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Kelly and Kennedy #3
When the Time Comes
Her husband says it's suicide. The police say it's murder.
Liam Buckley was a married man with two teenage children when he moved out of the family home to start a new life with his lover. His wife Jennifer never forgave him, but now she needs him to come back: she's been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and the kids can't cope alone.
One day after Liam moves home, Jennifer is found dead. Liam thinks it's suicide. But the police, led by DS Louise Kennedy, are convinced it's murder.
Liam hires a retired detective to help prove his innocence, but it's no easy task. The children are distraught, and Jennifer's best friend, Sarah, is waging a campaign against Liam, determined to expose him for a liar and a cheat.
As secrets surface from the complex web of Buckley family life, DS Kennedy must decide. Did Jennifer Buckley end her own life, or did Liam take it from her? The answer, when it comes, will shock them all...
Reviews for Adele O'Neill:
'Adele O'Neill explores the complexities of familial love and loss, loyalty and betrayal in a remarkable debut novel' Irish Sunday Independent.
'Incredibly moving, beautifully written, this dramatic tale of dark family secrets is impossible to put down. I loved it' Carmel Harrington.
'A riveting first novel' Belfast Telegraph.
'An easy-to-read yet complex storyline ... I recommend this book to any reader who enjoys family stories with a good strong plot' Helen Line, NetGalley.
'Excellent book ... I would recommend' Stephanie Collins, NetGalley.
'Brilliant debut novel. Great for Martina Cole fans. Will be looking for more in the future from this up-and-coming author' Gill Kenny, NetGalley.
'This book will tear at your heart strings, and you feel every emotion right along with Rose and Tim. A must-read for any fan of suspense, murder, and even romance and heartbreak' Nicole Scarpati, NetGalley.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2019
12 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Adele O'Neill
3 books11 followersHaving lived and worked in the UK and Dublin since college, Adele now lives in her home town in Co. Wicklow with her husband and two teenage daughters. She writes overlooking the Irish Sea and is an active member of the Wexford Literary Festival committee.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 6, 2019
EXCERPT: 'I think...' The ball at the back of my throat nearly chokes me as I try to speak - whether it's because Jenny is gone, or because Abbie and Josh are now motherless, or because I am going to be blamed for her death, I don't know. I inhale and lengthen my back with a subtle stretch and rub my eyes. They're red and raw from a combination of no sleep and lots of crying. She leans forward in response. I pause and inhale again, nerves making the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't. There is no other option but to say what I am about to say. At my momentary hesitation, she widens her eyes in expectation across the table. 'I think Jenny was murdered and I think someone is framing me for her death.'
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Liam Buckley was a married man with two teenage children when he moved out of the family home to start a new life with his lover. His wife Jennifer never forgave him, but now she needs him to come back: she's been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and the kids can't cope alone.
One day after Liam moves home, Jennifer is found dead. Liam thinks it's suicide. But the police, led by DS Louise Kennedy, are convinced it's murder.
Liam hires a retired detective to help prove his innocence, but it's no easy task. The children are distraught, and Jennifer's best friend, Sarah, is waging a campaign against Liam, determined to expose him for a liar and a cheat.
As secrets surface from the complex web of Buckley family life, DS Kennedy must decide. Did Jennifer Buckley end her own life, or did Liam take it from her? The answer, when it comes, will shock them all...
MY THOUGHTS: I have had to think about When the Time Comes for a couple of days before writing my review. There are complex issues in this book - the right to decide how and when a person with a terminal illness is able to die, infidelity, blending families, teenage hormones....and the list goes on.
I enjoyed the read in varying degrees as the book progressed. It is not always an easy read. But it is, I think, a very realistic portrayal of a complicated situation.
It made me wonder how I would feel if I were in Alex's shoes; my lover, my partner returning to his family to care for his children, with no plans in place for the future.
I wondered, if I was Jenny, would I be able to ask my ex to move back in to take care of the children? Although not little at almost eighteen and fifteen years old, they are still vulnerable.
I wondered, if I were Liam, would I be able to put my new life on hold while I move back into the old one?
Everyone in this story is somehow displaced, with futures up in the air, lives hanging in the balance. The uncertainty of everything is major influence in the storyline. Did Liam kill Jenny? There certainly seem to be strong motives for having done so. But would he take the risk of leaving his children without a parent? And if it wasn't Liam that killed her, then who did?
All the time I was reading, I had questions which were, thankfully, answered by the end.
A thought provoking read and one that had me in tears more than once.
I didn't realise until now that this is book 3 of the Kelly and Kennedy series. These characters actually paid quite a minor role in this book. But I am intrigued enough to want to read the others in this series.
🤔🤨😥😍
#WhenTheTimeComes #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Having lived and worked in the UK and Dublin since college, Adele now lives in her home town in Co. Wicklow with her husband and two teenage daughters. She writes overlooking the Irish Sea and is an active member of the Wexford Literary Festival committee.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria Books, via Netgalley, for providing a digital ARC of When the Time Comes by Adele O'Neill for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Liam Buckley was a married man with two teenage children when he moved out of the family home to start a new life with his lover. His wife Jennifer never forgave him, but now she needs him to come back: she's been diagnosed with a terminal illness, and the kids can't cope alone.
One day after Liam moves home, Jennifer is found dead. Liam thinks it's suicide. But the police, led by DS Louise Kennedy, are convinced it's murder.
Liam hires a retired detective to help prove his innocence, but it's no easy task. The children are distraught, and Jennifer's best friend, Sarah, is waging a campaign against Liam, determined to expose him for a liar and a cheat.
As secrets surface from the complex web of Buckley family life, DS Kennedy must decide. Did Jennifer Buckley end her own life, or did Liam take it from her? The answer, when it comes, will shock them all...
MY THOUGHTS: I have had to think about When the Time Comes for a couple of days before writing my review. There are complex issues in this book - the right to decide how and when a person with a terminal illness is able to die, infidelity, blending families, teenage hormones....and the list goes on.
I enjoyed the read in varying degrees as the book progressed. It is not always an easy read. But it is, I think, a very realistic portrayal of a complicated situation.
It made me wonder how I would feel if I were in Alex's shoes; my lover, my partner returning to his family to care for his children, with no plans in place for the future.
I wondered, if I was Jenny, would I be able to ask my ex to move back in to take care of the children? Although not little at almost eighteen and fifteen years old, they are still vulnerable.
I wondered, if I were Liam, would I be able to put my new life on hold while I move back into the old one?
Everyone in this story is somehow displaced, with futures up in the air, lives hanging in the balance. The uncertainty of everything is major influence in the storyline. Did Liam kill Jenny? There certainly seem to be strong motives for having done so. But would he take the risk of leaving his children without a parent? And if it wasn't Liam that killed her, then who did?
All the time I was reading, I had questions which were, thankfully, answered by the end.
A thought provoking read and one that had me in tears more than once.
I didn't realise until now that this is book 3 of the Kelly and Kennedy series. These characters actually paid quite a minor role in this book. But I am intrigued enough to want to read the others in this series.
