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The Night She Died
On her own wedding night, beautiful and complicated Evie White leaps off a cliff to her death.
What drove her to commit this terrible act? It's left to her best friend and her husband to unravel the sinister mystery.
Following a twisted trail of clues leading to Evie's darkest secrets, they begin to realize they never knew the real Evie at all...
350 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews
August 30, 2018
On her wedding night, beautiful and complicated Evie White, leaps off a cliff to her death. Just what drove her to do this terrible act.
Evie and Rebecca were friends. The story jumps back to Evie's past events and with Rebecca in the present. Evie marries Richard and then jumps from a cliff at the reception. Rebecca becomes Richards crutch, as he tries to,come to terms with his wife's actions. We learn about Evie's past and the events that occurred leading up to the wedding.
Fasten your seatbelt, this is a bumpy roller coaster read. It's full of twists, anger, passion and jealousy. Jenny Blackhurst certainly knows how to hook you in and make you keep,turning the pages. Each of her books is better than the previous one. This book was so tense, I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Throughout this book you just know that there is going to be revealed, which just builds up the tension and the mystery. There is also the final sting in the tail at the end of Jenny's books. A fantastic read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author Jenny Blackhurst for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Evie and Rebecca were friends. The story jumps back to Evie's past events and with Rebecca in the present. Evie marries Richard and then jumps from a cliff at the reception. Rebecca becomes Richards crutch, as he tries to,come to terms with his wife's actions. We learn about Evie's past and the events that occurred leading up to the wedding.
Fasten your seatbelt, this is a bumpy roller coaster read. It's full of twists, anger, passion and jealousy. Jenny Blackhurst certainly knows how to hook you in and make you keep,turning the pages. Each of her books is better than the previous one. This book was so tense, I was on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Throughout this book you just know that there is going to be revealed, which just builds up the tension and the mystery. There is also the final sting in the tail at the end of Jenny's books. A fantastic read.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author Jenny Blackhurst for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 15, 2018
The Night she Died by Jenny Blackhurst was a psychological thriller with twists and turns. A bride jumps off a cliff at her wedding leaving her husband and best friend traumatised and trying to work out why.
I didn't like the way this book jumped from past to present and unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as the previous books by this author.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Headline for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't like the way this book jumped from past to present and unfortunately I didn't enjoy it as much as the previous books by this author.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Headline for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 24, 2021
Holy moly guacamoli🤯🤯🤯
August 2, 2018
Jenny Blackhurst has well and truly nailed it with her new psychological thriller The Night She Died. Absolutely brilliant!
The story mainly flicks between Evie in the past and events leading up to her death and Rebecca her best friend in the present. As soon as I read of a bride jumping to her death on her wedding day, well of course I had to know more and boy, the author not disappoint.
Evie I really took to early on in the book. To a certain extent she is a woman who has it all but as we get to know her better, we see her world slowly begin to unravel. I could only imagine how hard it must be for Rebecca to lose her best friend. Being best friends though, it is obvious that she knows a little bit more than everyone else and I couldn't wait to find out just what that was.
This is such a tense read. I felt like I was on edge all the way through it. I just had this sense that the story was building up to something that would more than likely rock me. I wanted to race through the pages yet devour them at the same time in case I missed any clues. As usual I was not prepared for the shocks and twists that came. It just took the whole story to a new level for me and one that I didn't want to come down from.
The Night She Died is a breath taking story that really did leave me breathless. I felt like I had been holding my breath for so long until the revelations started coming. I was so absorbed in the story that I think even if there was chaos going on around me I wouldn't have taken any notice as I had to reach the end of this book no matter what. The author is someone I can rely on in delivering an ending that sends the readers heart racing and very much leaves a lasting impression. Another great read and an absolute must for lovers of psychological thrillers.
My thanks to Headline and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
The story mainly flicks between Evie in the past and events leading up to her death and Rebecca her best friend in the present. As soon as I read of a bride jumping to her death on her wedding day, well of course I had to know more and boy, the author not disappoint.
Evie I really took to early on in the book. To a certain extent she is a woman who has it all but as we get to know her better, we see her world slowly begin to unravel. I could only imagine how hard it must be for Rebecca to lose her best friend. Being best friends though, it is obvious that she knows a little bit more than everyone else and I couldn't wait to find out just what that was.
This is such a tense read. I felt like I was on edge all the way through it. I just had this sense that the story was building up to something that would more than likely rock me. I wanted to race through the pages yet devour them at the same time in case I missed any clues. As usual I was not prepared for the shocks and twists that came. It just took the whole story to a new level for me and one that I didn't want to come down from.
The Night She Died is a breath taking story that really did leave me breathless. I felt like I had been holding my breath for so long until the revelations started coming. I was so absorbed in the story that I think even if there was chaos going on around me I wouldn't have taken any notice as I had to reach the end of this book no matter what. The author is someone I can rely on in delivering an ending that sends the readers heart racing and very much leaves a lasting impression. Another great read and an absolute must for lovers of psychological thrillers.
My thanks to Headline and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.
September 2, 2018
A quiet Saturday night at home and I started and finished this book. It was such a fast read and it was over before I knew it. The story had me hooked from the start, the characters although not always likeable had me intrigued and needing to find out more. I loved the style of the book with it jumping from the present to the past as we learn more about the characters and why things were happening now.
The book begins with a new bride Evie standing on the top of a cliff and jumping off. What could make a woman do this on what should be the happiest day of her life? As the story unfolds we start to find out more about her life as well those of her new husband Richard and her best friend Rebecca. . I loved putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. The ending was great.
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
The book begins with a new bride Evie standing on the top of a cliff and jumping off. What could make a woman do this on what should be the happiest day of her life? As the story unfolds we start to find out more about her life as well those of her new husband Richard and her best friend Rebecca. . I loved putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. The ending was great.
Thanks to Headline and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
September 24, 2018
Having thoroughly enjoyed Jenny Blackhurst's previous books, I was eager to dive right into this one, but unfortunately it just didn't have the same grip or appeal as her others. There was definitely something missing for me. I found the story very cliched, the characters stereotypical and the vague interest I had in discovering the outcome of the novel, completely dissolved about a third of the way through. Aspects of the book started to really annoy me - long drawn out flashbacks that main character Evie has repeatedly had me rolling my eyes more than a few times. Then there was the grammatical errors that hopefully will be rectified in the final copy. There were also a few continuity issues, and i'm afraid I found most of the characters irritating and lacking in maturity - nothing loses my interest quicker!
