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A Double Life
Gabriela is a senior negotiator in the Foreign Office. When she returns to her young family after a seven-month stint in Moscow, something doesn’t seem right. Isobel is a journalist on the local paper in Camden. After witnessing a violent attack, she starts to investigate. But someone saw her watching, and is making themselves known in increasingly frightening ways. As Gabriela’s life begins to unravel, Isobel gets closer to the truth, and the two women’s lives converge in this deeply chilling examination of deceit. ‘A sensational story packed full of twists . What an unbelievable book, I'm absolutely flabbergasted by the ending … it's a cliffhanger, so I hope Philby is already working on a sequel because I NEED to know what happens next ’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘A riveting and tense thriller exploring the actions of two women whose lives are about to collide’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Can’t wait for book 3!’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Great read’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazingly brilliant’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Loved loved LOVED! I was hooked after the very first chapter. Engrossed in the story all the way through. The end hit me like a tonne of bricks!!! CANNOT WAIT for the 3rd book!!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Complex, chilling , fascinating. LOVED it’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Addictive’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Chilling’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Gripping’ ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I was utterly gripped’ LUCY FOLEY ‘I fell into the vivid, frightening world Charlotte Philby creates so skilfully and didn't resurface until long after I'd turned the last page’ JANE CASEY ‘ A Double Life confirms Charlotte Philby as the master of a sub-genre she basically invented’ ERIN KELLY ‘Brilliantly executed and tense’ SUNDAY TIMES ‘Terribly compelling… persuasive and absorbing’ OBSERVER ‘A pacy, gripping read that kept us on the edge of our seats’ INDEPENDENT
454 pages, Paperback
First published July 9, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 129 reviews
January 20, 2021
Gabriela has a senior role with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in counter terrorism. She is dedicated and has worked long hours to get where she is today.
She is married to Tom a free lance architect, who is a stay at home parent to their two children, occasionally taking on freelance work while his wife is the major breadwinner.
When Gabriella returns from Moscow, something does not feel right at work and soon her very organised life starts to unravel.
Isabel is a local journalist who sees a woman being attacked whilst on her way home. She can not get this incident out of her head and starts to investigate herself, even though this will put her own life at risk.
I loved how the two ladies stories run parallel to each other without any obvious connection and seamlessly join together at the end.
After really enjoying this, I am going to look for her other books!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
She is married to Tom a free lance architect, who is a stay at home parent to their two children, occasionally taking on freelance work while his wife is the major breadwinner.
When Gabriella returns from Moscow, something does not feel right at work and soon her very organised life starts to unravel.
Isabel is a local journalist who sees a woman being attacked whilst on her way home. She can not get this incident out of her head and starts to investigate herself, even though this will put her own life at risk.
I loved how the two ladies stories run parallel to each other without any obvious connection and seamlessly join together at the end.
After really enjoying this, I am going to look for her other books!!
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.
July 26, 2020
Errr the ending??? What the hell? I went to read other reviews and got the impression I need to read her first book so back soon ;) I can't even decide on a star rating.
Ok finished first book, still none the wiser. Not sure making your readers feel stupid is a great tactic?
Ok finished first book, still none the wiser. Not sure making your readers feel stupid is a great tactic?
March 9, 2021
This is not an espionage novel at all but is being sold as one, it is more like domestic noir - a genre that tends to bore me. Author and publisher cashing in on the famous relative which is understandable but this book doesn't deliver what it promises and is poorly executed. Does she really know anything about espionage?
Yes, it has elements of a literary espionage thriller but the first 150 pages has too much characterisation, too much stuff about babies & child-care, only two things happen of significance but There's something very cold and unappealing about both female protagonists. They are distant like figures seen from far away. I'm disinterested in both Gabriela and Isobel I don't care about them at all. Both characters have a drink problem which is boring & has been done SO MANY times before. And even by page 165 I'm hazy about what exactly is the main story here - it's a spy story about human trafficking but I only know this because the blurb has told me not the story. There's an evil boss called Emsworth but he's like a cipher of a cipher - is this the point? Or has this been written by someone who knows they're going to get published so there is no pressure on her to write something good or interesting to read.
There is little danger or tension. Even if you ignore the espionagey-lite bits & pretend this is straight-up women's fiction about the pressures & struggles we face at work, this book does not satisfy there either. The characters feel phoned in and unconvincing. Scenes and ideas are undeveloped. There is a tremendous amount of tell and little dialogue that isn't mundane without subtext. I'm disappointed.
However, it might be that my problem with this novel is I haven't read the first one so not getting the connections previously set up. It's not really a standalone novel.
Yes, it has elements of a literary espionage thriller but the first 150 pages has too much characterisation, too much stuff about babies & child-care, only two things happen of significance but There's something very cold and unappealing about both female protagonists. They are distant like figures seen from far away. I'm disinterested in both Gabriela and Isobel I don't care about them at all. Both characters have a drink problem which is boring & has been done SO MANY times before. And even by page 165 I'm hazy about what exactly is the main story here - it's a spy story about human trafficking but I only know this because the blurb has told me not the story. There's an evil boss called Emsworth but he's like a cipher of a cipher - is this the point? Or has this been written by someone who knows they're going to get published so there is no pressure on her to write something good or interesting to read.
There is little danger or tension. Even if you ignore the espionagey-lite bits & pretend this is straight-up women's fiction about the pressures & struggles we face at work, this book does not satisfy there either. The characters feel phoned in and unconvincing. Scenes and ideas are undeveloped. There is a tremendous amount of tell and little dialogue that isn't mundane without subtext. I'm disappointed.
However, it might be that my problem with this novel is I haven't read the first one so not getting the connections previously set up. It's not really a standalone novel.
March 11, 2022
I wasn't aware that this was part of a series until the final few pages, the abrupt 'shock' ending left me confused until I spotted a few other reviewers having also have been caught out in a novel that has been marketed as a standalone.
Reading the blub of the first book, I can see how the two are connected.