🤔🤨😥😍
#WhenTheTimeComes #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Having lived and worked in the UK and Dublin since college, Adele now lives in her home town in Co. Wicklow with her husband and two teenage daughters. She writes overlooking the Irish Sea and is an active member of the Wexford Literary Festival committee.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Aria Books, via Netgalley, for providing a digital ARC of When the Time Comes by Adele O'Neill for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
November 21, 2019
The premise of the book sounds really interesting - did Jenny Buckley commit suicide before Motor Neurone Disease renders her completely incapacitated or does her husband Liam help her, in which case it’s murder.? This seems intriguing and very relevant as debates about Assisted Suicide do feature in the news from time to time. The case is investigated by DS Louise Kennedy and comes to court with Liam facing a murder charge.
There are some good descriptions and initially I think the story unfolds well and it held my interest for about 50%, however, it’s more about the family and relationships than it is about an investigation. I feel that takes a back seat in the story and only surfaces from time to time. The emotions the characters feel are well described and I think the ripple effects of a rapidly advancing and incurable disease on family and friends is done well. I think the impact on Jenny and Liam’s children Josh (17) and Abbie (15) is particularly good as they are very different and so cope differently. They have a lovely bond which comes across well in the story. Jenny is adamant that when the time comes she will choose to end her life and she has made that clear via the media and I like and admire her determination. However, so many unnecessary things get in the way of this central premise that I began to lose some interest. There are conversations between characters that in my opinion did not advance the story at all and sadly Louise suffers a miscarriage during the investigation and there is a lengthy section on this. It feels it detracts from the focus on Jenny. Frankly, there is very little about the investigation.
Part three is the section I feel works least well. There’s a big jump first of all to Liam’s trial which is part of the focus and is interspersed with various characters three days before Jenny dies. There is a lot of over detail and repetition and although we learn some crucial things on this section I feel the storytelling doesn’t flow.
Overall, there are some good things in this book but I would have liked more prominence given to the issues raised via Liam’s trial.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria Fiction for this ARC in return for an honest review.
There are some good descriptions and initially I think the story unfolds well and it held my interest for about 50%, however, it’s more about the family and relationships than it is about an investigation. I feel that takes a back seat in the story and only surfaces from time to time. The emotions the characters feel are well described and I think the ripple effects of a rapidly advancing and incurable disease on family and friends is done well. I think the impact on Jenny and Liam’s children Josh (17) and Abbie (15) is particularly good as they are very different and so cope differently. They have a lovely bond which comes across well in the story. Jenny is adamant that when the time comes she will choose to end her life and she has made that clear via the media and I like and admire her determination. However, so many unnecessary things get in the way of this central premise that I began to lose some interest. There are conversations between characters that in my opinion did not advance the story at all and sadly Louise suffers a miscarriage during the investigation and there is a lengthy section on this. It feels it detracts from the focus on Jenny. Frankly, there is very little about the investigation.
Part three is the section I feel works least well. There’s a big jump first of all to Liam’s trial which is part of the focus and is interspersed with various characters three days before Jenny dies. There is a lot of over detail and repetition and although we learn some crucial things on this section I feel the storytelling doesn’t flow.
Overall, there are some good things in this book but I would have liked more prominence given to the issues raised via Liam’s trial.
Thank you to NetGalley and Aria Fiction for this ARC in return for an honest review.
November 18, 2019
Kelly & Kennedy #3
Jennifer Buckley is terminally ill. Her husband had left her two years ago to go and live with another woman. Jennifer has motor neuron disease. She has told everybody that she will commit suicide when the time is right. She asks her husband if he will move back into the family home for the sake of their two daughters. Liam agrees. But two days after he moves back in, Jennider is dead and Liam is charged with her murder.
This story is certainly dysfunctional. The timeline is all over the place. The book starts just after Jennifer has died. The third part of the book is about the trial. The story is told from several point of view. There was quite a lot of repetition in the dialogue. My heart went out to Jennifer who had to live with motor neuron disease. There are parts of this book that didn't necessarily need to be there. If that had been the case, I would have given this book another star.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Aria and the author Adele O'Neill for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Jennifer Buckley is terminally ill. Her husband had left her two years ago to go and live with another woman. Jennifer has motor neuron disease. She has told everybody that she will commit suicide when the time is right. She asks her husband if he will move back into the family home for the sake of their two daughters. Liam agrees. But two days after he moves back in, Jennider is dead and Liam is charged with her murder.
This story is certainly dysfunctional. The timeline is all over the place. The book starts just after Jennifer has died. The third part of the book is about the trial. The story is told from several point of view. There was quite a lot of repetition in the dialogue. My heart went out to Jennifer who had to live with motor neuron disease. There are parts of this book that didn't necessarily need to be there. If that had been the case, I would have given this book another star.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Aria and the author Adele O'Neill for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 10, 2020
If you like pure family drama with a lot of sentimental dialogues floating around, then this might just be the book for you. Sadly, this wasn't for me. The topic of an assisted-suicide/murder case caught my attention and I went in expecting a gripping police procedural. I tried my best to really get into the story of Jenny Buckley & her family. I just couldn't! 10%in and I wanted to get it over with. There was a LOT of repetitive dialogues & LOT of sappy family drama with tiny little snippets of the police procedural I thought I was reading - not my cup of tea! This book was saturated with the tears of the Buckley family from start to the end & it just got annoying after sometime.
I'm leaving in 2 stars because I feel this book was miscategorized but might work for someone who really likes emotional reads. It really shouldn't marketed as a thriller/suspense/police procedural.
Thank you, NetGalley, Aria & Adele O'Neill for an arc!
I'm leaving in 2 stars because I feel this book was miscategorized but might work for someone who really likes emotional reads. It really shouldn't marketed as a thriller/suspense/police procedural.
Thank you, NetGalley, Aria & Adele O'Neill for an arc!
December 15, 2019
Deciding to indulge my loves of family drama and mystery once again, I chose to read When The Time Comes by Adele O'Neill. I had no expectations going into this and it was a lovely surprise and such a pleasure that I enjoyed this story so much.
Jenny Buckley has a terminal illness and she needs her estranged husband, Liam, to move back into the family home for their two teenage children, daughter Abbie (15) and son Josh (17). The very next day Jenny is found dead. The police, led by DS Louise Kennedy of Blackrock Garda, are convinced it's murder. Louise Kennedy interviews Liam who denies any involvement, but someone assisted Jenny in ending her life, though who? Liam thinks Jenny took her own life, yet Louise remains convinced it was murder, so what really happened?
Told from different viewpoints, this was a very good read. I enjoy a split narrative and there were a fair few narrators in When the Time Comes - Jenny, Liam, Josh, Abbie, Josh, and Louise - though not enough time was spent with any one of them, so it was a challenge to become totally invested. For me, the book's main strength was Adele O'Neill's excellent portrayal of each characters' emotions, and the consequences of Jenny's advancing and untreatable disease on her family. The impact on Jenny and Liam’s son and daughter was especially well-told as their psyches were so different. They had a lovely bond which came across extremely well.
The story unfolds well though the novel is much more of a family drama than a police investigation. All in all, I enjoyed the author's writing style and the story was meaningful, thought-provoking and totally absorbing. When the Time Comes served as an amuse-bouche, as well as serving as a springboard from which I am looking to read Adele O'Neill's future work. Highly recommended to those who enjoy a great family drama with a good sprinkling of mystery.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Aria via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
Jenny Buckley has a terminal illness and she needs her estranged husband, Liam, to move back into the family home for their two teenage children, daughter Abbie (15) and son Josh (17). The very next day Jenny is found dead. The police, led by DS Louise Kennedy of Blackrock Garda, are convinced it's murder. Louise Kennedy interviews Liam who denies any involvement, but someone assisted Jenny in ending her life, though who? Liam thinks Jenny took her own life, yet Louise remains convinced it was murder, so what really happened?