I remember reading the synopsis and being intrigued by the promising premise, but ultimately my excitement wasn't justified. It's not a story that offers up anything to distinguish it from the plethora of other crime thrillers out there. Essentially, it has no unique selling point as those well versed in business terminology would say.
Many thanks to Headline for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
I remember reading the synopsis and being intrigued by the promising premise, but ultimately my excitement wasn't justified. It's not a story that offers up anything to distinguish it from the plethora of other crime thrillers out there. Essentially, it has no unique selling point as those well versed in business terminology would say.
Many thanks to Headline for an ARC. I was not required to post a review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
January 21, 2020
*Spoiler Alert*
I thoroughly enjoyed Jenny Blackhurst's The Night She Died. If you want to get stuck into a book that has, love, betrayal, murder, faked suicide and much much more, then look no further.
How far would you go to be with the one you love?
I thoroughly enjoyed Jenny Blackhurst's The Night She Died. If you want to get stuck into a book that has, love, betrayal, murder, faked suicide and much much more, then look no further.
How far would you go to be with the one you love?
December 14, 2018
I thought this book was excellent. It had me gripped from the start and throughout. There were so many twists and turns you didn’t know what was going to happen from one page to the next which I loved. I liked how it went from Evie’s story to Rebecca’s so there were two viewpoints. I enjoyed reading about Evie’s past which I normally find boring in books but not with this one. The book also had other characters- who I also found interesting. Overall this book was excellent. I’ve read all of Jenny Blackhurst’s books and I really enjoy her books. She’s easily one of my favourite authors. I can’t wait for future books from Jenny.
August 20, 2018
Excellent psychological drama. Full review to follow for the tour
September 5, 2018
This is one of those stories where I thought I had it all figured out, only to change my mind about a dozen times throughout the book as Jenny Blackhurst deftly creates a sinister tale of love, obsession and deceit.
On the night of her wedding day, Evie White jumps off a cliff to her death. Her new husband, Richard, and best friend, Rebecca, are devastated. But what would prompt Evie to do something so drastic on what is supposed to be the best day of her life?
Through chapters set in the past, we get a glimpse into Evie’s life. A life of the rich and privileged but also one with an absent mother and an overprotective father. Evie has secrets and is adept at portraying the kind of person she’s supposed to be depending on the circumstances she finds herself in. So how well did Richard and Rebecca really know her?
As Rebecca and Richard try to deal with the aftermath of Evie’s death, it becomes quite clear Rebecca isn’t all she seems either. It looks like she may be harbouring secrets of her own, things she might know but isn’t saying. Meanwhile, as more details about that night surface, police officers are wondering if maybe Evie wasn’t pushed. Is Richard a suspect?
I don’t want to say anything else as I’m way too worried I’ll give something away. Suffice to say The Night She Died is an incredibly compelling and addictive psychological thriller that I devoured in one sitting. I found myself sympathising with some characters and eying others suspiciously. With a devilish, twist-y and brilliantly executed plot, this is one heck of a page turner and it comes with a most delicious sting in its tail.
I’d go as far as to say I think this is Jenny Blackhurst’s best one yet and I absolutely can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
On the night of her wedding day, Evie White jumps off a cliff to her death. Her new husband, Richard, and best friend, Rebecca, are devastated. But what would prompt Evie to do something so drastic on what is supposed to be the best day of her life?
Through chapters set in the past, we get a glimpse into Evie’s life. A life of the rich and privileged but also one with an absent mother and an overprotective father. Evie has secrets and is adept at portraying the kind of person she’s supposed to be depending on the circumstances she finds herself in. So how well did Richard and Rebecca really know her?
As Rebecca and Richard try to deal with the aftermath of Evie’s death, it becomes quite clear Rebecca isn’t all she seems either. It looks like she may be harbouring secrets of her own, things she might know but isn’t saying. Meanwhile, as more details about that night surface, police officers are wondering if maybe Evie wasn’t pushed. Is Richard a suspect?
I don’t want to say anything else as I’m way too worried I’ll give something away. Suffice to say The Night She Died is an incredibly compelling and addictive psychological thriller that I devoured in one sitting. I found myself sympathising with some characters and eying others suspiciously. With a devilish, twist-y and brilliantly executed plot, this is one heck of a page turner and it comes with a most delicious sting in its tail.
I’d go as far as to say I think this is Jenny Blackhurst’s best one yet and I absolutely can’t wait to see what she comes up with next.
August 13, 2018
My Review: I love Jenny Blackhurst’s books. Each one, in my opinion, is twisty, dark and a brilliant stand-alone psychological thriller.
The Night She Died is yet another superb story which takes the reader on a very uncomfortable and bumpy journey trying to discover why the beautiful and popular Evie committed suicide on her wedding night.
This story is told through flashbacks via Evie and her best friend Becky from the moment they met at University to the moment she jumped to her death on her wedding night.
With so many twists and turns I was completely captivated by the main characters and trying to work out what, why, when and who kept me turning the pages unable to put the book down.
With a splash of the author’s dark humour, The Night She Died is a compelling story of obsession, secrets, love and betrayal.
The Night She Died is yet another superb story which takes the reader on a very uncomfortable and bumpy journey trying to discover why the beautiful and popular Evie committed suicide on her wedding night.
This story is told through flashbacks via Evie and her best friend Becky from the moment they met at University to the moment she jumped to her death on her wedding night.
With so many twists and turns I was completely captivated by the main characters and trying to work out what, why, when and who kept me turning the pages unable to put the book down.
With a splash of the author’s dark humour, The Night She Died is a compelling story of obsession, secrets, love and betrayal.
July 10, 2019
Woweeeee I have had this on my kindle for a while and after making the girls pick random numbers for me, we landed on this. I cracked it opened and before I knew it I was 20% of the way through and I was hooked lined and sinkered with this!
Opening up to a story of a woman jumping off the cliffs on her wedding day. The happiest day of her life…..so why jump? So many questions I had running through my mind when reading this and I can safely say I did NOT see these plot twists coming! It was epic!
The Night She Died is generally told through the point of view of Rebecca, the best friend, in the present day and Evie, the bride, in the past until the everything collides in such a fantastic explosion! Rebecca is hiding a secret from us and Richard the grieving widow. We know more than he does and with flashbacks to Evie’s life we know more than Rebecca, and doesn’t she just hate that! These two ladies met at university, both slightly obsessed with each other and both letting each other into their lives like no one else before. A true friendship, or so they both think, it is, however, a flawed one and one where there are just too many secrets. They are addicted to each other and do everything with each other, well until Richard comes along. Richard turns up in Rebeccas’ life but only because Evie went home one weekend, and this weekend becomes the catalyst for the catastrophic events to follow.
