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This is a book of two halves that centres around four main characters. In the first part we meet Lily and Ed who are just back from honeymoon in Italy. Ed works for an advertising agency but wants to be a full time artist. Lily is a newly qualified lawyer preparing to take on her first criminal case. The client is Jo Thomas, convicted of killing his girlfriend in a scalding bath. Lily is trying to get the conviction overturned and lay blame on the boiler company who have had problems with thermostats. There is something about Jo that Lily is dangerously drawn to and him to her. The final protagonist is Carla, the daughter of their neighbour whom Lily and Ed look after on Sunday’s when her mother has to work.
For the second part we move on 12 years. Lily and Ed are having problems; Lily is a successful lawyer and Ed a struggling artist. At this time both Jo and Carla come back into their lives with devestating consequences.
The book is narrated in alternating chapters by Lily and Carla. In the first part Carla gives the reader a chance to see a child’s view of the lives of adults, where things are a lot more literal. Both narrators are very plausible and give different viewpoints on complex relationships and events. All four characters have their flaws; Lily in putting work before family; Ed with his drinking and artistic temperament; Jo and his criminal past and Carla who blames everyone else for what happened to her and her mother. All are believable, if not a times likeable.
There are so many emotions in this book, it is a real roller coaster. Twists and turns are also in abundance so you are kept on your toes. It is well written, with a good storyline that grabs the reader and holds on to them throughout. At times I felt it did drag a bit hence my rating, however it is a must for thriller fans.
'I declare there is no enjoyment like reading!" Jane Austen