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Two Wrongs
A brand-new psychological thriller from bestselling author Mel McGrath, about the lengths a mother will go to in order to protect her daughter.
One girl jumped.
And then another followed…
In the city of Bristol, young women are dying in mysterious circumstances. The deaths look like suicides – but are they something more sinister?
Honor is terrified that her daughter might be next. But as she looks for clues as to what really happened to the girls, she stumbles upon a link to a dark secret in her own past – one that she’s kept from her daughter.
Now Honor has the chance to avenge her child for the terrible events of years ago. But how far will she go to protect her daughter and right the wrongs done to her family?
One girl jumped.
And then another followed…
In the city of Bristol, young women are dying in mysterious circumstances. The deaths look like suicides – but are they something more sinister?
Honor is terrified that her daughter might be next. But as she looks for clues as to what really happened to the girls, she stumbles upon a link to a dark secret in her own past – one that she’s kept from her daughter.
Now Honor has the chance to avenge her child for the terrible events of years ago. But how far will she go to protect her daughter and right the wrongs done to her family?
376 pages, Hardcover
First published March 4, 2021
90 people are currently reading
1112 people want to read
About the author
Mel McGrath
9 books111 followersMel McGrath is an award-winning writer of non-fiction and crime novels. She is an experienced journalist, broadcaster, teacher, event organizer and speaker, with particular interests in London, literature, crime, feminism and psychology.
As M.J. McGrath she writes the acclaimed Edie Kiglatuk series of Arctic mysteries, White Heat, The Boy in the Snow and The Boneseeker. As Melanie McGrath she wrote the critically acclaimed and bestselling family memoir Silvertown. McGrath lives in London and on the Kent coast.
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As M.J. McGrath she writes the acclaimed Edie Kiglatuk series of Arctic mysteries, White Heat, The Boy in the Snow and The Boneseeker. As Melanie McGrath she wrote the critically acclaimed and bestselling family memoir Silvertown. McGrath lives in London and on the Kent coast.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 147 reviews
May 1, 2021
The Clifton Suspension Bridge is a well known spot for suicides.
And, the book opens one rainy evening with a University student named Satnam, looking like she will be the next.
A passerby arrives in time to convince her to make a call for help instead, and she asks for her roommate, Nevis, to be summoned.
Before she can jump, she collapses but ends up in the hospital barely clinging to life, anyway.
Is she just the next in an epidemic referred to as a Suicide Contagion?
Copycat suicides that occur after a rock star or celebrity does it-or randomly in a group of friends…(I found this aspect of the story to be very unique)
Or is something more sinister going on?
As Nevis, a student better with numbers than with people tries to figure out what happened to her friend, she learns that Satnam had not been as transparent with her, as she thought she had been. She reaches out to her mother, Honor, for support and the two search for clues as to what really led Satnam to the bridge that night.
Much of the story became predictable as it went on, BUT there was one piece of the puzzle that I didn’t see.
3.5 ⭐️ rounded down
⚠️ The theme of suicide is prevalent throughout!
Thank You to HQ for my gifted copy provided through NetGalley!
It was a pleasure to provide a candid review!
Available June 29, 2021
And, the book opens one rainy evening with a University student named Satnam, looking like she will be the next.
A passerby arrives in time to convince her to make a call for help instead, and she asks for her roommate, Nevis, to be summoned.
Before she can jump, she collapses but ends up in the hospital barely clinging to life, anyway.
Is she just the next in an epidemic referred to as a Suicide Contagion?
Copycat suicides that occur after a rock star or celebrity does it-or randomly in a group of friends…(I found this aspect of the story to be very unique)
Or is something more sinister going on?
As Nevis, a student better with numbers than with people tries to figure out what happened to her friend, she learns that Satnam had not been as transparent with her, as she thought she had been. She reaches out to her mother, Honor, for support and the two search for clues as to what really led Satnam to the bridge that night.
Much of the story became predictable as it went on, BUT there was one piece of the puzzle that I didn’t see.
3.5 ⭐️ rounded down
⚠️ The theme of suicide is prevalent throughout!
Thank You to HQ for my gifted copy provided through NetGalley!
It was a pleasure to provide a candid review!
Available June 29, 2021
February 9, 2021
3.5
A dramatic incident on Clifton Suspension Bridge starts a chain of shocking events involving students from Avon University. Central to the story are student Nevis Smith, her mother Honor and Professor Chris Cullen. The story is told from their perspectives.
The pace at the start of the book is very slow and plodding; the scene on the bridge should have been dramatic and tense but manages to miss the mark. The impersonal reporting style for the first part of the book makes it hard to enjoy it but fortunately this changes as the book progresses, becoming more fluid, easier to read and engage with the plot. It’s almost like it’s written by two different people! As it gets into its stride, it becomes more compelling as it’s clear there are huge coverups, unscrupulous manipulations, secrets by the barrel load with buried lies that are now beginning to float to the surface with devastating consequences. The characterisation is good with Nevis being fascinatingly complex as she sees things numerically, struggling to understand people and is more than likely on the autistic spectrum. She’s a loyal friend and is determined to get to the unsavoury truth. Her mother Honor lives an alternative lifestyle which sounds fantastic, she’s a loving, caring mother with an understandable desire to protect her daughter. Cullen is a horrible character changing personality like a chameleon. There are some dark issues covered in the book which centre around #MeToo and so it’s not necessarily an original theme, following a fairly predictable path. I do like that the plot centres on a university and clearly shows the pressures that students face with the seething ambitions and politics of the university hierarchy which lurks JUST beneath the surface adding an intriguing element. The ending is good with fear, tension and suspense.
Overall, once it gets going it’s a decent psychological thriller.
With thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the arc for an honest review.
A dramatic incident on Clifton Suspension Bridge starts a chain of shocking events involving students from Avon University. Central to the story are student Nevis Smith, her mother Honor and Professor Chris Cullen. The story is told from their perspectives.
The pace at the start of the book is very slow and plodding; the scene on the bridge should have been dramatic and tense but manages to miss the mark. The impersonal reporting style for the first part of the book makes it hard to enjoy it but fortunately this changes as the book progresses, becoming more fluid, easier to read and engage with the plot. It’s almost like it’s written by two different people! As it gets into its stride, it becomes more compelling as it’s clear there are huge coverups, unscrupulous manipulations, secrets by the barrel load with buried lies that are now beginning to float to the surface with devastating consequences. The characterisation is good with Nevis being fascinatingly complex as she sees things numerically, struggling to understand people and is more than likely on the autistic spectrum. She’s a loyal friend and is determined to get to the unsavoury truth. Her mother Honor lives an alternative lifestyle which sounds fantastic, she’s a loving, caring mother with an understandable desire to protect her daughter. Cullen is a horrible character changing personality like a chameleon. There are some dark issues covered in the book which centre around #MeToo and so it’s not necessarily an original theme, following a fairly predictable path. I do like that the plot centres on a university and clearly shows the pressures that students face with the seething ambitions and politics of the university hierarchy which lurks JUST beneath the surface adding an intriguing element. The ending is good with fear, tension and suspense.
