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PAH
"A compelling novel full of brilliantly villainous characterisation. Orla Owen is a natural storyteller.” Rónán Hession
Susan Brown is trapped. She lives in nurses’ accommodation she hates, on the run from a past she detests, desperate for a future she can’t afford. Yet.
Calton Jonas is lost. He travels across the country, from beach to city, settling in a small town with a job at the morgue.
Jeffrey Jeffreys is happy as long as life provides him with enough whiskey and beer.
Their lives cross. Old wounds open. Susan takes control but not all of them can survive...
Susan Brown is trapped. She lives in nurses’ accommodation she hates, on the run from a past she detests, desperate for a future she can’t afford. Yet.
Calton Jonas is lost. He travels across the country, from beach to city, settling in a small town with a job at the morgue.
Jeffrey Jeffreys is happy as long as life provides him with enough whiskey and beer.
Their lives cross. Old wounds open. Susan takes control but not all of them can survive...
270 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2021
11 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Orla Owen
3 books56 followersOrla Owen's latest book, Christ On A Bike, was published by the award winning Bluemoose Books in January 2024, and has been longlisted for the Dublin Literary Award 2025.
Her writing focuses on the darker side of family life, the parts that go on behind closed doors.
Before she became a writer, she was an actress and drama practitioner, studying Theatre at Bretton Hall College of the Arts.
In 2016 she was picked to be mentored by Sarah Savitt at Virago, and in 2020 she won second place in the Sandstone Press Short fiction competition.
The Lost Thumb was published in March 2019, and PAH was published in July 2021.
Her writing focuses on the darker side of family life, the parts that go on behind closed doors.
Before she became a writer, she was an actress and drama practitioner, studying Theatre at Bretton Hall College of the Arts.
In 2016 she was picked to be mentored by Sarah Savitt at Virago, and in 2020 she won second place in the Sandstone Press Short fiction competition.
The Lost Thumb was published in March 2019, and PAH was published in July 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 14, 2021
When describing PAH to people, I would say that it is a novel about relationships. Then again aren’t all novels about relationships of some sort? I guess that’s an incorrect description and yet it’s a correct one.
Susan is a nurse who lives with other nurses in a shared flat. As an individualistic and aloof character she plans to marry in order to escape the accommodation. She finds that way out in Jeffrey Jeffreys, a simple character, who has his hang ups as well. As one can see, this is a doomed marriage.
Into the mix is stoner Carlton, whose parents have died and has to escape the city. His destiny does cross with Susan and it does leave an affect of sorts. The question is, what will happen to these characters?
One aspect I liked about PAH’s characters is that they are flawed. Susan may be a user and controlling but Jeffrey is a sexist and an alcoholic. Carlton may like drugs and escapism but he also feels guilty for some of his actions. It’s these messy people which make PAH such an addictive read. Like authors such as Rónán Hession or Iris Murdoch, Orla Owen knows how to write believable people.
Despite the dark vibe that runs in the book, PAH does have genuinely funny moments: Jeffrey’s love for a pie, his mother makes, Susan’s attempts to adapt to Jeffrey’s behaviour and then try ‘tame’ are equally tragic and humorous.
The writing is great. PAH consists of an endless supply of memorable scenes. From Susan’s disgruntlement with her life to her predicament at the end of the book, will awash the reader with many emotions and they will linger on.
PAH, in it’s own way, is a deeply human book. True the protagonists may appear cold, unfeeling, odd and weak but don’t we all have moments like that? I do like realistic books and PAH is definitely one of them.
Susan is a nurse who lives with other nurses in a shared flat. As an individualistic and aloof character she plans to marry in order to escape the accommodation. She finds that way out in Jeffrey Jeffreys, a simple character, who has his hang ups as well. As one can see, this is a doomed marriage.
Into the mix is stoner Carlton, whose parents have died and has to escape the city. His destiny does cross with Susan and it does leave an affect of sorts. The question is, what will happen to these characters?
One aspect I liked about PAH’s characters is that they are flawed. Susan may be a user and controlling but Jeffrey is a sexist and an alcoholic. Carlton may like drugs and escapism but he also feels guilty for some of his actions. It’s these messy people which make PAH such an addictive read. Like authors such as Rónán Hession or Iris Murdoch, Orla Owen knows how to write believable people.