It does mean that much of this book could be enjoyed in isolation and for the most part I was actually really enjoying it.
The narrative follows both Gabriela a career driven senior negotiarior for the foreign office and Isobel a journalist for a local Camden paper.
It was Gabriela's sections that I enjoyed the most.
Returning from a seven month stint in Moscow, she finds certain aspects of her life altered which leads to a big change in her life.
This well written thriller was quite the addictive read for the most part, though the most impactful element was completely lost on me - so I'm afraid that I can't rate it any higher.
Reading the blub of the first book, I can see how the two are connected.
It does mean that much of this book could be enjoyed in isolation and for the most part I was actually really enjoying it.
The narrative follows both Gabriela a career driven senior negotiarior for the foreign office and Isobel a journalist for a local Camden paper.
It was Gabriela's sections that I enjoyed the most.
Returning from a seven month stint in Moscow, she finds certain aspects of her life altered which leads to a big change in her life.
This well written thriller was quite the addictive read for the most part, though the most impactful element was completely lost on me - so I'm afraid that I can't rate it any higher.
Read
December 24, 2020Ok so I was baffled by this. The premise was great and I was excited to read it, but halfway through I still wasn't sure how Isobel and Gabriela's stories would link up and there are so many unanswered questions still at the end....
And now, after finishing, I've found that this is the second in a trilogy, which makes way more sense. I haven't read the first and probably won't read the last, now that I know that, and I really think potential readers should be aware prior to reading this as it doesn't really work as a standalone book.
And now, after finishing, I've found that this is the second in a trilogy, which makes way more sense. I haven't read the first and probably won't read the last, now that I know that, and I really think potential readers should be aware prior to reading this as it doesn't really work as a standalone book.
July 17, 2020
Thinking of reading this book? Don’t.
The best word to describe this book is - dire. An interesting idea; but so poorly executed as to be laughable. One dimensional characters, many so stupid that they cannot spot the improbabilities in the plot. The one thing the author has going is a London A to Z, as characters weave around the capital. And she has spotted the Costa in the FCO. I struggled to get to the end of this farrago of nonsense. Don’t waste your time on it.
The best word to describe this book is - dire. An interesting idea; but so poorly executed as to be laughable. One dimensional characters, many so stupid that they cannot spot the improbabilities in the plot. The one thing the author has going is a London A to Z, as characters weave around the capital. And she has spotted the Costa in the FCO. I struggled to get to the end of this farrago of nonsense. Don’t waste your time on it.
July 9, 2021
That ending. Discovering this is the SECOND in a trilogy even though it's marketed as a standalone. YIKES.
I loved this book, until this. Right now I just need a minute to process my disappointment.
Final review:
A Double Life should have been a massive hit for me, an espionage thriller literally is my dream thriller. Except, it turns out its the SECOND in a trilogy and it has the most massive cliffhanger, unfinished ending ever. I so enjoyed reading this, I really did, Charlotte Philby captures the area, the style, the work, so very well, but it swiftly went from 5 stars to 3. It's a bit slow in pacing, there's a whole lot more family drama and romance than I expected, but I could see it all playing out in front of me. I loved Gabriela's chapters, I even loved Isobel's chapters, but neither work together until the very last second so it feels like reading two books. It felt like everything worked, except for when it came to tying the two together and when I hit the last page. I'm left connecting the dots of how Gabriela and Isobel intersect, which is entirely unlike the blurb presents it to be, and I admit I continuously flipped the pages looking to see if it was formatted wrong.
I feel like I might read the first and third book now, but I'm not entirely sure. I wish It had been marketed correctly. I wish I had known it was the second book. I wish I had known cliffhangers were coming. There's a lot I needed going into this, because it is not a standalone as presented and I would not have read it alone had I known. I'm pretty sad, I wanted this to be the five star it started as.
ARC provided.
I loved this book, until this. Right now I just need a minute to process my disappointment.
Final review:
A Double Life should have been a massive hit for me, an espionage thriller literally is my dream thriller. Except, it turns out its the SECOND in a trilogy and it has the most massive cliffhanger, unfinished ending ever. I so enjoyed reading this, I really did, Charlotte Philby captures the area, the style, the work, so very well, but it swiftly went from 5 stars to 3. It's a bit slow in pacing, there's a whole lot more family drama and romance than I expected, but I could see it all playing out in front of me. I loved Gabriela's chapters, I even loved Isobel's chapters, but neither work together until the very last second so it feels like reading two books. It felt like everything worked, except for when it came to tying the two together and when I hit the last page. I'm left connecting the dots of how Gabriela and Isobel intersect, which is entirely unlike the blurb presents it to be, and I admit I continuously flipped the pages looking to see if it was formatted wrong.
I feel like I might read the first and third book now, but I'm not entirely sure. I wish It had been marketed correctly. I wish I had known it was the second book. I wish I had known cliffhangers were coming. There's a lot I needed going into this, because it is not a standalone as presented and I would not have read it alone had I known. I'm pretty sad, I wanted this to be the five star it started as.
ARC provided.
April 28, 2021
Philby’s classy second novel is hard to pin down to any one specific genre combining as it does a number of elements but there is no doubt from the ever-present sense of creeping dread throughout that it’s deep into thriller territory. A Double Life examines the actions and consequences of two believably flawed female protagonists whose lives are on very different paths but against all expectations about to collide in the most unimaginable way.
The novel opens with working mother, Gabriela Shaw, returning from a seven-month posting in Moscow with her job for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) counter-terrorism unit. As she departs for work one morning leaving an awkward domestic scene in her wake it becomes apparent that she is also leading a double life. In exploring what could possibly compel a mother to deceive and betray in a manner viewed as almost exclusively male territory, Philby rolls back the years to a twenty-two-year-old Gabriela being selected for a coveted internship at the FCO and the full-time post that subsequently follows. Ambitious and committed to her job, an unplanned pregnancy and then a second sees partner, Tom, take on the childcare whilst Gabriela remains the breadwinner banking on a promised promotion. But with motherhood Gabriela finds herself gradually being moved sideways until the point that her hopes for career progression rest solely on uncovering her boss’s suspected corruption and removing him from the top. For local Camden newspaper journalist, Isobel Mason, the last year of her life has been tough with the death of a friend sending her on a downward spiral of increasingly chaotic living causing her to appear unstable. So when she claims to have seen what appears to be a violent attack on a woman on her way home from a drug-fuelled squat party scepticism abounds, but Isobel is determined to uncover just what she stumbled upon.
