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The Fault
Once inside The Rock there’s only one way out...
From the international bestselling author of Ice Trap
17-year-old Mimi has joined her engineering prodigy brother and his diving-instructor fiancée Eva in Gibraltar. Sebastian is leading an exciting and innovative project building a new city on the sheerest face of the Rock. They each struggle to adjust to their new lives together discovering that below Gibraltar’s façade of Britishness is a deeper layer of peculiarities and mystique; it’s a place of mixed traditions which mistrusts outsiders.
Mimi enters into a romantic entanglement with an ex-priest twice her age, a man Sebastian considers a sinister predator. Eva is hiding a secret that might endanger not just her relationship but her very life. Sebastian, torn between dreams of greatness and an urge to rescue his sister, attempts to control his family’s complex interdependence until a violent death shatters everything...
From the Rock there is no escape.
304 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 18, 2019
1 person is currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Kitty Sewell
22 books14 followersI was born a Swede and, like many wholesome girls, spent my adolescent years crazed with love of horses.
When I was 13, my parents sold their farm in rural Sweden and on a whim moved to the Canary Islands. From one day to the next the horses were gone and I was living in Franco’s Spain. There was a German school, the only one which offered a reasonable education, so I had no choice but to become an islander and learn both German and Spanish in a hurry.
My parents, ever restless and adventurous, soon decided to start a new life in Canada, and at age 18, I followed them there. I spent a year in Toronto and another year being a hippie, hitchhiking solo around South America, before settling on the west coast. I loved Vancouver and took Canadian citizenship. Marriage and children were followed by divorce.
With a law qualification, I obtained a Seal as Notary Public for a small sub-Arctic community, which later would become the setting for my debut novel ICE TRAP. Like Dafydd in ICE TRAP I wanted to escape, get as far away from civilization as possible.
I stayed, with my two children, Elise and Erik, in this little outpost on the Alaska Highway for two years, when along came another escapist, a handsome English doctor named John, who would shortly become my husband.
He whisked us to England, then Wales. There I re-trained as a psychotherapist and worked for the National Health Service and in private practice. My interest in writing started around this time, with a syndicated newspaper column about mental health, and a biography of a transsexual.
After twelve years of learning a lot about people, I felt burnt-out and was yearning for a change (my fate, I blame my parents). Asking John to feed and water me for a foreseeable future, I embarked on a degree in Applied Sculpture and concurrently did a part-time Masters degree in Creative Writing. Why do things by halves?
I worked very hard at both sculpting and writing, and initially it looked as if I was going to make my future living as a sculptor. My stone-carvings won two awards and I had several solo exhibitions… until ICE TRAP was finally published and took off into the blue yonder.
The kids have flown the nest (Erik lives in Canada, Elise in Wales) and John and I now live almost full-time on our fruit farm in the mountains of Granada, Spain.
It’s a great place to write… Yep! That is what I do now, and forever more.
When I was 13, my parents sold their farm in rural Sweden and on a whim moved to the Canary Islands. From one day to the next the horses were gone and I was living in Franco’s Spain. There was a German school, the only one which offered a reasonable education, so I had no choice but to become an islander and learn both German and Spanish in a hurry.
My parents, ever restless and adventurous, soon decided to start a new life in Canada, and at age 18, I followed them there. I spent a year in Toronto and another year being a hippie, hitchhiking solo around South America, before settling on the west coast. I loved Vancouver and took Canadian citizenship. Marriage and children were followed by divorce.
With a law qualification, I obtained a Seal as Notary Public for a small sub-Arctic community, which later would become the setting for my debut novel ICE TRAP. Like Dafydd in ICE TRAP I wanted to escape, get as far away from civilization as possible.
I stayed, with my two children, Elise and Erik, in this little outpost on the Alaska Highway for two years, when along came another escapist, a handsome English doctor named John, who would shortly become my husband.
He whisked us to England, then Wales. There I re-trained as a psychotherapist and worked for the National Health Service and in private practice. My interest in writing started around this time, with a syndicated newspaper column about mental health, and a biography of a transsexual.