Despite the dark vibe that runs in the book, PAH does have genuinely funny moments: Jeffrey’s love for a pie, his mother makes, Susan’s attempts to adapt to Jeffrey’s behaviour and then try ‘tame’ are equally tragic and humorous.
The writing is great. PAH consists of an endless supply of memorable scenes. From Susan’s disgruntlement with her life to her predicament at the end of the book, will awash the reader with many emotions and they will linger on.
PAH, in it’s own way, is a deeply human book. True the protagonists may appear cold, unfeeling, odd and weak but don’t we all have moments like that? I do like realistic books and PAH is definitely one of them.
November 28, 2021
It appears that Orla Owen is now my go-to author for dark edge, top class character-driven tales. I have found it very difficult to put my thoughts down after reading PAH because it was so affecting, so harrowing, and so remarkable.
How is it even possible to feel sadness and sympathy for a character that has so few redeeming qualities. Susan is possibly one of the most messed up women I’ve read about in a long time, and yet my heart aches for her. I completely understand her thought processes and reasoning, her life is one big heartbreak after another.
She copes by being cold, detached and regimental. Sometimes it’s the only way to deal with trauma. It’s like she feels she doesn’t deserve to feel human and have softer emotions. We occasionally see tiny sparks of humanity from her. I knew it was there, but she fought it tooth and nail because she is in survival mode 24/7.
PAH, like Orla’s other book The Lost Thumb is unforgettable. I will read everything by her from here on in.
Both these books are on my best of 2021 shelf.
How is it even possible to feel sadness and sympathy for a character that has so few redeeming qualities. Susan is possibly one of the most messed up women I’ve read about in a long time, and yet my heart aches for her. I completely understand her thought processes and reasoning, her life is one big heartbreak after another.
She copes by being cold, detached and regimental. Sometimes it’s the only way to deal with trauma. It’s like she feels she doesn’t deserve to feel human and have softer emotions. We occasionally see tiny sparks of humanity from her. I knew it was there, but she fought it tooth and nail because she is in survival mode 24/7.
PAH, like Orla’s other book The Lost Thumb is unforgettable. I will read everything by her from here on in.
Both these books are on my best of 2021 shelf.
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March 12, 2022Please note, I do not rate on Goodreads.
Strong characterization is the star of this novel. The characters are not likeable, particularly the character of Susan, and yet they are enjoyable, if that makes sense.
Pah is a very 'human' book, one which explores the complexity of relationships and cause and effect of events on people's personalities in an unflinching way.
An easy read, at times humorous despite the darkness. Thoroughly entertaining.
Strong characterization is the star of this novel. The characters are not likeable, particularly the character of Susan, and yet they are enjoyable, if that makes sense.
Pah is a very 'human' book, one which explores the complexity of relationships and cause and effect of events on people's personalities in an unflinching way.
An easy read, at times humorous despite the darkness. Thoroughly entertaining.
June 27, 2021
Absolutely loved this second novel from Orla Owen. A sort of prequel to The Lost Thumb (although you don't need any knowledge of that to thoroughly enjoy this). Full of such wonderfully drawn characters that keep you gripped from start to finish. Susan is such a superbly cold, controlling, atrocious character that had me hooked from the very start. I read this in little over a day, most of it spent in the garden with sunshine, this book and a glass of wine. Pretty much a perfect day. Orla is such a talented writer, with a great gift for storytelling. Pah is difficult to put down as the dark humour and open-mouthed shock at Susan's manipulation just keeps you captivated until you get to the end. Every bit as good as her first novel, and every bit as good as I hoped it would be. Highly, highly recommended.
September 21, 2021
There are two storylines that are unrelated except for a coincidental meeting. Susan, a woman severely damaged by child abuse both psychologically and physically marries an alcoholic she can manipulate in her quest to be free of other people. Calton, a twenty year old man loses both his parents in one week then drifts around Australia. The writing was good, the characters were very good, but the story seemed to just stop for no reason, and the Calton storyline was pointless to the Susan storyline.