The book cuts between the third person narrative of Gabriela and the first person narrative of Isobel with both women doggedly pursuing their own investigations, increasingly fearful of exposure and justifiably paranoid. Both narratives exude a palpable sense of menace as the two women find themselves becoming progressively more isolated and vulnerable. Philby excels at creating a sense of impending doom and ratcheting up the tension as the stakes rise with each chapter. The characterisation of both protagonists is exceptional and Philby’s eloquence in addressing the double-edged sword of motherhood that Gabriela wrestles with is both perceptive and refreshingly honest. Objectively it would be easy to dismiss Gabriela’s double life as far-fetched but Philby convinces by writing so well about her characters emotions and the logistics of her increasingly complex life that it sucks the reader in without hesitation. Whilst the book weighs in at 450 pages and the storyline is involved, both the characters and their choices are well explored making the pay-off when it comes is wholly worth waiting for.
It is hard to overstate just how assured this novel is as Philby delivers a masterclass in plotting and I would recommend it to readers who appreciate a character-driven crime novel with depth. Whilst the ending does apparently link back to the author’s first book I found it worked fine as a stand-alone but it is ripe for continuation and if the prose is of this quality then I’m definitely keen for more!
The novel opens with working mother, Gabriela Shaw, returning from a seven-month posting in Moscow with her job for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) counter-terrorism unit. As she departs for work one morning leaving an awkward domestic scene in her wake it becomes apparent that she is also leading a double life. In exploring what could possibly compel a mother to deceive and betray in a manner viewed as almost exclusively male territory, Philby rolls back the years to a twenty-two-year-old Gabriela being selected for a coveted internship at the FCO and the full-time post that subsequently follows. Ambitious and committed to her job, an unplanned pregnancy and then a second sees partner, Tom, take on the childcare whilst Gabriela remains the breadwinner banking on a promised promotion. But with motherhood Gabriela finds herself gradually being moved sideways until the point that her hopes for career progression rest solely on uncovering her boss’s suspected corruption and removing him from the top. For local Camden newspaper journalist, Isobel Mason, the last year of her life has been tough with the death of a friend sending her on a downward spiral of increasingly chaotic living causing her to appear unstable. So when she claims to have seen what appears to be a violent attack on a woman on her way home from a drug-fuelled squat party scepticism abounds, but Isobel is determined to uncover just what she stumbled upon.
The book cuts between the third person narrative of Gabriela and the first person narrative of Isobel with both women doggedly pursuing their own investigations, increasingly fearful of exposure and justifiably paranoid. Both narratives exude a palpable sense of menace as the two women find themselves becoming progressively more isolated and vulnerable. Philby excels at creating a sense of impending doom and ratcheting up the tension as the stakes rise with each chapter. The characterisation of both protagonists is exceptional and Philby’s eloquence in addressing the double-edged sword of motherhood that Gabriela wrestles with is both perceptive and refreshingly honest. Objectively it would be easy to dismiss Gabriela’s double life as far-fetched but Philby convinces by writing so well about her characters emotions and the logistics of her increasingly complex life that it sucks the reader in without hesitation. Whilst the book weighs in at 450 pages and the storyline is involved, both the characters and their choices are well explored making the pay-off when it comes is wholly worth waiting for.
It is hard to overstate just how assured this novel is as Philby delivers a masterclass in plotting and I would recommend it to readers who appreciate a character-driven crime novel with depth. Whilst the ending does apparently link back to the author’s first book I found it worked fine as a stand-alone but it is ripe for continuation and if the prose is of this quality then I’m definitely keen for more!
March 2, 2021
I don't see the purpose of running Isobel and Gabriela's stories side by side as they don't really link up and I expected there to be a moment of realisation at the end, but there wasn't. I found the ending disappointing, it seemed to end abruptly and there were still lots of things left unanswered.
October 16, 2020
Downgraded to a 2 star as its left me so frustrated. What the heck is that ending about?!
It isnt an espionage novel. Its a novel about a bad mother and childcare. The first half was so long winded and took ages to get going. Even when it did (a bit) it wasn't great. Annoyed to have wasted so much precious reading time on it! Enjoyed a couple of sections but thats about it.
It isnt an espionage novel. Its a novel about a bad mother and childcare. The first half was so long winded and took ages to get going. Even when it did (a bit) it wasn't great. Annoyed to have wasted so much precious reading time on it! Enjoyed a couple of sections but thats about it.
August 21, 2020
Totally let down by the ending
This was shaping up to be such a good story - so many interesting and rich narrative threads. There could have been an exciting denouement. But it just sort of fizzled out. The Isobel string was pointless. Very disappointing.
This was shaping up to be such a good story - so many interesting and rich narrative threads. There could have been an exciting denouement. But it just sort of fizzled out. The Isobel string was pointless. Very disappointing.
September 30, 2020
The main character was monstrous! Slightly spoiled it for me.
January 3, 2022
Definitely not what I had expected and the ending felt a little two quickly rounded up for how long this book dragged on for... expecting more??
January 28, 2022
This was aggressively bland. I'm talking, some anti-fun editor surely made a deliberate point of removing anything approaching exciting twists, engaging writing or character development. It was predictable, dull and unbelievable. Inexplicably, it makes no mention of being volume 2 of a trilogy. Literally nowhere. It just stops. Can you imagine just how irritating that
July 27, 2020
Ludicrous and boring
August 14, 2020
Utter unbelievable tripe, I can’t believe it got such good reviews. Will look for my money back if possible, terrible waste of time.
