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paulabrandon's review against another edition
3.0
Laura and Kit are eclipse chasers (well, Kit particularly) and in 1999, during an eclipse in Cornwall, Laura witnesses the rape of Beth by rich boy Jamie. Incensed at the idea he'll get off because of his wealthy connections, Laura lies in the witness stand. She worries about how the lie will affect her relationship with Kit, and the mere fact she did lie has her developing severe stress and anxiety. Jamie is found guilty and goes to prison, but when he lodges an appeal, this brings Beth back into Laura and Kit's lives.
Fifteen years later, in the present, Laura and Kit live completely off the grid, in fear and paranoia, wondering if Beth is going to find them again. Laura is now pregnant, and Kit is traveling with a friend to the Faroe Islands for another eclipse. The book sets about slowly unraveling what happened between Laura, Kit and Beth that now has them so fearful of her.
After a very slow start, this settles into a reasonably diverting thriller. Unfortunately, the chapters set in the present are extremely dull, as they amount to little more than filler as we wait for the events in the past to unfold. Basically, events in the present can't progress until we know what has happened previously, so it's little more than Laura sitting around the house worrying about Kit, or dull details from Kit about his trip and the eclipse.
You'll learn a lot about eclipses here. You'll have them described to you a lot as well. Probably more than you'd like.
The story-line set in the past is far more interesting and suspenseful. Unfortunately, it is hindered somewhat by the fact that there are simply too many psychological thrillers out there nowadays. Authors are struggling to find anything new. Although I know full well Erin Kelly hasn't pilfered anybody elses material,. So therefore, I think a crowded market causes this one to lose a lot of its impact and be predictable, as opposed to an author without any fresh ideas.
If you can get past the dreary start and the interminable present-day chapters, this is fairly engaging, with excellent characterisation, some good suspense, and a very satisfying ending. However, it could have done with being about fifty pages shorter and, no matter how well-written it is, it can't escape the fact that there are so many similar books out there, so it still fails to stand out from the pack.
Fifteen years later, in the present, Laura and Kit live completely off the grid, in fear and paranoia, wondering if Beth is going to find them again. Laura is now pregnant, and Kit is traveling with a friend to the Faroe Islands for another eclipse. The book sets about slowly unraveling what happened between Laura, Kit and Beth that now has them so fearful of her.
After a very slow start, this settles into a reasonably diverting thriller. Unfortunately, the chapters set in the present are extremely dull, as they amount to little more than filler as we wait for the events in the past to unfold. Basically, events in the present can't progress until we know what has happened previously, so it's little more than Laura sitting around the house worrying about Kit, or dull details from Kit about his trip and the eclipse.
You'll learn a lot about eclipses here. You'll have them described to you a lot as well. Probably more than you'd like.
The story-line set in the past is far more interesting and suspenseful. Unfortunately, it is hindered somewhat by the fact that there are simply too many psychological thrillers out there nowadays. Authors are struggling to find anything new. Although I know full well Erin Kelly hasn't pilfered anybody elses material,
Spoiler
the scenario of Laura letting Beth live with them despite barely knowing her, and Kit's barely disguised hostility over it, is virtually identical to the scenario in The Sister by Louise Jensen, as is the twist that Kit's hostility is due to the fact he slept with Beth in CornwallIf you can get past the dreary start and the interminable present-day chapters, this is fairly engaging, with excellent characterisation, some good suspense, and a very satisfying ending. However, it could have done with being about fifty pages shorter and, no matter how well-written it is, it can't escape the fact that there are so many similar books out there, so it still fails to stand out from the pack.
azwahine_reads's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lifeinthebooklane's review against another edition
3.0
"Oh! What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive" (W. Scott)
And oh what a tangled thread of misconceptions, lies and deceit this proved to be. On Goodreads I consider 3 stars to be a positive review (I liked it). Thrillers are not my 'natural' genre, although I recently read Wasp by Fiona Quinn and that held me enthralled. As I received an arc through Netgalley I felt obliged to finish this book, and only did so after reading reviews that said the book picked up pace and interest in the second half (which it did).