It seems PAH is a prequel to The Lost Thumb, which would make sense of the sudden stop in PAH. I can’t say I would recommend this book, but I am curious about The Lost Thumb because Orla Owens is a good writer and I found this book engaging, right up until Orla Owens stopped writing it.
It seems PAH is a prequel to The Lost Thumb, which would make sense of the sudden stop in PAH. I can’t say I would recommend this book, but I am curious about The Lost Thumb because Orla Owens is a good writer and I found this book engaging, right up until Orla Owens stopped writing it.
January 5, 2022
I knew nothing about this before starting it, hadn’t heard of the book/author and I had already bought The Lost Thumb (her first book) before finishing on the strength of my reaction.
Pah is a story that explores relationships, and though our main character is not likeable I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her.
Susan Brown is a nurse, desperate to escape her life. She alludes to a past that caused discomfort and the details we get (slowly) help us to understand some of her behaviours. Certainly guilty of some dubious conduct, there was a steeliness to Susan’s attempts to get a husband that surprised me.
Watching the interactions between Susan and Jeffrey was difficult. Both very needy and struggling with their own issues, it was hard to see a way out of things for them. The casual violence and disregard for others was alarming, and there were so many examples of this.
The third character, Calton, to feature in the novel always felt slightly off-kilter. Orphaned as a teen, he was placed in a difficult situation and it took a while to work out how the paths of these characters would cross. When they did, I feared what might happen.
Owen has created a character that is so clearly suffering the effects of trauma, seemingly destined to continue such behaviours, but one you can’t help but feel sympathy for and understanding of. Dark, at times incredibly uncomfortable but also fascinating. I have to thank the online book club for putting me on to this.
Pah is a story that explores relationships, and though our main character is not likeable I couldn’t help but feel sympathy for her.
Susan Brown is a nurse, desperate to escape her life. She alludes to a past that caused discomfort and the details we get (slowly) help us to understand some of her behaviours. Certainly guilty of some dubious conduct, there was a steeliness to Susan’s attempts to get a husband that surprised me.
Watching the interactions between Susan and Jeffrey was difficult. Both very needy and struggling with their own issues, it was hard to see a way out of things for them. The casual violence and disregard for others was alarming, and there were so many examples of this.
The third character, Calton, to feature in the novel always felt slightly off-kilter. Orphaned as a teen, he was placed in a difficult situation and it took a while to work out how the paths of these characters would cross. When they did, I feared what might happen.
Owen has created a character that is so clearly suffering the effects of trauma, seemingly destined to continue such behaviours, but one you can’t help but feel sympathy for and understanding of. Dark, at times incredibly uncomfortable but also fascinating. I have to thank the online book club for putting me on to this.
January 13, 2022
Books like PAH are hard to review because they contain so many unlikeable characters. But, in my book, we don’t judge a book by its unlikeable characters!
PAH tells the story of Susan, and she doesn’t come across as nice right from the very start. We do soon learn, however, that there’s a reason for Susan’s emotionless exterior as the story weaves between the past & the present.
I had already read Orla’s first book, The Lost Thumb, and really enjoyed it. I hadn’t realised until finishing PAH that The Lost Thumb is a follow on, set 16 years later. Although both books are pretty dark, they are a fabulous exploration of human nature, and how the way in which we treat children can have a huge impact on their life as an adult.
PAH tells the story of Susan, and she doesn’t come across as nice right from the very start. We do soon learn, however, that there’s a reason for Susan’s emotionless exterior as the story weaves between the past & the present.
I had already read Orla’s first book, The Lost Thumb, and really enjoyed it. I hadn’t realised until finishing PAH that The Lost Thumb is a follow on, set 16 years later. Although both books are pretty dark, they are a fabulous exploration of human nature, and how the way in which we treat children can have a huge impact on their life as an adult.
February 23, 2023
I’ve been thinking a lot about this book since I read it! Can’t wait to continue the story with The Lost Thumb!
January 1, 2022
This is a great book with a standout character who kept me both engrossed and appalled until the very end.
Split into two separate narratives, each following a different and apparently unrelated character, it's a beautifully told story of two unfortunates who eventually cross paths to shape one another's futures.