March 13, 2021
Unliveable characters and a truly unsatisfactory ending. Only afterwards did I find out this was part of a series. Won’t be troubling myself to find any more of this author’s work.
July 24, 2020
A Double Life by Charlotte Philby was published on July 9th with The Borough Press. It is described as ‘another deftly written, compulsive and compelling novel from the author of Part of the Family’ (Side Note – Part of the Family was originally published in 2019 under the title The Most Difficult Thing)
Ingenious really is the only word I have for this novel, and that is mainly because I have previously read Part of the Family. In writing that review I said….
‘Now I will have to mention the ending…ONE MORE PAGE…EVEN ONE MORE SENTENCE and I would have felt less disturbed, less shouting of WTF!!!!!!!'
I don’t doubt that there are many who have finished this latest novel with the same statement, but not me! I was completely unprepared for the final pages but I got it. I got it and felt very darn smug to be honest!! I await book 3 from Charlotte Philby, which is in the pipeline…so yay!!
Gabriela holds a senior position with the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) in counter-terrorism. She has worked hard to achieve her career success, always with a very ambitious streak to be top of her game. She has two small children but Gabriela never had that strong maternal pull to be with them, immersing herself back into her job as soon as possible. Her partner Tom was prepared to take on the role of stay-at-home Dad. He enjoyed the company of his children and worked freelance on occasion when the opportunity arose. When Gabriela had to travel to Moscow for a prolonged period, Tom never questioned her. It wasn’t what he wanted but he was willing to accept it.
Tom and Gabriela have been together for years. He knows her ambitious nature and he accepts that this is Gabriela. When she is happy, he is happy. He has full trust in Gabriela and in her choices. But when Gabriela returned from Moscow, something shifted.
Gabriela had experienced unexpected internal challenges in the workplace, following her return to work from maternity leave. She felt that her position had been side-lined and that all her hard work had suddenly been over-looked. Gabriela always wanted recognition and success but this drive was to impact her life in ways she could never have imagined. The threads start to break and Gabriela’s world suddenly becomes unexpectedly complex and quite terrifying.
Isobel is a journalist with issues. Her life is in free-fall following a traumatic experience that she is unable to move on from. Working for a local paper has its limitations on what Isobel can write about. She is tenacious, always looking for the bigger story but when she is the singular witness to an early morning attack in a local park, Isobel knows that there is a bigger story there. Due to her recent erratic behaviour, Isobel struggles to get her colleagues to believe her but Isobel is determined and soon finds herself caught up in the dark underbelly of trafficking and corruption that seems to reach right up into the higher echelons of society.
Charlotte Philby has pedigree when writing thrillers and espionage, with her family history linking her to Kim Philby. He was Britain’s most notorious double-agent, a man considered a traitor to his home and country and who defected to the USSR in 1963….and Kim Philby was her grandfather. Taking on this genre is no mean feat, but Charlotte Philby uses all her own personal knowledge and experiences creating an intricately layered story-line that will confuse, shock and delight all lovers of a good thriller. Full of twists and turns, Charlotte Philby expertly interweaves Gabriela and Isobel’s stories, and although separate, as the pages turn the reader begins to notice similarities, cross overs.
A Double Life has a number of characters, none that particularly appealed but I did not have to like them to become wrapped up in their lives. Tom was the only person I felt deserved my empathy, Gabriela is self-centred, self-serving and basically just selfish. Getting herself caught up in a dreadful situation that spirals completely out of control, Gabriela doesn’t consider the result of her actions taken until it clearly becomes too late.
A Double Life ends with a BANG. The connections to book 1 are really intelligently knitted into the story. I genuinely loved the unexpected surprise I got…a perfect ending that has left me drooling for more. I would recommend you read Part of the Family first and when you get to the end, know that there is a delicious twist coming down the line in A Difficult Life. I have no idea where this series is going but I am ready to see what happens next and excited to read about the direction Charlotte Philby takes with her characters.
A Double Life and Part of the Family are clever, clever reads. Inventive story-lines, skillful plotting, subtle hints, shrewd nuances and just very entertaining reads. I like Charlotte Philby’s style. It is filled with misdirection and suspense, deceit, thrills and shocks and a bit of glamour thrown in. Recommended!
Ingenious really is the only word I have for this novel, and that is mainly because I have previously read Part of the Family. In writing that review I said….
‘Now I will have to mention the ending…ONE MORE PAGE…EVEN ONE MORE SENTENCE and I would have felt less disturbed, less shouting of WTF!!!!!!!'
I don’t doubt that there are many who have finished this latest novel with the same statement, but not me! I was completely unprepared for the final pages but I got it. I got it and felt very darn smug to be honest!! I await book 3 from Charlotte Philby, which is in the pipeline…so yay!!
Gabriela holds a senior position with the FCO (Foreign & Commonwealth Office) in counter-terrorism. She has worked hard to achieve her career success, always with a very ambitious streak to be top of her game. She has two small children but Gabriela never had that strong maternal pull to be with them, immersing herself back into her job as soon as possible. Her partner Tom was prepared to take on the role of stay-at-home Dad. He enjoyed the company of his children and worked freelance on occasion when the opportunity arose. When Gabriela had to travel to Moscow for a prolonged period, Tom never questioned her. It wasn’t what he wanted but he was willing to accept it.
Tom and Gabriela have been together for years. He knows her ambitious nature and he accepts that this is Gabriela. When she is happy, he is happy. He has full trust in Gabriela and in her choices. But when Gabriela returned from Moscow, something shifted.
Gabriela had experienced unexpected internal challenges in the workplace, following her return to work from maternity leave. She felt that her position had been side-lined and that all her hard work had suddenly been over-looked. Gabriela always wanted recognition and success but this drive was to impact her life in ways she could never have imagined. The threads start to break and Gabriela’s world suddenly becomes unexpectedly complex and quite terrifying.