Overall, once it gets going it’s a decent psychological thriller.
With thanks to NetGalley and HQ for the arc for an honest review.
March 4, 2021
Two Wrongs is a standalone thriller about the possibility of the phenomenon of suicide contagion spreading through students attending the same university. Sondra is walking home after a long, arduous shift cleaning the A&E department at Bristol Royal Infirmary when she happens upon a terrifying sight. On the Clifton suspension bridge, a known suicide hotspot, a young woman climbs over the safety railings and prepares to jump to certain death. The woman is Satnam Mann, a mathematics and biosciences student at (the fictional) Avon university, and Sondra tries to intervene and talk some sense and hope into the apparently determined girl. She eventually manages to persuade Satnam to call her best friend and flatmate Nevis Smith before she passes out, falls into a coma and is taken to the nearby hospital for treatment. The naive, introverted and autistic Nevis can't understand what would have made Satnam want to end it all and is sad that she didn't share her problems with her to ease her burden. Nevis arrives at the bridge in an Uber and texts her estranged mother, Honor, who she hasn't been on good terms with and has not spoken to in months, but right now she needed her comforting presence. Honor is awakened by the text message — "need speak now” — as she sleeps soundly on the narrowboat she calls the Kingfisher and her mother's instincts tell her immediately that something is wrong. Almost on autopilot, she disembarks the barge still in her pyjamas, navigates the canal towpath and jumps straight into her reliable old van, Gerry, heading for Bristol. Honor isn't actually Nevis’ biological mother; she was Honor’s friend Zoe Jeffers’ daughter who died aged nineteen by committing suicide when Nevis was only three months old.
However, Honor has never found the right time to tell Nevis that she is the product of rape, which certainly won't be easy to stomach. Meanwhile, we discover that Satnam's parents, Bikram and Narinder Mann, weren't exactly overjoyed when their daughter chose to head to university. They adhere to Indian cultural traditions and had arranged a man for Satnam to marry, but she already has a boyfriend, Luke, who the family disapprove of because he's white. Her academic performance has been declining and she had been concerned that failing her degree would pile on the pressure to return home and marry the suitor. Professor Christopher Cullen is also facing issues of his own with a spouse determined to live above their means. He is already struggling to afford his mother’s care home fees and the stunning Regency property they inhabit, when his wife, the Honorable Veronica Fanshawe-Drew, decides she wants to have a child. This drives him to drink and he develops a serious liking for whisky. When two other girls from the university leap into the abyss and succeed in killing themselves, Nevis begins to investigate. This is a riveting and compulsive thriller with an original plot and a wickedly twisty narrative that reveals explosive secrets, vicious betrayals and dark duplicity. Full of intense and enthralling drama, it is told from the perspectives of our three main characters — Satnam, Nevis and Cullen — and how their lives and their once separate plot threads converge is cleverly executed. The prologue whets your appetite ready to sink your teeth into a story of a mother’s unbounded love for her daughter and a deadly desire for vengeance.
However, Honor has never found the right time to tell Nevis that she is the product of rape, which certainly won't be easy to stomach. Meanwhile, we discover that Satnam's parents, Bikram and Narinder Mann, weren't exactly overjoyed when their daughter chose to head to university. They adhere to Indian cultural traditions and had arranged a man for Satnam to marry, but she already has a boyfriend, Luke, who the family disapprove of because he's white. Her academic performance has been declining and she had been concerned that failing her degree would pile on the pressure to return home and marry the suitor. Professor Christopher Cullen is also facing issues of his own with a spouse determined to live above their means. He is already struggling to afford his mother’s care home fees and the stunning Regency property they inhabit, when his wife, the Honorable Veronica Fanshawe-Drew, decides she wants to have a child. This drives him to drink and he develops a serious liking for whisky. When two other girls from the university leap into the abyss and succeed in killing themselves, Nevis begins to investigate. This is a riveting and compulsive thriller with an original plot and a wickedly twisty narrative that reveals explosive secrets, vicious betrayals and dark duplicity. Full of intense and enthralling drama, it is told from the perspectives of our three main characters — Satnam, Nevis and Cullen — and how their lives and their once separate plot threads converge is cleverly executed. The prologue whets your appetite ready to sink your teeth into a story of a mother’s unbounded love for her daughter and a deadly desire for vengeance.
May 23, 2021
Thank you to HQ, Mel McGrath and Negalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Two Wrongs follows Nevis, Honor and Cullen as an apparent string of suicides and attempted suicides plague the local university in Bristol, England. There is a strained relationship between Nevis and Honor, her adoptive mother and Cullen is slowly destroying his life with lies and alcohol. Why are the suicides occurring? Is it a rare occurrence of the suicide contagion phenomenon or is something within the university causing the girls to kill themselves?
I really struggled with this book and it took me far longer to read than I would usually with a thriller. There are a number of reasons for this which I will explore:
1) There are so many inconsistencies in this book that it just became frustrating. Nevis is 19 and the discovery of a letter that causes tension between her and her adoptive mum apparent occurs the year before, when she is 18. However, later down the line, the incident is referred to again and Nevis is 16. It then switches to the year before again. This is not the only issue with the timeline. Veronica is said to be 6 weeks pregnant when the showdown at the end of the book occurs, yet 6 months after the event the baby is born as if he were full-term. That makes no sense.
2) I also found the ending to the book incredibly annoying as there were no signs to it. Usually, that would be brilliant as you would be shocked and wondering how you didn't see it coming. In this instance, you didn't see it coming as there was nothing to suggest it and it makes no sense. It makes no sense and whilst Cullen is clearly a complete nutter, he would not think in that way when he knows what the reality is.
3) Many of the interactions between characters are very unrealistic. The university staff are too involved from the start around the initial attempted suicide for no reason: going onto the girl's social media, having full conversations about every aspect of the girl's life. There is also a couple of references of a paramedic being the daughter of one of the university staff who keeps telling her mum things that happen which clearly should be confidential - like what happened in the ambulance and at the hospital with the first girl. She also apparently knows who the Dean is and is told her mum about him turning up at the hospital even though she wasn't there. Again, it makes no sense.
4) The 'twist' at the end with the big reveal (not the one regarding the suicides) is also poorly executed. I think McGrath thinks that we haven't figured it out yet, but we all figured it out halfway through the book and it couldn't have been more bleeding obvious.