Orla Owen has a sublime grip on how to seamlessly seed comedic moments in amongst dramatic and often harrowing scenarios, feeding you just enough light to make the darker elements hit all the harder.
There's a fabulous twist at the end, and upon finishing the novel I was proper chuffed to discover that at least some of the characters also appear in 'The Lost Thumb', another of Owen's books.
Fab book. Loved it.
Split into two separate narratives, each following a different and apparently unrelated character, it's a beautifully told story of two unfortunates who eventually cross paths to shape one another's futures.
Orla Owen has a sublime grip on how to seamlessly seed comedic moments in amongst dramatic and often harrowing scenarios, feeding you just enough light to make the darker elements hit all the harder.
There's a fabulous twist at the end, and upon finishing the novel I was proper chuffed to discover that at least some of the characters also appear in 'The Lost Thumb', another of Owen's books.
Fab book. Loved it.
November 21, 2021
I had no idea where this book was going, just chucked myself fully into it and surrendered to the process. I cannot remember reading that is a linking novel to 'The Lost Thumb', but the overwhelming feeling of surprise tempered with delight and also deep and unabiding sadness, is symptomatic of what Orla Owen engenders in you, as you journey with her.
PAH is a expiration of breath, a dismissal and a putting of another in their place. It is the keyword with which Susan, the principle character of the novel uses for maximum impact against the strictures of her very narrow life.
Working as a nurse brings her no joy, and even less to the people she cares for-she really is the most appalling 'care giver' imaginable . She sees people in her life as a means to an end, and the parallels between her experience as an adult orphan, and that of Calton who undergoes the same thing at the novel's opening, is stark and brutal.
Neither of them had parents who were prepared to take on the responsibility which the role entails, and, as you journey in deeper, the details of Susan's childhood are simultaneously moving, pathetic, and heart rending. She is a monstrous creation of a monstrous creation who cannot use her sense to relate to anything which would bring joy to the common or garden individual.
She uses poor Jeffrey Jeffreys, himself far from a catch, as a means to end to get away from her job, and they find themselves on a course which has an inevitable, and tragic outcome. Calton becomes mixed up in this, and the resulting fallout creates the situation which is further explored in 'The Lost Thumb'.
I don't want to spoil it in any way, shape or form, so I will merely say that if you love dark, beguiling trips to the center of the human heart, or what occupies the space in characters rib cages where it should be, then Orla Owens is the writer you need in your life.
Constrained by her sex, expectations on her to be caring because she is a woman, yet raised by one who is a hollow sham of a mother, it becomes painfully obvious why Susan is like she is.
In contrast, you have the smothered, much loved Jeffrey who is indivisible from his surname, a representation of the Jane and John (deliberately named after the childhood book series, perhaps?) school of childrearing, is a person with no sense of responsibility, authority, or masculinity. Calton is abandoned by his parents by death, one purposeful and the other caused by disease. He is at a prime age where he could go either way, become a grownup or cling to his orphan status and use it as excuse to back out of life.
All 3 are the results of their parent's actions, however, they do not stay around to see the outcomes of their cruel, borderline inhumane parenting.
Monstrous creations beget monstrous offspring, and the sense of being trapped and unable to break away from this , makes for a claustrophobic, insular and unstoppable narration. Orla Owen is a writer to cherish, her words are impeccably chosen and I wish to goodness that I hadn't pushed my copy of 'The Lost Thumb' onto my friend. Because when I finished 'PAH' I wanted to read it all over again!
PAH is a expiration of breath, a dismissal and a putting of another in their place. It is the keyword with which Susan, the principle character of the novel uses for maximum impact against the strictures of her very narrow life.
Working as a nurse brings her no joy, and even less to the people she cares for-she really is the most appalling 'care giver' imaginable . She sees people in her life as a means to an end, and the parallels between her experience as an adult orphan, and that of Calton who undergoes the same thing at the novel's opening, is stark and brutal.
Neither of them had parents who were prepared to take on the responsibility which the role entails, and, as you journey in deeper, the details of Susan's childhood are simultaneously moving, pathetic, and heart rending. She is a monstrous creation of a monstrous creation who cannot use her sense to relate to anything which would bring joy to the common or garden individual.