Isobel is a journalist with issues. Her life is in free-fall following a traumatic experience that she is unable to move on from. Working for a local paper has its limitations on what Isobel can write about. She is tenacious, always looking for the bigger story but when she is the singular witness to an early morning attack in a local park, Isobel knows that there is a bigger story there. Due to her recent erratic behaviour, Isobel struggles to get her colleagues to believe her but Isobel is determined and soon finds herself caught up in the dark underbelly of trafficking and corruption that seems to reach right up into the higher echelons of society.
Charlotte Philby has pedigree when writing thrillers and espionage, with her family history linking her to Kim Philby. He was Britain’s most notorious double-agent, a man considered a traitor to his home and country and who defected to the USSR in 1963….and Kim Philby was her grandfather. Taking on this genre is no mean feat, but Charlotte Philby uses all her own personal knowledge and experiences creating an intricately layered story-line that will confuse, shock and delight all lovers of a good thriller. Full of twists and turns, Charlotte Philby expertly interweaves Gabriela and Isobel’s stories, and although separate, as the pages turn the reader begins to notice similarities, cross overs.
A Double Life has a number of characters, none that particularly appealed but I did not have to like them to become wrapped up in their lives. Tom was the only person I felt deserved my empathy, Gabriela is self-centred, self-serving and basically just selfish. Getting herself caught up in a dreadful situation that spirals completely out of control, Gabriela doesn’t consider the result of her actions taken until it clearly becomes too late.
A Double Life ends with a BANG. The connections to book 1 are really intelligently knitted into the story. I genuinely loved the unexpected surprise I got…a perfect ending that has left me drooling for more. I would recommend you read Part of the Family first and when you get to the end, know that there is a delicious twist coming down the line in A Difficult Life. I have no idea where this series is going but I am ready to see what happens next and excited to read about the direction Charlotte Philby takes with her characters.
A Double Life and Part of the Family are clever, clever reads. Inventive story-lines, skillful plotting, subtle hints, shrewd nuances and just very entertaining reads. I like Charlotte Philby’s style. It is filled with misdirection and suspense, deceit, thrills and shocks and a bit of glamour thrown in. Recommended!
December 16, 2022
I'm glad to see that I wasn't the only person left totally confused by this book.
For anyone else whose reaction on finishing it was "Eh?!!", you should know that it is the middle book of a trilogy. This was not indicated at all on the copy that I read - it was advertised as a standalone novel. Although, having read reviews of the first and third books, I'm not sure it would have made any more sense of it if I had known!
A Double Life tells the parallel stories of two women, Isobel, a journalist, and Gabriela, who works for the Foreign Office. It started off promisingly but then unravelled rapidly.
Isobel has a drink & drug problem, which seems to be linked to some vaguely referenced trauma she has experienced, connected to a woman called 'Jess'. It's all very mysterious - references to 'Jess' and 'what happened' and 'after' are liberally scattered throughout Isobel's chapters - we find out who Jess was and what happened to her towards the end of the novel, but I didn't really find the explanation very satisfying. Isobel is investigating human trafficking, and part of her motivation is supposed to be 'what happened to Jess', but when she finally gets round to telling us what DID happen, it's hard to see the connection.
Gabriela is very career driven - it's hard to work out why she is even with her partner Tom in the first place or why she chose to become a mother to two children whom she doesn't seem to care for, since she obviously doesn't care about them very much. Hints about a bad relationship with her own mother are possibly meant to provide a reason, but again, it just doesn't stack up for me. And it's hard to engage with a novel when you can't feel any sympathy or liking for the main protagonist.
The two women don't seem to have any connection, except that during Isobel's investigation, she meets briefly with Madeline, a former colleague of Gabriela's.
Gabriela makes a series of unwise personal and professional choices and her life starts to unravel. Meanwhile, Isobel continues 'investigating' but doesn't really achieve much.
The novel ends in an incredibly bizarre way - several pages before the end, Isabel reads an obituary of a man called David Witherow who dies in a car accident and leaves a widow and two children. And at the very end of the book, Isabel finds out that the widow has killed herself. This woman literally made NO appearance anywhere in the novel, yet her death is announced as if it explains everything.
Since finishing the book, I've read the reviews for the first and third novels, and it seems that Madeline and the Witherows make appearances in these books, so maybe things are a little clearer if you read all three. But to be honest, I can't be bothered. The whole ending read as if the author had no idea how to finish her book, so decided to turn it into a cliff-hanger. And judging by comments on the third book, it seems she didn't know how to end that one either, so I think I'll quit now!
For anyone else whose reaction on finishing it was "Eh?!!", you should know that it is the middle book of a trilogy. This was not indicated at all on the copy that I read - it was advertised as a standalone novel. Although, having read reviews of the first and third books, I'm not sure it would have made any more sense of it if I had known!
A Double Life tells the parallel stories of two women, Isobel, a journalist, and Gabriela, who works for the Foreign Office. It started off promisingly but then unravelled rapidly.
Isobel has a drink & drug problem, which seems to be linked to some vaguely referenced trauma she has experienced, connected to a woman called 'Jess'. It's all very mysterious - references to 'Jess' and 'what happened' and 'after' are liberally scattered throughout Isobel's chapters - we find out who Jess was and what happened to her towards the end of the novel, but I didn't really find the explanation very satisfying. Isobel is investigating human trafficking, and part of her motivation is supposed to be 'what happened to Jess', but when she finally gets round to telling us what DID happen, it's hard to see the connection.
Gabriela is very career driven - it's hard to work out why she is even with her partner Tom in the first place or why she chose to become a mother to two children whom she doesn't seem to care for, since she obviously doesn't care about them very much. Hints about a bad relationship with her own mother are possibly meant to provide a reason, but again, it just doesn't stack up for me. And it's hard to engage with a novel when you can't feel any sympathy or liking for the main protagonist.
The two women don't seem to have any connection, except that during Isobel's investigation, she meets briefly with Madeline, a former colleague of Gabriela's.
Gabriela makes a series of unwise personal and professional choices and her life starts to unravel. Meanwhile, Isobel continues 'investigating' but doesn't really achieve much.
The novel ends in an incredibly bizarre way - several pages before the end, Isabel reads an obituary of a man called David Witherow who dies in a car accident and leaves a widow and two children. And at the very end of the book, Isabel finds out that the widow has killed herself. This woman literally made NO appearance anywhere in the novel, yet her death is announced as if it explains everything.
Since finishing the book, I've read the reviews for the first and third novels, and it seems that Madeline and the Witherows make appearances in these books, so maybe things are a little clearer if you read all three. But to be honest, I can't be bothered. The whole ending read as if the author had no idea how to finish her book, so decided to turn it into a cliff-hanger. And judging by comments on the third book, it seems she didn't know how to end that one either, so I think I'll quit now!
July 6, 2020
The Most Difficult Thing was Ms Philby’s debut novel which is a spy story with the unusual theme of the woman as a spy. So I was delighted to be introduced to her second novel which returns to the same theme.
The spy in question in this new novel is Gabriella who joins the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where she works for Emsworth and is supervised, or mentored by Madeleine. The two become close. Gabriella is keen to advance her career and her language skills have her slated to be sent to Moscow at some point. Married to Tom with two young children she flourishes in her work and Tom becomes the carer to the children.
Working on a local paper in Camden Isobel is a journalist who feels responsible for the death of her friend Jess in a road accident. Isobel has turned to drinking and drugs to help her to cope. After one binge she is walking home in the early hours of the morning when she witnesses an assault. Is she paranoid or is she being stalked and threatened – her friends and colleagues doubt her.
Isobel and Gabriella’s lives are very separate but issues start to overlap and converge.
Meanwhile things are moving on apace for Gabriella, after accidentally seeing her boss with two people in a restaurant in Moscow she takes a photo of the group and thinks things are a bit suspicious. Then she loses her job. Rather than tell her husband she pretends to go to work every day and then she meets Ivan and so begins her double life. Living between two men, two homes and 3 children.
A magnificent plot, twists and turns and questions. How can she live her life like this? Surely she must be really horrible; her poor children! We look at corruption within the civil service; trafficking, prostitution; the machinations of the spy network. The dogged persistence of the journalist.
However, I was puzzled by the ending; apparently Anna Witherall has committed suicide. I was at a loss. Then I remembered I was puzzled by the ending of The Most Difficult Thing.
Ms Philby – you are extremely clever and I for one, cannot wait for the next book.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
The spy in question in this new novel is Gabriella who joins the Foreign and Commonwealth Office where she works for Emsworth and is supervised, or mentored by Madeleine. The two become close. Gabriella is keen to advance her career and her language skills have her slated to be sent to Moscow at some point. Married to Tom with two young children she flourishes in her work and Tom becomes the carer to the children.
Working on a local paper in Camden Isobel is a journalist who feels responsible for the death of her friend Jess in a road accident. Isobel has turned to drinking and drugs to help her to cope. After one binge she is walking home in the early hours of the morning when she witnesses an assault. Is she paranoid or is she being stalked and threatened – her friends and colleagues doubt her.
Isobel and Gabriella’s lives are very separate but issues start to overlap and converge.
Meanwhile things are moving on apace for Gabriella, after accidentally seeing her boss with two people in a restaurant in Moscow she takes a photo of the group and thinks things are a bit suspicious. Then she loses her job. Rather than tell her husband she pretends to go to work every day and then she meets Ivan and so begins her double life. Living between two men, two homes and 3 children.
A magnificent plot, twists and turns and questions. How can she live her life like this? Surely she must be really horrible; her poor children! We look at corruption within the civil service; trafficking, prostitution; the machinations of the spy network. The dogged persistence of the journalist.
However, I was puzzled by the ending; apparently Anna Witherall has committed suicide. I was at a loss. Then I remembered I was puzzled by the ending of The Most Difficult Thing.
Ms Philby – you are extremely clever and I for one, cannot wait for the next book.
Thank you to the author, publishers and NetGalley for providing an ARC via my Kindle in return for an honest review.
August 7, 2020
I read Philby's first novel earlier this year and rated it four stars but said, "Knowing there are two more related books is a game-changer for me; this could well be a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ after all, as the one thing that made me unsure about it is answered by its having to perform “set up” duties for the next two books."
Well, considering the first thing I did after finishing the ARC for A Double Life (thanks Netgalley and the Borough Press for those) was download the Audible of it and the second (after reviewing it) will be to listen to its audible and that of Part of the Family / The Most Difficult Thing, I very much do suspect that I will be rating both books as ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, not just this one.
But, back to the book in hand. It has everything I loved about Charlotte Philby's writing but done with greater confidence. Chillingly awful female protagonist with whom I am fascinated? Check. Superb use of first person narrative? Check. Complicated plotting? Check. Philby kept me guessing all the way through.
At points I was slightly annoyed - who is Isobel and how does her storyline intersect with Gabriela's? How do they both intersect with Anna (from the first novel)? How can anyone with such a supportive partner as Tom be so stupidly discontented as Anna is? And how can she treat her best friends so neglectfully too? However, the annoyance was never with the author, but always as a result of how real her characters seemed to me.
Now, I'm waiting, as all readers must be, for the third book in the trilogy. And actually hoping that Philby won't stop at three. She's onto something here with her interconnected storylines. And I love it. No wonder she needs a corkboard that covers her entire wall (as she told the One More Chapter bookchat during her interview for her last book).
Again, massive thanks to Netgalley, and especially to the Borough Press, who actually alerted me (and other readers who loved the first book) that they were making ARCs available. I was already stocked up with new reading, so have been slow to submit my reviews (sorry), but I really, really appreciate getting to read this so fast. And now I'm off to listen to it on Audible. (See, ARCs do lead to sales)!