After twelve years of learning a lot about people, I felt burnt-out and was yearning for a change (my fate, I blame my parents). Asking John to feed and water me for a foreseeable future, I embarked on a degree in Applied Sculpture and concurrently did a part-time Masters degree in Creative Writing. Why do things by halves?
I worked very hard at both sculpting and writing, and initially it looked as if I was going to make my future living as a sculptor. My stone-carvings won two awards and I had several solo exhibitions… until ICE TRAP was finally published and took off into the blue yonder.
The kids have flown the nest (Erik lives in Canada, Elise in Wales) and John and I now live almost full-time on our fruit farm in the mountains of Granada, Spain.
It’s a great place to write… Yep! That is what I do now, and forever more.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 8, 2019
Oh my!! This was quite a different read with most unexpected twists that had me gaping. The human psyche was thoroughly explored with three flawed characters.
Sebastian, a civil engineer in charge of a project connecting Gibraltar to Africa, fiancée Eva, a deep sea diver, and sister Mimi a 17 year old, lived together in an apartment where an old lady had hung herself. Mimi started liking the downstairs neighbor, a 40-year old man and Sebastian’s mental health started unraveling. Then Mimi went missing….
Told in 3 POV, Kitty Sewell has written a crisp tale of human psyche where the fault line in their thoughts soon started spiralling downwards making them see what sometimes wasn’t there. It was quite fascinating to read about the way they lived together. They were like waves, they came together on the shore and then moved away. The hidden friction and occasional fights made me realize that perhaps all wasn’t well with them.
The characters were unlikable, I honestly didn’t know why they were with each other. It was more of a need of the circumstances than genuine emotions. They coasted the book in the initial 30%. Then came a twist which brought a storm of events, a tornado which sucked me in. Their inner nature soon was revealed as the pages turned.
Then my niggles too came in, more cohesive plot line and better connection between the chapters would have helped me understand the story better. But that could just have been the author’s intention for the confusion. And I wanted more diving. The beautiful cover needed to have more scenes written in the prose.
I loved the turns the story took in the book, and they made the prose come alive. They started early, and they hit hard. The book was a twisted conundrum where half lies and secrets seemed to be the way of life of these characters, and therein lay the intrigue and the core of the story.
One of my midnight reads which revealed the fault, both in the depths of the sea and human mind. What was supposed to be a teaser of a read soon became the entire book, the magic of a thriller.
Sebastian, a civil engineer in charge of a project connecting Gibraltar to Africa, fiancée Eva, a deep sea diver, and sister Mimi a 17 year old, lived together in an apartment where an old lady had hung herself. Mimi started liking the downstairs neighbor, a 40-year old man and Sebastian’s mental health started unraveling. Then Mimi went missing….
Told in 3 POV, Kitty Sewell has written a crisp tale of human psyche where the fault line in their thoughts soon started spiralling downwards making them see what sometimes wasn’t there. It was quite fascinating to read about the way they lived together. They were like waves, they came together on the shore and then moved away. The hidden friction and occasional fights made me realize that perhaps all wasn’t well with them.
The characters were unlikable, I honestly didn’t know why they were with each other. It was more of a need of the circumstances than genuine emotions. They coasted the book in the initial 30%. Then came a twist which brought a storm of events, a tornado which sucked me in. Their inner nature soon was revealed as the pages turned.
Then my niggles too came in, more cohesive plot line and better connection between the chapters would have helped me understand the story better. But that could just have been the author’s intention for the confusion. And I wanted more diving. The beautiful cover needed to have more scenes written in the prose.
I loved the turns the story took in the book, and they made the prose come alive. They started early, and they hit hard. The book was a twisted conundrum where half lies and secrets seemed to be the way of life of these characters, and therein lay the intrigue and the core of the story.
One of my midnight reads which revealed the fault, both in the depths of the sea and human mind. What was supposed to be a teaser of a read soon became the entire book, the magic of a thriller.
September 7, 2019
4☆ An Atmospheric, Dark, Twisty Thriller
The Fault is a Twisting and at times Dark and Atmospheric Thriller.