Rant over.
2 stars as I could finish the book and resisted the temptation to throw my phone at the wall.
Two Wrongs follows Nevis, Honor and Cullen as an apparent string of suicides and attempted suicides plague the local university in Bristol, England. There is a strained relationship between Nevis and Honor, her adoptive mother and Cullen is slowly destroying his life with lies and alcohol. Why are the suicides occurring? Is it a rare occurrence of the suicide contagion phenomenon or is something within the university causing the girls to kill themselves?
I really struggled with this book and it took me far longer to read than I would usually with a thriller. There are a number of reasons for this which I will explore:
1) There are so many inconsistencies in this book that it just became frustrating. Nevis is 19 and the discovery of a letter that causes tension between her and her adoptive mum apparent occurs the year before, when she is 18. However, later down the line, the incident is referred to again and Nevis is 16. It then switches to the year before again. This is not the only issue with the timeline. Veronica is said to be 6 weeks pregnant when the showdown at the end of the book occurs, yet 6 months after the event the baby is born as if he were full-term. That makes no sense.
2) I also found the ending to the book incredibly annoying as there were no signs to it. Usually, that would be brilliant as you would be shocked and wondering how you didn't see it coming. In this instance, you didn't see it coming as there was nothing to suggest it and it makes no sense. It makes no sense and whilst Cullen is clearly a complete nutter, he would not think in that way when he knows what the reality is.
3) Many of the interactions between characters are very unrealistic. The university staff are too involved from the start around the initial attempted suicide for no reason: going onto the girl's social media, having full conversations about every aspect of the girl's life. There is also a couple of references of a paramedic being the daughter of one of the university staff who keeps telling her mum things that happen which clearly should be confidential - like what happened in the ambulance and at the hospital with the first girl. She also apparently knows who the Dean is and is told her mum about him turning up at the hospital even though she wasn't there. Again, it makes no sense.
4) The 'twist' at the end with the big reveal (not the one regarding the suicides) is also poorly executed. I think McGrath thinks that we haven't figured it out yet, but we all figured it out halfway through the book and it couldn't have been more bleeding obvious.
Rant over.
2 stars as I could finish the book and resisted the temptation to throw my phone at the wall.
February 17, 2021
5 different things about this book
1. The characters, good and bad, are flawed, each and every one has irritating yet endearing features and idiosyncrasies about them, this was fascinating to me as a reader, they weren’t there to be perfect, admired or pitied, no apologies given but shown to be as they are, take it or leave it
2. The book is set in Bristol, not many are I have read, as an almost 18 year old I was thrust into ‘Somerset life’ re my parents job’s ( moving from Bradford ) Bristol was the London of the area for me at that time,a haven to explore and was good although at times strange to be back there, am not quite sure how residents would take to being called ‘feral’ mind you as the author refers to them, a few times
3. One of the book’s main characters lives in a canal boat, I loved the descriptions of the boat and the carefree ‘living’ that comes with this lifestyle
4. You have no idea at the start of the book just how serious a subject this book will cover, how only a decade ago this would have been snubbed as unsavoury to discuss and now how real,sadly, it all was/is and
5. The book ‘got to me’, I grew to like the characters and grew to care what happened, it wasn’t instant by any means, it took effort on all our parts but we got there, and it was a fascinating journey, well worth the few bumps on the way
8/10
4 Stars
1. The characters, good and bad, are flawed, each and every one has irritating yet endearing features and idiosyncrasies about them, this was fascinating to me as a reader, they weren’t there to be perfect, admired or pitied, no apologies given but shown to be as they are, take it or leave it
2. The book is set in Bristol, not many are I have read, as an almost 18 year old I was thrust into ‘Somerset life’ re my parents job’s ( moving from Bradford ) Bristol was the London of the area for me at that time,a haven to explore and was good although at times strange to be back there, am not quite sure how residents would take to being called ‘feral’ mind you as the author refers to them, a few times
3. One of the book’s main characters lives in a canal boat, I loved the descriptions of the boat and the carefree ‘living’ that comes with this lifestyle
4. You have no idea at the start of the book just how serious a subject this book will cover, how only a decade ago this would have been snubbed as unsavoury to discuss and now how real,sadly, it all was/is and
5. The book ‘got to me’, I grew to like the characters and grew to care what happened, it wasn’t instant by any means, it took effort on all our parts but we got there, and it was a fascinating journey, well worth the few bumps on the way
8/10
4 Stars
February 3, 2021
I have mixed feelings about this book, I started it with high hopes and thought it would be an exciting read. Unfortunately this wasn’t the case it was slow and plodding and I struggled until over halfway when it started to improve. So, I enjoyed it from then on. I wouldn’t rule out reading more by this author in the future. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.
March 3, 2021
3.5 stars rounded up to 4
In the city of Bristol, young wonen are dying in mysterious circunstances. The deaths look like suicides - but are they something more sinister? Honor is terrified that her daughter might be next. But as she looks for clues as to what really happened to the girls, she stumbles on a link to a dark secret of her own past - one she's kept from her daughter. Now Honor has the chance to avenge her child for the terrible events of years ago. But how far will she go to protect her daughter and right the wrongs done to her family.
This is a thriller that covers: rape, betrayal and friendship. The pace is slow at the beginning but it soon picks up to a more steady pace in the second half. Female students are seemingly committing suicide. This is a cleverly crafted story. Honor and her aadopted daughter Nevis try to work out what is going on. Honor finds herself involved due to an incident involving Zoe, Nevis' birth mother. I found this story a little predictable but i still enjoyed the book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HQ and the author #MelMcGrath for my ARC #TwoQrongs in exchange for an honest review.
In the city of Bristol, young wonen are dying in mysterious circunstances. The deaths look like suicides - but are they something more sinister? Honor is terrified that her daughter might be next. But as she looks for clues as to what really happened to the girls, she stumbles on a link to a dark secret of her own past - one she's kept from her daughter. Now Honor has the chance to avenge her child for the terrible events of years ago. But how far will she go to protect her daughter and right the wrongs done to her family.
This is a thriller that covers: rape, betrayal and friendship. The pace is slow at the beginning but it soon picks up to a more steady pace in the second half. Female students are seemingly committing suicide. This is a cleverly crafted story. Honor and her aadopted daughter Nevis try to work out what is going on. Honor finds herself involved due to an incident involving Zoe, Nevis' birth mother. I found this story a little predictable but i still enjoyed the book.
I would like to thank #NetGalley, #HQ and the author #MelMcGrath for my ARC #TwoQrongs in exchange for an honest review.