I'm sorry but there was just way to much waffle and unnecessary scene setting. This book could have a good 1/3 cut out from it without affecting the story. And this extra third made it a very, very long book. However when you get to the faster paced chapters where you can feel the action starting to happen, the book is good, not amazing, but good. There were some amazing twists and turns in the book, and when I got to the end of the book scenes much earlier in the book (thinking upper deck scene here) had new meaning. Whilst I can accept some type of prosecution on the second case (towards the end of the book) I found the actual charge very unlikely - real life has shown a lesser charge or very often no charge in these situations. However this links to the last line of the book, so perhaps the author did this to have a greater impact.
And I HATED that last sentence, I had been a little ambivalent towards the character, whose 'line' it was, for a chunk of the book but that compounded the dislike that had been building for several chapters. I could not understand their reaction to one lie when they too had been feeling guilty about lying for so long. This wasn't a book where I particularly warmed to ANY of the characters (at one point Mac seemed to be the most likeable of the lot!). The last 8 - 10 chapters drastically changed my view of MOST of the main characters and by the end the only character I had any time for was the only genuine victim in the whole book.
If your a fan of the author, or psychological thrillers, you may enjoy this. The writing style is good, easy to read and flows naturally, as does the dialogue. It was just the slow pace and not terribly likeable characters that made this an 'ok' read for me.
And oh what a tangled thread of misconceptions, lies and deceit this proved to be. On Goodreads I consider 3 stars to be a positive review (I liked it). Thrillers are not my 'natural' genre, although I recently read Wasp by Fiona Quinn and that held me enthralled. As I received an arc through Netgalley I felt obliged to finish this book, and only did so after reading reviews that said the book picked up pace and interest in the second half (which it did).
I'm sorry but there was just way to much waffle and unnecessary scene setting. This book could have a good 1/3 cut out from it without affecting the story. And this extra third made it a very, very long book. However when you get to the faster paced chapters where you can feel the action starting to happen, the book is good, not amazing, but good. There were some amazing twists and turns in the book, and when I got to the end of the book scenes much earlier in the book (thinking upper deck scene here) had new meaning. Whilst I can accept some type of prosecution on the second case (towards the end of the book) I found the actual charge very unlikely - real life has shown a lesser charge or very often no charge in these situations. However this links to the last line of the book, so perhaps the author did this to have a greater impact.
And I HATED that last sentence, I had been a little ambivalent towards the character, whose 'line' it was, for a chunk of the book but that compounded the dislike that had been building for several chapters. I could not understand their reaction to one lie when they too had been feeling guilty about lying for so long. This wasn't a book where I particularly warmed to ANY of the characters (at one point Mac seemed to be the most likeable of the lot!). The last 8 - 10 chapters drastically changed my view of MOST of the main characters and by the end the only character I had any time for was the only genuine victim in the whole book.
If your a fan of the author, or psychological thrillers, you may enjoy this. The writing style is good, easy to read and flows naturally, as does the dialogue. It was just the slow pace and not terribly likeable characters that made this an 'ok' read for me.
heatherl98's review against another edition
4.0
This book was a definite 5/5 for me, the whole way through - I was gripped, amazed and taken into a whole new world by the writing.
But the final section just completely died for me. Everything after Jamie in the kitchen just seemed really clunky and underwhelming.
I’m not sure what sort of ending I was expecting, but I really just felt disappointed.
Overall, it was a very good book and I did enjoy it
But the final section just completely died for me. Everything after Jamie in the kitchen just seemed really clunky and underwhelming.
I’m not sure what sort of ending I was expecting, but I really just felt disappointed.