Sebastian an engineer, his partner Eva a diver and his sister Mimi live together in Gibraltar, where Sebastian is working on an important project.
Sebastian is very protective of his younger Sister Mimi, so when she makes friends with one of their neighbours who is much older than her, the extent of his protective nature really creeps through.
It's clear to see Sebastian suffers from mental health, but not letting Mimi grow up only adds to his already spiralling health.
Especially when things take a turn for the worst.
What I particularly loved about this book was Kitty Sewell passion for Gibraltar, I thoroughly enjoyed exploring the atmospheric secret tunnels and at times left me breathless.
Each chapter is told by several points of view, Sebastian, Eva and Mimi.
Which I really enjoyed as you got to suss out each Character and what their secrets are. They are complex, flawed, not particularly likeable, but made for fantastic reading.
The diving aspect was atmospheric and beautifully descriptive.
At times it did make me feel uneasy and a tad breatless but that just added to the suspense and intrigue.
The book cover alone will give you an eye opener.
The Fault is a pacy thriller that at times is chilling, atmospheric, with a twist of historical fiction and mystery.
At first I wasn't too sure what to expect from this book, but it was perfectly twisty, suspenseful and captivating.
Would definitely recommend if your looking for a thriller with a bit of a difference.
Thank you to Emma at Damppebbles tours for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2019/0...
August 25, 2019
The Fault is mainly set in Gibraltar and tells of Sebastian Luna, his younger sister, Mimi and his fiancé, Eva.
Sebastian is a little full of himself, a designer of land reclamation projects and is working on one in Gibraltar and has moved his family to an apartment so they can all be together. He gets a bit weird about Mimi’s friendship with a neighbour and feels she needs protecting.
Sebastian suffers from insomnia and migraine and this tells of his slow decline to his mental health and it really creates a sense of menace….
I have to admit to not really liking the characters much….but Kitty Sewell’s writing really brings them to life and her descriptions of Gibraltar’s tunnels was so claustrophobic, you can almost feel the chill and the pressing darkness…
I found this to be a twisty, compelling read and can thoroughly recommend it.
Thank you to Damppebbles Blog Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
Sebastian is a little full of himself, a designer of land reclamation projects and is working on one in Gibraltar and has moved his family to an apartment so they can all be together. He gets a bit weird about Mimi’s friendship with a neighbour and feels she needs protecting.
Sebastian suffers from insomnia and migraine and this tells of his slow decline to his mental health and it really creates a sense of menace….
I have to admit to not really liking the characters much….but Kitty Sewell’s writing really brings them to life and her descriptions of Gibraltar’s tunnels was so claustrophobic, you can almost feel the chill and the pressing darkness…
I found this to be a twisty, compelling read and can thoroughly recommend it.
Thank you to Damppebbles Blog Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour and for the promotional materials and a free copy of the ebook. This is my honest, unbiased review.
August 18, 2019
If there's one thing that this Ginger Book Geek likes, it's discovering new authors. Kitty Sewell is definitely a new author for me, but she is an author I will be reading more from. I thoroughly enjoyed reading 'The Fault' but more about that in a bit.
I can't say that I warmed to any of the characters and I certainly didn't like any of them for one reason and another. Sebastian gave me the heebee jeebies because of some of the things he does and says, his obsession with the fact that his sister is friendly with one of their neighbours and the sense that he has to keep her safe. Sebastian's descent into mental illness is quite shocking in nature and I began to grow increasingly concerned for Mimi, his sister, and her welfare.
I love books set somewhere different. This book is set in Gibraltar, which is of particular interest to me. I have heard so much about it over the years but I don't know too much about. You can understand why this book appealed to me. Once I started reading, it didn't take me long at all to get into this story and pretty much by the end of the second page, I knew that this was going to be one hell of a read and so it proved to be. For me, the book hits the ground running and maintains the pace throughout. I binge read the book over the course of a couple of days, which is pretty good going for me. Usually I am easily distracted but not in this case. I was able to focus solely on the book and I managed to shut out all other distractions.