April 13, 2021
This was an interesting read with a unique plotline. It centers on mother and daughter Honor and Nevis; Nevis's closest friend does the unthinkable and it's the first of many suicides and attempted suicides. Honor is worried that her daughter is involved in something sinister, and Nevis is trying to figure out what happened to her friend.
The pacing of the book moves quickly and the reader quickly finds out that Nevis was in the dark as to what was going on right in front of her. There are also some tertiary characters at the school in which the girls attend who seem to know more than they are letting on. Some of what ends up happening is a bit predictable but there were also some surprises.
There is a subplot around a breakdown in Honor and Nevis's relationship based on a secret that Honor kept from Nevis. I was less interested in this than the main plot, mostly because I figured out early what the secret was and I wasn't sure I agreed with Honor keeping the secret. There was also a whiff of Nevis perhaps being on the spectrum based on the way her personality was described and I was somewhat frustrated that Honor didn't seem to know how to best approach her, but it was never explicitly mentioned so maybe that was not the author's intention.
Overall, I liked the book- it was a good story and the writing was engaging. I actually ended up moving right into another Mel McGrath book upon finishing it, based on the teaser in the back. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The pacing of the book moves quickly and the reader quickly finds out that Nevis was in the dark as to what was going on right in front of her. There are also some tertiary characters at the school in which the girls attend who seem to know more than they are letting on. Some of what ends up happening is a bit predictable but there were also some surprises.
There is a subplot around a breakdown in Honor and Nevis's relationship based on a secret that Honor kept from Nevis. I was less interested in this than the main plot, mostly because I figured out early what the secret was and I wasn't sure I agreed with Honor keeping the secret. There was also a whiff of Nevis perhaps being on the spectrum based on the way her personality was described and I was somewhat frustrated that Honor didn't seem to know how to best approach her, but it was never explicitly mentioned so maybe that was not the author's intention.
Overall, I liked the book- it was a good story and the writing was engaging. I actually ended up moving right into another Mel McGrath book upon finishing it, based on the teaser in the back. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2021
Two Wrongs is a standalone thriller where the focus is on students attending the same university.
Sondra is walking home after her shift at Bristol Royal Infirmary when, on the Clifton suspension bridge, a young woman climbs over the safety railings and prepares to jump to her death. The woman is Satnam Mann, a student at Avon university, and Sondra tries to intervene. She persuades Satnam to call her best friend and flatmate Nevis Smith before she is taken to the hospital for treatment. Introverted and autistic Nevis can't understand what would have made Satnam want to end it all and is sad that she didn't share her problems with her. Nevis texts her estranged mother, Honor, who she has not spoken to in months, but right now needs her presence. Honor is awakened by the text message and her mother's instincts tell her that something is wrong so heads for Bristol.
Satnam's parents weren't impressed when their daughter chose to go to university. Satnam's academic performance was declining and she had been concerned that her parents would pile on the pressure to return home. When another from the university succeeds in killing herself, Nevis begins to investigate.
Two Wrongs is a riveting thriller with an original plot and wicked misdirection that reveals duplicity, explosive secrets, and betrayals. Brimming with intense drama, it is told from the perspectives of three characters including Satnam and Nevis and precisely how their lives and their plot threads merge is masterfully executed. A very worthy five stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HQ via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Sondra is walking home after her shift at Bristol Royal Infirmary when, on the Clifton suspension bridge, a young woman climbs over the safety railings and prepares to jump to her death. The woman is Satnam Mann, a student at Avon university, and Sondra tries to intervene. She persuades Satnam to call her best friend and flatmate Nevis Smith before she is taken to the hospital for treatment. Introverted and autistic Nevis can't understand what would have made Satnam want to end it all and is sad that she didn't share her problems with her. Nevis texts her estranged mother, Honor, who she has not spoken to in months, but right now needs her presence. Honor is awakened by the text message and her mother's instincts tell her that something is wrong so heads for Bristol.
Satnam's parents weren't impressed when their daughter chose to go to university. Satnam's academic performance was declining and she had been concerned that her parents would pile on the pressure to return home. When another from the university succeeds in killing herself, Nevis begins to investigate.
Two Wrongs is a riveting thriller with an original plot and wicked misdirection that reveals duplicity, explosive secrets, and betrayals. Brimming with intense drama, it is told from the perspectives of three characters including Satnam and Nevis and precisely how their lives and their plot threads merge is masterfully executed. A very worthy five stars.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from HQ via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
September 1, 2021
In Bristol, young women are dying in mysterious circumstances, with secrets that lead back years. Can Honor get to the bottom of what is happening, before her daughter,Nevis, becomes the next victim?
This is the second book I've read by this author. I preferred the guilty party, I think because I read that book first it made this one seem not as great. This is a good book but the guilty party was absolutely fantastic so doesn't compare. This one is definitely still worth a read though!
This is the second book I've read by this author. I preferred the guilty party, I think because I read that book first it made this one seem not as great. This is a good book but the guilty party was absolutely fantastic so doesn't compare. This one is definitely still worth a read though!
January 20, 2024
kinda hated the prose and dialogue and felt the storyline was very predictable sozzer
January 27, 2021
This was a super mediocre thriller!
I had previously read a Mel McGrath thriller before so I was looking forward to reading this one but it lacked suspense and any real thrills.
The plot was very generic. Definitely something I've read before lots of times.
I didn't really care for any of the characters or feel any connection to them.
I felt it was super obvious where the plot was going.
I did like the fact it was set in Bristol as that's not too far from where I live.
I also appreciated the fact that it raises some important issues that face young people at university.
However, the whole book just felt flat and didn't so much for me. It was just a pretty average book unfortunately
TW: murder, violence, rape and suicide
I had previously read a Mel McGrath thriller before so I was looking forward to reading this one but it lacked suspense and any real thrills.
The plot was very generic. Definitely something I've read before lots of times.
I didn't really care for any of the characters or feel any connection to them.
I felt it was super obvious where the plot was going.
I did like the fact it was set in Bristol as that's not too far from where I live.
I also appreciated the fact that it raises some important issues that face young people at university.
However, the whole book just felt flat and didn't so much for me. It was just a pretty average book unfortunately
TW: murder, violence, rape and suicide
June 30, 2021
In the city of Bristol, young women start dying at a surprising rate. Is it individual suicides? Or something more?
Honor is concerned that her daughter could be next. She is motivated to look deeper into the young women’s deaths and try to understand what is really happening here. She quickly uncovers a link to painful events from her own past. Can she “right the wrongs” from the past?
This is my first Mel McGrath book and it was a good read. A clever thriller that will keep you guessing!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360, HQ for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Honor is concerned that her daughter could be next. She is motivated to look deeper into the young women’s deaths and try to understand what is really happening here. She quickly uncovers a link to painful events from her own past. Can she “right the wrongs” from the past?