I was hooked on this book, I don’t know why it took me so long to pick up, I mean I do but why!!! I devoured this book, not literally, and I was constantly looking forward to my next fix of reading it. The writing is exquisite, the chapters are short to entice you to keep reading and with all the too-ing and froing between past, present and other characters it is a recipe for disaster if you think sleep is on the cards.
I seriously could not guess why the events in the past happened. When I got there, my jaw dropped and it really was the biggest game changer I’ve read in such a while. It floored me, the rug was pulled out from under me so far it hurt my head! Kudos to Blackhurst, she created such a tightly woven story that just gave nothing away. A feuding family, star crossed lovers, obsessive friends and death. So much is packed into this book it’s unreal. But if you think it ends there you would be sorely mistaken! Just when you think nothing else could happen, when you think right the dust has finally settled…hello!! Blackhurst has decided she’s not done toying with us and hits out with another blow which I kind of guessed was coming, but at the same time just left it wide open and left me chomping at the bit for more! When I got to the end, I was like ‘Nah this can’t be it, there has to be more’ but reading the acknowledgements I knew it was the end! Dammit! I want more! I would love to see a follow up to this! It was pure ecstasy of escapism, indulging completely into the worlds of money, love and betrayal by these women.
I can not wait to read more by Ms Blackhurst, I have a taste for her writing! She absorbs you into her books and she knows how to play it so you stay hooked onto the book. I mean seriously work should take into account not only a lunch break but also a reading break. It was a pain to have to keep putting it down urgh!
So did I love the book? What do you think? This for me is a contender for my book of the year for sure! It was riveting, everything worked for me and the twists were so clever and enjoyable I just want more!
Opening up to a story of a woman jumping off the cliffs on her wedding day. The happiest day of her life…..so why jump? So many questions I had running through my mind when reading this and I can safely say I did NOT see these plot twists coming! It was epic!
The Night She Died is generally told through the point of view of Rebecca, the best friend, in the present day and Evie, the bride, in the past until the everything collides in such a fantastic explosion! Rebecca is hiding a secret from us and Richard the grieving widow. We know more than he does and with flashbacks to Evie’s life we know more than Rebecca, and doesn’t she just hate that! These two ladies met at university, both slightly obsessed with each other and both letting each other into their lives like no one else before. A true friendship, or so they both think, it is, however, a flawed one and one where there are just too many secrets. They are addicted to each other and do everything with each other, well until Richard comes along. Richard turns up in Rebeccas’ life but only because Evie went home one weekend, and this weekend becomes the catalyst for the catastrophic events to follow.
I was hooked on this book, I don’t know why it took me so long to pick up, I mean I do but why!!! I devoured this book, not literally, and I was constantly looking forward to my next fix of reading it. The writing is exquisite, the chapters are short to entice you to keep reading and with all the too-ing and froing between past, present and other characters it is a recipe for disaster if you think sleep is on the cards.
I seriously could not guess why the events in the past happened. When I got there, my jaw dropped and it really was the biggest game changer I’ve read in such a while. It floored me, the rug was pulled out from under me so far it hurt my head! Kudos to Blackhurst, she created such a tightly woven story that just gave nothing away. A feuding family, star crossed lovers, obsessive friends and death. So much is packed into this book it’s unreal. But if you think it ends there you would be sorely mistaken! Just when you think nothing else could happen, when you think right the dust has finally settled…hello!! Blackhurst has decided she’s not done toying with us and hits out with another blow which I kind of guessed was coming, but at the same time just left it wide open and left me chomping at the bit for more! When I got to the end, I was like ‘Nah this can’t be it, there has to be more’ but reading the acknowledgements I knew it was the end! Dammit! I want more! I would love to see a follow up to this! It was pure ecstasy of escapism, indulging completely into the worlds of money, love and betrayal by these women.
I can not wait to read more by Ms Blackhurst, I have a taste for her writing! She absorbs you into her books and she knows how to play it so you stay hooked onto the book. I mean seriously work should take into account not only a lunch break but also a reading break. It was a pain to have to keep putting it down urgh!
So did I love the book? What do you think? This for me is a contender for my book of the year for sure! It was riveting, everything worked for me and the twists were so clever and enjoyable I just want more!
September 6, 2018
I do love a twisty tale and thankfully The Night She Died is a dark and VERY twisty tale that revolves around some rather unlikeable and dubious characters! When Evie White jumps off a cliff on her wedding night, the shock brings together her husband and her best friend who desperately try to work out why? What made this beautiful woman with the perfect life want to commit suicide? As they start to unravel that perfection, it becomes obvious that Evie was keeping some very big secrets from the both of them.
This was a real rollercoaster of a ride that took the tension to another level with its short, sharp chapters. Those chapters alternated between Evie in the past and her best friend Rebecca in the present. Both timelines gave clues as to what lead up to the awful tragedy that affected them all. In the days and weeks that follow, Rebecca helps Evie’s new husband Richard to come to term with what has happened but what becomes glaringly obvious (to us anyway but not Richard it seems!!) is that Rebecca seems to know slightly more than she’s been letting on!
The narrative was pretty full on here with lots of chopping and changing of timelines and perspectives but this kept the tension high and my heart-rate pounding! We go quite far back into Evie’s past and start to form a picture very early on of the type of upbringing she has had and how her relationships with her father and with her first love have helped to shape the woman that Richard married. And as Richard and Rebecca dig deeper they uncover some pretty shocking facts about the woman they both love.
This is a darkly atmospheric psychological thriller that just got better and better the further you got into it. And that ending!! Unexpected, shocking and absolutely bloody brilliant! Jenny Blackhurst definitely saved her trump card for the final few pages of The Night She Died and left me with my jaw firmly planted on the floor!
Intriguing, gripping and utterly addictive, I read this in one session and probably had raised blood pressure by the end of it but boy, was it worth it!
This was a real rollercoaster of a ride that took the tension to another level with its short, sharp chapters. Those chapters alternated between Evie in the past and her best friend Rebecca in the present. Both timelines gave clues as to what lead up to the awful tragedy that affected them all. In the days and weeks that follow, Rebecca helps Evie’s new husband Richard to come to term with what has happened but what becomes glaringly obvious (to us anyway but not Richard it seems!!) is that Rebecca seems to know slightly more than she’s been letting on!