'The Fault' is very well written. Kitty certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and she keeps that attention all the way through the book, by keeping the story realistic, the characters fresh and by keeping the twists and turns coming all the way through the story. Kitty uses such powerful and realistic descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself. I also felt that I got a real sense of how claustrophobic and dusty the streets were. If I had closed my eyes, I could quite easily have believed that I was there in Gibraltar with the sun beating down on my face.
In short, I did enjoy 'The Fault' and I will definitely be recommending it to other readers. I will most certainly be looking out for more of Kitty's work. I can't wait to read what she comes up with next. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.
I can't say that I warmed to any of the characters and I certainly didn't like any of them for one reason and another. Sebastian gave me the heebee jeebies because of some of the things he does and says, his obsession with the fact that his sister is friendly with one of their neighbours and the sense that he has to keep her safe. Sebastian's descent into mental illness is quite shocking in nature and I began to grow increasingly concerned for Mimi, his sister, and her welfare.
I love books set somewhere different. This book is set in Gibraltar, which is of particular interest to me. I have heard so much about it over the years but I don't know too much about. You can understand why this book appealed to me. Once I started reading, it didn't take me long at all to get into this story and pretty much by the end of the second page, I knew that this was going to be one hell of a read and so it proved to be. For me, the book hits the ground running and maintains the pace throughout. I binge read the book over the course of a couple of days, which is pretty good going for me. Usually I am easily distracted but not in this case. I was able to focus solely on the book and I managed to shut out all other distractions.
'The Fault' is very well written. Kitty certainly knows how to grab your attention from the start and she keeps that attention all the way through the book, by keeping the story realistic, the characters fresh and by keeping the twists and turns coming all the way through the story. Kitty uses such powerful and realistic descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself. I also felt that I got a real sense of how claustrophobic and dusty the streets were. If I had closed my eyes, I could quite easily have believed that I was there in Gibraltar with the sun beating down on my face.
In short, I did enjoy 'The Fault' and I will definitely be recommending it to other readers. I will most certainly be looking out for more of Kitty's work. I can't wait to read what she comes up with next. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 4* out of 5*.
July 19, 2019
Sebastian is a structural engineer. He is renowned for designing the near impossible. His girlfriend Eva is a diver and they have recently moved in together. Sebastian wanted them to get married as they were in Dubai and cohabitation is illegal. Eva doesn’t want to and we know there is a reason but not what- a past relationship is hinted at but nothing more. Eva is troubled by something or someone in her past and wants to tell Sebastian but hasn’t yet found the right moment. Sebastian’s sister Mimi lives with them and they are now in Gibraltar, Sebastian touting for a new project. Mimi has developed a relationship with the man who has the flat below them. As he is in his forties and she is not quite eighteen, Sebastian is very wary and protective whereas Eva sees it for what it is- a blossoming friendship. Sebastian himself has his secrets. Mimi couldn’t go to Japan with him as for some reason he wasn’t allowed to be her guardian, again something in the past is hinted at. It took me a little while to get into this book but once I did I was hooked. There are wonderful descriptions of Gibraltar and of the rock and tunnels and their history, something I knew little about. Each chapter is by one of the three main characters- Eva, Sebastian or Mimi giving their aspect of the story. Oh boy! One to throw you around and leave you with your head spinning.
February 4, 2020
Firstly I feel an introduction to the characters may be helpful – there‘s three main charters Sebastian: A charming and very clever civil engineer with aspirations of building a bridge between Europe and Africa. A feat no one has managed so far.
Eva: Sebastian’s fiancee – A diving instructor, who’s past is marred and shady and she wants it that way, seeing Seb as an escape route. Even going on land to contact old friends via Spanish mobiles so she can’t be traced.
Mimi: Sebastian’s 17-year-old sister, an aspiring writer, whos care he has been entrusted with, he’s ‘overprotective’ and she finds this overbearing and resents this intrusion in her life, she pushes against this and styles herself as older and more independent, her friendship with a 40 something neighbour worries Sebastian to a point of frustration.
Kitty’s writing about the island, the tunnels and scenery are outstanding, an incredibly atmospheric and evoking book. She clearly also has a knowledge of diving and engineering and historical knowledge of the island.
