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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Luke Miller's life is turned upside down when on the last day of an impromptu belated honeymoon his new wife, Rose, tells him she can't go back home because there's a dead body in their apartment. The body is that of a violent man who abused Rose in the past. She fled but he tracked her down, and now he's in a heap on the bedroom floor. Luke can only think of one person who might possibly help them.
That would be Mickey Sheils, whose life's work is finding safe spaces for women fleeing their abusive partners. Despite the way Mickey and Luke parted all those years ago, Mickey can't resist a woman in need and promises to help so Rose can stop running.
But of course things aren't as easy as that. There are skeletons in closets and close guarded secrets that are left to be discovered as the story goes on. Personally, I found that the gist of the tale was somewhat predictable and easy to figure out. However, the bigger picture, motives if you will, eluded me. I didn't trust these characters. Something felt off about them from the very beginning, even if I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Mickey is the exception to the rule. With her, I merely failed to understand why she would drop everything to help Luke.
There's quite a bit of traveling around in 'Don't Look Back'. From the Caribbean to England to Ireland and back again. It's all wonderfully descriptive but that didn't take away my view that it often felt as if very little was actually happening. And since I quite quickly realised some things weren't as they seemed, there really wasn't enough tension in this story for me, no matter how hard the author tried to create some. What Jo Spain does do awfully well is setting a scene. You can actually see things playing out right in front of your eyes, like you're watching it on television.
'Don't Look Back' started with a bang but then unfortunately for me seemed to fizzle right out again. This might be due to the fact that I worked things out too fast, I don't know. Maybe it's just that same old "reading too many psychological thrillers" thing again. Very few things seem to surprise me anymore. For the most part though, I kept thinking I would gladly have read an entire book about Mickey and her job, but I really didn't care about Luke and Rose, and whatever things they were hiding from one another.
I'm calling this a blip, as I normally really enjoy Jo Spain's books. Her writing is always fabulous and addictive, as it is in 'Don't Look Back'. The difficult topic that is tackled here is handled remarkably well. The space is spot on and for a book that is 400 pages long, it actually reads quite quickly. Somehow, this one just didn't quite work for me but I will eagerly await Jo Spain's next offering.
That would be Mickey Sheils, whose life's work is finding safe spaces for women fleeing their abusive partners. Despite the way Mickey and Luke parted all those years ago, Mickey can't resist a woman in need and promises to help so Rose can stop running.
But of course things aren't as easy as that. There are skeletons in closets and close guarded secrets that are left to be discovered as the story goes on. Personally, I found that the gist of the tale was somewhat predictable and easy to figure out. However, the bigger picture, motives if you will, eluded me. I didn't trust these characters. Something felt off about them from the very beginning, even if I couldn't quite put my finger on why. Mickey is the exception to the rule. With her, I merely failed to understand why she would drop everything to help Luke.
There's quite a bit of traveling around in 'Don't Look Back'. From the Caribbean to England to Ireland and back again. It's all wonderfully descriptive but that didn't take away my view that it often felt as if very little was actually happening. And since I quite quickly realised some things weren't as they seemed, there really wasn't enough tension in this story for me, no matter how hard the author tried to create some. What Jo Spain does do awfully well is setting a scene. You can actually see things playing out right in front of your eyes, like you're watching it on television.
'Don't Look Back' started with a bang but then unfortunately for me seemed to fizzle right out again. This might be due to the fact that I worked things out too fast, I don't know. Maybe it's just that same old "reading too many psychological thrillers" thing again. Very few things seem to surprise me anymore. For the most part though, I kept thinking I would gladly have read an entire book about Mickey and her job, but I really didn't care about Luke and Rose, and whatever things they were hiding from one another.
I'm calling this a blip, as I normally really enjoy Jo Spain's books. Her writing is always fabulous and addictive, as it is in 'Don't Look Back'. The difficult topic that is tackled here is handled remarkably well. The space is spot on and for a book that is 400 pages long, it actually reads quite quickly. Somehow, this one just didn't quite work for me but I will eagerly await Jo Spain's next offering.
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Don't Look Back by Jo Spain
Luke Miller used to work in a more high stakes financial ring but he now works in the much more sedate pension fund sector. He's wealthy, good looking, quite the catch. His last serious relationship was long ago but less than a year ago he met the most remarkable woman and fell head over heels in love and they are already married and celebrating a late honeymoon trip in a Caribbean paradise. His wife, Rose, surprised him and whisked him off on this trip without even letting him go home from work first. It's been a wonderful week although Rose is acting a little off.
Now he knows why Rose was off. She killed a man! A violent man from Rose's past tracked her down and now he's dead. Luke will do anything to protect Rose, he won't let her come to harm. He knows who can help them, an old friend Mickey Sheils who is a crusader for battered women. Luke hates to ask for her help because of their past but he has no where else to turn.
So many secrets! Luke has them, Mickey has her own. What about Rose? There is so much she doesn't want to talk about, there is a deep sadness about her, walls that are hard to knock down. And now she wants Luke to just walk away from her as she disappears into the unknown.
And I was not sure I could trust any of them. Dreamboat Luke with all that money and things he regrets. Mickey, with her strange marriage that seems held together with money and guilt. And Rose, she seems so meek, so touchy, so afraid to trust, holding back way too much.
The story will take you places, beautiful places, dark places, and be sure to bring your raincoat because you go to cold, wet places. There are some very interesting side characters here, friendship comes from some far off places, and help comes from where it's least expected. Ride the roller coaster and see who gets off in one piece.
Pub May 11th 2023
Thank you to Quercus Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
Luke Miller used to work in a more high stakes financial ring but he now works in the much more sedate pension fund sector. He's wealthy, good looking, quite the catch. His last serious relationship was long ago but less than a year ago he met the most remarkable woman and fell head over heels in love and they are already married and celebrating a late honeymoon trip in a Caribbean paradise. His wife, Rose, surprised him and whisked him off on this trip without even letting him go home from work first. It's been a wonderful week although Rose is acting a little off.
