Untouchable Things

by Tara Guha

For the third time this week he is watching her scream. Watching, not listening.

Rebecca Laurence is centre stage and shining in her role as Ophelia. She pivots, rotating like a ballerina impaled in a musical box, red hair cascading down her back. Amidst the thundering applause, one man is watching.

Rebecca meets the charismatic Seth Gardner, and as attraction grows between them, he invites her to join his Friday Folly, a group of artistic friends. But as Rebecca is drawn into the web of tangled relationships all is not as it appears. The scene is set for the night that will rip the group apart.

Consumed by loss and surrounded by secrets, Rebecca must escape the grip of the Folly to have any chance of saving herself. Meanwhile, one man continues to watch.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Fiction

400 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

About the author

Tara Guha won the Luke Bitmead Bursary in 2014 and her first novel, Untouchable Things, comes out on 1 September 2015. When she's not writing she's generally up a hill, playing the piano or remonstrating with small children. On one occasion she managed all three at once - but that's another story.

Reviews

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75

Whew, this book has left me exhausted!!

This isn't necessarily a bad thing, as I do like a book that can make me think and wonder. But that is a part of what held me back from giving it a higher rating--there were just too many questions left for speculation and after all that thinking, I wanted something a bit more concrete.

This is not your average psychological thriller; no set protag and an unclear antagonist. Over half of the book is the set up, written as scenes and acts in a play. This is fitting, as the book revolves around a group of strangers all brought together through the hand of one man, with the pretense of indulging in their inner artistic talents.
As the book progresses, personalities become a focal point. There are chapters dedicated to each character of this group, revealing their insecurities, strengths, and most importantly-their personal demons.

How does this all tie up into a thriller? That's one of the elements that I found to be exceptional about this book...with a slow build in character study, the true meaning behind this group comes to light towards the end and it's absolutely brilliant!

If I could change anything, I wish there had been more words devoted to the antagonist's personal voice-the few pages that there were only fueled me wanting to know more. And I wasn't crazy about how long it took to get to the big reveal...but I'm not sure that there was anyway the author could have gotten there quicker without short changing some of the wonderful characters she created.

I realize this review might sound a big vague, but I hesitated going into further details as I don't want to give anything away. If you like a fast paced, in your face thriller, this probably isn't the book for you. This is a slow, meticulous, build up with interesting characters that you can identify with. You know something big is going to happen, but you can't quite figure what. And when it's revealed, up pop all the questions that now have you wondering at the 'how' and the 'why' of it all, and as stated earlier, here is where I was left wanting more.

I still highly recommend, as I have a feeling this group of misfits is going to stay with me for quite a while...

ARC provided by NetGalley

[ReadAlongWithSue ★⋆. ࿐࿔catching up · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh Yikes.

I haven't read such an unusual way such as this in writing a psychological thriller. Its really interesting....
Once I got into the first couple of chapters.

It was a bit of a slow burning for me, but the fire was flickering all the time below the surface telling me that I should stick with this.....so I did, and boy oh boy I am so glad I did.

This has got narcissist in this most definitely. Self gratification with every measure. Lots of egotistical elements that just surround SETH he introduces actress Rebecca to the Friday Folly's.

They meet regular discussing their talents, life, drinking and getting quite leery.

Seth definitely likes endless praise, hence narcissist to the max.

Then among the Friday Folly's club one night things take a turn......
for the worse.....
and not all seems as it should be.

THEN SETH GOES MISSING and things begin to change....



This is written in such a way that it could be enacted like a play, its very well crafted and I will certainly be wanting more from the author. Tara Guha is a name I won't forget in a hurry or this book!

Thank you to the author and to Legend Press via Net Galley for my copy

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really got into this one - a different way of constructing a psychological drama/thriller that worked very well for me and a fascinating character study. 4.5 stars. Full review to follow when I do a blog post for it later this week.

[Paula Sealey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shrouded in suspense, this was a fantastic but unusual thriller that really pulled me into the plot.