This is my first Mel McGrath book and it was a good read. A clever thriller that will keep you guessing!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper 360, HQ for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.
March 2, 2021
3.5 stars
This is a good read.
The story is told from the perspectives of three characters: Nevis, a university student, Honor, her adoptive mother and Cullen, Dean at the university. It was a bit confusing at first at they all have secrets that they’re hiding.
The book begins with Satnam, a student at the university, about to commit suicide by jumping off Clifton Suspension Bridge. A passer by calls out to her and she asks her to call Nevis.
Before Satnam can jump she collapses and is rushed to hospital. Nevis’ mum arrives at the hospital and it’s clear there is tension between them.
Nevis tries to work out what drove her friend to this point by digging into her life, but two more suicides follow and she realises there could be a link.
Cullen’s life is starting to unravel and he struggles to cope with his past.
This is a bit of a slow burner and took me a while before I really got into it but it’s a good read.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
This is a good read.
The story is told from the perspectives of three characters: Nevis, a university student, Honor, her adoptive mother and Cullen, Dean at the university. It was a bit confusing at first at they all have secrets that they’re hiding.
The book begins with Satnam, a student at the university, about to commit suicide by jumping off Clifton Suspension Bridge. A passer by calls out to her and she asks her to call Nevis.
Before Satnam can jump she collapses and is rushed to hospital. Nevis’ mum arrives at the hospital and it’s clear there is tension between them.
Nevis tries to work out what drove her friend to this point by digging into her life, but two more suicides follow and she realises there could be a link.
Cullen’s life is starting to unravel and he struggles to cope with his past.
This is a bit of a slow burner and took me a while before I really got into it but it’s a good read.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.
February 7, 2021
Although this is billed as a thriller, I think that the description doesn't really begin to cover the complexities of this book, a story that, whilst fiction, could easily have been ripped from the headlines. This is a story which explores a very difficult subject, but in a sensitive way, one which not only draws out the drama of the narrative but also the emotion. It is about the abuse of power, but it is also about the strength of love that can be felt between a mother and daughter, even if the bond is not there by blood.
The story is told predominantly from three perspectives, those of Nevis, a University student, Honor, her adoptive mother, and Cullen, a professor at the University. Nevis receives a call from a stranger in the middle of the night urging her to get to the Clifton Suspension Bridge as quickly as possible as her friend and housemate, Satnam is ready to commit suicide. This in itself is shocking enough for Nevis, a young woman who has always struggled to fully understand the emotions of others, but she is not remotely prepared for the truths she will uncover as she tries to find out what drive her friend to such a drastic act.
There are many angles to this story, some of which I don't really want to go into directly due to the fact that they may act as spoilers. The book examines the pressure upon the young students that Nevis knows and that come into her circle following Satnam's suicide attempt, the complexities of their relationships and the nature of those who would seek to take advantage of their desperation to be the best they can. To not be seen as failing. It is an all too familiar tale, one which makes the skin crawl, even as the lines are blurred between who was, and wasn't a fully willing participant in what came to pass. There is a great deal of conflict in the novel as we are made to examine not only the lengths some students may be willing to go to succeed, but also the lengths that others will go to in order to ensure that their actions remain undiscovered. And there is a long and complex history for some of the characters, one which is slowly drop few to readers throughout the story, increasing the tension and the suspense, one which made me feel compelled to keep reading, if only to discover if what I thought was happening actually was the truth.
Mel McGrath has created a very complex but intriguing character in Nevis. The more I learned about her, the more I wanted to see her succeed. It is clear that she doesn't have the same kind of awareness as most of the other students, her practical naivete keeping from her that which is glaringly obvious to the reader. And yet it feels very authentic with Nevix making up in smarts what she clearly lacks in her awareness of those around her. Hers is a complex psychological condition but although she cannot always gauge the mood of those around her, she feels quite intensely, something that is obvious from her relationship with her adoptive mother Honor. Now here are two characters who could not be more different and yet they compliment each other perfectly, Honor's love for Nevis and determination to protect her screaming from the page. Although hers may be a simple life, and she is a seemingly disorganised and slightly bohemian character, she carries a lot of emotional scars and I felt such a connection to both her and Nevis as characters that they really drew me into the story.
As for Cullen ... well he is a difficult character to like. It is hard at first to decide if he is a man trapped in a loveless marriage and acting as the keeper of the blind eye when it comes to his career or something far, far worse. I never warmed to him as a character, his sense of self preservation overtaking the needs of his students being just one of many things that made my skin crawl. Whether my judgement of him was warranted you will have to read to find out, but he certainly has echoes of the kinds of unscrupulous character you may well have read about.
There is such a sense of authenticity to this story, the simplicity of what occurs almost the most horrifying thing of all. There are no needs for major shocks or plot twists, although some of the things which occur will leave you reeling. It is a far more thoughtful piece than that, one which will draw you in and keep you hooked regardless. It is a slower paced read, not quite what I would class as a psychological thriller, although its style is often bordering on the shadows of that genre. There is a sense of urgency towards the end, the story building to a climax which. has been some twenty years in the making and is more powerful for it, but it the poignancy of the story, the understated and yet impactful ending, which has left a lasting impression on me in this oten moving read.
The story is told predominantly from three perspectives, those of Nevis, a University student, Honor, her adoptive mother, and Cullen, a professor at the University. Nevis receives a call from a stranger in the middle of the night urging her to get to the Clifton Suspension Bridge as quickly as possible as her friend and housemate, Satnam is ready to commit suicide. This in itself is shocking enough for Nevis, a young woman who has always struggled to fully understand the emotions of others, but she is not remotely prepared for the truths she will uncover as she tries to find out what drive her friend to such a drastic act.
There are many angles to this story, some of which I don't really want to go into directly due to the fact that they may act as spoilers. The book examines the pressure upon the young students that Nevis knows and that come into her circle following Satnam's suicide attempt, the complexities of their relationships and the nature of those who would seek to take advantage of their desperation to be the best they can. To not be seen as failing. It is an all too familiar tale, one which makes the skin crawl, even as the lines are blurred between who was, and wasn't a fully willing participant in what came to pass. There is a great deal of conflict in the novel as we are made to examine not only the lengths some students may be willing to go to succeed, but also the lengths that others will go to in order to ensure that their actions remain undiscovered. And there is a long and complex history for some of the characters, one which is slowly drop few to readers throughout the story, increasing the tension and the suspense, one which made me feel compelled to keep reading, if only to discover if what I thought was happening actually was the truth.