Now he knows why Rose was off. She killed a man! A violent man from Rose's past tracked her down and now he's dead. Luke will do anything to protect Rose, he won't let her come to harm. He knows who can help them, an old friend Mickey Sheils who is a crusader for battered women. Luke hates to ask for her help because of their past but he has no where else to turn.
So many secrets! Luke has them, Mickey has her own. What about Rose? There is so much she doesn't want to talk about, there is a deep sadness about her, walls that are hard to knock down. And now she wants Luke to just walk away from her as she disappears into the unknown.
And I was not sure I could trust any of them. Dreamboat Luke with all that money and things he regrets. Mickey, with her strange marriage that seems held together with money and guilt. And Rose, she seems so meek, so touchy, so afraid to trust, holding back way too much.
The story will take you places, beautiful places, dark places, and be sure to bring your raincoat because you go to cold, wet places. There are some very interesting side characters here, friendship comes from some far off places, and help comes from where it's least expected. Ride the roller coaster and see who gets off in one piece.
Pub May 11th 2023
Thank you to Quercus Books and NetGalley for this ARC.
Hi and welcome to my review of Don't Look Back!
A new Jo Spain novel is always a massive treat and once again, I couldn’t wait to get my mitts on it! My expectations were probably rather unrealistic, but Don't Look Back nevertheless delivered everything I hoped it would.
The story is told from the perspectives of Luke, his wife Rose, and his estranged friend Mickey. They all seem like lovely people on the surface, but are they? Is Luke really the compassionate, madly in love husband? Is Rose really the still terrified abuse victim, who couldn’t help but fall for Luke? Is Mickey really as honest and straightforward as she seems? I couldn’t help but wonder who was hiding what beneath that lovely veneer, and whether one or more could be an unreliable narrator. After all, if you’re familiar with this author’s work, you’ll know that you should be wary of everyone and everything, as things are rarely what they seem. (And if you’re not familiar with this author’s work, you really should fix that ASAP.)
I figured out a few things before they were revealed, reading Jo Spain books you learn a trick or two, but she did have me stymied for longer than I care to admit. It was such fun seeing it all come together, because like every other Jo Spain novel I’ve read, Don’t Look Back is very cleverly plotted. She plays with perspective like no other. There were even some small details that at the time stood out because they seemed a little off or somehow important to the plot, I could tell they meant something, but I remained in the dark as to how and why.
Don't Look Back is a fantastic, twisty ride that took me from London to the Caribbean to Ireland, and back again. I had a brilliant time with it and if thrillers are your bag, you need to put this one at the top of your to-buy list!
Massive thanks to Quercus and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.
4.5/5 rounded up
Luke and Rose are away on their honeymoon and just before they are due to fly back, Rose tells Luke she will not be returning. Why you ask? Because she killed a man and his dead body is waiting for them in their apartment.
Thank you Net Galley and Quercus books for an advance ebook copy in exchange for my honest review.
This was another excellent book from Jo Spain! There are twists upon twists upon twists. I kept thinking I had worked out all the twists, but when the reveals come, I was nowhere close! I loved all the characters and their complex relationships with each other. It’s a perfect beach read as I guarantee you will fly through it!
Luke and Rose are away on their honeymoon and just before they are due to fly back, Rose tells Luke she will not be returning. Why you ask? Because she killed a man and his dead body is waiting for them in their apartment.
Thank you Net Galley and Quercus books for an advance ebook copy in exchange for my honest review.
This was another excellent book from Jo Spain! There are twists upon twists upon twists. I kept thinking I had worked out all the twists, but when the reveals come, I was nowhere close! I loved all the characters and their complex relationships with each other. It’s a perfect beach read as I guarantee you will fly through it!
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of Jo Spain's latest stand alone thriller.
The story follows Luke Miller and Rose Gallagher starting with their delayed Caribbean honeymoon from which Rose informs, she cannot go home ... because there's a dead man in their flat - and she killed him.
We then follow this story but with flashbacks to how both Luke and Rose ended up on the run from the Police and a violent psychopath.
So it's fast paced, two timelines, lots of secrets and lies on all sides, which did get a bit annoying at times. I'm of the mind that when someone keeps saying "I'll tell you, but not now" it usually means it won't take much to work out what heinous act they've committed.
The book is fast paced and has an interesting enough storyline for me to read the last half in one sitting. However I knocked the star off because I thought virtually all the characters were truly unlikeable. I didn't feel any sort of empathy with any of the main characters and it put me off the book a little. Otherwise it's great. You may feel different about them. It's certainly well worth the read.
The story follows Luke Miller and Rose Gallagher starting with their delayed Caribbean honeymoon from which Rose informs, she cannot go home ... because there's a dead man in their flat - and she killed him.
We then follow this story but with flashbacks to how both Luke and Rose ended up on the run from the Police and a violent psychopath.
So it's fast paced, two timelines, lots of secrets and lies on all sides, which did get a bit annoying at times. I'm of the mind that when someone keeps saying "I'll tell you, but not now" it usually means it won't take much to work out what heinous act they've committed.
The book is fast paced and has an interesting enough storyline for me to read the last half in one sitting. However I knocked the star off because I thought virtually all the characters were truly unlikeable. I didn't feel any sort of empathy with any of the main characters and it put me off the book a little. Otherwise it's great. You may feel different about them. It's certainly well worth the read.
This was a palate cleanser book which succeeded in being an easy read between more interesting and nuanced novels. I sped through the last half, skipping a lot of it. I won’t remember this book in a couple of weeks.