When actress Rebecca meets the charming Seth, he tempts her to join him and some of his friends at meetings he holds at his smart London home. Called the Friday Folly's, the group gather to share their artistic talents, drink, eat and be merry. Rebecca is soon drawn into Seth's world, turning her own upside down to please him, as other members of his circle appear to do as well. But shocking revelations shatter the group, leaving them to pick up the broken pieces of their lives.

Such a cliche, but I honestly couldn't put this book down, the plot was so well woven and I just had to know how it all ended for everyone, so I kept turning and turning. I enjoyed the way the story was told from each characters perspective, interspersed with their conversations with police detectives. The characters themselves were superbly written, you could definitely see how Seth gathered hold over his friends in quite a cult-like way, and why they all jostled for best position by his side. Loved the ending too! If Tara Guha continues in this vein with future books, I'll most definitely be a loyal fan!

*Thank you to the publishers for providing a copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Lynn Mccarthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had trouble getting into this book but once i did I enjoyed it.

Seth holds meetings at his home, after meeting Rebecca he asks her to join them (the group is called Friday Follys) they gather to share there different talents and have fun.But something happens that changes all there lives.

The ending was good.

Thank you netgalley for a chance to read this book..

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Untouchable Things is a novel filled with mystery, suspense and thrills, and is structured in an unusual and very imaginative way.

Rebecca is an actress, she is currently playing Ophelia and is enjoying huge success. When she is invited by Seth to join his Friday Folly she jumps at the chance. Rebecca soon becomes entralled by Seth, he's enigmatic and thrilling and she's prepared to do anything to please him. She's not the only one. The other members of the group all appear to be under Seth's spell, the entire group is a complicated and intricate web of relationships.

Tara Guhu tells her story through many voices, each one of the Friday Folly group is heard, and the differing characters, and perspectives bring depth and colour to this quite tense novel. One revelation, on one night then explodes throughout the group, leaving them shattered and reeling. Rebecca then has to save herself and to escape the clutches of the Folly.

Untouchable Things deals with the complexities of groups, and how relationships can be formed, and controlled and then shattered. There is a darkness to the writing and to the characters that is quite chilling in places, focussing as it does, on the human psyche and the ease in which Seth reaches almost cult-like status.

Psychologically challenging, this is a story that pulls the reader into a world that is obsessive and intriguing. The author has cleverly structured the story and created characters who burst from the pages. Untouchable Things is an excellent debut from an exciting new author, I enjoyed it very much, especially that wonderful twist!

[CL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Untouchable Things is a novel filled with mystery, suspense and thrills and it is set up very differently from the usual format of a novel almost as if it is a script for a play. Seth holds meetings at his home with his artistic group of friends called Friday Follys where they gather to share their different talents but something happens that changes all their lives. The group starts to fall apart when Seth goes missing. It is full of secrets and betrayal with an unexpected twist.

[Marcie Wegner · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book starts out using vocabulary that is too complicated for the average reader. That was a major turn-off when starting a book. I think that the book itself was too verbose. It felt like it dragged on with really getting anywhere. I felt like there was no real conclusion to the story.