The narrative was pretty full on here with lots of chopping and changing of timelines and perspectives but this kept the tension high and my heart-rate pounding! We go quite far back into Evie’s past and start to form a picture very early on of the type of upbringing she has had and how her relationships with her father and with her first love have helped to shape the woman that Richard married. And as Richard and Rebecca dig deeper they uncover some pretty shocking facts about the woman they both love.
This is a darkly atmospheric psychological thriller that just got better and better the further you got into it. And that ending!! Unexpected, shocking and absolutely bloody brilliant! Jenny Blackhurst definitely saved her trump card for the final few pages of The Night She Died and left me with my jaw firmly planted on the floor!
Intriguing, gripping and utterly addictive, I read this in one session and probably had raised blood pressure by the end of it but boy, was it worth it!
August 14, 2019
Eigentlich sollte die Hochzeit der glücklichste Tag in Evies Leben sein. Und doch stürzt sie sich am Abend ihrer Hochzeit von einer Klippe. Ihre Leiche wird nie gefunden und ihre Angehörigen wissen keinerlei Grund, was Evie zu dieser Tat getrieben haben soll. Ihr Mann Richard und ihre beste Freundin Rebecca versuchen herauszufinden, was genau passiert ist und vor allem ob Evie wirklich von selbst gesprungen ist.
Wir steigen mit der Handlung direkt am Tag der Hochzeit ein und bekommen eine wahrlich traurige Szenerie geliefert. Was kann eine Braut dazu bringen am Hochzeitabend in den Selbstmord zu stürzen? Keiner begreift so richtig, was genau passiert ist und auch eine Leiche wird nie gefunden. Evies Ehemann Richard versumpft förmlich, während ihre beste Freundin Rebecca versucht, Richard wieder auf die Beine zu helfen. Wir lesen abwechselnd aus der Sicht von Evie und Rebecca. Während man bei Evie ihre Vergangenheit erfährt, so lesen wir bei Rebecca wie alle mit der gegenwärtigen Situation versuchen umzugehen.
Es war sehr interessant zu lesen wie Evie und Rebecca sich kennen gelernt haben, denn ihre Verbindung scheint von Anfang an recht stark gewesen zu sein. Durch den Perspektivwechsel wurde alles ein wenig aufgelockert, so dass sich die Story an sich recht schnell und flüssig lesen lässt. Ich hatte mich im Vorfeld nicht nach anderen Rezensionen umgesehen, aber im Nachhinein habe ich oft gelesen, dass das Buch eher kein Psychothriller ist. Dem muss ich leider zustimmen. Ein Psychothriller ist für mich wahrlich etwas anderes, auch wenn diese Geschichte hier auf ihre Weise ganz gut war. Ich würde es eher als einen Spannungsroman bezeichnen.
“Mein Herz so schwarz” ist nun schon das dritte Buch, das ich von der Autorin lese und für mich sind alle im guten Mittelfeld angesiedelt. Die Autorin schreibt flüssig und macht interessante Geschichten mit oftmals guten Twists. Mir fehlt immer ein wenig der letzte Kick – irgendetwas, das mich auch nach Wochen noch an das Buch zurückdenken lässt. Für Thriller-Anfänger sind sie sicherlich gut geeignet, aber jemand der ausschließlich Thriller liest, der könnte sie vielleicht ein wenig zu seicht finden. Trotzdem fühle ich mich jedes Mal aufs Neue von den Klappentexten ihrer Bücher angesprochen, ich bin also gespannt auf ihre nächsten Werke.
Wir steigen mit der Handlung direkt am Tag der Hochzeit ein und bekommen eine wahrlich traurige Szenerie geliefert. Was kann eine Braut dazu bringen am Hochzeitabend in den Selbstmord zu stürzen? Keiner begreift so richtig, was genau passiert ist und auch eine Leiche wird nie gefunden. Evies Ehemann Richard versumpft förmlich, während ihre beste Freundin Rebecca versucht, Richard wieder auf die Beine zu helfen. Wir lesen abwechselnd aus der Sicht von Evie und Rebecca. Während man bei Evie ihre Vergangenheit erfährt, so lesen wir bei Rebecca wie alle mit der gegenwärtigen Situation versuchen umzugehen.
Es war sehr interessant zu lesen wie Evie und Rebecca sich kennen gelernt haben, denn ihre Verbindung scheint von Anfang an recht stark gewesen zu sein. Durch den Perspektivwechsel wurde alles ein wenig aufgelockert, so dass sich die Story an sich recht schnell und flüssig lesen lässt. Ich hatte mich im Vorfeld nicht nach anderen Rezensionen umgesehen, aber im Nachhinein habe ich oft gelesen, dass das Buch eher kein Psychothriller ist. Dem muss ich leider zustimmen. Ein Psychothriller ist für mich wahrlich etwas anderes, auch wenn diese Geschichte hier auf ihre Weise ganz gut war. Ich würde es eher als einen Spannungsroman bezeichnen.
“Mein Herz so schwarz” ist nun schon das dritte Buch, das ich von der Autorin lese und für mich sind alle im guten Mittelfeld angesiedelt. Die Autorin schreibt flüssig und macht interessante Geschichten mit oftmals guten Twists. Mir fehlt immer ein wenig der letzte Kick – irgendetwas, das mich auch nach Wochen noch an das Buch zurückdenken lässt. Für Thriller-Anfänger sind sie sicherlich gut geeignet, aber jemand der ausschließlich Thriller liest, der könnte sie vielleicht ein wenig zu seicht finden. Trotzdem fühle ich mich jedes Mal aufs Neue von den Klappentexten ihrer Bücher angesprochen, ich bin also gespannt auf ihre nächsten Werke.
July 26, 2019
Melodramatic, drawn-out and poorly plotted thriller with stereotypical characters.
By the end of The Night She Died I was bemused that it actually qualified as an adult psychological thriller as the story is basically just a drawn-out explanation of why new bride, Evelyn Bradley, jumped off a cliff on her wedding night. Her best friend and maid of honour, Rebecca Thompson, however already knows and after a predictable journey and a spin cycle of far-fetched twists into the close, the reader eventually finds out. Groom, Richard, is meanwhile completely in the dark and desperately wants to believe his wife didn’t commit suicide but when Rebecca receives a Facebook friend request from an Evelyn Bradley and Richard learns from a fellow wedding guest that Evie was not alone as she stood on the edge of the cliffs, a search for answers ensues.