Told from different viewpoints, this was a very good read. I enjoy a split narrative and there were a fair few narrators in When the Time Comes - Jenny, Liam, Josh, Abbie, Josh, and Louise - though not enough time was spent with any one of them, so it was a challenge to become totally invested. For me, the book's main strength was Adele O'Neill's excellent portrayal of each characters' emotions, and the consequences of Jenny's advancing and untreatable disease on her family. The impact on Jenny and Liam’s son and daughter was especially well-told as their psyches were so different. They had a lovely bond which came across extremely well.
The story unfolds well though the novel is much more of a family drama than a police investigation. All in all, I enjoyed the author's writing style and the story was meaningful, thought-provoking and totally absorbing. When the Time Comes served as an amuse-bouche, as well as serving as a springboard from which I am looking to read Adele O'Neill's future work. Highly recommended to those who enjoy a great family drama with a good sprinkling of mystery.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my request, from Aria via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.
February 13, 2020
This was supposed to be a police procedural, but it was more of a family and legal drama. I enjoyed reading it as it explored the gray area of medicine and assisted suicide
Jennifer had motor neuron disease, wanted to die with dignity, and was fighting for euthanasia. She asked her ex-husband Liam to move back home for the sake of the kids so that they had a parent to go to once her time approached. But the next night, she was found dead by Liam with a needle puncture in her arm and a syringe by the side of the bed. Liam was arrested for murder.
My first book by author Adele O'Neill, the premise was fantastic. I loved the constant flipping of mind regarding the husband. He was not very likable in the entire book. The writing was choppy and the timelines haywire, but it was a complex situation which was depicted well. Though there was not much of investigation, the author showed the backstory of almost all the characters.
I didn't know it was book 3 in the series, for me, it worked well as a standalone as I got to listen to everyone's viewpoint. Some of them were quite emotional to read about. The characters were developed well, though I never warmed up to Liam and his girlfriend Alex, I felt the most for daughter Abbie. She was the best in the book, vulnerable and most intelligent. The book turned because of her.
The plot was guessable, the court scenes made it interesting. It became a whodunit from there on. Overall, a fun book.
Jennifer had motor neuron disease, wanted to die with dignity, and was fighting for euthanasia. She asked her ex-husband Liam to move back home for the sake of the kids so that they had a parent to go to once her time approached. But the next night, she was found dead by Liam with a needle puncture in her arm and a syringe by the side of the bed. Liam was arrested for murder.
My first book by author Adele O'Neill, the premise was fantastic. I loved the constant flipping of mind regarding the husband. He was not very likable in the entire book. The writing was choppy and the timelines haywire, but it was a complex situation which was depicted well. Though there was not much of investigation, the author showed the backstory of almost all the characters.
I didn't know it was book 3 in the series, for me, it worked well as a standalone as I got to listen to everyone's viewpoint. Some of them were quite emotional to read about. The characters were developed well, though I never warmed up to Liam and his girlfriend Alex, I felt the most for daughter Abbie. She was the best in the book, vulnerable and most intelligent. The book turned because of her.
The plot was guessable, the court scenes made it interesting. It became a whodunit from there on. Overall, a fun book.
February 27, 2020
I only found out this was the third novel in a detective series after I finished reading the novel. Louise’s life did make out part of the story so I presume there are still things I don’t know about her and her partner but I never had a feeling of not knowing enough. I can say that the author wrote about the investigators in a realistic way and there were ups and downs in their personal life too. Some readers may find it distracting from the main story, it is sort of a side story after all, but I liked seeing them as people with real problems too, Louise wasn’t a detective in the abstract sense after a while anymore.
I might say I could see the novel as divided in three parts. The first was about the side characters mostly, Liam and Alex and Louise and (Tony) Kelly. Then came the part about Jennifer, which built up to the trial in the third part of the novel.
When The Time Comes is a novel that tells the reader everything about Jennifer Buckley, her ex-husband Liam and their two children Josh and Abbie. By extention there’s also Liam’s new lover involved and her sister, who happens to be the detective who becomes involved in the case. There’s quite a few characters but I like how they’re all linked and it didn’t pose any problems following who’s who. The only thing that threw me at the start and I had to get a bit used to were two of the character’s names, because Alex is more often a guy’s name here and Kelly is always a girl and in this story it’s the other way around (well Kelly is a last name but for some reason it’s the only character whose first name is only mentioned once).
I thought that the focus of the novel would be largely on the murder investigation and the question whether Liam – suspect numero uno – did or didn’t kill his ex-wife but the author kept me in suspense as the investigation is mostly covered in the final part of the novel. Although this was of course what I was waiting for and therefore one of my favorite parts of the novel, I also became more invested in the family themselves in the build up to the trial.
When The Time Comes was almost more of a family drama than a murder mystery, well if it was a murder in the first place that is because Jennifer Buckley was pro euthanasia and didn’t make it a secret exactly. She hated that the motor neurone disease she’d been diagnosed with left her feeling more trapped in her body with each passing day. She called it the 1000 day disease and when 900 of them passed she made arrangements for her children to be looked after by their father. It meant Liam moved back in to take care of them but as soon as he did she wound up dead. Coincidence? I think not ;-).
The impact of her disease and the consequences on everyone around her were prominent and made me care for this little family. The novel deals with some emotional and hard topics but it was still very enjoyable and easy to read.
At first I wondered who would have killed her, or helped her to kill herself, but after a while I had nothing more than a hunch to go on about what happened. The way the truth was revealed left me with a smile on my face though, quite clever from the author!
I might say I could see the novel as divided in three parts. The first was about the side characters mostly, Liam and Alex and Louise and (Tony) Kelly. Then came the part about Jennifer, which built up to the trial in the third part of the novel.
When The Time Comes is a novel that tells the reader everything about Jennifer Buckley, her ex-husband Liam and their two children Josh and Abbie. By extention there’s also Liam’s new lover involved and her sister, who happens to be the detective who becomes involved in the case. There’s quite a few characters but I like how they’re all linked and it didn’t pose any problems following who’s who. The only thing that threw me at the start and I had to get a bit used to were two of the character’s names, because Alex is more often a guy’s name here and Kelly is always a girl and in this story it’s the other way around (well Kelly is a last name but for some reason it’s the only character whose first name is only mentioned once).
I thought that the focus of the novel would be largely on the murder investigation and the question whether Liam – suspect numero uno – did or didn’t kill his ex-wife but the author kept me in suspense as the investigation is mostly covered in the final part of the novel. Although this was of course what I was waiting for and therefore one of my favorite parts of the novel, I also became more invested in the family themselves in the build up to the trial.
When The Time Comes was almost more of a family drama than a murder mystery, well if it was a murder in the first place that is because Jennifer Buckley was pro euthanasia and didn’t make it a secret exactly. She hated that the motor neurone disease she’d been diagnosed with left her feeling more trapped in her body with each passing day. She called it the 1000 day disease and when 900 of them passed she made arrangements for her children to be looked after by their father. It meant Liam moved back in to take care of them but as soon as he did she wound up dead. Coincidence? I think not ;-).