[Kath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again, I am completely blown away by another debut novel and taking into consideration the, to me anyway, totally unique way of delivery a pretty brave one at that!
I was drawn into the lives of the characters depicted right from the off. As the novel progressed I was catapulted along with the rest of the cast into Seth's world, he put me under his spell and at times I even considered myself as a reader to be one of his collection, as that is how I saw his "friends".
We first encounter Seth as he meets Rebecca and introduces her to his already established "Friday Folly" art group. They are a very eclectic mix of participants of various art forms that he has met and picked up along the way. We get to learn more about him and his group from police interviews that begin with questions and progress into each individuals' stories about how they "met" Seth and became part of his entourage. As time moves on, it becomes apparent that Seth is "missing" and we learn more about him and his psyche and find out the tangle web he has spun and begin to believe that all may not be as it first appeared. More blanks are filled in during more interviews and "scripts" as slowly the truth is uncovered. Who we, and his friends, think he is gets slowly chipped away and the motivations behind his actions are revealed piecemeal.
This is a very well written psychological/suspense thriller. I would describe it as a long fuse, slow burner but this is perfectly matched with the story. There are quite a few major players in the book but each and every one has their moment in the spotlight and all have their own individual story and spin on what happened prior to Seth's disappearance and indeed idea on what has actually happened to him. As already mentioned, they are an eclectic bunch, a hodgepodge of people from all walks of life that each add something individual to the group and we get to see why they would be drawn to a man like Seth and indeed why he himself is drawn to them..
It is a complex book, it jumps around in time and perspective, moving from one character to another but at no time did I find it confusing. The characters are all individual, consistent and easy to differentiate. It probably helps if, like me, the book is read for a decent length of time per sitting rather than a chapter here and there. But the way that I was drawn into the story and the lives of the characters, it was definitely hard to tear myself away from the book for long.
It is also very dark in tone, with lies and manipulation aplenty. At times it was almost like watching something like a car crash. You know what is going to happen, you are powerless to prevent it, you do not want to watch it but somehow you have to. Seth is a charmer, he knows exactly what buttons to press, exactly how to play people to get the reaction he requires, you know you shouldn't rise to it, shouldn't get sucked it, but you can't help it, you can't walk away, so strong his hold becomes. All very credible and sadly, for some people, all very real. That's what makes the book at times very scary but also very satisfying.
All in all, a very impressive debut novel and I am very interested in seeing what the author can deliver next.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

[Kelsi H · Rating 3 out of 5]

Please read more of my reviews at http://ultraviolentlit.blogspot.ca!

Untouchable Things is filled with mystery and intrigue that will catch your attention right from the prologue. With a foreboding sense of what is to come, it’s hard to put this novel down until you find out who is watching Rebecca and whether she will survive their obsession – and even that is left fairly open ended. This is not a traditional Gone Girl thriller, although it has many psychological elements. It is much slower paced, with many more literary elements and references to dramatic works such as Hamlet and Oedipus – the original psychological thrillers.

Seth is the charismatic leader of an artistic group called the Friday Folly. Each member of the group brings a different skill to their meetings, such as playing the piano, reciting poetry, or cooking gourmet meals. What all of the members have in common is their love of Seth. They compete for his attention in a manner that borders on worship, and in exchange he seems to fulfill all of their fantasies, different as they are. In his fatherly role in the group, he manages to control everyone, including new recruit Rebecca.

The addition of Rebecca to the group brings all of their conflicting emotions to a head. She meets Seth while playing the role of Ophelia in Hamlet, and her portrayal of the lovesick and suicidal woman is more than he can resist. As one of the group says, “Seth loves all that shit. Secrets, disguises, pretending. Confused identity.” (Loc. 3075) And these are the elements that keeps the whole group together, until the biggest secret of all – Seth’s disappearance.

The novel is split into act and scenes, with some sections written in full dramatic dialogue. In addition, the scenes are split into interviews with the police, which we eventually learn was precipitated by Seth’s disappearance. It does seem like an excess of post-modern formatting, but what I did like about the interviews was the way they segued into daydreams of the past – it was unclear how much of these memories were actually being recounted to the police. This style has been done before, but it still felt fresh, and darkly humorous.

There is no big climax in the novel – Seth is gone, and the group fizzles out. Because there wasn’t a lot of action in the second half of the book, it was much creepier than it might have been – the many loose ends that could come back and haunt the members of the group are a dark shadow waiting around each corner. Nothing is really resolved in the end, although the members of the Friday Folly feel a (false) sense of security about things. We are left with many questions – is the group safe, or still in danger? And more importantly, did Seth plan everything right from the start? Read Untouchable Things, and then decide how safe you feel…



I received this book for free from Legend Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to receive a review copy before publication and was quickly drawn to the quirky characters and literary references.

The author, Tara Guhu, who describes herself as "writer, amateur musician and armchair cricket pundit," lives in Hebden Bridge and is the winner of the 2014 Luke Bitmead Bursary. Untouchable Things is her debut novel.

The main character, Seth, is a charismatic Svengali type figure who gradually gathers a group of people around him, people from different walks of life. In the first pages, Seth forces a meeting with red-headed Rebecca at a bar near where she is playing Ophelia. (Much later she is Abigail in Miller’s The Crucible.) Other members of the group include: Michael, a teacher “cursed with wild hair and a mind that rests on higher things”; Catherine, a musician, little confidence, avoids the spotlight; Charles, an architect with a "divine bass voice" and who was a student at Cambridge with Seth; José from Siguenza in Spain, a gay graphic designer who "may yet become a proper artist” - likes clubbing; Anna, from northern Ireland, the most down to earth member of the group who likes to dress up and has the ability to drink "insane amounts of Guinness”; Jake, a chancer with a way with words, London wide boy, who recently had a spell inside.

That’s the characters, each one very different from the others. And that’s also the first half of the book. We know from early on that something's gone badly wrong as much of the book is written in response to questions being asked by the police. Chapter after chapter, question after question, we're drawn to the characters. Don’t worry If you arrive at point where you feel unsure about where it’s all going. Just keep reading!

They meet at Seth's smart London flat for Friday Follies, to share their talents, to eat, drink and engage in often cryptic conversation, all going along with Seth's belief that there is more to life than nine till five. In fact, all going along with Seth. Going along with is putting it mildly. Soon, all are unhealthily besotted with him.

The structure of the book is unusual, original. There’s none of the familiar patterns a read would find familiar. As such, the book is difficult to categorise - is it a murder mystery, an intriguing psychological thriller, a dark tale of obsession and control or is the author just cleverly playing with her readers? It’s dark and haunting, but with flashes of humour: "How could she have forgotten shopping is always the answer to any question in London"

And be careful - throughout the book, someone is watching…

[Lavender · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic and unusual read. It is a suspense thriller, but most of the book you are not guessing who is the killer but what’s going to happen next.

Rebecca, a young actress meets the charismatic Seth. He asks her to join is group of young artists who meets on Fridays and do some art things. Rebecca is drawn to Seth. Seth is the center of this group, all others are all looking up to him, he has the ideas for their meetings, he makes things happen. Each of them brings a special skill to this group. What they all have in common is their admiration and love to Seth. He is generous, funny, really interested in everybody. But he has secrets. Not only about himself, he shares a secret with every person of this group to make this person feel special among the others. He fulfills their needs in some way and their almost worship him for that. Then one day Seth disappears and the group starts to fall apart.

The novel’s structure is very unique. There are normal chapters, the scenes are split with fragments of police interviews. Some chapters are written like plays. At the beginning it was a bit hard to get into it but soon I got used to it and especially the police interview pieces made the read even more gripping.

There are a lot of characters and I was impressed how the author gave each one of them a unique voice. You get to know each of them very well.
After Seth is gone, all of them have to come to terms with the loss. But they also realize how he manipulated them and maybe it was all part of a bigger plan. They must face the fact that Seth wasn’t their generous friend after all. There is a dark shadow of not knowing exactly what happened and why.

This book is very dark. It is very complex and not an easy read. There are also some loose ends and it is possible that maybe at least Rebecca is not safe. After I finished the book I had some more questions. Seth (and the author) keeps even me guessing what happened and if it was all planed right from the beginning.

I received this book for free from Legend Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Reader's Hollow · Rating 4 out of 5]

**We received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

It took me some time to get into the story. There was a lot of delays to get to the point of a matter when interviewed. Even the interviewer has to keep the characters on track from time to time by asking the point or to hurry up. But, after the initial set up, I found myself really enjoying the characters and the strange attraction that they all had to Seth.