Well, considering the first thing I did after finishing the ARC for A Double Life (thanks Netgalley and the Borough Press for those) was download the Audible of it and the second (after reviewing it) will be to listen to its audible and that of Part of the Family / The Most Difficult Thing, I very much do suspect that I will be rating both books as ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, not just this one.
But, back to the book in hand. It has everything I loved about Charlotte Philby's writing but done with greater confidence. Chillingly awful female protagonist with whom I am fascinated? Check. Superb use of first person narrative? Check. Complicated plotting? Check. Philby kept me guessing all the way through.
At points I was slightly annoyed - who is Isobel and how does her storyline intersect with Gabriela's? How do they both intersect with Anna (from the first novel)? How can anyone with such a supportive partner as Tom be so stupidly discontented as Anna is? And how can she treat her best friends so neglectfully too? However, the annoyance was never with the author, but always as a result of how real her characters seemed to me.
Now, I'm waiting, as all readers must be, for the third book in the trilogy. And actually hoping that Philby won't stop at three. She's onto something here with her interconnected storylines. And I love it. No wonder she needs a corkboard that covers her entire wall (as she told the One More Chapter bookchat during her interview for her last book).
Again, massive thanks to Netgalley, and especially to the Borough Press, who actually alerted me (and other readers who loved the first book) that they were making ARCs available. I was already stocked up with new reading, so have been slow to submit my reviews (sorry), but I really, really appreciate getting to read this so fast. And now I'm off to listen to it on Audible. (See, ARCs do lead to sales)!
July 6, 2020
I would like to thank Netgalley and HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction for an advance copy of A Double Life, a stand-alone set in London.
Gabriela is a successful counter terrorism officer at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office until her life starts to unravel. Isobel is a local journalist who sees a vicious attack on her way home. With no proof no one will believe her so she decides to investigate herself but finds herself threatened. Gradually the two women’s lives move closer to one another.
I have not read this author before but the synopsis made me think I might enjoy it but it’s not really my thing. It is slow in terms of momentum and concentrates more on the women’s emotions and reactions than on what is behind their experiences. It switches regularly between their voices to keep the reader up to date on where they are, not far, for most of the book. I didn’t understand the ending for either character. It seems inconclusive and raises more questions than it answers. What I will say, however, is that the novel is excellent at creeping unease and fear with both characters feeling it.
Both characters are well drawn although Isobel takes second place to Gabriela. This is fitting as Gabriela is the strong one with Isobel stuck in a mire of pain, drugs and alcohol. I absolutely loathed Gabriela who is selfishness personified. I can’t even begin to try and understand either her actions or her reasoning. She paints herself as a martyr making a big sacrifice for her family when really she’s shutting them out and fulfilling her own wants, mostly by lying on an epic scale. It wasn’t long before I couldn’t care less about her although it is probably a sign of strong characterisation to evoke such a response. Isobel I felt sorry for. She’s a mess but still has the get up and go to investigate what she saw however inexpertly. I warmed to her efforts. Could these different reactions be due to Isobel’s first person narrative as opposed to Gabriela’s third? If so, it’s clever.
A Double Life is not for me but I think that readers who enjoy a more character driven read will enjoy it.
Gabriela is a successful counter terrorism officer at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office until her life starts to unravel. Isobel is a local journalist who sees a vicious attack on her way home. With no proof no one will believe her so she decides to investigate herself but finds herself threatened. Gradually the two women’s lives move closer to one another.
I have not read this author before but the synopsis made me think I might enjoy it but it’s not really my thing. It is slow in terms of momentum and concentrates more on the women’s emotions and reactions than on what is behind their experiences. It switches regularly between their voices to keep the reader up to date on where they are, not far, for most of the book. I didn’t understand the ending for either character. It seems inconclusive and raises more questions than it answers. What I will say, however, is that the novel is excellent at creeping unease and fear with both characters feeling it.
Both characters are well drawn although Isobel takes second place to Gabriela. This is fitting as Gabriela is the strong one with Isobel stuck in a mire of pain, drugs and alcohol. I absolutely loathed Gabriela who is selfishness personified. I can’t even begin to try and understand either her actions or her reasoning. She paints herself as a martyr making a big sacrifice for her family when really she’s shutting them out and fulfilling her own wants, mostly by lying on an epic scale. It wasn’t long before I couldn’t care less about her although it is probably a sign of strong characterisation to evoke such a response. Isobel I felt sorry for. She’s a mess but still has the get up and go to investigate what she saw however inexpertly. I warmed to her efforts. Could these different reactions be due to Isobel’s first person narrative as opposed to Gabriela’s third? If so, it’s clever.
A Double Life is not for me but I think that readers who enjoy a more character driven read will enjoy it.
June 20, 2021
Edgy to improbable to bewildering!
June 20, 2020
Gabriela is a senior officer at the FCO’s counter-terrorism unit.
She is ambitious and driven and strives for a promotion.
But her plans are put on hold when she gets pregnant.
Coming back to work after her maternity leave, she feels that something is wrong.
Isobel is a journalist, working for a local paper. One night, she witnesses an attack, and as she investigates, she uncovers a network of human trafficking.
I read the author's previous book, and while it was a reasonably enjoyable read, I thought it was slow going, with an ending that left me confused. However, I was still curious about her newest novel when I requested the ARC.
Unfortunately, I found this book not to be to my taste.
I did prefer this family-focused plot to the spy angle of the previous book, but it was still slow, and I had difficulty getting into it.
The two main characters were unrelated, apart from a small connection through a mutual contact, and if it wasn't for Isobel's thread providing some suspense, the story would have been devoid of any action.
The ending was, yet again, abrupt, and the only thing that saved the book from getting one star was the fact that it offered some sort of conclusion to the previous book.
However, I am sure that this novel will find its fans, so I recommend you check it out yourself.
She is ambitious and driven and strives for a promotion.
But her plans are put on hold when she gets pregnant.
Coming back to work after her maternity leave, she feels that something is wrong.