The impact of her disease and the consequences on everyone around her were prominent and made me care for this little family. The novel deals with some emotional and hard topics but it was still very enjoyable and easy to read.
At first I wondered who would have killed her, or helped her to kill herself, but after a while I had nothing more than a hunch to go on about what happened. The way the truth was revealed left me with a smile on my face though, quite clever from the author!
February 18, 2020
If your looking for a family drama then this is a good read.
Liam has left the family home to live with his girlfriend. When his wife Jennifer needs him as she’s got a terminal illness he moves back in to help her and their two kids. When Jennifer is found dead is it a suicide or murder?
A pretty easy enough read I read it pretty quickly. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Liam has left the family home to live with his girlfriend. When his wife Jennifer needs him as she’s got a terminal illness he moves back in to help her and their two kids. When Jennifer is found dead is it a suicide or murder?
A pretty easy enough read I read it pretty quickly. Looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
January 4, 2020
I literally LOVED Adele O'Neill's first book
"Brothers and Sisters"
and I couldn't wait for more of Kelly and Kennedy. But somehow I missed the second one so when I saw WHEN THE TIME COMES up for request I jumped on it.
Liam Buckley left his wife Jenny two years ago to move in with girlfriend Alex - who incidentally is Louise Kennedy's twin sister, the detective in this series. But then Jenny was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease and as the diseased progressed she told those closest to her that she will end her life when the time is right and before she is unable to do so. Her intentions were always made pretty clear. But for the moment, she needs her estranged husband to return home to care for their two teenage children Josh (17) and Abbie (15). Liam agrees. The next day Jenny is dead and Liam is charged with her murder.
When Liam fronts up to the Garda station, he is sure someone is trying to frame him for Jenny's death although he is certain she committed suicide. DS Louise Kennedy questions Liam thoroughly but he denies any involvement. And yet Louise is convinced someone assisted Jenny in ending her life...after all, that's what Jenny always intended. So what really happened?
Determined to restore his good name, Liam hires retired detective Kelly to delve into the family's secrets and prove his innocence. But with Jenny's best friend, Sarah, conducting her own campaign against him, exposing him as a liar and a cheat, it proves to be no easy task. But secrets begin to surface and the web of complexities that is the Buckley's family life is put under the microscope.
And then there is Alex, Liam's girlfriend and lover, cast aside as he returns to the family home. How does she fit into this new way of life? He left his wife for her and now he left her for his family. He doesn't appear to have any plans for the future which leaves Alex somewhere in limbo. And the fact that she is Louise's sister should have been reason enough for Louise to have to recuse herself from the investigation. It just all becomes one big messy tangled web of complexities.
The story is told from many different viewpoints - Liam, Louise, Sarah, Jenny, Abbie, Josh - which is not necessarily a bad thing, but in this case it was a little confusing. I don't know whether it was just me because I normally love split narratives but I just couldn't seem to get my head around what the actual point they were making was. For half of the book I under the impression Sarah was Jenny's sister the way she referred to their life before Liam. At one point she was even called Sarah Buckley which threw me as I thought her name was Sarah Barry. In Sarah's third person narrative, I remember being thoroughly confused as to whose narrative it was as it seemed to switch between Sarah's thoughts and Abbie's. I was thoroughly confused.
The story is incredibly dysfunctional with everyone somehow displaced with a timeline all over the place. What I also found disappointing was this was more of a family drama than a mystery thriller or police procedural. But even so, I found each of the characters irritating which disappointed me given how much I absolutely LOVED "Brothers and Sisters".
In all, what I expected was not what was delivered and the central storyline is buried somewhere under all the other incidental elements in the web of family drama.
The premise for the book was intriguing - did Jenny Buckley commit suicide or was she murdered? Given that the topic of assisted suicide and euthanasia is a controversial issue the idea of it being interwoven with a mystery thriller was a fascinating concept. But it failed to, not only address the issue, but also keep me as a reader enthralled with a captivating storyline. The fact that it is titled WHEN THE TIME COMES alone suggests that assisted suicide is the underlying theme. But what was really dished up was a main course of family drama with a side of investigation. Given that "Brothers and Sisters" was worthy of 10 stars, I sadly felt this one could only rate 1 or 2.
Maybe I missed the plot with this one but sadly WHEN THE TIME COMES wasn't as captivating as it promised. But I won't give up. Adele O'Neill's first one, as I keep saying, was so brilliant I still have high hopes for future releases. Just not this one.
I would like to thank #AdeleONeill, #NetGalley and #Aria for an ARC of #WhenTheTimeComes in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Liam Buckley left his wife Jenny two years ago to move in with girlfriend Alex - who incidentally is Louise Kennedy's twin sister, the detective in this series. But then Jenny was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease and as the diseased progressed she told those closest to her that she will end her life when the time is right and before she is unable to do so. Her intentions were always made pretty clear. But for the moment, she needs her estranged husband to return home to care for their two teenage children Josh (17) and Abbie (15). Liam agrees. The next day Jenny is dead and Liam is charged with her murder.
When Liam fronts up to the Garda station, he is sure someone is trying to frame him for Jenny's death although he is certain she committed suicide. DS Louise Kennedy questions Liam thoroughly but he denies any involvement. And yet Louise is convinced someone assisted Jenny in ending her life...after all, that's what Jenny always intended. So what really happened?
Determined to restore his good name, Liam hires retired detective Kelly to delve into the family's secrets and prove his innocence. But with Jenny's best friend, Sarah, conducting her own campaign against him, exposing him as a liar and a cheat, it proves to be no easy task. But secrets begin to surface and the web of complexities that is the Buckley's family life is put under the microscope.
And then there is Alex, Liam's girlfriend and lover, cast aside as he returns to the family home. How does she fit into this new way of life? He left his wife for her and now he left her for his family. He doesn't appear to have any plans for the future which leaves Alex somewhere in limbo. And the fact that she is Louise's sister should have been reason enough for Louise to have to recuse herself from the investigation. It just all becomes one big messy tangled web of complexities.
The story is told from many different viewpoints - Liam, Louise, Sarah, Jenny, Abbie, Josh - which is not necessarily a bad thing, but in this case it was a little confusing. I don't know whether it was just me because I normally love split narratives but I just couldn't seem to get my head around what the actual point they were making was. For half of the book I under the impression Sarah was Jenny's sister the way she referred to their life before Liam. At one point she was even called Sarah Buckley which threw me as I thought her name was Sarah Barry. In Sarah's third person narrative, I remember being thoroughly confused as to whose narrative it was as it seemed to switch between Sarah's thoughts and Abbie's. I was thoroughly confused.
The story is incredibly dysfunctional with everyone somehow displaced with a timeline all over the place. What I also found disappointing was this was more of a family drama than a mystery thriller or police procedural. But even so, I found each of the characters irritating which disappointed me given how much I absolutely LOVED "Brothers and Sisters".
In all, what I expected was not what was delivered and the central storyline is buried somewhere under all the other incidental elements in the web of family drama.
The premise for the book was intriguing - did Jenny Buckley commit suicide or was she murdered? Given that the topic of assisted suicide and euthanasia is a controversial issue the idea of it being interwoven with a mystery thriller was a fascinating concept. But it failed to, not only address the issue, but also keep me as a reader enthralled with a captivating storyline. The fact that it is titled WHEN THE TIME COMES alone suggests that assisted suicide is the underlying theme. But what was really dished up was a main course of family drama with a side of investigation. Given that "Brothers and Sisters" was worthy of 10 stars, I sadly felt this one could only rate 1 or 2.