Mel McGrath has created a very complex but intriguing character in Nevis. The more I learned about her, the more I wanted to see her succeed. It is clear that she doesn't have the same kind of awareness as most of the other students, her practical naivete keeping from her that which is glaringly obvious to the reader. And yet it feels very authentic with Nevix making up in smarts what she clearly lacks in her awareness of those around her. Hers is a complex psychological condition but although she cannot always gauge the mood of those around her, she feels quite intensely, something that is obvious from her relationship with her adoptive mother Honor. Now here are two characters who could not be more different and yet they compliment each other perfectly, Honor's love for Nevis and determination to protect her screaming from the page. Although hers may be a simple life, and she is a seemingly disorganised and slightly bohemian character, she carries a lot of emotional scars and I felt such a connection to both her and Nevis as characters that they really drew me into the story.
As for Cullen ... well he is a difficult character to like. It is hard at first to decide if he is a man trapped in a loveless marriage and acting as the keeper of the blind eye when it comes to his career or something far, far worse. I never warmed to him as a character, his sense of self preservation overtaking the needs of his students being just one of many things that made my skin crawl. Whether my judgement of him was warranted you will have to read to find out, but he certainly has echoes of the kinds of unscrupulous character you may well have read about.
There is such a sense of authenticity to this story, the simplicity of what occurs almost the most horrifying thing of all. There are no needs for major shocks or plot twists, although some of the things which occur will leave you reeling. It is a far more thoughtful piece than that, one which will draw you in and keep you hooked regardless. It is a slower paced read, not quite what I would class as a psychological thriller, although its style is often bordering on the shadows of that genre. There is a sense of urgency towards the end, the story building to a climax which. has been some twenty years in the making and is more powerful for it, but it the poignancy of the story, the understated and yet impactful ending, which has left a lasting impression on me in this oten moving read.
March 24, 2021
I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.
Urgh. If I'm being completely honest, I very nearly added it to my DNF list! However, for the sake of a review, I persisted. And the ending was a lot better than the rest of the book. A shocking conclusion that was cleverly-written BUT the rest of the book was just so depressingly dull. The story is tragically dark, but it ultimately failed to grab my attention. The characters were mildly interesting but I didn't feel any connection to them at all.
It took so long for the story to get anywhere, that I'm honestly glad I've now finished it.
Some people may enjoy this book, but it definitely wasn't for me.
Urgh. If I'm being completely honest, I very nearly added it to my DNF list! However, for the sake of a review, I persisted. And the ending was a lot better than the rest of the book. A shocking conclusion that was cleverly-written BUT the rest of the book was just so depressingly dull. The story is tragically dark, but it ultimately failed to grab my attention. The characters were mildly interesting but I didn't feel any connection to them at all.
It took so long for the story to get anywhere, that I'm honestly glad I've now finished it.
Some people may enjoy this book, but it definitely wasn't for me.
August 3, 2021
A twisted tale of multiple suicides in a college that has gone terribly wrong, this book will keep you turning the pages all night long. Honor's daughter's best friend lies in a coma after a suicide attempt. She is scared that her daughter will be next. Then other girls with their drama-filled lives start hurting themselves too. It seems these suicides may be tied to another bout of deaths from another college more than two decades ago.
There are more questions than answers here. More painful secrets to be unraveled and no one knows who to trust. Who is lying and who is telling the truth? This is a great read. Readers will become vested in the characters lives' and will be on the edge of their seat to know the outcome.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
There are more questions than answers here. More painful secrets to be unraveled and no one knows who to trust. Who is lying and who is telling the truth? This is a great read. Readers will become vested in the characters lives' and will be on the edge of their seat to know the outcome.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 19, 2021
Two Wrongs by Mel McGrath is a gripping psychological thriller that consumed me from the start.
It is a creepy read as there are several perpetrators and the reader cannot work out who can be trusted.
Secrets are being kept and hidden. Something sinister lies in the past. It is something that will sink lives if revealed.
The reader witnesses the heavy toll burdens place on characters. The pressure to succeed takes some down roads they’d rather not go.
Bonds formed years ago remain. A love that unites friends is unbreakable.
Covered up crimes need to be revealed. Corruption must no longer succeed.
Two Wrongs was a cleverly constructed thriller. It did make for uncomfortable reading at times but was utterly gripping as I wanted to see if justice would be served.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
It is a creepy read as there are several perpetrators and the reader cannot work out who can be trusted.
Secrets are being kept and hidden. Something sinister lies in the past. It is something that will sink lives if revealed.
The reader witnesses the heavy toll burdens place on characters. The pressure to succeed takes some down roads they’d rather not go.
Bonds formed years ago remain. A love that unites friends is unbreakable.
Covered up crimes need to be revealed. Corruption must no longer succeed.
Two Wrongs was a cleverly constructed thriller. It did make for uncomfortable reading at times but was utterly gripping as I wanted to see if justice would be served.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
August 11, 2022
This was a slow burn thriller that starts with a bang! I loved the premise of this novel and how everyone seemed to be covering up the truth surrounding the suicides. The quirkiness of Nevis was also a lovely characteristic and I adored how everything needed to be logical for her.
Unfortunately I guessed most of the twists along the way and found this book highly predictable. It was still an easy listen and I enjoyed seeing all the dominoes fall as we got to the final confrontation. Perhaps I've just read or listened to too many thriller recently and I'm getting good at playing detective.
Unfortunately I guessed most of the twists along the way and found this book highly predictable. It was still an easy listen and I enjoyed seeing all the dominoes fall as we got to the final confrontation. Perhaps I've just read or listened to too many thriller recently and I'm getting good at playing detective.
December 9, 2022
This was a dark, dramatic and tense story. Shocking copycat suicides are taking place at Avon University and one mother will go to great lengths to protect her daughter, even if it means digging up buried secrets from her past. I felt like the first half of this book was a slow burn, but the second half has a faster pace and it was easier to engage with the storyline. Thank you Netgalley, Harper 360 and the author for this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Available now
November 6, 2022
This book took a while to get into. The first two thirds I was ready to give up. The final third was worth the wait, but sadly I wasn't as invested in the characters as I should have been due to the slow burn at the beginning.
May 31, 2021
Thrilling
January 18, 2023
This book only started to get interesting in the last 40 pages. there was no development in the book and i felt the story was a bit predictable.
April 17, 2025
Definitely didn’t see some of the twists coming
April 12, 2023
This started off really slow and I was uncertain of where it was going. But boy did it ever pick up. It was good
February 6, 2021
At a fictional university in Bristol a student attempts suicide and others follow suit, sparking a mother's fears for her daughter and an investigation into what exactly is happening. All the protagonists have secrets, making the first half of the novel really compelling and hard to put down, and some really good atmosphere is built in transporting the reader to a wet and windy Bristol. However, the plot was predictable by the second half of the novel, which was quite disappointing given its strong start. A well-written, enjoyable mystery nonetheless.