There's plenty of detailed descriptions though it seemed everything and everyone was "like a child," but other than that I found the very beginning and the very end of the book to drag, for me. I think I was hoping for a confrontation that never happened. The middle, though, had me completely ensnared.

The Friday Folly is a group of outcasts. They're an odd group of imaginative, overly vulnerable and very different individuals. The only thing they had in common was their collective obsession with Seth, their host. I found myself liking each of them, even meek Catherine, who I think might be a little insane. Rebecca is the primary focus and makes friends with them easily. The games Seth set up for them to play were ways for the reader, as well as Seth, to get to know them. It's when a murder comes to light when we really get to know a bit more about his true nature.

What I found interesting was the formatting of this book. It was set up to be like a play, even had sections where it was names and then dialogue, with captions where the characters turned to the audience. I found this interesting, but often distracting. Immediately, I was taken out of the story when this happened, but this could just be me.

CONCLUSION

I think thriller/mystery fans would appreciate this take on the genre. There's a cool idea for the formatting, really well done characters and a suspenseful mystery dangling for everyone to figure out.

[Nichola Cortese · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rebecca Laurence meets the charming, enigmatic Seth Gardner who invites her to join his Friday Folly - a group of artistic friends. The scene is set for the night that will rip the group apart. Untouchable Things is a piercing examination of friendship and the manipulations of an alluring narcissist.
I was hooked from the outset. The taut and beautiful prose pulled me in and I fell under Seth's sinister spell. A powerful psychological thriller that exposes dysfunctional dynamics in a group of friends. It is full of secrets, betrayal and an almost tangible tension that several times I forgot to breathe!
The novel's structure is divided into acts and scenes - a reflection of Rebecca's vocation as an actress - and also split into snippets of police interviews which precipitate Seth's disappearance. I enjoyed this format as it neatly introduces each character. What I found particularly impressive is that given the large cast of characters, each one has a very individual voice and is pivotal to the plot.
The intricate complexities of their group friendship is brutally explored revealing the fragility of the human psyche. This is a dark, brooding, chilling read. One of those impossible to put down books that haunt you long after you've finished it.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very dark read and the way it is formatted is very different. As well as normal "chapters", it has snippets of police interviews and scenes (set out like a script), all of this tells the story of the artistic group known as Friday Folly.

It starts with us being introduced to Rebecca, an actress currently on stage as Ophelia, she meets the charming, confident Seth and even though she is already in a relationship, she finds herself spending more and more time with him.

He tells her she would be perfect to join his art group the Friday Folly and she agrees. His charm extends to others and soon he has quite the group.

The group of course is not perfect, far from it and Seth despite all his confidence has something going on that is hidden from his "friends".

The group starts to fall apart when Seth goes missing and this is when the book becomes even darker.

This is a complex book, to be honest and not a light hearted read by any stretch of the imagination, you really have to concentrate but once you get hooked in you'll find it hard to stop without going all the way to the end.

Thank you to Legend Press for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I don't really know what to say about this book. It was all rather strange and the end just left me wondering "what did I just read?" This book is written like reading a play, which I actually quite enjoyed once I got used to the writing style, and as others have mentioned, this is a very slow, unraveling burn, which I enjoyed as well.

It certainly kept me interested, but the end was just so ambiguous and quite frankly, I am not really all that entirely sure what the "big reveal" or "big twist" was. I gave it 3 stars because it really did keep me interested for 95% of the book, but for me, the ending just fell apart and I am still sitting here scratching my head wondering WTF.

[Rachel Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for something edgy and page turning, you would do well to read this book. This is the literary end of the thriller market, with wonderfully nuanced characterisation as well as a strong narrative drive. It's also a thoughtful exploration of power and the dynamics of interconnecting friendships. A multi perspectival narrative can sometimes be difficult to pull off, but Tara Guha manages it brilliantly. A recommended read.

[Becca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Engaging, unique characters elevate this psychological thriller. I became incredibly intimate with the large group of "main" characters (five or six, at least), and cared about all of them-- which is tough to do.

While I wasn't entirely sold by the way the story concluded (I was expecting something a bit more explosive, or for the ends to be tied up a bit more tightly), I thoroughly enjoyed the journey.

[Karolina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic, multilayered story of friendsip, love and lust. I could not put it down.

[Neil Campbell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Almost a masterpiece

Very impressed by the realism, novelistic discourse, detailed London scenes and character profiles, each a distinct entity. I liked the structure, mixture of narrative and film script, thought that was original and worked well. I found the book over long, however, something goes wrong about halfway. The story people are not sufficiently interesting to sustain such a long narrative. Seth descends into caricature. Having said which, there is no doubt this writer can write. Some of the writing is inspired. The editing staff should have spotted the flagging narrative and done something about it, like cutting the text by 30%.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely loved this book from the minute I picked it up. The writing was engaging and the format original. I was pulled into the plot very quickly, intrigued by who Seth actually was and how this was going to play out. Therefore, for me, the ending was a bit disappointing as there were too many loose ends for my liking. However, the writing was excellent and I will definitely read Tara's second book, which I believe is in the pipeline.

[Robert Burgon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although I liked the style of this book, I could not identify with any of the characters and I found the whole offering a little tedious.

[Gingercat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Untouchable Things, the debut novel from Tara Guha, is one of the most unusual books that I have read in a long time. A complex and chilling psychological/suspense thriller told in a unique manner.

The story commences during a theatre production of Hamlet. As Rebecca is centre stage performing the role of Ophelia, someone is watching her from the shadows...

The book has a unique structure. Rather than chapters, the book is split into Acts and Scenes as in a play. The switch from one character to another will commence with an excerpt from a police interview, including the specific character's response, followed by some story-telling in a more traditional manner. There are even a few sections where part of a scene is told in a script format. The unusual format leaves the reader in little doubt that the book is merely setting the scene for a shocking event that is still to come. It also proves to be an effective way of moving the story forward and providing necessary background information that would not sit comfortably within the main prose.

Seth Gardner is the protagonist, a handsome, wealthy and charismatic man. Having no need to work for a living, he makes it his mission to live life to the full and surrounds himself with a group of arty acquaintances, providing them with an opportunity to talk to like-minded people and inviting them to join him at his ‘Friday Folly’ gatherings where their individual talents are celebrated amongst the small close-knit group. Seth has a way of making each member of the group flourish under the warmth of his attention. He is able to fill their grey, mundane worlds with colour and excitement.

Each character initially finds friendship and acceptance within the group, becoming part of an exclusive clique with Seth at the epicentre. Their lives revolving fully around his wants and needs, having no room for other friends or relationships. They are so caught up in his spell that they do not comprehend how completely their lives are being manipulated and staged by the enigmatic and narcissistic Seth. Nor do they realise quite how little they know about him. How could they have spent so much time with this one man, yet still have no real idea as to who he is? Some in the group are quick to believe the worst of him, whereas others in the group struggle with the realisation that the Seth they know and hero-worship may only be an illusion and that someone very dangerous could be lurking beneath that charismatic mask.

The characters are all, to some degree, “lone wolves” and it is this characteristic which makes them susceptible to Seth’s charms. He lets little of himself be known, yet feeds off his own carefully selected cast of characters.

After a slow initial chapter, the writing quite simply pulled me in. The prose is dark, intense and alluring, making me reluctant to put the book down. It is a slow reveal which means that the reader has to invest in the book before they understand what the story is really about! I liked that air of mystery and it was for that reason that I had to keep reading. I needed to know more.

This story is, in essence, a fantastic character study. We learn about each character from the outside in, peeling back the layers until we know their demons and understand their pain. We learn what makes them susceptible to Seth’s influence and why they each find him so addictive.

This is a truly Machiavellian tale of wealth and seduction of mind. A dark tale of manipulation and illusion. A tense story that will both beguile you and leave you chilled to the bone. Untouchable Things is a very clever tale; dark, suspenseful, alluring and sensual, with an ending that leaves you exhausted whilst simultaneously making you want to scream for more.

My only possible criticism is that there may have been too many issues that remained unexplained by the end of the story. I would have liked to be able to tie up a few more loose ends. However, I have a suspicion that if all those issues were neatly concluded, the book would not have the quite the same level of intrigue and suspense that makes it so utterly enthralling .

Overall, an absolutely fantastic debut and likely to remain one of my top reads of 2016!

[Jackie Law · Rating 5 out of 5]

Untouchable Things, by Tara Guha, is one of the most chillingly perfect works of fiction I have read. The prose is impassioned. The characters brim with a raw honesty that is almost painful to explore. The plot grabs the reader with the intensity of a drug: alluring, dangerous and addictive.

The protagonist, Seth, is a Machiavellian character: wealthy, handsome and enigmatic. He tries to make sense of what he sees as the senselessness of life by filling it with sensation, sensuous pleasure, the power of a successfully orchestrated seduction. He feeds off other people.

To this end, Seth seeks out

“waifs and strays, artists lost in a world of commerce”

Before meeting him, his followers

“walked briskly, London style, towards the empty weekend ahead”

He invites his chosen ones to join him at soirées, gatherings that add glitter and excitement to lives that had previously been grey. Certain members of the group recognise the danger but all are enticed by Seth’s charisma. The reader is left to wonder if they were chosen for the damage they have suffered, or for their potential to be damaged further still.

The book is written in scenes, divided up into acts as in a play. It opens at a performance of Hamlet. Rebecca is playing Ophelia and Seth is watching, drinking in her performance, a connoisseur.

Interspersed with the prose is the text of police interviews. The reader knows early on that something is amiss, but what exactly this is requires a slow reveal.

Rebecca is invited to join Seth’s Friday Folly, an existing set of disparate individuals who, at some point in their lives, harboured dreams of artistic accomplishment. They meet fortnightly in Seth’s opulent home. Each gathering is assigned a theme and the players are required to perform. Seth exercises control, pushing beyond comfort zones and forcing each to reveal aspects of their history or character along the way.

The group become friends but how well do they really know each other? Seth is a master manipulator. He takes the natural, human desire to be accepted and admired and uses it, sometimes cruelly. He teases and flirts, encouraging and then rejecting. The friends struggle with their growing need for this damaging stimulation.

“they torture and depend on each other in equal measure”

As the tension in the group mounts towards the chilling denouement the destruction Seth is wreaking becomes tangible.

“She knew she needed to let him go […] as if he were a butterfly between her hands, as if she had caught him rather than the other way round. A more accurate term for what she needed was exorcism.”

Seth offers extremes of pleasure and then pain. As the group try to work out what he is, and why he acts as he does, they uncover terrible truths. Some struggle to comprehend that their valued bond with this man could be an illusion.

The story is a stunning display of artistry. There are layers of potential meaning alongside each allusion. It is clever and intoxicating, dangerous and gratifying with an ending that leaves the reader shaken and sated. I cannot recommend it enough.

My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher, Legend Press.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really unusual, unlike anything I have read before and that is what had me loving this book. I am a big fan of thriller books and this one was a great take on a psychological/thriller book and Tara has written it so good.

What I really loved about this book is that instead of it being written like a normal book, it was written like it was acts of a play! It would switch up the characters with an excerpt from a police interview which I found really interesting and really made the story for me.

The only reason I didn't give it 5 out 5 is because it did take me a bit to get into the story but as soon as I did I loved every second of it.

In the book we meet Seth. Seth is very wealthy and doesn't need to work for a living. He surrounds himself with arty friends. He has them all around on a Friday, which he calls 'Folly Friday' where they can celebrate their talents between the group. But Seth may not be as he seems and the group try to figure out who he really is and when they do will they like what they find out?

From the start you know something bad has happened and it's not till the near end that you find out and it keeps you on your toes whilst reading it.

Tara has written, which may be too early to say but I don't care, one of my favourite books of 2016! She is a fantastic writer and I can not wait to read more from her!

If you love your thriller/suspense books then this is the book for you!

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Seth is an egocentric man that has created a small group of art lovers to enjoy Friday nights. These members are not just in the group for the art, they all adore Seth in their own special ways, making the group quite special and dark. Seth's motive is not just to enjoy the art and their company, he wants to use them for his own needs... Will the scales fall from their eyes before is too late?
This is a slow burning psychological thriller, wrote like scenes of a stage play, you will be discovering the darkest paths of the characters like a fire, first you'll see the sparks and then the fire, but be careful not to be burned...
This is one of these books that after you finish it, you have to process all you have read and all the implications that it means. I am not sure I can understand completely all the characters, maybe the end don't help me to embrace completely the story or all the questions I have now that I've finished! (all of them are spoilers, so I can't share them with you!)
Too many secrets, some of them you just feel, and maybe it is the reason why the author gave the book the title "Untouchable Things", because some secrets you can just imagine them...
In this maze, you are just a mere observer of the play, wait till the end to wake up and applause!
Do you want to become the new member of the Friday Folly?

[Joanne Robertson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This debut novel was well written with a distinct literary edge and I can see why it has won the 2014 Luke Bitmead Bursary like one of my favourite authors Ruth Dugdall did a few years ago. A great platform for talented writers which has pushed this novel to the attention of readers and bloggers pre publication.
I found the book to be very slow and difficult to get into to begin with. This was possibly due to the unusual formatting style of Acts and Scenes interspersed with police interview style questioning of the characters.
Rebecca and others have been approached by the charismatic Seth who comes across as a cult leader figure with his group the Friday Follies. The group seem totally under the spell but then something happens and Seth disappears.
While this is a well written book, it moved too slowly for my personal tastes in thrillers although it was nice to read a book with lots of literary references which were relevant to the plot.
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.

[Vicki Bowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC - I'm only a year out *ahem*.

What a strange, captivating book. At first I found it hard to follow, but I persevered and found myself utterly compelled. The story is set in scenes and acts and told in multiple points of view, interspersed with brief questions from police interviews.

The mysterious Seth is at the centre of the story; an enigmatic, charming man who seemingly collects creative misfits and brings them together in an uneasy mishmash of friendship. Tension pulls throughout the book. I read this with a sense of disquiet. The characters are very well drawn and each one is integral to the plot, having multiple sides that aren't quite so pleasant once we get to know them.

As the story goes on, it becomes more and more sinister, but it is impossible to stop reading. Like some of the group of friends, I was suspicious of Seth, but was still drawn to him, despite not knowing anything about him. It's an intriguing, absorbing read of manipulation and human weakness.

[Anne Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is interesting, but it has been done before. Seth is a charmer and a manipulator. He cares for people as long as he can control them, by whatever means, it can be charisma, it can be threats about revealing parts of their par=st not so glorious -if nothing work, they may be excluded from this delightful world he manages to eave around him, providing to each of his fans what they mostly want. He has the money to do so and the brain to know what their heart really desires.
Seth is the king, surrounded by courtesans, none daring trust an other one too much, because anything could happen... and because males or females, they are all in love with the bisexual divinity.
The book describes the tangled relationships between Seth, Catherine, Rebecca and many others. What it wa lacking -for me- was a clear direction.

[Shaunda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to Netgalley, Legend Press and Tara Guha for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a little harder to get into, probably because of the way it is structured. The book is done in acts and scene like the script of a play. This is fitting because the main character, Rebecca, is an actress. The story shifts from her being on stage to great applause to being interviewed by the police. Seth is another main character in the book. He is the leaders of an art group called the Friday Folly, who meet to discuss art and socialize. The group becomes like a cult by the way the member will do anything to please Seth, even if it harms their own personal lives. The chaos grows when Seth disappears and the group starts to tear apart and secrets come to light.

I would recommend this book to thriller and mystery lovers both.