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3.46 AVERAGE
3.46 AVERAGE
Tara Carver seems to have it all - a successful start-up, loving husband Christian, beautiful son Marlon and a Labrador called Buddy. Then she goes to a conference in Tokyo and one spur of the moment decision changes her life for ever. James Caine sat next to her at the conference and when they bump into each other later that day they end up spending the night together. When she returns to the UK Tara is sure that it was a one night stand and that Christian will never know but James has other ideas. When James is found dead in a hotel room Tara and Christian’s lives are torn apart.
A gripping and emotional read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK Cornerstone and Tony Parsons for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
A gripping and emotional read. Thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thanks to Netgalley, Random House UK Cornerstone and Tony Parsons for the ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
I haven't read a Tony Parsons book since the nineties when I remember Man and Boy and Man and Wife, so I am a bit behind the times!
This psychological thriller had me up most of the night.
I enjoyed the twists and turns and the conviction that I knew who the killer was, only to have my thoughts overturned by the next revelation, casting my net of suspicion far and wide until every character, bar sweet and sensitive 5 year old Marlon and labrador Buddy, were caught in a tangled mess. I had to change my mind several times, the author got me in that much of a fix, and I suppose this is what kept me reading, to end the suspense once and for all!
This is the sort of book that also upended my initial impressions of a lot of the characters too. I really empathised with Tara, panic stricken and desperate to undo the damage of one disastrous decision she made before her marriage to Christian is destroyed, her home, her boy, her business, all ground underfoot, until a point when I decided she was actually more selfish than I originally thought. Christian morphs from gentle, perfect husband and father to someone else entirely and best friend Ginger and her husband Spike are not at all who they appear to be at first.
I think the reason I could not award 5 stars for this book was because of the way I felt as I read. Yes, it was gripping and yes it was well written, and yes I could easily feel the tension and unease, but ultimately I felt disappointed and sad at what we humans do to one another. We can aim to control or exert our power or influence over another, we can deceive and lie and be unfaithful, we can scheme and blame and obliterate what is good. We can allow anger to take over, obsession to take root, and we can convince ourselves that someone else is responsible. I was simply left with a sense of hopelessness that anyone can truly feel and love and act in selfless ways, as all the main characters, in some form or another, harmed themselves, someone else or tainted the good.
Just how far does someone go to protect who and what they love and can we ever be motivated by anything other than our own distorted wishes and desires?
Definitely worth reading, but you won't necessarily feel great about the human race by the end of it.
This psychological thriller had me up most of the night.
I enjoyed the twists and turns and the conviction that I knew who the killer was, only to have my thoughts overturned by the next revelation, casting my net of suspicion far and wide until every character, bar sweet and sensitive 5 year old Marlon and labrador Buddy, were caught in a tangled mess. I had to change my mind several times, the author got me in that much of a fix, and I suppose this is what kept me reading, to end the suspense once and for all!
This is the sort of book that also upended my initial impressions of a lot of the characters too. I really empathised with Tara, panic stricken and desperate to undo the damage of one disastrous decision she made before her marriage to Christian is destroyed, her home, her boy, her business, all ground underfoot, until a point when I decided she was actually more selfish than I originally thought. Christian morphs from gentle, perfect husband and father to someone else entirely and best friend Ginger and her husband Spike are not at all who they appear to be at first.
I think the reason I could not award 5 stars for this book was because of the way I felt as I read. Yes, it was gripping and yes it was well written, and yes I could easily feel the tension and unease, but ultimately I felt disappointed and sad at what we humans do to one another. We can aim to control or exert our power or influence over another, we can deceive and lie and be unfaithful, we can scheme and blame and obliterate what is good. We can allow anger to take over, obsession to take root, and we can convince ourselves that someone else is responsible. I was simply left with a sense of hopelessness that anyone can truly feel and love and act in selfless ways, as all the main characters, in some form or another, harmed themselves, someone else or tainted the good.
Just how far does someone go to protect who and what they love and can we ever be motivated by anything other than our own distorted wishes and desires?
Definitely worth reading, but you won't necessarily feel great about the human race by the end of it.
A very well written novel that kept me hooked right from the start. Good characters and several plot twists. Highly recommended.
When Tara meets an intelligent and kind-looking man on a business trip in Tokyo, she feels like the opportunity has arisen for her to have a brief fling with no repercussions as she will never see him again, right?
When James Caine become obsessively aggressive and won’t let her go, her family and marriage are in danger, and Tara is feeling backed into a corner.
And then when James turns up dead, the question remains as to who did it.
I was absolutely hooked on this novel after just a couple of chapters. I found most of the characters were both likeable and unlikeable at the same time (except James who was just plain evil), and there was plenty of drama involved with the cheating, the lies and the murder.