Overall, it was a very good book and I did enjoy it
vshoenecke's review against another edition
Trigger - Rape and the legal case seemed to head in a direction I was not liking. I needed to get out of that story.
bethl28's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? No
3.5
Eclipse chasers, no one to root for
jolou's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
kimblefairy1989's review against another edition
4.0
I thoroughly enjoyed this novel - it kept me reading right through till the end. I particularly enjoyed the two twists that made up the latter part of the novel. I didn't see either of them coming.
The only reason I've given this book 4 stars rather than 5 is because the first half was a little slow and there were some moments that I picked up on that didn't make any sense e.g. Laura dropped the purse when she witnessed the rape but then a few paragraphs later was surprised to find herself still holding it. Not as surprised as I was I can tell you!
The only reason I've given this book 4 stars rather than 5 is because the first half was a little slow and there were some moments that I picked up on that didn't make any sense e.g. Laura dropped the purse when she witnessed the rape but then a few paragraphs later was surprised to find herself still holding it. Not as surprised as I was I can tell you!
jen_meds_book_reviews's review against another edition
4.25
Well ... this book wasn't what I was expecting. Not really. Well, not at all actually. Another one where I'm definitely kicking myself for taking so long to read it. Having come very late to Erin Kelly's writing, I've come to expect the unexpected, but it's fair to say that this book is packed with tension, misdirection and a whole lot of threat. But not in the way I was expecting at all. It's a tale of obsession and no mistake, but as to who is the one who is obsessed - that remains to be seen. Is what comes to pass the result of a gross miscarriage of justice or is there something far more sinister in play? And will discovering the truth come at a cost for our protagonists, Laura and Kit? Well - you'll have to read the book to find that out, won't you?
I really liked the premise of this book as it plays into some very real and very current themes that could easily have been ripped from today's headlines, never mind those of six years ago when it was first released. The story is quite simple, after a fashion. Laura and Kit are at a festival in Cornwall, hoping to witness a total eclipse of the sun. The weather has other ideas, but it doesn't stop the revellers from enjoying themselves. On their return from watching the eclipse, Laura happens upon the scene of what she believes to be a sexual assault, but is everything quite as it seems? Certainly her decision to get involved is going to derail hers and Kit's lives, and in giving evidence, Laura also makes another decision, perhaps unforgivable, perhaps not. Can the ends justify the means? With what comes to pass, and the benefit of hindsight, perhaps Laura would have made a very different decision and the aftermath of the trial would have had a very different end.
This really is a book that plays into that whole concept of witness testimony and the way in which assault cases have often been played out in the court of public opinion, especially where there is limited forensic evidence to support any charges. Sexaul assualt has typically, and historically, been one of the least reported and least successfully prosecuted offences, evidence often coming down to the word of one person against another, especially in the case of an assault where the victim and assailant are known to each other, however marginally, as in this case. It really does mean that in this case, Laura's testimony is crucial and although it is still not absolute proof, it is a powerful position to be in. As the accused is a person in position of influence and the victim someone whose behaviour - travelling alone to a festival - something that can easily be dismissed as reckless and indicative of someone who might also lie about an assault in a moment of regret, the whole story had an air of believability about it. How many times have we heard that particular headline - where the way the victim has dressed or behaved has been put on trial and judged more harshly than the actions of the offender?
What follows the trial, something that is sewn up really rather early on the in the book is the real crux of this story though. The unlikely friendship that grows between Laura and the victim, Beth, and the way in which is seems to mutate and turn from something nice into something obsessive and suspect. Add in a determined campaign by the accused to clear his name, professing innocence and backed by an online campaign where Beth and Laura are both accused of lying on the stand, and you get that feeling that nothing is quite so simple. But whose side do we, should we, fall down on. Certainly there is plenty of evidence to suggest things are not as simple as they first appeared, and with a story that moves between the past, the fateful night and the court case, and the present day where Laura and Kit's life is anyhing other than what they first imagined, I did find that I my opinions of what was happening changed so often.