She uses poor Jeffrey Jeffreys, himself far from a catch, as a means to end to get away from her job, and they find themselves on a course which has an inevitable, and tragic outcome. Calton becomes mixed up in this, and the resulting fallout creates the situation which is further explored in 'The Lost Thumb'.
I don't want to spoil it in any way, shape or form, so I will merely say that if you love dark, beguiling trips to the center of the human heart, or what occupies the space in characters rib cages where it should be, then Orla Owens is the writer you need in your life.
Constrained by her sex, expectations on her to be caring because she is a woman, yet raised by one who is a hollow sham of a mother, it becomes painfully obvious why Susan is like she is.
In contrast, you have the smothered, much loved Jeffrey who is indivisible from his surname, a representation of the Jane and John (deliberately named after the childhood book series, perhaps?) school of childrearing, is a person with no sense of responsibility, authority, or masculinity. Calton is abandoned by his parents by death, one purposeful and the other caused by disease. He is at a prime age where he could go either way, become a grownup or cling to his orphan status and use it as excuse to back out of life.
All 3 are the results of their parent's actions, however, they do not stay around to see the outcomes of their cruel, borderline inhumane parenting.
Monstrous creations beget monstrous offspring, and the sense of being trapped and unable to break away from this , makes for a claustrophobic, insular and unstoppable narration. Orla Owen is a writer to cherish, her words are impeccably chosen and I wish to goodness that I hadn't pushed my copy of 'The Lost Thumb' onto my friend. Because when I finished 'PAH' I wanted to read it all over again!
July 20, 2021
Ooh, this is gloriously dark, folks, and the characters, especially Susan, are deeply unsettling and complex. Susan is an utterly fascinating protagonist – her coldness and her calculating nature make it hard to find any redeeming features, but every time we get a glimpse of her past, it becomes more and more obvious why she is the way she is. The small slivers of her childhood that Owen offers up are just enough to keep the reader from detesting her – how could anyone emerge from that upbringing unscathed? And there is also, again, let’s be honest here, a kind of perverse pleasure to be had in watching a character who so deliberately and cruelly subverts the norm, who takes self-preservation to a whole new level, so much so that at times I almost had a grudging respect for her. Susan really is one of the most interesting characters I’ve come across, and in herself is a strong argument against the whole ‘protagonists should be likeable’ thing. No, they should be interesting, and Susan is certainly that.
Jeffrey is also pretty awful, but he provides much of the novel’s dark humour. Calton, though, is different – he isn’t exactly a saint, but there’s a sense in which you’re rooting for him more whole-heartedly than Susan, and the delay in their paths crossing makes for a delicious sense of anticipation (even if it made me want to shout “Run, Cal!”). There’s something quite timeless and eerie about the prose in Pah – it’s hard to know exactly when or where this taking place, and it adds a real flavour of mystery and originality. I certainly can’t think of anything I’ve read that I could easily compare to this book.
I really enjoyed the immersive experience of being dipped in Susan’s chilly bitterness, and I also think the book is really bold on the theme of unwanted motherhood. This is something that is being explored more frequently in fiction, and it’s so important – not everyone ‘finds their purpose’ when they become a mother, and although Susan is an extreme example, it is still refreshing to see. I am really excited to note that Orla Owen’s previous novel, The Lost Thumb, has some of the same characters – I will definitely be reading it, and anything else this talented author writes in the future.
Jeffrey is also pretty awful, but he provides much of the novel’s dark humour. Calton, though, is different – he isn’t exactly a saint, but there’s a sense in which you’re rooting for him more whole-heartedly than Susan, and the delay in their paths crossing makes for a delicious sense of anticipation (even if it made me want to shout “Run, Cal!”). There’s something quite timeless and eerie about the prose in Pah – it’s hard to know exactly when or where this taking place, and it adds a real flavour of mystery and originality. I certainly can’t think of anything I’ve read that I could easily compare to this book.
I really enjoyed the immersive experience of being dipped in Susan’s chilly bitterness, and I also think the book is really bold on the theme of unwanted motherhood. This is something that is being explored more frequently in fiction, and it’s so important – not everyone ‘finds their purpose’ when they become a mother, and although Susan is an extreme example, it is still refreshing to see. I am really excited to note that Orla Owen’s previous novel, The Lost Thumb, has some of the same characters – I will definitely be reading it, and anything else this talented author writes in the future.