Maybe I missed the plot with this one but sadly WHEN THE TIME COMES wasn't as captivating as it promised. But I won't give up. Adele O'Neill's first one, as I keep saying, was so brilliant I still have high hopes for future releases. Just not this one.
I would like to thank #AdeleONeill, #NetGalley and #Aria for an ARC of #WhenTheTimeComes in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
February 17, 2020
*I voluntarily reviewed this book from Netgalley.
An emotionally-compelling story, WHEN THE TIME COMES by Adele O'Neill will break your heart while making you question just how well you know those that you love?
A few years ago, Liam left his wife, Jennifer, and two teenage children to move in with his girlfriend. Jennifer is diagnosed with Motor Neuron's Disease and it isn't long before she needs more help and needs Liam to step up more and be there for their children who are struggling with what is happening and what is going to happen in the future. So Liam moves back in to be the parent that Jennifer knows he will have to be in the future. Their son thinks it's a bad idea, Jennifer's best friend Sarah thinks it's a bad idea, and Liam's girlfriend and her family think it's a bad idea, but Jennifer can see no other way. But when Jennifer is discovered dead just after he moves in, everything takes a sinister turn because as the days pass it is looking more and more like Jennifer was murdered ...
The characters are an unusual bunch in this book in that the only one I really felt anything for was Jennifer. My heart broke for this mother who was slipping away slowly each day and who knew she wouldn't be there to see her kids in their adult life. But I loved her strength and determination to be herself and fight for her rights with regards to assisted suicide which is still a contentious issue worldwide. The drama unfolds quickly and I wasn't sure what I thought - did Jennifer kill herself, did someone help her, or did someone murder her? but by the end, the answers are given but it wasn't exactly what I expected.
There are many sensitive topics dealt with in this story which I thought the author handled well.
WHEN THE TIME COMES by Adele O'Neill definitely falls into the genre of family drama but it is more than that and is sure to suit many fiction readers.
An emotionally-compelling story, WHEN THE TIME COMES by Adele O'Neill will break your heart while making you question just how well you know those that you love?
A few years ago, Liam left his wife, Jennifer, and two teenage children to move in with his girlfriend. Jennifer is diagnosed with Motor Neuron's Disease and it isn't long before she needs more help and needs Liam to step up more and be there for their children who are struggling with what is happening and what is going to happen in the future. So Liam moves back in to be the parent that Jennifer knows he will have to be in the future. Their son thinks it's a bad idea, Jennifer's best friend Sarah thinks it's a bad idea, and Liam's girlfriend and her family think it's a bad idea, but Jennifer can see no other way. But when Jennifer is discovered dead just after he moves in, everything takes a sinister turn because as the days pass it is looking more and more like Jennifer was murdered ...
The characters are an unusual bunch in this book in that the only one I really felt anything for was Jennifer. My heart broke for this mother who was slipping away slowly each day and who knew she wouldn't be there to see her kids in their adult life. But I loved her strength and determination to be herself and fight for her rights with regards to assisted suicide which is still a contentious issue worldwide. The drama unfolds quickly and I wasn't sure what I thought - did Jennifer kill herself, did someone help her, or did someone murder her? but by the end, the answers are given but it wasn't exactly what I expected.
There are many sensitive topics dealt with in this story which I thought the author handled well.
WHEN THE TIME COMES by Adele O'Neill definitely falls into the genre of family drama but it is more than that and is sure to suit many fiction readers.
October 8, 2019
As soon as I began reading I knew it was going to be a long night. I could not put this book down until I devoured every word. This was a very well-written story—so good, in fact, that I forced myself not to cheat by taking a peek at the ending.
However, at first I was completely engrossed with the tale, but as the story drew to its conclusion, I felt like I missed something. I was never convinced that Liam and Jenny fell out of love. With their relationship dynamic being the central catalyst in the plot, it was hard to wrap my mind around some of the story arcs. As to how matters unfolded: the trial portion of the book and the circumstances surrounding Jenny's death became predictable; and Alex and Liam's relationship seemed to be too wooden, more like a plot device than a love affair. As far as the content, there were some instances of head-hopping within the chapters that affected the readability.
Although a couple of things niggled at me, this was a very good story and with a few edits it has the potential to be an exceptional story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Aria, and Adele O'Neill for an ARC of 'When the Time Comes' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
However, at first I was completely engrossed with the tale, but as the story drew to its conclusion, I felt like I missed something. I was never convinced that Liam and Jenny fell out of love. With their relationship dynamic being the central catalyst in the plot, it was hard to wrap my mind around some of the story arcs. As to how matters unfolded: the trial portion of the book and the circumstances surrounding Jenny's death became predictable; and Alex and Liam's relationship seemed to be too wooden, more like a plot device than a love affair. As far as the content, there were some instances of head-hopping within the chapters that affected the readability.
Although a couple of things niggled at me, this was a very good story and with a few edits it has the potential to be an exceptional story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Aria, and Adele O'Neill for an ARC of 'When the Time Comes' in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.
December 19, 2019
As I told my "educator review" folks, this is "A Brilliant Suspense Read". I personally recommended this to former students, as well. Liam takes himself to the police station in Dublin - this to explain to his lover's twin (DS Louise Kennedy) about his ex-wife's death. Louise's twin, Alex, has been living with Liam for 2 years. Abruptly, Liam has to leave Alex (for a while) to be with jenny and his kids, Abbie (15) and Josh (17). Liam arrives on the day prior to when Jenny, his ex, passes away.
After Liam's side of the story is told to DS Kennedy, Liam goes home to find (his enemy?) Sarah, Jenny's best friend, comforting his children.
Meanwhile, pregnant DS Kennedy and her husband, Kelly, have recently moved - and the DS is pregnant. Sure that she will be taken off the case due to Alex's involvement with Liam, DS Kennedy gives her all to investigate Jenny's death.
Oh, yes, Jenny had made it known to the public that she supports assisted suicide...
And from there we weave a web that is painful and surprising. Adele O'Neil has presented a wonderful case story in the realm of domestic thrillers!
Many Thanks to Aria and netGalley for the opportunity to read "this cannot put down" book.
After Liam's side of the story is told to DS Kennedy, Liam goes home to find (his enemy?) Sarah, Jenny's best friend, comforting his children.
Meanwhile, pregnant DS Kennedy and her husband, Kelly, have recently moved - and the DS is pregnant. Sure that she will be taken off the case due to Alex's involvement with Liam, DS Kennedy gives her all to investigate Jenny's death.
Oh, yes, Jenny had made it known to the public that she supports assisted suicide...
And from there we weave a web that is painful and surprising. Adele O'Neil has presented a wonderful case story in the realm of domestic thrillers!
Many Thanks to Aria and netGalley for the opportunity to read "this cannot put down" book.
July 15, 2020
“Her husband says it’s suicide. The police say it’s murder!” I loved the tag line and it made the book shoot up my mile long TBR list.
the author has created a thought-provoking, heartbreaking plot centering on the Buckley family with the death of terminally ill scorned ex-wife Jennifer. Jennifer made her views on euthanasia and her intention to take her own life very clear, she was losing the battle against Motor Neuron Disease and wanted to decide when it was time, The police believe Liam killed his wife so he can go back to his happy life with new girlfriend.