I increasingly disliked Tara more and more as the novel went on, as she seemed to show a very selfish side to her (expecting her husband to be by her side no matter what and act like everything is normal even though she cheated on him!) and not really thinking about anyone else or the repercussions of her actions.
There are many twists within the novel, keeping you guessing till the very end as to who really did kill James Caine, and there were also some very unexpected surprises involving certain characters that also brought a lot to the novel.
I did find that by the end of the novel, there was no one character that was completely blameless in any of the drama that happened, as they all did something to cause it or make things worse, except Tara and Christian’s son, Harlon.
I liked the use of ‘shopping for pain’. It’s a great metaphor for when you’re looking for something within your life or marriage to cause you hurt and to potential create drama also.
This was my first Tony Parsons novel, and it will not be my last. Very impressed and highly recommend.
When James Caine become obsessively aggressive and won’t let her go, her family and marriage are in danger, and Tara is feeling backed into a corner.
And then when James turns up dead, the question remains as to who did it.
I was absolutely hooked on this novel after just a couple of chapters. I found most of the characters were both likeable and unlikeable at the same time (except James who was just plain evil), and there was plenty of drama involved with the cheating, the lies and the murder.
I increasingly disliked Tara more and more as the novel went on, as she seemed to show a very selfish side to her (expecting her husband to be by her side no matter what and act like everything is normal even though she cheated on him!) and not really thinking about anyone else or the repercussions of her actions.
There are many twists within the novel, keeping you guessing till the very end as to who really did kill James Caine, and there were also some very unexpected surprises involving certain characters that also brought a lot to the novel.
I did find that by the end of the novel, there was no one character that was completely blameless in any of the drama that happened, as they all did something to cause it or make things worse, except Tara and Christian’s son, Harlon.
I liked the use of ‘shopping for pain’. It’s a great metaphor for when you’re looking for something within your life or marriage to cause you hurt and to potential create drama also.
This was my first Tony Parsons novel, and it will not be my last. Very impressed and highly recommend.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I loved the mixed points of view between Tara and her husband Christian. Tara has a one night stand, and wants to forget her actions. However James wants more of Tara, all of her, and will not let her forget what happens. It was gripping and compelling, and I could not predict the twists and turns that occurred during this book, and they just made it that much more enjoyable. I found the book flowed quite well, and I quite enjoyed it – it was definitely a page turner.
Quite simply, Your Neighbour’s Wife, is a brilliantly twisty, turny novel.
We meet Tara Carver, a married mum of one, who, on a work trip abroad, abandons all logic and crosses the line – one moment, one decision that is irreversible. From that point on, everything starts to unravel.
Tony Parsons powerfully builds up a situation where the octopus-like tentacles of Tara’s actions is far reaching and poisonous to her nearest and dearest.
The tension of the situation cranks up, making you ask yourself what you would do in Tara’s shoes? Everything is on the line.
A couple of aspects which I really enjoyed…
One was the internal monologue of Tara’s husband, Christian, once he discovers the truth. He’s devastated, reflective, loyal and on the cliff edge confronting his emotions and what the future looks like for him.
There are some beautiful said and unsaid moments between husband and wife, and there sentences which pack a powerful and memorable punch.
Another aspect I really loved (and shouldn’t be taken for granted by any reader) is that Tony takes you down one path in terms of the plot, then pulls the rug from under your feet, and repeats that a few more times. As a reader, you are no longer on solid ground, but navigating stormy waters wondering how the story will end.
All in all, Your Neighbour’s Wife is a cracking thriller, leaving you on no certain terms of the power of reality versus fantasy, what happens when you act on impulse and the gaps left between what’s spoken and unspoken.
It’s a four star read for me!
We meet Tara Carver, a married mum of one, who, on a work trip abroad, abandons all logic and crosses the line – one moment, one decision that is irreversible. From that point on, everything starts to unravel.
Tony Parsons powerfully builds up a situation where the octopus-like tentacles of Tara’s actions is far reaching and poisonous to her nearest and dearest.
The tension of the situation cranks up, making you ask yourself what you would do in Tara’s shoes? Everything is on the line.
A couple of aspects which I really enjoyed…
One was the internal monologue of Tara’s husband, Christian, once he discovers the truth. He’s devastated, reflective, loyal and on the cliff edge confronting his emotions and what the future looks like for him.
There are some beautiful said and unsaid moments between husband and wife, and there sentences which pack a powerful and memorable punch.
Another aspect I really loved (and shouldn’t be taken for granted by any reader) is that Tony takes you down one path in terms of the plot, then pulls the rug from under your feet, and repeats that a few more times. As a reader, you are no longer on solid ground, but navigating stormy waters wondering how the story will end.
All in all, Your Neighbour’s Wife is a cracking thriller, leaving you on no certain terms of the power of reality versus fantasy, what happens when you act on impulse and the gaps left between what’s spoken and unspoken.
It’s a four star read for me!