November 22, 2021
This focuses on Susan, She is a strange woman and not a character you can warm to. She has had a tough life, and sometimes you can feel for the characters as you learn their past, but not in the case of Susan. She is, by all accounts, very beautiful but is seen by most as odd. She is cold and fastidious. It makes her a good worker but a terrible friend. She decides that she doesnt want to live in the nursing halls anymore and the only way out of that situation is to get married. From there she is devious and manipulative, although she does marry a bit of a drunk idiot. You actually end up feeling sorry for him, although his mother is a mollycoddling daughter in laws worst nightmare!!
This is told alongside the story of Calton, who becomes an orphan in the space of a fortnight. The book concludes as their paths cross to a strong ending. I didnt realise quite how gripped by this I was until I realised that I couldnt wait to get back to it to find out how it turned out and what happened to Susan.
Its well written and has lots of depth and relatable incidences.
This is told alongside the story of Calton, who becomes an orphan in the space of a fortnight. The book concludes as their paths cross to a strong ending. I didnt realise quite how gripped by this I was until I realised that I couldnt wait to get back to it to find out how it turned out and what happened to Susan.
Its well written and has lots of depth and relatable incidences.
January 16, 2022
I read this book straight after finishing ‘The Lost Thumb’, to which it is a prequel.
The same themes are here - the way children are so malleable and how they can be complete messed up as people depending on the way they’re parented- and it was equally gripping.
The events in this novel take place 16 years before the timeframe of ‘The Lost Thumb’, but there’s no need to read these books in a particular order.
The darkness, the feeling of impending dread, and the general aloneness of each of the main characters and the way their lives contrast with more ‘normal’ people permeate every page.
Definitely recommended.
The same themes are here - the way children are so malleable and how they can be complete messed up as people depending on the way they’re parented- and it was equally gripping.
The events in this novel take place 16 years before the timeframe of ‘The Lost Thumb’, but there’s no need to read these books in a particular order.
The darkness, the feeling of impending dread, and the general aloneness of each of the main characters and the way their lives contrast with more ‘normal’ people permeate every page.
Definitely recommended.
July 16, 2024
This book demonstrates the implications of 'good' vs. abhorrent parenting. Susan is a horrible woman but can you blame her? Her mother was abominable. She herself has found her own unique way of coping with the world. I feel sad for her that she never experienced any joy in her life, and that she is repeating the cycle herself. Not her fault, it's just so sad to think that people go through experiences like these with life-altering consequences. Devastating and difficult to put down.
August 7, 2021
Oh, this book. It comes out of nowhere and before you know it you're halfway in and don't want to put it down. It's dark, at times unnerving and choc-full of less than likable characters but it's testimony to the quality of writing that at no point do you want to stop reading. Quite the opposite. This book is the real deal.
September 7, 2021
Really enjoyed this pitch black character study. So many deft touches within vivid prose that relentlessly sucks you in. As everyone else says, Susan is a masterful creation, totally cold and yet painfully relatable. It's impossible not to be pulled along into her dreadful experiment. Keen to see how it all manifests into The Lost Thumb now too.
January 3, 2022
Finished already 😊
This was a book club read gif me snd was gripped with the characters, particularly as usual as the main one. Fascination with her character and the desire to see where it was headed drew me on. Love you hate lead character yet. Enjoyed the plot and glad I dipped in!
This was a book club read gif me snd was gripped with the characters, particularly as usual as the main one. Fascination with her character and the desire to see where it was headed drew me on. Love you hate lead character yet. Enjoyed the plot and glad I dipped in!
September 23, 2021
This was so good, I kept putting it down as I neared the end, because I didn’t want it to be finished.
Owen writes her characters with a chilling accuracy, and fills the narrative with description that triggers physical reactions. I simply love reading her books.
Owen writes her characters with a chilling accuracy, and fills the narrative with description that triggers physical reactions. I simply love reading her books.
November 24, 2021
I absolutely loved this book, it was dark, disturbing & desolate. Very much a character driven read, with three very complex main characters.