Isobel is a journalist, working for a local paper. One night, she witnesses an attack, and as she investigates, she uncovers a network of human trafficking.
I read the author's previous book, and while it was a reasonably enjoyable read, I thought it was slow going, with an ending that left me confused. However, I was still curious about her newest novel when I requested the ARC.
Unfortunately, I found this book not to be to my taste.
I did prefer this family-focused plot to the spy angle of the previous book, but it was still slow, and I had difficulty getting into it.
The two main characters were unrelated, apart from a small connection through a mutual contact, and if it wasn't for Isobel's thread providing some suspense, the story would have been devoid of any action.
The ending was, yet again, abrupt, and the only thing that saved the book from getting one star was the fact that it offered some sort of conclusion to the previous book.
However, I am sure that this novel will find its fans, so I recommend you check it out yourself.
October 27, 2021
Well that's a first. Genuinely never before have I thought that somehow I must not have downloaded the final chapters of a book as I finish it utterly bemused.
While the characters are all unlikable and the 2 parallel stories are linked by the thinnest of threads, I was hoping the story would all come together at the end. It didn't. At all. I've since read that it's the second of a trilogy, which explains a but but I won't be rushing to read any more.
While the characters are all unlikable and the 2 parallel stories are linked by the thinnest of threads, I was hoping the story would all come together at the end. It didn't. At all. I've since read that it's the second of a trilogy, which explains a but but I won't be rushing to read any more.
July 28, 2022
The writing starts out unpleasantly and evens out abit, but characters are flat and frankly their actions illogical, a man not realising his partner is 16 weeks pregnant with her 3rd child is a reach.
The whole double life is ridiculous and the book is lots of build up to about 3 action points so it feels mean.
The ending is an insult frankly and I definitely wont be reading the next in the series.
The whole double life is ridiculous and the book is lots of build up to about 3 action points so it feels mean.
The ending is an insult frankly and I definitely wont be reading the next in the series.
December 15, 2020
I have no idea what just happened. I thought the book was getting good and was going to intertwine somehow, I turned the page and it was the end! Worst ending to a Book every! Anyone?
September 22, 2020
I was intrigued by the author of this book- she is the granddaughter of the notorious Russian spy, Kim Philby, and wrongly surmised that it would be an espionage thriller.
However A Double Life was more of a domestic noir novel told from the view point of two characters: Gabriela who works for the foreign office and is living with her partner and two young children is the main focus. Isobel, the other protagonist is a reporter who witnesses a murder whilst high on drugs.
Gabriela has the “double life” and the novel endeavours to explain how she has ended up in this position.
I didn’t really like Gabriela who makes some very strange life choices- in fact her outlook seems to be quite amoral. At one point she is accused of being selfish and I think this does sum up a major part of her character as everything has to be about her. Even her children are not as important as what she wants and the life she perceives she should lead.
Isobel appears to be a reasonable journalist but is on a downward spiral after some of her own life choices have not worked out well. She drinks and takes drugs to dull the pain of a previous mistake.
The story is told in alternative sections between the two women and the author does not reveal the tenuous link between the two of them until quite near the end.
I did really enjoy this book but found the ending somewhat unsatisfying so I have only given it 4 stars! Maybe I will need to read this author’s next book to resolve some of my questions in which case the ending is rather clever!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.
However A Double Life was more of a domestic noir novel told from the view point of two characters: Gabriela who works for the foreign office and is living with her partner and two young children is the main focus. Isobel, the other protagonist is a reporter who witnesses a murder whilst high on drugs.
Gabriela has the “double life” and the novel endeavours to explain how she has ended up in this position.
I didn’t really like Gabriela who makes some very strange life choices- in fact her outlook seems to be quite amoral. At one point she is accused of being selfish and I think this does sum up a major part of her character as everything has to be about her. Even her children are not as important as what she wants and the life she perceives she should lead.
Isobel appears to be a reasonable journalist but is on a downward spiral after some of her own life choices have not worked out well. She drinks and takes drugs to dull the pain of a previous mistake.
The story is told in alternative sections between the two women and the author does not reveal the tenuous link between the two of them until quite near the end.
I did really enjoy this book but found the ending somewhat unsatisfying so I have only given it 4 stars! Maybe I will need to read this author’s next book to resolve some of my questions in which case the ending is rather clever!
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.
November 11, 2020
I came into this review blind as I was unaware of the authors connections - this said I really enjoyed the almost espionage theme running through this.
Gabriela was unliveable and selfish at times. It’s understandable to want a career, but when that’s over to lie to one person, your children and then lie to another who you’ve made a life with is awful! All for her own gain.
Isobel is a mess - but she has a good heart and her investigative intuition is spot on.
What I didn’t like was the ending. WHAT!!!! Is there another book? So much is left unsaid!!
I would’ve liked the two women’s lives to have become entwined earlier, as for most part, it was like reading two novels in one. The collision of the two stories was very clever although I did see it coming (sort of).
A real page turner of a book, it certainly left me wanting more!
Gabriela was unliveable and selfish at times. It’s understandable to want a career, but when that’s over to lie to one person, your children and then lie to another who you’ve made a life with is awful! All for her own gain.
Isobel is a mess - but she has a good heart and her investigative intuition is spot on.
What I didn’t like was the ending. WHAT!!!! Is there another book? So much is left unsaid!!
I would’ve liked the two women’s lives to have become entwined earlier, as for most part, it was like reading two novels in one. The collision of the two stories was very clever although I did see it coming (sort of).
A real page turner of a book, it certainly left me wanting more!
December 5, 2021
Good grief…. This book was not what I expected at all. It started off with such promise in the first third, meandered and kind of lost its way through the third almost as if it couldn’t decide which way to go. Having made the decision, the author romped to the end with almost brazen haste as though she knew through indecision she was going to disappoint the reader. This book could’ve been so much better. They rocket transported into a damp squib. Read it if you must, but that’s a few hours of my life I’ll not be able to reclaim
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