This dark tale, twists around the characters and goes from each one chapter to chapter. Between how Sebastian and Eva met, how Mimi’s friendship with Carlo develops. Eva’s shady past, this all mingles with the storyline to create a deeply mysterious thriller. Sebastian’s ever-increasing threat of mental illness and migraines that leave him incapacitated. All this will make even the most stoic of readers keep turning the pages in this fast-paced book.
Eva: Sebastian’s fiancee – A diving instructor, who’s past is marred and shady and she wants it that way, seeing Seb as an escape route. Even going on land to contact old friends via Spanish mobiles so she can’t be traced.
Mimi: Sebastian’s 17-year-old sister, an aspiring writer, whos care he has been entrusted with, he’s ‘overprotective’ and she finds this overbearing and resents this intrusion in her life, she pushes against this and styles herself as older and more independent, her friendship with a 40 something neighbour worries Sebastian to a point of frustration.
Kitty’s writing about the island, the tunnels and scenery are outstanding, an incredibly atmospheric and evoking book. She clearly also has a knowledge of diving and engineering and historical knowledge of the island.
This dark tale, twists around the characters and goes from each one chapter to chapter. Between how Sebastian and Eva met, how Mimi’s friendship with Carlo develops. Eva’s shady past, this all mingles with the storyline to create a deeply mysterious thriller. Sebastian’s ever-increasing threat of mental illness and migraines that leave him incapacitated. All this will make even the most stoic of readers keep turning the pages in this fast-paced book.
March 10, 2025
I grabbed a copy of this from Borrowbox and started reading it last September, 24. It got put on hold for various reasons and I got back to reading it in February, 25.
Told from the POV of 3 characters ~ Sebasrian, his fiancee Eva and his younger sister Mimi. Each short chapter centres around one of the characters, that dip in and out of the past and present. This encourages you to keep reading, as you think just one more chapter!
This was a claustrophobic read, that took many twists and turns in more ways than one. There were sections of the book that I didn't enjoy, due to their claustrophobic nature as I must admit that I do have a tendency towards being frightened of claustrophobia and all it entails. All this added to the atmosphere portrayed between the pages for me. I have to admit that when I started reading this book, I didn't envision where it would end.
One of the scenes featuring Mimi and three Barbary apes, reminded me of the time that we were on Gibraltar and one of the apes that live there bit the youngest one of my children. Thankfully the guide that we were with knew what to do and made sure that the attack wasn't too horrific!
If you get the chance to read this book, I can thoroughly recommend it.
Told from the POV of 3 characters ~ Sebasrian, his fiancee Eva and his younger sister Mimi. Each short chapter centres around one of the characters, that dip in and out of the past and present. This encourages you to keep reading, as you think just one more chapter!
This was a claustrophobic read, that took many twists and turns in more ways than one. There were sections of the book that I didn't enjoy, due to their claustrophobic nature as I must admit that I do have a tendency towards being frightened of claustrophobia and all it entails. All this added to the atmosphere portrayed between the pages for me. I have to admit that when I started reading this book, I didn't envision where it would end.
One of the scenes featuring Mimi and three Barbary apes, reminded me of the time that we were on Gibraltar and one of the apes that live there bit the youngest one of my children. Thankfully the guide that we were with knew what to do and made sure that the attack wasn't too horrific!
If you get the chance to read this book, I can thoroughly recommend it.
October 21, 2021
This is the first of Kitty Sewell novels I have Read and found it an excellent read. Fast paced and I was hooked from the start as the twists and turns of the plot sent me in all directions. I never actually warmed to any of the characters which made them more intriguing and I loved the setting and learnt a few interesting historical facts about an area I know quite well. I look forward to reading more of Kitty's novels.
October 8, 2021
Dan Brown eat your heart out! Marginally interesting because of details about Gibraltar.
August 14, 2019
The book opens first with someone getting kidnapped. Immediately I am intrigued. Then you get Sebastian's point of view, who I at first was not with. He was cocky and very sure of himself, but he grew on me as his story unfolds. I found Eva's point of view to be a nice change of pace from him while also adding a mysterious level to it. Mimi is immediately my favorite even though I do not approve of her relationship with Carlo Montegriffo, for the simple reason of I didn't trust him. I enjoyed her youthfulness and punk rock persona while also enjoying her transformation to a young woman. It was very similar to myself going from high school to an adult.