It's the first book I've read by Orla & I love her writing style, full of depth & descriptive.
If realistic if your thing then I would highly recommend this read.
Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot & the publishers for my gifted copy.
𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 5 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
It's the first book I've read by Orla & I love her writing style, full of depth & descriptive.
If realistic if your thing then I would highly recommend this read.
Many thanks to Random Things Tours for my tour spot & the publishers for my gifted copy.
𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 5 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
February 23, 2023
The characters are well-developed, with their own unique struggles, quirks, and dreams. The author's attention to detail and use of dialect and slang lend an added layer of realism to the story. Very well written.
December 1, 2021
A truly amazing book, I loved it. My review is on my blog https://thefallenlibrarianreviews.wor...
April 12, 2022
Not really sure what I thought of this book. It was compelling, but I didn’t like any characters, and didn’t really like the story line particularly the last part. It was an unsatisfying read.
April 3, 2024
Wtf happened to Orla Owen and why is everything she writes so dark
December 11, 2024
This took a while to get going and it’s a tough read. It helped I’d read the book that came before it. It helped explain why the main character in book one is so awful.
August 30, 2025
Another great story, always unique and interestingly real characters
August 20, 2021
Susan Brown is trapped. Isolated. Alone. That is, in her own world anyway as she lives in nurses’ accommodation which she absolutely loathes down to her very core, from those who claim to be clean then leave their unwashed crockery and cutlery for others to take care of, to behaviour most unbecoming of people who are meant to be a beacon of hope and health… no she cannot live like this for much longer as she runs from a past she would much rather forget, and longs for a future that surely could never be hers. But still….
Calton Jones is lost, after a life changing event leaves him feeling more of an outcast than ever before, he decides he cannot continue on this path and decides to uproot himself and travel across the country from glittering beaches, to the hustle and bustle of the city and finally settling in a small town and acquiring his new job at the morgue.
Jeffrey Jeffreys( yes, his parents apparently liked a good joke) is more than happy with his mediocre living as long as there is whisky and beer to keep him company. That is, until he crosses paths with Susan Brown and all three of their lives will clash in ways they could never have predicted but surely she would never go as far to harm him? Right?
Will Susan ever be happy considering everyone else in her life is an absolute moron? Will Calton ever settle down? And can Jeffrey find a side of Susan that is actually human?
Devastating, gritty, and villainous this novel is truly compelling. Orla Owen is a glorious story teller.
Calton Jones is lost, after a life changing event leaves him feeling more of an outcast than ever before, he decides he cannot continue on this path and decides to uproot himself and travel across the country from glittering beaches, to the hustle and bustle of the city and finally settling in a small town and acquiring his new job at the morgue.
Jeffrey Jeffreys( yes, his parents apparently liked a good joke) is more than happy with his mediocre living as long as there is whisky and beer to keep him company. That is, until he crosses paths with Susan Brown and all three of their lives will clash in ways they could never have predicted but surely she would never go as far to harm him? Right?
Will Susan ever be happy considering everyone else in her life is an absolute moron? Will Calton ever settle down? And can Jeffrey find a side of Susan that is actually human?
Devastating, gritty, and villainous this novel is truly compelling. Orla Owen is a glorious story teller.
January 7, 2022
Despite some tough subjects, amongst them death, drug use, alcoholism and abuse, this is a weirdly likeable book. A dark tale focused on an eccentric trio of main characters who’s stories and lives intertwine as the book progresses. I can’t say I found any of the characters likeable, in fact I really disliked Susan and couldn’t elicit any empathy for her even after I’d finished the book, but they definitely piqued my interest. Owens clever writing draws you in and keeps you hooked and thinking about the characters long after you’ve finished reading.
It gave me Elinor Oliphant and Rosie Project vibes but with a very very sinister edge. I’d definitely want to explore more of Owens work after reading this one.
Thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Lavender publishing and the author Orla Owen for my gifted copy and the chance to read and review.
It gave me Elinor Oliphant and Rosie Project vibes but with a very very sinister edge. I’d definitely want to explore more of Owens work after reading this one.
Thank you to Random Things Book Tours, Lavender publishing and the author Orla Owen for my gifted copy and the chance to read and review.
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