The bulk of the narrative is comprised of Rebecca in the present-tense as she supports widower Richard and tries to deter his investigations and prevent him learning the truth, alongside Evie’s eye-rolling back story from a precocious five years all the way through to questionable adulthood. As Rebecca’s part of the narrative weaves in the background of her friendship with Evie after meeting at university it becomes apparent that Evie is the stereotypical spoilt rich girl whose magnetic personality and looks enchant everyone. Rebecca is the staid, reliable and plain girl from a council estate in awe of her popular new friend and just grateful to be in her shadow and when similarly colourless Richard arrives on the scene, and he and Evie fell head over heels in love, it requires a huge suspension of disbelief. But do either Rebecca or Richard really know Evie quite as well as they think? Obviously not as it soon turns out and as the slow unravel to conclusion plays out my interest waned significantly as the story lacked any real suspense or tension.
I purchased a paperback copy of the novel and was disappointed at not only the grammatical errors but the changing timeline and the wavering age of the protagonists which didn’t quiet add up. Readable but hardly stimulating. Recommended for fans of Jeremy Kyle or a YA audience.
By the end of The Night She Died I was bemused that it actually qualified as an adult psychological thriller as the story is basically just a drawn-out explanation of why new bride, Evelyn Bradley, jumped off a cliff on her wedding night. Her best friend and maid of honour, Rebecca Thompson, however already knows and after a predictable journey and a spin cycle of far-fetched twists into the close, the reader eventually finds out. Groom, Richard, is meanwhile completely in the dark and desperately wants to believe his wife didn’t commit suicide but when Rebecca receives a Facebook friend request from an Evelyn Bradley and Richard learns from a fellow wedding guest that Evie was not alone as she stood on the edge of the cliffs, a search for answers ensues.
The bulk of the narrative is comprised of Rebecca in the present-tense as she supports widower Richard and tries to deter his investigations and prevent him learning the truth, alongside Evie’s eye-rolling back story from a precocious five years all the way through to questionable adulthood. As Rebecca’s part of the narrative weaves in the background of her friendship with Evie after meeting at university it becomes apparent that Evie is the stereotypical spoilt rich girl whose magnetic personality and looks enchant everyone. Rebecca is the staid, reliable and plain girl from a council estate in awe of her popular new friend and just grateful to be in her shadow and when similarly colourless Richard arrives on the scene, and he and Evie fell head over heels in love, it requires a huge suspension of disbelief. But do either Rebecca or Richard really know Evie quite as well as they think? Obviously not as it soon turns out and as the slow unravel to conclusion plays out my interest waned significantly as the story lacked any real suspense or tension.
I purchased a paperback copy of the novel and was disappointed at not only the grammatical errors but the changing timeline and the wavering age of the protagonists which didn’t quiet add up. Readable but hardly stimulating. Recommended for fans of Jeremy Kyle or a YA audience.
August 14, 2019
Das Buch wurde mir vom Bastei Lübbe Verlag zur Verfügung gestellt und angefragt habe ich es bei NetGalley. Meine Meinung wird dadurch nicht beeinflusst
Meine Meinung
Das Cover ist mega schön genauso wie alle Cover von Jenny Blackhursts Bücher. Es passt auch sehr gut zum Inhalt.
Der Schreibstil ist sehr flüssig und leicht so das man schnell voran kommt. Es ist so aufgebaut das man erfährt wie Evie aufgewachsen ist und was alles passiert ist und was jetzt passiert nach dem sie gesprungen ist. Das fand ich sehr toll gemacht weil man so Evie besser kennenlernte. Die ganze Story war sehr spannend so das ich das Buch in einem Tag ausgelesen habe. Ich wollte unbedingt wissen was denn jetzt passiert ist und wieso. Rebecca war mir anfangs unsympathisch weil sie so abhängig von anderen Menschen war. Das änderte sich mit der Zeit aber. Die Charaktere fand ich allgemein sehr authentisch und gut ausgearbeitet. Man wurde in die Geschichte reingesogen und war mittendrin. Das Ende überraschte mich war jedoch logisch und super. Die ganze Story ist komplex aber so geschrieben das man immer weiterleben muss weil es einem keine Ruhe lässt. Ich bin begeistert von diesem Buch.
Fazit
Ein geniales Buch mit einer komplexen aber verständlichen Story, tollen Charakteren und Spannung. Ich empfehle das Buch allen Krimi und Thrillerfans. Ein sehr lesenswertes Buch das zu meinen Highlights dieses Jahr zählt.
Ich vergebe dem Buch 5/5 Sternen
Meine Meinung
Das Cover ist mega schön genauso wie alle Cover von Jenny Blackhursts Bücher. Es passt auch sehr gut zum Inhalt.
Der Schreibstil ist sehr flüssig und leicht so das man schnell voran kommt. Es ist so aufgebaut das man erfährt wie Evie aufgewachsen ist und was alles passiert ist und was jetzt passiert nach dem sie gesprungen ist. Das fand ich sehr toll gemacht weil man so Evie besser kennenlernte. Die ganze Story war sehr spannend so das ich das Buch in einem Tag ausgelesen habe. Ich wollte unbedingt wissen was denn jetzt passiert ist und wieso. Rebecca war mir anfangs unsympathisch weil sie so abhängig von anderen Menschen war. Das änderte sich mit der Zeit aber. Die Charaktere fand ich allgemein sehr authentisch und gut ausgearbeitet. Man wurde in die Geschichte reingesogen und war mittendrin. Das Ende überraschte mich war jedoch logisch und super. Die ganze Story ist komplex aber so geschrieben das man immer weiterleben muss weil es einem keine Ruhe lässt. Ich bin begeistert von diesem Buch.
Fazit
Ein geniales Buch mit einer komplexen aber verständlichen Story, tollen Charakteren und Spannung. Ich empfehle das Buch allen Krimi und Thrillerfans. Ein sehr lesenswertes Buch das zu meinen Highlights dieses Jahr zählt.
Ich vergebe dem Buch 5/5 Sternen
August 3, 2018
A brilliant opener that hooks us in as a bride jumps over a cliff during her wedding party – so it’s sad that this wimpers out into a by-the-numbers tale of female rivalry, undying love, lies, deception and a ‘who can you trust?’ narrative.
The l-o-o-o-n-g flashback life-story of Evie from the age of 5 onwards gets increasingly operatic !
Throw in grammatical errors mixing up ‘I’ and ‘me’, ‘she’ and ‘her’ (though I was reading an ARC so hopefully these will be ironed out before the book is published), and some confusion over when an important event happened (it’s given as 4 years ago, 6 years ago, and 9 years ago) which changes the age of our protagonists: I think, on balance, 4 is used most often which makes them 22-23, which feels about right for their emotional (im)maturity.
I was hooked at the start but this increasingly felt like a chore to read and I found myself skimming through to the expected ending – if you read a lot in this genre, you’ll have seen it all before: 2.5 stars.
The l-o-o-o-n-g flashback life-story of Evie from the age of 5 onwards gets increasingly operatic !
Throw in grammatical errors mixing up ‘I’ and ‘me’, ‘she’ and ‘her’ (though I was reading an ARC so hopefully these will be ironed out before the book is published), and some confusion over when an important event happened (it’s given as 4 years ago, 6 years ago, and 9 years ago) which changes the age of our protagonists: I think, on balance, 4 is used most often which makes them 22-23, which feels about right for their emotional (im)maturity.
I was hooked at the start but this increasingly felt like a chore to read and I found myself skimming through to the expected ending – if you read a lot in this genre, you’ll have seen it all before: 2.5 stars.
Read
September 24, 2018Review to follow
October 8, 2023
ja....ja naprawdę nie wiem co mam powiedzieć......
September 28, 2018
It can be very frustrating when an author holds all the secrets in a book. But when you trust the writer; (she has three awesome novels prior to this latest thriller,) you have all the time in the world to enjoy her writing.
There is a plethora of books that fill this genre but Jenny has made it her own from the outset. Indeed, the clever part is that this plot takes us way beyond those psychological stories that adorn many bookshops.
Therefore, I would suggest her writing is in a class of its own and her plot led fiction resonates skill, surprises and suspense
.
I’ve read that some reviewers feel the characters are disappointing and play to stereotypes but in my opinion, this is a misreading of the story.
Evelyn is a complex young woman; treated as a child despite what her own eyes and experience has shown her about her parents. Naturally bright she is clever and carries more baggage than the old mail trains. Her relationships are skewed and her first love is something remarkable that she never wants to lose. Others are attracted to her while some have a jealous rage of envy, they hate her, and would seek to destroy her or the happiness she holds.
The key relationships we are presented with are Evie and Rebecca, Evie and Richard and Evie and her first love.
The book starts with the major reveal, death, but suicide or murder! Then it is told both in flashback through the eyes of Rebecca and Evie and the days following the tragedy, coming to terms with their loss in Rebecca caring for Richard as she had promised her friend.
The start is the wedding day of Richard and Evie and the big reveal is that she has done a Reggie Perrin; however, although her body isn’t found initially a few witnesses come forward to say they saw her fall into the sea. However, did she jump or was she pushed.
Rebecca knows more we initially sense and then realise she knows much more, but why did she conspire with Evie to fake her death and why has something has gone tragically wrong.
So, will you read on and find out the mystery? Follow the back story through twists and turns and learn to love and then distrust each character as each new reveal is shared.
I’m glad I read this book, it cements the author into a special place in my heart, having followed her writing from the start, and firmly establishes her in my book appreciating mind.
I loved the depth and care expanding the plot. I warmed to all the main characters and the journeys taken by life events. I appreciated the detective who pops up like a cogent thought every time you are wondering what happened on the cliff top.
It is the story of friendship and unrequited love. Poor parenting and the impact it can on children.
Ultimately it is about relationships. Can we finally blame Evie for the choices she made? Do we side with others in their opinions of her? For example, Camilla, Rebecca or her Dad?
We may move between all three points of view as her story is revealed. Her choices were not always her own, but the real choice remains are you going to read this book.
So glad I did. Better still when I next read ‘The Night She Died’ as it will be even better, it is that type of book.
There is a plethora of books that fill this genre but Jenny has made it her own from the outset. Indeed, the clever part is that this plot takes us way beyond those psychological stories that adorn many bookshops.
Therefore, I would suggest her writing is in a class of its own and her plot led fiction resonates skill, surprises and suspense
.
I’ve read that some reviewers feel the characters are disappointing and play to stereotypes but in my opinion, this is a misreading of the story.
Evelyn is a complex young woman; treated as a child despite what her own eyes and experience has shown her about her parents. Naturally bright she is clever and carries more baggage than the old mail trains. Her relationships are skewed and her first love is something remarkable that she never wants to lose. Others are attracted to her while some have a jealous rage of envy, they hate her, and would seek to destroy her or the happiness she holds.
The key relationships we are presented with are Evie and Rebecca, Evie and Richard and Evie and her first love.
The book starts with the major reveal, death, but suicide or murder! Then it is told both in flashback through the eyes of Rebecca and Evie and the days following the tragedy, coming to terms with their loss in Rebecca caring for Richard as she had promised her friend.
The start is the wedding day of Richard and Evie and the big reveal is that she has done a Reggie Perrin; however, although her body isn’t found initially a few witnesses come forward to say they saw her fall into the sea. However, did she jump or was she pushed.
Rebecca knows more we initially sense and then realise she knows much more, but why did she conspire with Evie to fake her death and why has something has gone tragically wrong.
So, will you read on and find out the mystery? Follow the back story through twists and turns and learn to love and then distrust each character as each new reveal is shared.
I’m glad I read this book, it cements the author into a special place in my heart, having followed her writing from the start, and firmly establishes her in my book appreciating mind.
I loved the depth and care expanding the plot. I warmed to all the main characters and the journeys taken by life events. I appreciated the detective who pops up like a cogent thought every time you are wondering what happened on the cliff top.
It is the story of friendship and unrequited love. Poor parenting and the impact it can on children.
Ultimately it is about relationships. Can we finally blame Evie for the choices she made? Do we side with others in their opinions of her? For example, Camilla, Rebecca or her Dad?
We may move between all three points of view as her story is revealed. Her choices were not always her own, but the real choice remains are you going to read this book.
So glad I did. Better still when I next read ‘The Night She Died’ as it will be even better, it is that type of book.
August 2, 2019
Vorweg muss ich sagen, wer hier einen #Psychothriller sucht, wird nicht fündig werden. Denn die paar "Psycho-Elemente" im Buch sind nicht der Rede wert und im Grunde sogar ohne wirklich tiefgehenderen Sinn dahinter - daher leider auch eher überflüssig!
Der Leser findet hier eher ein "Beziehungsdrama", was zwar wenig spannend, aber teils ziemlich interessant gestaltet ist. Aber um an diesen Punkt zu gelangen, muss man sich erstmal durchs erste Drittel kämpfen. Und dieses gestaltet sich doch eher langweilig und uninteressant. Zudem werden die Charaktere allesamt recht unsympathisch dargestellt, was Empathie unmöglich macht. Wäre es keine Leserunde gewesen, hätte ich es an der Stelle wahrscheinlich eher abgebrochen!