The author draws you in with heartwrenching moments with emotive and descriptive language but keeps the pace going and the story moving.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review - a solid 4/5 stars from me.voluntarily.
the author has created a thought-provoking, heartbreaking plot centering on the Buckley family with the death of terminally ill scorned ex-wife Jennifer. Jennifer made her views on euthanasia and her intention to take her own life very clear, she was losing the battle against Motor Neuron Disease and wanted to decide when it was time, The police believe Liam killed his wife so he can go back to his happy life with new girlfriend.
The author draws you in with heartwrenching moments with emotive and descriptive language but keeps the pace going and the story moving.
Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review - a solid 4/5 stars from me.voluntarily.
December 5, 2019
This one missed the mark for me. More of a family drama than a mystery or thriller. The subject of assisted suicide is handled thoughtfully and well written. The characters were lacking in depth. A lot of the courtroom drama was dry and unnecessary and I found myself skipping through many parts of the book. I was only mildly surprised by the reveal. I found the ending itself during Abbie's speech to be one of the best parts of the book. I never would have guessed there was a previous book as I didn't feel like this one was focused much on Kelly and Louisa as ongoing characters in a series.
June 12, 2025
When the Time Comes is a compelling read that had me in its clutches right from the beginning. What drew me in immediately, was the tag line in the synopsis “Her husband says it��s suicide. The police say it’s murder!” I didn’t even read what the rest of the story was about. I didn’t need to, as I was already hooked!
Adele has created an intriguing plot that is both thought-provoking and heartbreaking. It is more of a family drama about the tragedy that befalls the Buckley family with the death of ex-wife, mother and friend, Jennifer Buckley. As an advocate for euthanasia, Jennifer had wanted to end her life as she was losing the battle against Motor Neuron Disease. Not convinced, the police at once set their sights on Jennifer’s ex-husband Liam as the murderer. Isn’t it always the husband? Hmmm, you will just have to read this to find out, won’t you…
All of the characters have been well developed and all come to life so well through Adele’s writing. Although I can’t say I connected with all of them, the standouts for me were definitely Jennifer and her daughter Abbie. Both of them provided more of the heartwrenching moments in the story and really tore at the heartstrings. Have the tissues handy!
Adele expertly draws the reader in and does a great job in keeping your attention throughout. All told through writing that is engaging, emotive and descriptive, Adele sets up the opening scene really well and wastes no time in kicking things off and getting stuck into it.
I didn’t realise that this was the 3rd book in the Kelly and Kennedy series and in no way did this hinder my enjoyment of the book. It can easily be read as a standalone and honestly, I would not have even known if it wasn’t brought to my attention from other readers.
All up When the Time Comes is an utterly gripping tale that is a must-read. A new author to me, Adele is a great storyteller and I look forward to reading more from her. It was an absolute pleasure to read and review When the Time Comes which I recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley, Aria Fiction and Adele O’Neill for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Other Woman which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Adele has created an intriguing plot that is both thought-provoking and heartbreaking. It is more of a family drama about the tragedy that befalls the Buckley family with the death of ex-wife, mother and friend, Jennifer Buckley. As an advocate for euthanasia, Jennifer had wanted to end her life as she was losing the battle against Motor Neuron Disease. Not convinced, the police at once set their sights on Jennifer’s ex-husband Liam as the murderer. Isn’t it always the husband? Hmmm, you will just have to read this to find out, won’t you…
All of the characters have been well developed and all come to life so well through Adele’s writing. Although I can’t say I connected with all of them, the standouts for me were definitely Jennifer and her daughter Abbie. Both of them provided more of the heartwrenching moments in the story and really tore at the heartstrings. Have the tissues handy!
Adele expertly draws the reader in and does a great job in keeping your attention throughout. All told through writing that is engaging, emotive and descriptive, Adele sets up the opening scene really well and wastes no time in kicking things off and getting stuck into it.
I didn’t realise that this was the 3rd book in the Kelly and Kennedy series and in no way did this hinder my enjoyment of the book. It can easily be read as a standalone and honestly, I would not have even known if it wasn’t brought to my attention from other readers.
All up When the Time Comes is an utterly gripping tale that is a must-read. A new author to me, Adele is a great storyteller and I look forward to reading more from her. It was an absolute pleasure to read and review When the Time Comes which I recommend.
Thank you to NetGalley, Aria Fiction and Adele O’Neill for allowing me to read an advanced copy of The Other Woman which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
November 17, 2020
*I've got this book from NetGalley in exchange of an honest review*
So, where do I begine. Firstly, I was expecting a solid crime thriller, just because of the synopsis. And first few percents of the book was a solid start. We had a crime, we had a suspect and we had a detective, who will do all the job.
From the dsescription of the book you can think, that we will be following DS Kennedy and how she tries to solve this crime. But! We meet her in first pages and the she just shows up in the last few pages of the book, We have no idea how investigation is going, what evidence are collected, who are the suspects and so on. So that was my fisrt dissapointment with this book.
The book had two time lines: the trial and few days before the murder. The actual trial was, in my opinion poorly done and didn’t hold my attention at all. Even in the timline of the trial we were more focused of what was on the mind of the kids or on the mind of the husband.
The timeline of that few days before murder reminded me of a soap opera, some kind of domestic suspence. The characters were all over the place and most of the soppy dialogs was totaly unecesary for the story.
Even the ending of the book was very anticlimactic, because it was rushed and left me with more questions, than answers.
I think those, who like domestic dramas, would actually like this book, but if you hope to find a good thriller, you will be disappointed.
In the end I gave it 2 stars.
So, where do I begine. Firstly, I was expecting a solid crime thriller, just because of the synopsis. And first few percents of the book was a solid start. We had a crime, we had a suspect and we had a detective, who will do all the job.
From the dsescription of the book you can think, that we will be following DS Kennedy and how she tries to solve this crime. But! We meet her in first pages and the she just shows up in the last few pages of the book, We have no idea how investigation is going, what evidence are collected, who are the suspects and so on. So that was my fisrt dissapointment with this book.
The book had two time lines: the trial and few days before the murder. The actual trial was, in my opinion poorly done and didn’t hold my attention at all. Even in the timline of the trial we were more focused of what was on the mind of the kids or on the mind of the husband.
The timeline of that few days before murder reminded me of a soap opera, some kind of domestic suspence. The characters were all over the place and most of the soppy dialogs was totaly unecesary for the story.
Even the ending of the book was very anticlimactic, because it was rushed and left me with more questions, than answers.
I think those, who like domestic dramas, would actually like this book, but if you hope to find a good thriller, you will be disappointed.
In the end I gave it 2 stars.
February 13, 2020
Emotive, intense, thought-provoking family drama, draws Detective Kennedy and Private Investigator Kelly into another dark investigation. Jenny, a terminally ill patient dies suddenly. Was it assisted suicide? Murder? Or suicide? How far is her estranged husband Liam, just returned to the family home, implicated?
Told from multi-points of view, in the past and present, the story unfolds, revealing clues and unexpected events. Sharing the emotional journey of the children, ex-husband, and others connected to Jenny. The emotional damage terminal illness causes to the family, friends and wider network is explored.
The sense of confusion is reiterated by the differing viewpoints and the dual time perspectives. The investigation is not the main focus of the story, but Kennedy and Kelly are intrinsic to the mystery’s resolution.
The ending is realistic, and the epilogue demonstrates human resilience and optimism.
I received a copy of this book from Aria via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Told from multi-points of view, in the past and present, the story unfolds, revealing clues and unexpected events. Sharing the emotional journey of the children, ex-husband, and others connected to Jenny. The emotional damage terminal illness causes to the family, friends and wider network is explored.
The sense of confusion is reiterated by the differing viewpoints and the dual time perspectives. The investigation is not the main focus of the story, but Kennedy and Kelly are intrinsic to the mystery’s resolution.
The ending is realistic, and the epilogue demonstrates human resilience and optimism.
I received a copy of this book from Aria via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
February 18, 2020
This is book #3 in the Kelly & Kennedy series, but it can be read as a standalone book. This is the first book that I have read by this author but will definitely be making a note to go back and read the previous two books. However, the blurb did give the impression that this was a psychological thriller read, but to me it was more of a family drama type, focussing less on the crime and more on the relationships between the characters.
The story centres around Jenny Buckley’s right to die whilst suffering from Motor Neurone Disease, and the decision to end her life when she feels the time is right. Her estranged husband, Liam now lives with someone else but Jenny asks him to move back home as she is struggling to cope with looking after their children. However, on the day he moves back he finds her dead, and the police believe Liam has murdered her.
Told from different viewpoints and timeframes, this story does jump about a little bit. I didn’t find it difficult to follow though and settled down into the book by the time I got to know the characters. Told from past and present, you get to understand the characters emotions, particularly those of Jenny’s and Liam’s children, and it was really interesting to see how they both deal with everything. The Motor Neurone Disease storyline again was interesting, but it did leave me with a dilemma over how to feel about Jenny. Should I be sad that this condition has left her with no other choice but to take her own life, or should I be angry with her that she did it in a way that implicated others? It also threw up lots of other questions as I was reading such as did she mean to implicate Liam and was it all for revenge, and of course the big issue of suicide and assisted suicide.
All of these questions were answered as the book moves on. What actually happened to Jenny isn’t revealed until much later and the author does a great job of keeping it under wraps throughout the book. Whilst I wouldn’t necessarily call it a thriller, it is however a great drama read with lots of police procedural work to enjoy. It is filled with lots of powerful emotions and subjects, and has left me thinking about the story long after I have finished it. I will definitely look out for more books by this author!
The story centres around Jenny Buckley’s right to die whilst suffering from Motor Neurone Disease, and the decision to end her life when she feels the time is right. Her estranged husband, Liam now lives with someone else but Jenny asks him to move back home as she is struggling to cope with looking after their children. However, on the day he moves back he finds her dead, and the police believe Liam has murdered her.
Told from different viewpoints and timeframes, this story does jump about a little bit. I didn’t find it difficult to follow though and settled down into the book by the time I got to know the characters. Told from past and present, you get to understand the characters emotions, particularly those of Jenny’s and Liam’s children, and it was really interesting to see how they both deal with everything. The Motor Neurone Disease storyline again was interesting, but it did leave me with a dilemma over how to feel about Jenny. Should I be sad that this condition has left her with no other choice but to take her own life, or should I be angry with her that she did it in a way that implicated others? It also threw up lots of other questions as I was reading such as did she mean to implicate Liam and was it all for revenge, and of course the big issue of suicide and assisted suicide.
All of these questions were answered as the book moves on. What actually happened to Jenny isn’t revealed until much later and the author does a great job of keeping it under wraps throughout the book. Whilst I wouldn’t necessarily call it a thriller, it is however a great drama read with lots of police procedural work to enjoy. It is filled with lots of powerful emotions and subjects, and has left me thinking about the story long after I have finished it. I will definitely look out for more books by this author!
May 17, 2020
Jenny, Liam’s estranged wife has Motor Neurone disease. He has returned home temporarily to take care of the teenage kids and shortly afterwards Jenny is dead. Who did it?? For me the answer practically jumped out of the page very early on so no mystery there. Not really a “thriller” in the sense of the word but more of a family drama. This is a story which does a lot of jumping around - various times and people, which can be a bit tricky on a kindle should you wish to check on something. It was an easy read but didn’t go into anything in much depth, either characters or their situations, nor was it as thought provoking as might have expected. I was given this ARC by the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
December 16, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for this ARC.
I thought the description of the book was just the sort of book I’d like to read. I’m afraid, for me this was an ok, average read at best. I wouldn’t have called it a thriller, I felt like I was reading a book more about family drama and family relationships. I didn’t really warm to the characters in it, and felt the writing style, going from past to present was off putting and made the story very jumbled. It got a little better with the court/trial parts and this covered a fair bit of the story. Overall, just not for me sadly.
3 stars.
I thought the description of the book was just the sort of book I’d like to read. I’m afraid, for me this was an ok, average read at best. I wouldn’t have called it a thriller, I felt like I was reading a book more about family drama and family relationships. I didn’t really warm to the characters in it, and felt the writing style, going from past to present was off putting and made the story very jumbled. It got a little better with the court/trial parts and this covered a fair bit of the story. Overall, just not for me sadly.
3 stars.
April 4, 2020
Brilliant😍
As a fellow Irishwoman I absolutely loved this book. It had everything I like in a book. I won't give any spoilers just buy it you won't be disappointed. Thanks Adele for a great read👍📕
As a fellow Irishwoman I absolutely loved this book. It had everything I like in a book. I won't give any spoilers just buy it you won't be disappointed. Thanks Adele for a great read👍📕
June 19, 2020
For:
peaceful death for victim
Range of characters
Quite well written
Good pace of plot unfolding
Against:
everyone so emotional all the time
Focus on feelings, little on whodunnit
Result-
just as well I read it fast.
peaceful death for victim
Range of characters
Quite well written
Good pace of plot unfolding
Against:
everyone so emotional all the time
Focus on feelings, little on whodunnit
Result-
just as well I read it fast.
February 12, 2021
I had a hard time getting into this book even though the premise was intriguing. Like others have said, the seemed to be more of a family drama story than a murder mystery/psychological thriller. Overall, it was just ok.
May 18, 2022
This didn't read as the third in the series and there is no second book listed.... What is going on?
Anyway, lots of angsty tears and repetition with an obvious 'bad guy' so if that's your thing, this is your book.
Anyway, lots of angsty tears and repetition with an obvious 'bad guy' so if that's your thing, this is your book.
December 18, 2019
A captivating read. A real page turner. I'm gutted I'm finished and can't wait for Adele's next one.
February 11, 2020
full review later
April 1, 2020
Could not get into this book at all. I couldn't even get halfway. Just pure boring!
November 29, 2019
The series continues to be a bit different to traditional thrillers in that it focuses a little less on the crime itself, and more on the relationships between the main characters. As the blurb suggests the book focuses very strongly on Liam Buckley, who has appeared previously as the boyfriend of Alex (DS Kennedy's sister).
The story line is brilliant, and tension is high from the get-go. What starts out as a murder investigation quickly evolves into a court room drama, played out in front of Liam's family and one-time friends. While the drama is playing out in the courts, we are also brought back in time to the days leading up to Jennifer's death - right up until the moment that everything is revealed.
Of course, a large part of the story centres around MND (Jennifer's illness) and the right to die on her own terms. I'm sure that a large part of this will resonate with some readers but I think Adele handled these sections brilliantly and gave some insight into why a person may decide to end their life rather than continuing to live with a disease like MND.
