Hardback: 362 pages
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Publisher: Penguin Random House July 2023
Source: Tywyn Public Library
Review Quote: 'In Sally Diamond, Nugent has given us an astounding creation with a singular voice . . . an absorbing, twisty, compulsive psychological thriller with surprising humour and pathos' Sunday Independent
First Sentences: 'Put me out with the bins,' he said regularly. 'When I die, put me out with the bins.'
My Opinion: Creepy and Brilliant writing in this original novel from Sally Nugent. This is the first book I have read by this author, but hopefully it will not be the last. The storyline is creepy with people locked away for years against their will. We have all heard such real life stories I am sure! Brilliant is the author's protagonist Sally Diamond, a character that comes alive on the printed page and will stay in your mind.
A distressing story of the dark world of abuse and manipulative behaviour. Sally's story unfolds along side that of Peter. It is soon apparent that their stories will merge at some point. How they do so makes for a gripping narrative.
A remarkable and extremely disturbing story that will haunt me for a long time. Highly recommend this 5* read.
Précis Courtesy of Goodreads:
Sally Diamond cannot understand why what she did was so strange. She was only doing what her father told her to do, to put him out with the rubbish when he died.
Now Sally is the centre of attention, not only from the hungry media and worried police, but also a sinister voice from a past she has no memory of. As she begins to discover the horrors of her childhood, recluse Sally steps into the world for the first time, making new friends, finding independence, and learning that people don't always mean what they say.
But when messages start arriving from a stranger who knows far more about her past than she knows herself, Sally's life will be thrown into chaos once again . . .
Author Profile and Photo From Amazon:
Liz was born in Dublin in 1967, where she now lives. She has written successfully for soap opera, radio drama, television plays, short stories and animation for children. Liz’s first novel Unravelling Oliver was published to critical and popular acclaim in March 2014. It quickly became a firm favourite with book clubs and reader’s groups. In November of that year, it went on to win the Ireland AM Crime Novel of the Year at the Bord Gais Energy Book Awards and was long listed for the International Dublin Literature Prize 2016. She was also the winner of the inaugural Jack Harte Bursary provided by the Irish Writers Centre and the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Dec 2014. Her second novel, Lying in Wait, was published in July 2016 and went straight to number 1 where it remained for seven weeks. Liz won the Monaco Bursary from the Ireland Funds and was Writer in Residence at the Princess Grace Irish Library in Monaco in Sept/Oct 2016. In Nov 2016, Lying in Wait won the prestigious RTE Ryan Tubridy Listener's Choice prize at the Irish Book Awards. Aside from writing, Liz has led workshops in writing drama for broadcast, she has produced and managed literary salons and curated literary strands of Arts Festivals. She regularly does public interviews and panel discussions on all aspects of her writing.
Photograph and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:
Author Official Website Liz Nugent - Amazon Page. Twitter Profile
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