December 20, 2024
This was a ok book that was recommended to me. The story is about a dramatic incident on Clifton Suspension Bridge that starts a chain of shocking events involving students from Avon University. I found myself liking the book but it was a slow process and took me a while to get to like the characters. Overall it was a good book but I was not a big fan of the ending of the book. A good read but not sure I would recommend it. Xxx
November 2, 2023
This was my first read of the year. I did enjoy it! It was a slow start but it kept you guessing. I liked reading the different point of views too.
April 25, 2022
I'm kind of conflicted here, because I actually quite enjoyed this and flew through it... but it also has more flaws than I could easily ignore. Like Swiss Cheese holes that you could drive a mini van through.
I felt the mystery surrounding the suicides depicted in the book was well depicted and the narrative really did interest me. I also really felt for the main characters in the book, particularly Nevis who struggles with social interactions, takes everything rather too literally and yet is determined to find out what made her best and only friend attempt to kill herself. I felt for Honor as well, although in brutal honesty her only addition to the book was character development rather than drawing the narrative along.
The opening build up is fairly slow but completely believable. My heart was in my mouth as Satnam climbed the Clifton Suspension Bridge suicide railing, hoping that someone would be able to save her from herself. Things start moving more quickly as another girl, a friend of Satnam, commits suicide and Nevis finds herself drawn into a web of secrets and lies... which would be fine, if anybody would actually be straight with her and nobody seems to be willing too.
Where this falls down is in how utterly unbelievable things become as the pace ramps up. The depictions of academic misconduct are simply too obvious and damn stupid to ever hold up to even a cursory examination. The university closing ranks to protect it's own might make sense, if the circumstances weren't so dire and there weren't so many dead bodies. But any reasonable logic says the university would cut their losses so, so much earlier.
I also found the character development of one of the villains of the piece to be so unbelievable as to be bizarre. Yes, we all know that people with good jobs and families can be evil as hell. But this just... didn't work. The attitude towards women was so overtly derogatory by the end of the novel and it was heavily implied that this was not a new change of personality. This was not an individual who could sustain a career in teaching academics. It might have been more believable if he'd been a researcher with no access to students, or even if the main events had been set in the past. But modern universities are all too aware of the impact of diversity and equality and the way the view points were presented made it clear that this was a long-standing character flaw. That's where if you're 'lucky' a university quickly will wave you on your way with an NDA and a reference.
It didn't help that the end twists could be seen a mile off and the really big 'news' was something that any reader would have concluded by half way through the novel. McGrath drops it on you as though it's a big surprise in the concluding chapters and all I could thing was 'well, duh. Obviously.'. Twists annoy me at the best of times, particularly if they are so left field that they make no sense. But this was almost the opposite. It was something so blatantly obvious pretending to be a twist.
There are additional issues; Honor's inclusion in the novel as Nevis's mother is all well and good, but she doesn't actually do anything. She wanders off on her own investigation that adds some background information... but never tells anyone or does anything with that information, so it's completely pointless. The only reason I can see for her being such a huge part is as character development for Nevis - in which case, drop half the investigative aspects or at least tie it back to Nevis's own search somehow - and as a huge hint dropper for the supposed twist. The problem with the latter I've mentioned above. I enjoyed the push-pull of the mother-daughter relationship, but Honor's inclusion is otherwise unnecessary and actually detracts from the reader finding things out at the same time as Nevis... which might have actually made one of the few decent twists I've read.
And of course the ending. The ending just annoyed me, frankly. Again, this might be personal preference and just an annoying pet hate of mine, but I really, really hate it when authors take the easy option and finish the book devoid of consequences. I can't say much more for fear of spoilers, but it definitely felt like the author fell into this trap. So after the already disappointing finale with the twist I'd seen coming for the better part of 200 pages, I was left unfulfilled and vaguely annoyed.
So, two stars it is, I fear. Because whilst the writing is well done, the early narrative both sensitive and fascinating and the character development truly drew me in... I'm left disappointed. The rapidly unbelievable events, characterisation of the villain of the piece towards the end of the novel, lacklustre twist that could be seen from twenty miles and disappointing ending marred what started as a really interesting novel.
That said, the publisher and NetGalley still have my thanks for providing me with the ARC of this title.
I felt the mystery surrounding the suicides depicted in the book was well depicted and the narrative really did interest me. I also really felt for the main characters in the book, particularly Nevis who struggles with social interactions, takes everything rather too literally and yet is determined to find out what made her best and only friend attempt to kill herself. I felt for Honor as well, although in brutal honesty her only addition to the book was character development rather than drawing the narrative along.
The opening build up is fairly slow but completely believable. My heart was in my mouth as Satnam climbed the Clifton Suspension Bridge suicide railing, hoping that someone would be able to save her from herself. Things start moving more quickly as another girl, a friend of Satnam, commits suicide and Nevis finds herself drawn into a web of secrets and lies... which would be fine, if anybody would actually be straight with her and nobody seems to be willing too.
Where this falls down is in how utterly unbelievable things become as the pace ramps up. The depictions of academic misconduct are simply too obvious and damn stupid to ever hold up to even a cursory examination. The university closing ranks to protect it's own might make sense, if the circumstances weren't so dire and there weren't so many dead bodies. But any reasonable logic says the university would cut their losses so, so much earlier.
I also found the character development of one of the villains of the piece to be so unbelievable as to be bizarre. Yes, we all know that people with good jobs and families can be evil as hell. But this just... didn't work. The attitude towards women was so overtly derogatory by the end of the novel and it was heavily implied that this was not a new change of personality. This was not an individual who could sustain a career in teaching academics. It might have been more believable if he'd been a researcher with no access to students, or even if the main events had been set in the past. But modern universities are all too aware of the impact of diversity and equality and the way the view points were presented made it clear that this was a long-standing character flaw. That's where if you're 'lucky' a university quickly will wave you on your way with an NDA and a reference.
It didn't help that the end twists could be seen a mile off and the really big 'news' was something that any reader would have concluded by half way through the novel. McGrath drops it on you as though it's a big surprise in the concluding chapters and all I could thing was 'well, duh. Obviously.'. Twists annoy me at the best of times, particularly if they are so left field that they make no sense. But this was almost the opposite. It was something so blatantly obvious pretending to be a twist.
There are additional issues; Honor's inclusion in the novel as Nevis's mother is all well and good, but she doesn't actually do anything. She wanders off on her own investigation that adds some background information... but never tells anyone or does anything with that information, so it's completely pointless. The only reason I can see for her being such a huge part is as character development for Nevis - in which case, drop half the investigative aspects or at least tie it back to Nevis's own search somehow - and as a huge hint dropper for the supposed twist. The problem with the latter I've mentioned above. I enjoyed the push-pull of the mother-daughter relationship, but Honor's inclusion is otherwise unnecessary and actually detracts from the reader finding things out at the same time as Nevis... which might have actually made one of the few decent twists I've read.