We are given bites of information that are obviously there to have us drawing our own conclusions before the book ends, but questions remain throughout, and I for one was never really sure if I was going to be right or not.
Once again, the characters are brilliantly written, but Liam takes the prize. As he is proven to be untrustworthy you never really know if what he is saying is true. If I was to take a negative it would be that we see far too little of the brilliant Kelly and Kennedy. As the investigation and the court case ramps up, they take a back step, only reappearing in small doses throughout.
Overall, Adele has once again knocked this one out of the park. If you are a fan of thrillers (or if you have read Adele's books before) I'm sure you'll find something to love here. Highly recommend.
The story line is brilliant, and tension is high from the get-go. What starts out as a murder investigation quickly evolves into a court room drama, played out in front of Liam's family and one-time friends. While the drama is playing out in the courts, we are also brought back in time to the days leading up to Jennifer's death - right up until the moment that everything is revealed.
Of course, a large part of the story centres around MND (Jennifer's illness) and the right to die on her own terms. I'm sure that a large part of this will resonate with some readers but I think Adele handled these sections brilliantly and gave some insight into why a person may decide to end their life rather than continuing to live with a disease like MND.
We are given bites of information that are obviously there to have us drawing our own conclusions before the book ends, but questions remain throughout, and I for one was never really sure if I was going to be right or not.
Once again, the characters are brilliantly written, but Liam takes the prize. As he is proven to be untrustworthy you never really know if what he is saying is true. If I was to take a negative it would be that we see far too little of the brilliant Kelly and Kennedy. As the investigation and the court case ramps up, they take a back step, only reappearing in small doses throughout.
Overall, Adele has once again knocked this one out of the park. If you are a fan of thrillers (or if you have read Adele's books before) I'm sure you'll find something to love here. Highly recommend.
November 21, 2019
I was disappointed in this one. According to the blurb I was reading a crime thriller, but this was more of a family drama and I struggled to get through it.
Jennifer Buckley had a terminal illness and it was no surprise to anyone that she intended to take her own life when things became too rough for her – she made no secret of that. Her husband, Liam, had moved out of the family home to be with his girlfriend but as her disease progressed he returned solely to take care of his dying wife and look after their son and daughter. However, less than two days later he finds Jennifer’s body, despite the fact that she would have needed assistance to end her life so soon; help that Liam denies giving her. So what happened?
Unfortunately, that’s not the burning question throughout this novel. From the off, I was uncomfortable with how things were progressing and found it hard to believe that things would unfold in such a way. Easy to read, but not suspenseful or gripping in any way; more of a ‘nice’ read with no surprises. It really doesn’t read like the thriller I expected and although I stuck with it, I really can’t give it any more than three stars.
Jennifer Buckley had a terminal illness and it was no surprise to anyone that she intended to take her own life when things became too rough for her – she made no secret of that. Her husband, Liam, had moved out of the family home to be with his girlfriend but as her disease progressed he returned solely to take care of his dying wife and look after their son and daughter. However, less than two days later he finds Jennifer’s body, despite the fact that she would have needed assistance to end her life so soon; help that Liam denies giving her. So what happened?
Unfortunately, that’s not the burning question throughout this novel. From the off, I was uncomfortable with how things were progressing and found it hard to believe that things would unfold in such a way. Easy to read, but not suspenseful or gripping in any way; more of a ‘nice’ read with no surprises. It really doesn’t read like the thriller I expected and although I stuck with it, I really can’t give it any more than three stars.
October 17, 2019
When Liam Buckley left his wife Jenny and their two children for his lover, he had no idea that Jenny would be diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease shortly after. Known as the 1000 day disease due to the average time from diagnosis to death, Jenny is now nearing that figure. Outspoken about her desire to have the choice to end her own life when the time comes, Jenny nevertheless requires help around the house, and the two decide it would be best if Liam moved back in to help care for their children. But when Jenny is found dead with an empty syringe just two days after Liam moves back in, the finger of suspicion is pointed directly at Liam. Did jenny take her own life...or did Liam want to take back his own?
I loved the premise of this novel, and was interested to see how the author would tackle the controversial issue of euthanasia within the confines of a thriller, but it wasn't tackled at all really except for people repeatedly stipulating that Jenny wanted to be able to make that choice for herself.
The timeline was all over the map, which I found hard to get grips with. We start off just after Jenny has died, then there's lots of exposition and character introduction...and then out of nowhere we hear that Liam has been charged with the murder (though we don't actually see this take place, which I felt was a bit of a strange decision after the author had invested so much time developing the characters and the plot up to that point) and then we skip forward to the start of the trial, at which point we almost immediately skip back again to three days before Jenny's death.
I do enjoy a split narrative but there were so many narrators in this one that it felt like overkill - Jenny, Liam, Abbie, Josh, Alex, Louise - not enough time was spent with any one of the characters to feel sufficiently interested or invested in them, and time is spent on each of them on various plots that have nothing to do with the main story, such as Louise's miscarriage, which just takes the reader away from the central storyline. It just felt unnecessary, especially as she then ended up being an almost redundant character and not the investigating officer she was initially billed as. I think the story would have been stronger with just two narrators, my attention felt like it was stretched a bit too thin.
The dialogue could definitely have done with an edit as well -there was a lot of unnecessary conversation and repetition. There is one conversation in particular, after Alex and Louise have been to a yoga class, that is almost painfully dull. The story as a whole could have been fleshed out a lot more - a lot of it fell very flat, particularly in the second half of the book, which was very repetitive with a lot of scenes running on and on with very little happening other than a single point being laboured.
Ultimately this one fell short for me. It was a very average thriller with cardboard characters, and one I'm not likely to remember.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved the premise of this novel, and was interested to see how the author would tackle the controversial issue of euthanasia within the confines of a thriller, but it wasn't tackled at all really except for people repeatedly stipulating that Jenny wanted to be able to make that choice for herself.
The timeline was all over the map, which I found hard to get grips with. We start off just after Jenny has died, then there's lots of exposition and character introduction...and then out of nowhere we hear that Liam has been charged with the murder (though we don't actually see this take place, which I felt was a bit of a strange decision after the author had invested so much time developing the characters and the plot up to that point) and then we skip forward to the start of the trial, at which point we almost immediately skip back again to three days before Jenny's death.
I do enjoy a split narrative but there were so many narrators in this one that it felt like overkill - Jenny, Liam, Abbie, Josh, Alex, Louise - not enough time was spent with any one of the characters to feel sufficiently interested or invested in them, and time is spent on each of them on various plots that have nothing to do with the main story, such as Louise's miscarriage, which just takes the reader away from the central storyline. It just felt unnecessary, especially as she then ended up being an almost redundant character and not the investigating officer she was initially billed as. I think the story would have been stronger with just two narrators, my attention felt like it was stretched a bit too thin.
The dialogue could definitely have done with an edit as well -there was a lot of unnecessary conversation and repetition. There is one conversation in particular, after Alex and Louise have been to a yoga class, that is almost painfully dull. The story as a whole could have been fleshed out a lot more - a lot of it fell very flat, particularly in the second half of the book, which was very repetitive with a lot of scenes running on and on with very little happening other than a single point being laboured.
Ultimately this one fell short for me. It was a very average thriller with cardboard characters, and one I'm not likely to remember.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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