Danach steigert sich das Ganze etwas, auch die Charaktere, und es macht Spaß die Geschichte zu ergründen, auch wenn diese für mich von Anfang an vorhersehbar gewesen ist. Wo wir auch schon zum nächsten Kritikpunkt kommen:
Die Auflösung war leider für mich von Anfang an Sonnenklar! Denn es ist eine typische klischeehafte 08/15-Lösung für solch ein Storygeflecht und zudem ist das Ende einfach nur realitätsfremd!
Generell muss ich sagen, die Autorin hat mir hier zu viele Augenrollaspekte eingebaut! Viele der Entwicklungen sind einfach too much! Wohingegen die interessanten "Psycho-Elemente" nur kurz angerissen und dann im Keim erstickt werden - einfach so viel verschenktes Potenzial! Und 0 Atmosphäre!
FAZIT:
Trotz all der Kritikpunkte und der anfänglichen Ödnis habe ich mich in den letzten 2/3 des Buches gut unterhalten gefühlt. Aber eine Glanzleistung war das Buch definitiv nicht! Für mehr als 2,5/5 Sternen reicht es daher auch nicht aus!
Der Leser findet hier eher ein "Beziehungsdrama", was zwar wenig spannend, aber teils ziemlich interessant gestaltet ist. Aber um an diesen Punkt zu gelangen, muss man sich erstmal durchs erste Drittel kämpfen. Und dieses gestaltet sich doch eher langweilig und uninteressant. Zudem werden die Charaktere allesamt recht unsympathisch dargestellt, was Empathie unmöglich macht. Wäre es keine Leserunde gewesen, hätte ich es an der Stelle wahrscheinlich eher abgebrochen!
Danach steigert sich das Ganze etwas, auch die Charaktere, und es macht Spaß die Geschichte zu ergründen, auch wenn diese für mich von Anfang an vorhersehbar gewesen ist. Wo wir auch schon zum nächsten Kritikpunkt kommen:
Die Auflösung war leider für mich von Anfang an Sonnenklar! Denn es ist eine typische klischeehafte 08/15-Lösung für solch ein Storygeflecht und zudem ist das Ende einfach nur realitätsfremd!
Generell muss ich sagen, die Autorin hat mir hier zu viele Augenrollaspekte eingebaut! Viele der Entwicklungen sind einfach too much! Wohingegen die interessanten "Psycho-Elemente" nur kurz angerissen und dann im Keim erstickt werden - einfach so viel verschenktes Potenzial! Und 0 Atmosphäre!
FAZIT:
Trotz all der Kritikpunkte und der anfänglichen Ödnis habe ich mich in den letzten 2/3 des Buches gut unterhalten gefühlt. Aber eine Glanzleistung war das Buch definitiv nicht! Für mehr als 2,5/5 Sternen reicht es daher auch nicht aus!
November 4, 2018
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
The Night She Died kept me guessing from the first to last page. Filled with mystery and memories, and opening with a real shocker of a scene (a bride jumps to her death on her wedding day, and her best friend seems to know much more about it than she's letting on), I found myself completely hooked.
Now, there are some parts in this story where you may have to suspend your disblief for a little, but it's an entertaining, intriguing read so I think it's well worth it. The present-day story is mainly told from Rebecca's perspective, who is dealing with the aftermath of Evie's death and trying to comfort her husband Richard, but there are also a lot of flashbacks to Evie's childhood and teenage years which slow unwrap the lead up to the wedding-day drama. I loved the sense of unease within its pages that come from not knowing who's telling the whole truth, and there's plenty of betrayal which makes for interesting reading, all the way through to the satisfying ending.
Many thanks to Headline for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
The Night She Died kept me guessing from the first to last page. Filled with mystery and memories, and opening with a real shocker of a scene (a bride jumps to her death on her wedding day, and her best friend seems to know much more about it than she's letting on), I found myself completely hooked.
Now, there are some parts in this story where you may have to suspend your disblief for a little, but it's an entertaining, intriguing read so I think it's well worth it. The present-day story is mainly told from Rebecca's perspective, who is dealing with the aftermath of Evie's death and trying to comfort her husband Richard, but there are also a lot of flashbacks to Evie's childhood and teenage years which slow unwrap the lead up to the wedding-day drama. I loved the sense of unease within its pages that come from not knowing who's telling the whole truth, and there's plenty of betrayal which makes for interesting reading, all the way through to the satisfying ending.
Many thanks to Headline for providing a copy of this novel on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
December 13, 2019
Zum Buch:
Evelyn Rousseau, Tochter aus gutem französischen Hause, heiratet Richard. Einen englischen Otto-Normal-Bürger. Noch am selben Abend stürzt sie sich von einer Klippe nahe der Hochzeitslocation. Ihre beste Freundin Rebecca setzt alles daran, um herauszufinden, was ihre beste Freundin bewogen hat, sich umzubringen. Aber eigentlich weiß sie es ja. Oder nicht?
Meine Meinung:
Jenny Blackhurst ist bekannt für ihre mitreißenden Psychothriller. Umso mehr frage ich mich, was die Autorin hier geritten hat. Null Spannung, die Story plätschert vor sich hin, Romeo und Julia lässt grüßen. Diese Story hat man bereits zuhauf gelesen. Hier bekommt man nichts neues geboten. Alles ist sehr vorhersehbar, der Schluss lässt einen mit dem Gedanken zurück "Joa, das war zu erwarten". Sehr schade, denn der Schreibstil und die kurzen Kapitel lässt einen nur so durch das Buch fliegen. Auch das Cover ist wunderschön. Hier habe ich wesentlich mehr erwartet und würde jämmerlich enttäuscht.
Evelyn Rousseau, Tochter aus gutem französischen Hause, heiratet Richard. Einen englischen Otto-Normal-Bürger. Noch am selben Abend stürzt sie sich von einer Klippe nahe der Hochzeitslocation. Ihre beste Freundin Rebecca setzt alles daran, um herauszufinden, was ihre beste Freundin bewogen hat, sich umzubringen. Aber eigentlich weiß sie es ja. Oder nicht?
Meine Meinung:
Jenny Blackhurst ist bekannt für ihre mitreißenden Psychothriller. Umso mehr frage ich mich, was die Autorin hier geritten hat. Null Spannung, die Story plätschert vor sich hin, Romeo und Julia lässt grüßen. Diese Story hat man bereits zuhauf gelesen. Hier bekommt man nichts neues geboten. Alles ist sehr vorhersehbar, der Schluss lässt einen mit dem Gedanken zurück "Joa, das war zu erwarten". Sehr schade, denn der Schreibstil und die kurzen Kapitel lässt einen nur so durch das Buch fliegen. Auch das Cover ist wunderschön. Hier habe ich wesentlich mehr erwartet und würde jämmerlich enttäuscht.