And of course the ending. The ending just annoyed me, frankly. Again, this might be personal preference and just an annoying pet hate of mine, but I really, really hate it when authors take the easy option and finish the book devoid of consequences. I can't say much more for fear of spoilers, but it definitely felt like the author fell into this trap. So after the already disappointing finale with the twist I'd seen coming for the better part of 200 pages, I was left unfulfilled and vaguely annoyed.
So, two stars it is, I fear. Because whilst the writing is well done, the early narrative both sensitive and fascinating and the character development truly drew me in... I'm left disappointed. The rapidly unbelievable events, characterisation of the villain of the piece towards the end of the novel, lacklustre twist that could be seen from twenty miles and disappointing ending marred what started as a really interesting novel.
That said, the publisher and NetGalley still have my thanks for providing me with the ARC of this title.
February 9, 2021
Full disclosure: I was given a free ARC for my review on Net Gallery. Below is my honest and spoiler free review.
I was really excited by the premise and blurb of the book… McGrath took a pretty heavy subject, suicide, and tried to make a thriller out of it. Unfortunately, for me, it failed to achieve that outcome. I failed to connect with any character except Zoe and you only know Zoe from other people’s memories of her.
Ordinarily, I love characters from minority groups. I believe representation is important in Literature to ensure that multiple narratives are told, not just the mainstream story, and heroes should come in all shapes, types, and sizes. Nevis should have appealed to me… It appeared Nevis has some of the hallmarks traits of being neurodivergent, she was not Caucasian, and she was a main character. These were huge ticks for me. However, this is where it went wrong… McGrath’s wrote Nevis’ neurodivergent characteristics like a pastiche. She was unable to portray difference without “othering”, and emphasised the most obvious traits without the nuance of the lived in experience, and it really failed to add value to the storyline. Instead of making Navis someone who’s the hero of her story, the way McGrath wrote her, and how the other characters saw her, makes Navis only worthy of pity and a potential victim even in the ending. I don’t believe McGrath did any real research into this aspect, and this is poor form.
Honor was a “bargee” and I enjoyed her free spirit, but again her character just felt a bit two dimensional – like how a writer THINKS a person who would live on barge within a community of hippie barge travellers would be like; but overall, McGrath was not able to portray her as a real person, outside of her loss of her best friend, Zoe. Her chosen lifestyle was almost irrelevant to the plot.
The only person who was actually believable was Cullen. The slimy self-serving sense of entitlement reminded me strongly of Brock Turner. As McGrath wisely didn’t try to create any kind of moral conundrum for the reader, it just made me hate him. The ending didn’t really provide me with any kind of satisfaction.
Actually, I take that back, Sondra – Sondra was a wonder. The Prologue was spot on, and what I wanted every character to be like. McGrath drew you in and helped you visualise the scene – it’s late after a gruelling physically demanding job and there’s a young woman on the bridge, ready to jump. Sondra’s (and therefore the reader) doubts, fears for the jumper, and her anxieties of doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing that could stop her from saving a life is put on full display… Perfect! I’m hooked. BUT… She’s a throw away character. Once she leaves, so does my enthusiasm.
Overall? The twists were broadcasted and easily foreseen because McGrath wanted the villains to be obvious. The crumbs were the sizes of houses, so even when villains were being unmasked, so to speak, it just felt ordinary and unremarkable villainy that it lacked any real punch that actual rape and abuse of power marks their survivors. It was story of multiple tragedies for a relatively large number of victims, but there was no thrill in this so-called-thriller. The “come-uppance” was unsatisfying and the hero was barely that, even in her own story. I finished the book because I wanted to give a proper review of it and to do that justice, I would need to do so. Disappointing - it started with such promise. I will not be reading another book by this author.
I was really excited by the premise and blurb of the book… McGrath took a pretty heavy subject, suicide, and tried to make a thriller out of it. Unfortunately, for me, it failed to achieve that outcome. I failed to connect with any character except Zoe and you only know Zoe from other people’s memories of her.
Ordinarily, I love characters from minority groups. I believe representation is important in Literature to ensure that multiple narratives are told, not just the mainstream story, and heroes should come in all shapes, types, and sizes. Nevis should have appealed to me… It appeared Nevis has some of the hallmarks traits of being neurodivergent, she was not Caucasian, and she was a main character. These were huge ticks for me. However, this is where it went wrong… McGrath’s wrote Nevis’ neurodivergent characteristics like a pastiche. She was unable to portray difference without “othering”, and emphasised the most obvious traits without the nuance of the lived in experience, and it really failed to add value to the storyline. Instead of making Navis someone who’s the hero of her story, the way McGrath wrote her, and how the other characters saw her, makes Navis only worthy of pity and a potential victim even in the ending. I don’t believe McGrath did any real research into this aspect, and this is poor form.
Honor was a “bargee” and I enjoyed her free spirit, but again her character just felt a bit two dimensional – like how a writer THINKS a person who would live on barge within a community of hippie barge travellers would be like; but overall, McGrath was not able to portray her as a real person, outside of her loss of her best friend, Zoe. Her chosen lifestyle was almost irrelevant to the plot.
The only person who was actually believable was Cullen. The slimy self-serving sense of entitlement reminded me strongly of Brock Turner. As McGrath wisely didn’t try to create any kind of moral conundrum for the reader, it just made me hate him. The ending didn’t really provide me with any kind of satisfaction.
Actually, I take that back, Sondra – Sondra was a wonder. The Prologue was spot on, and what I wanted every character to be like. McGrath drew you in and helped you visualise the scene – it’s late after a gruelling physically demanding job and there’s a young woman on the bridge, ready to jump. Sondra’s (and therefore the reader) doubts, fears for the jumper, and her anxieties of doing the wrong thing or saying the wrong thing that could stop her from saving a life is put on full display… Perfect! I’m hooked. BUT… She’s a throw away character. Once she leaves, so does my enthusiasm.
Overall? The twists were broadcasted and easily foreseen because McGrath wanted the villains to be obvious. The crumbs were the sizes of houses, so even when villains were being unmasked, so to speak, it just felt ordinary and unremarkable villainy that it lacked any real punch that actual rape and abuse of power marks their survivors. It was story of multiple tragedies for a relatively large number of victims, but there was no thrill in this so-called-thriller. The “come-uppance” was unsatisfying and the hero was barely that, even in her own story. I finished the book because I wanted to give a proper review of it and to do that justice, I would need to do so. Disappointing - it started with such promise. I will not be reading another book by this author.
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