I grew interested in the history of Gibraltar and the diving side of things with Eva, but it did get old after a little while. I wanted to keep up with the story but found some of it dragged. About half way through the book though I started realizing what was going on and I was hooked again. I loved the way Eva and Mimi's relationship is real and I really respect the way Kitty brings them together.
As the book continued, I had a few moments where I was like "hmm, what just happened." You can see Sebastian losing himself. Mimi and Eva unawares with their own issues. I kept thinking that Sebastian had Encephalitis and kept making references in my head to Hannibal (the show) and how Hannibal kept messing with Will Graham. This, single handedly, kept me going. I love a good descent into madness.
While I continued to enjoy Mimi and her explorations with Mohammed and Carlo, I kept waiting for Sebastian to lose it. Even so, at the end, I was completely surprised with everything that happened.
For a slow burn, madness inducing novel I do recommend you to pick this one up. As someone who reads a lot of YA Fantasy, reading something a little more mature with a younger character POV was a nice change of pace while not being too culture shocking. I found the relationship growths and the character developments refreshing.
I grew interested in the history of Gibraltar and the diving side of things with Eva, but it did get old after a little while. I wanted to keep up with the story but found some of it dragged. About half way through the book though I started realizing what was going on and I was hooked again. I loved the way Eva and Mimi's relationship is real and I really respect the way Kitty brings them together.
As the book continued, I had a few moments where I was like "hmm, what just happened." You can see Sebastian losing himself. Mimi and Eva unawares with their own issues. I kept thinking that Sebastian had Encephalitis and kept making references in my head to Hannibal (the show) and how Hannibal kept messing with Will Graham. This, single handedly, kept me going. I love a good descent into madness.
While I continued to enjoy Mimi and her explorations with Mohammed and Carlo, I kept waiting for Sebastian to lose it. Even so, at the end, I was completely surprised with everything that happened.
For a slow burn, madness inducing novel I do recommend you to pick this one up. As someone who reads a lot of YA Fantasy, reading something a little more mature with a younger character POV was a nice change of pace while not being too culture shocking. I found the relationship growths and the character developments refreshing.
August 26, 2019
While I was reading this book, I noticed there are undercurrents of mental illness and death similar to the movie Suddenly Last Summer with Elizabeth Taylor and Montgomery Clift.
The book is told in three points of view: Sebastian's, Mimi's, and Eva's.
Sebastian is a prominent engineer determined to conquer the world and his ambitious and groundbreaking idea of building a titanic tide-proof cantilevered shelf on the south-east side fo the Rock of Gibraltar may get him in trouble with the locals. Particularly a prominent member of the Catholic church who has an interest in his younger sister, Mimi.
Mimi's life has not been easy. Her mother doesn't want her, her father is dead and her brother cares more about his work.
Eva is a professional diver and paramedic and met Sebastian and Mimi in Dubai. She is an American running from her past which may be catching up with her and putting everyone in danger.
Ms. Sewell has written a very interesting, surprising, and compelling thriller with very intriguing historical facts and details of Gibraltar.
Thank you to Ms. Sewell for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
The book is told in three points of view: Sebastian's, Mimi's, and Eva's.
Sebastian is a prominent engineer determined to conquer the world and his ambitious and groundbreaking idea of building a titanic tide-proof cantilevered shelf on the south-east side fo the Rock of Gibraltar may get him in trouble with the locals. Particularly a prominent member of the Catholic church who has an interest in his younger sister, Mimi.
Mimi's life has not been easy. Her mother doesn't want her, her father is dead and her brother cares more about his work.
Eva is a professional diver and paramedic and met Sebastian and Mimi in Dubai. She is an American running from her past which may be catching up with her and putting everyone in danger.
Ms. Sewell has written a very interesting, surprising, and compelling thriller with very intriguing historical facts and details of Gibraltar.
Thank you to Ms. Sewell for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews