comes a newcomer, secretary and au pair, Diana. Like the other central characters, she’s beautiful, bright and energetic. She has a hanger-on sort of semi-boyfriend named Bob Taylor. Like the rest of the group, he too is bright, good looking, possessed of many physical and mental attributes. And like the rest of the group, he is not exactly what he seems.

There are some well-written, exciting scenes, and generous if circumspect dollops of sex, violence, murder and other chicanery, all of which makes this book longer than it needs to be, more complicated than it needs to be and thus, not as satisfying as it could be.

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a roller coaster of a ride. You think you have it figured out....not. You can read the synopsis, but no spoilers here. This was one heck of a debut.

[Marian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good suspense story with a creepy psychopath villian. I liked it. It kept me guessing right up to the end.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's midnight..... just finished reading this. It's been a long time since a book has kept me up this late

[BookNerdsBrainDump · Rating 2 out of 5]

[Snack-Size Review] Precipice, by Tom Savage

Quick Bite: I wanted to love it, but I barely liked it.

What It’s About: When wealthy society matron Kate Prescott hires the lovely young Diana to be a nanny for her daughter Lisa, she thinks she’s found the perfect companion for both of them. But Diana and Kate’s husband Adam are both Keeping Deadly Secrets, naturally.

A Word From The Nerd: Despite a ton of reviews and appearing on best-of lists, I thought that Precipice was just OK. The twists were decent, the setting was brilliant, and the Antigone bits were an unexpected treat. (Am I the only person who thinks that there just aren’t enough Sophocles references anymore?) But the writing style was just… prissy. I get that the book is about super wealthy people in a sort-of isolated setting. But it takes place in the early 90s, and the whole thing felt like it was written by a pearl-clutching spinster at least fifty years before then. There were also too many characters using multiple names to keep track of, and transitions between narrators weren’t always clear. I spent way too much time backing up to see what I’d missed.

The Nerd’s Rating: TWO HAPPY NEURONS (and some pale blue stationery, for all my murder-plotting needs.)

[Jeff French · Rating 3 out of 5]

Precipice was enjoyable enough. Savage does a very good job at misdirecting the reader. I had ideas of what was happening along the way, but by the end of the novel, I realized I wasn't even close. It does have a few weaknesses though. One of the issues is the portrayal of Lisa. She is the 12 turning 13 daughter of the main characters. She is written more as an 8 year old, not a teenager. I don't know any teenagers that act the way she does. The other issue is the character of Adam. Excellent. Seriously though, after so many of his thoughts, the author uses Excellent, or Perfect. I know it's meant to portray his superiority, but it is so annoying. You could play a drinking game for every time he thinks the word Excellent, but you wouldn't last long. Precipice is a bit of a mixed bag, but not a bad way to spend some time.

[Georgeann Gurkovich · Rating 5 out of 5]

RIVETING! The novel opens with a mailman discovering a 6 year old holding a bloody knife with her mother dead and bleeding out in the next room. A well-crafted murder suspense story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think you have it figured out, Savage throws in another crazy twist. Couldn't put it down. Wow!

[Mrs. Read · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don’t remember what prompted me to try Tom Savage’s Precipice but I do know what made me quit in the middle of chapter 2. Nothing really "wrong" with the book, just nothing period. What used to be called a potboiler. "He strode into the lobby ...", "The hot, soothing spray pounded into Adam’s flesh." Fine for them as like it, but I don’t.

[Janita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Precipice was very very good, held my interest and kept you reading to find out what was going on. I read this one after the others, and this one was my least favorite-although very good, just my least favorite of Tom's books!!!!!!

[Race Bannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit of a kludge if you ask me. I guess there were
many 'twists' but basically the author just kept
making it more and more convoluted. And the
heavy use of misleading pronouns made for
difficulty in following who the author was
talking about.
Mildly recommended.

[Kea4 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was ok
Takes place on the Virgin Islands
People are not who they say they are. It’s ok.
Lots of twists.

https://theworldisabookandiamitsreade...

[Paul McBride · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good mystery/thriller but it was at times a little too wordy.

[Sharon Shreve · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read a long time ago.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this book. Alot of twists, plot turns. Highly recommend. I could not put it down!

[Glen Guldbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fans of Thomas Harris should enjoy this dark thriller. Loved it!!!

[Bob Box · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in 1997. A memorable story of manipulation and deception with a wonderfully complex plot. One of my favorites that year.

[Jennifer Savage · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this thriller. I couldn't put it down. It would make a great movie!

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unlikable characters. Too much death.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very intricately woven story and a gorgeous setting. Would go 3.5 stars if possible. Definitely worth a read, great story for 1995.

[Katie Bliss · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book and, in true thriller fashion, found it to be page turning with plenty of surprises. This book followed a young girl whose intentions are unclear as she becomes a nanny to a young girl and a friend of sorts to the girl's mother. Lots of different characters and changing names, disguises and perspectives made it fun to read.

[Aurora Dimitre · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had some of the greatest plot twists I have ever read.

The plot seemed to be fairly straightforward at first, but then things kept piling up and up and up and eventually it grew into something huge and amazing, all in a book of just over four hundred pages, and I loved it. The characters were fairly interesting, too - I only really connected to a few of them, but none of them were boring.

One of the things I thought this book did very well was how it incorporated the past into the present. The prologue gives us a bit of the past without naming any names, and by the time the book is over, we are told how that's significant, and it's not just to give the main character 'a tragic past.'

Overall, a good book with a fantastic plot and decent characters.

[Camilo Guerra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Una mujer que es un drama y jura que su vida es una tragedia griega, se mete dentro una casa, para ser niñera y ganarse la confianza de sus habitantes, aunque ...

No cuento mas, para no spoilear a nadie, pero si bien el libro esta lleno de clichés ( esposa confiada pero que duda del marido, marido esquivo, niña hiperactiva, anciana quisquillosa,detective enamorado...) el libro es entretenido, aunque algo enrevesado, pero tiene un par de giros a la mitad que le dan fuerza, ya que en algunos momentos se vuelve algo lento y estático, y aun asi, lo recomiendo.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a difference between a plot twist and being lied to. Savage's A Penny For The Hangman was a brilliant example of the former. It was a novel that I truly loved and will remember for a great deal of time. But this - Precipice - took plot twisting to a whole new level. The reader wasn't shot through a roller-coaster mystery. The reader was lied to.

All that said, Precipice is an engaging novel that should not be ignored. Just treat it with caution. Reader beware.

[Lisa Greer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This had an exotic setting, and it was really different! I recommend it as well if you like mysteries and revenge plots.

[Kristen · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've read to date. The plot is very detailed and twisting, and just when you think you have it figured out it changes. Very surprising end, at least I thought so.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great, fast read.

[Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book again, 12 years after I first read it, I remembered why I loved it so much! The story was amazing and I felt so bad about Diana... I liked the end too! Very good book.