August 9, 2018
I enjoyed it but not as much as I had hoped, I didn't particularly like the narrative swapping about so much although I do appreciate that it was marked with the names of the characters. The book got off to a good start but then it seemed to slow down and t0 me it became quite irritating. When people say
that a book is not true to life I always say well that's fiction for you but this certainly wasn't at all believable, however I did enjoy the ending.
that a book is not true to life I always say well that's fiction for you but this certainly wasn't at all believable, however I did enjoy the ending.
July 3, 2024
Nie wiem w sumie czego się spodziewałam, bo w ogóle nie miałam jej w planach, ale o ile pierwsza połowa jeszcze mi się podobała i słuchałam z zainteresowaniem, tak druga połowa niestety już nie przypadła mi do gustu. Ogólnie w ogóle nie podoba mi się, w jaki sposób ta fabuła się rozwinęła i nie kupił mnie pomysł na książkę. Na pewno jeszcze spojrzę na inne książki autorki, bo ma lekkie pióro i dość chętni brnęłam dalej (nawet mimo niechęci do wydarzeń), ale tutaj przyjaźń najwidoczniej była nam pisana.
December 7, 2018
On her wedding night, Evie throws herself off a cliff. Her husband is beside himself but her best friend seems to be hiding something. This was a tad predictable with some awful characters that I just could not warm to. There's nothing wrong with the writing, this just wasn't for me.
January 19, 2020
Very well written really enjoyed it
August 29, 2018
Wow, what a fabulous book! Filled with insight, intrigue, and twists that took me on an emotional journey as I empathised with characters.
I would give more than 5 stars to The Night She Died if I could. I have read 60+ thrillers so far this year and only said that twice!
I will be sure to read all Jenny Blackhurst's books.
I would give more than 5 stars to The Night She Died if I could. I have read 60+ thrillers so far this year and only said that twice!
I will be sure to read all Jenny Blackhurst's books.
September 10, 2018
The best psychological thrillers are those where authors use a premise which is a little out of the ordinary. That is exactly what Jenny Blackhurst has done in The Night She Died as she builds on her outstanding success of her previous books in this genre.
Picture the scene of lovely wedding between a happy couple. Move to the next frame and you see a woman in her wedding dress looking over the bay and then she is gone. Below the clifftop she stood on are rocks so the outcome doesn’t look great. And sure enough after that there is no trace of Evie, no body and no one knows quite why, or do they?
Evie White is the bride who disappears, she leaves no note and so her heartbroken groom is left with nothing except unanswered questions. Evie’s best friend is Rebecca and it is obvious to the reader that she knows something, but what it is she is keeping quiet about.
The book is told in two narratives, the past by Evie going back to her childhood to explain the woman she became, and the present, by Rebecca. Rebecca is propping up the groom who became a widower before he had any chance to enjoy his marriage. Unsurprisingly he isn’t coping too well especially as the police are trying to unravel the mystery of Evie’s apparent suicide which inevitably means that Richard finds out about the aspects of Evie’s life that she had kept hidden from him. It probably won’t surprise you to be told that both women are soon revealed to be what could be considered ‘complex characters.’
For those readers who love a tense and imaginative foray, this will be a book that you’ll enjoy and fortunately the author keeps the magic and the surprises coming from the first to the very last page. If I was going to be picky I’d probably state that I’m not sure that the police would expand quite so much energy on a suicide even if they did suspect foul play at the outset but if a book is well written and engaging then I’m prepared to overlook such quibbles.
Jenny Blackhurst hasn’t just come up with a good premise here she follows it through by writing appealing characters. Admittedly both women are complex but there is something appealing about them both and they are real. Most of us have met both an Evie and a Rebecca in our lives and so the author’s obvious investment in her characters pays off. I cared about them both even while trying to work out what had happened to cause Evie to throw herself off the cliff.
The timing is also impeccable. For me the joy of reading a psychological thriller is that hook that keeps you turning the pages. I tend to read this kind of novel faster than other types of books and the author has the format down to a tee. The short chapters the alternating time periods and narrators works so well to keep me turning the pages to find out the next piece of information and has me constantly changing my mind about what is relevant to the plot and what is not.
Picture the scene of lovely wedding between a happy couple. Move to the next frame and you see a woman in her wedding dress looking over the bay and then she is gone. Below the clifftop she stood on are rocks so the outcome doesn’t look great. And sure enough after that there is no trace of Evie, no body and no one knows quite why, or do they?
Evie White is the bride who disappears, she leaves no note and so her heartbroken groom is left with nothing except unanswered questions. Evie’s best friend is Rebecca and it is obvious to the reader that she knows something, but what it is she is keeping quiet about.
The book is told in two narratives, the past by Evie going back to her childhood to explain the woman she became, and the present, by Rebecca. Rebecca is propping up the groom who became a widower before he had any chance to enjoy his marriage. Unsurprisingly he isn’t coping too well especially as the police are trying to unravel the mystery of Evie’s apparent suicide which inevitably means that Richard finds out about the aspects of Evie’s life that she had kept hidden from him. It probably won’t surprise you to be told that both women are soon revealed to be what could be considered ‘complex characters.’
For those readers who love a tense and imaginative foray, this will be a book that you’ll enjoy and fortunately the author keeps the magic and the surprises coming from the first to the very last page. If I was going to be picky I’d probably state that I’m not sure that the police would expand quite so much energy on a suicide even if they did suspect foul play at the outset but if a book is well written and engaging then I’m prepared to overlook such quibbles.
Jenny Blackhurst hasn’t just come up with a good premise here she follows it through by writing appealing characters. Admittedly both women are complex but there is something appealing about them both and they are real. Most of us have met both an Evie and a Rebecca in our lives and so the author’s obvious investment in her characters pays off. I cared about them both even while trying to work out what had happened to cause Evie to throw herself off the cliff.
The timing is also impeccable. For me the joy of reading a psychological thriller is that hook that keeps you turning the pages. I tend to read this kind of novel faster than other types of books and the author has the format down to a tee. The short chapters the alternating time periods and narrators works so well to keep me turning the pages to find out the next piece of information and has me constantly changing my mind about what is relevant to the plot and what is not.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 411 reviews