Erin Kelly has done a brilliant job here of highlighting how often a victim's word fails to be enough. of how skewed the judicial system was to try to accuse the accuser as readily as the accused. That is changing, with the official line now to believe the accuser until there is evidence to the contrary, but that too is flawed, opening up the possibility of false accusations and ruined reputations, something we have also seen play out in the media. The whole book opens up a raft of questions and moral dilemmas, backed up by a tension that flows from start to finish and more than the odd moment of jeopardy that really gets the pulse racing. As for the ending - well in true Erin Kelly style she manages to pull a blinder, and with the closing chapters full of drama and surprises left me feeling completely satisfied.
I've a few more books in the author's back catalogue to read but I think, after the evidence of the past few reads, I really need to bump them up the TBR. Definitely recommended for fans of tense, psychological thrillers who love to be kept on the edge of their seat.
I really liked the premise of this book as it plays into some very real and very current themes that could easily have been ripped from today's headlines, never mind those of six years ago when it was first released. The story is quite simple, after a fashion. Laura and Kit are at a festival in Cornwall, hoping to witness a total eclipse of the sun. The weather has other ideas, but it doesn't stop the revellers from enjoying themselves. On their return from watching the eclipse, Laura happens upon the scene of what she believes to be a sexual assault, but is everything quite as it seems? Certainly her decision to get involved is going to derail hers and Kit's lives, and in giving evidence, Laura also makes another decision, perhaps unforgivable, perhaps not. Can the ends justify the means? With what comes to pass, and the benefit of hindsight, perhaps Laura would have made a very different decision and the aftermath of the trial would have had a very different end.
This really is a book that plays into that whole concept of witness testimony and the way in which assault cases have often been played out in the court of public opinion, especially where there is limited forensic evidence to support any charges. Sexaul assualt has typically, and historically, been one of the least reported and least successfully prosecuted offences, evidence often coming down to the word of one person against another, especially in the case of an assault where the victim and assailant are known to each other, however marginally, as in this case. It really does mean that in this case, Laura's testimony is crucial and although it is still not absolute proof, it is a powerful position to be in. As the accused is a person in position of influence and the victim someone whose behaviour - travelling alone to a festival - something that can easily be dismissed as reckless and indicative of someone who might also lie about an assault in a moment of regret, the whole story had an air of believability about it. How many times have we heard that particular headline - where the way the victim has dressed or behaved has been put on trial and judged more harshly than the actions of the offender?
What follows the trial, something that is sewn up really rather early on the in the book is the real crux of this story though. The unlikely friendship that grows between Laura and the victim, Beth, and the way in which is seems to mutate and turn from something nice into something obsessive and suspect. Add in a determined campaign by the accused to clear his name, professing innocence and backed by an online campaign where Beth and Laura are both accused of lying on the stand, and you get that feeling that nothing is quite so simple. But whose side do we, should we, fall down on. Certainly there is plenty of evidence to suggest things are not as simple as they first appeared, and with a story that moves between the past, the fateful night and the court case, and the present day where Laura and Kit's life is anyhing other than what they first imagined, I did find that I my opinions of what was happening changed so often.
Erin Kelly has done a brilliant job here of highlighting how often a victim's word fails to be enough. of how skewed the judicial system was to try to accuse the accuser as readily as the accused. That is changing, with the official line now to believe the accuser until there is evidence to the contrary, but that too is flawed, opening up the possibility of false accusations and ruined reputations, something we have also seen play out in the media. The whole book opens up a raft of questions and moral dilemmas, backed up by a tension that flows from start to finish and more than the odd moment of jeopardy that really gets the pulse racing. As for the ending - well in true Erin Kelly style she manages to pull a blinder, and with the closing chapters full of drama and surprises left me feeling completely satisfied.
I've a few more books in the author's back catalogue to read but I think, after the evidence of the past few reads, I really need to bump them up the TBR. Definitely recommended for fans of tense, psychological thrillers who love to be kept on the edge of their seat.