Wow!! Just wow!! I’m speechless and that doesn’t happen very often.This is just completely addictive and impossible to put down.

‘The truth will out’ is written in such a way I could almost see it in my mind; in camera shot sequences and dramatic angles as the tension built just like a great, slow burn thriller movie.
I am a complete film nerd so I loved all the little details as Hennigan alludes to art imitating life imitating art. Her MC, Dara is fresh from drama school and lands a role in a regarded but controversial remake of Eabha de Lacey’s play based on the real life death of Cillian Butler.
I really enjoyed the layering of this mystery as the truth is steadily revealed and the pacing was perfect for building suspense until Hennigan puts forward a satisfying and dramatic ending.
One of my favorite thrillers I have read this year because I couldn’t help but read the next chapter, I cannot wait for more from this author.
(4.5 stars)

I'm afraid I'm abandoning this one at the 20% mark. The premise is interesting and the writing is fine. But the pacing is so slow that really there's been almost no movement at all. I knew as much after the first few pages as I do now. If a lot of the padding and repetition had been cut, then perhaps the book would move more quickly. As it is, it hasn't hooked me enough for me to want to read through any more chapters about rehearsal techniques and simmering sexual tension.

Intoxicating Slow Burn…
Intoxicating slow burn suspense in this complex and dark tale with a mystery at its’ heart. Dara Gaffney, fresh from drama school, lands a role in a controversial play. The play so controversial that a huge media storm surrounds it. As fictional characters gradually blend into reality, is history about to repeat itself? Character driven and immersive and a compelling narrative with a suitably brooding and worrying atmosphere.

Personally this book just wasn't for me. It's took me well over a month to read as the story just felt difficult.
The story itself is a thriller, it has so many twists and turns, and the ending was rather unexpected but sadly it just didn't feel easy to read. It felt like a lot of unnecessary information especially in the first half.

An original and intriguing novel that was a real slow burner for me. It is worth sticking with it for the interesting characterisation and complexity of the plot. This was an unpredictable read, different from much of what I read and it did take me a while to get into it. Overall I am glad I persevered.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

This book was unlike anything I have read before. The writing style of Rosemary Hennigan was so unique, and the plot of the book felt so very original too.
I loved how filmic this book felt - I feel like it would make a great film or TV series.
I have to admit, I saw the end coming but that didn't spoil my enjoyment.

Hennigan has a great way of writing characters and making them flawed and real, but still likeable.
It is definitely a book that will stay with me.

Cant wait to see what Rosemary Hennigan writes next.

It was a bit slow at the beginning but once you are hooked you cannot stop reading as it's a fascinating, atmospheric, and enthralling story of ossessions.
I loved the style of writing and found the story gripping.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Art reflecting truth reflecting art. Life reflecting fiction... What comes first? Does one spark the other or is it all just inevitable...?
We meet Dara, fresh out of drama school and looking for her first break. We catch up with her at an audition. For a roll she is desperate to get. That of Eabha de Lacey in her autobiographical play. Autobiographical and controversial as it depicts Eabha's schooldays with brother Austin and their friend Cillian. The latter falling to his death from the attic with the siblings the only witnesses. They claim they don't know what happened and the final scene of the play reinforces that, hence the controversy. She gets the part and is ecstatic. She is so excited to be working alongside Eabha and her fellow actors. And rehearsals start in earnest. But remember that old saying... be careful what you wish for...?
This is a very character driven story with some of the worst wounded characters I have read about in time. Every one has their demons and, when you put a handful of damaged people together, well, it's like lighting the blue touchpaper basically... Told in the present with dialogue from the play being used as a glimpse into the past, it's almost like watching a car crash as the narrative progresses. You know what's coming, you know it's going to be bad but you are so drawn, so intrigued, so immersed that you can't look away. Tension ramps up all the way through but really gets going towards the end, culminating in a very explosive and revealing conclusion that left me exhausted but satisfied.
As with all new authors to me, after I finish, I go check out their back catalogue. Colour me shocked to find out that this is her debut novel. Didn't see that in the writing or composition. Read to me like an established author. Leaving me slightly sad that I have nothing more to read from her at the moment but, at the same time, excited to see what she serves up next time.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

This one was a little bit of a slow burner for me. But by the middle I was hooked. That's when it starts to heat up a bit more and it has a few good twist and turns in it.

A very interesting and quite compelling literary drama novel, hard to believe it’s a debut. Full of well defined characters, most of whom are not in my opinion particularly pleasant, but oh so enthralling. Eabha de Lacey is a manipulative woman with an aura that seems to attract people to her. Whereas Dara Gaffney is very unsure of herself initially but the more she is drawn in to Eabha’s world the more her personality is allowed to reveal itself.

Briefly, when 17 year old Cillian Butler dies in mysterious circumstances Eabha and her brother Austin were the only others present. Some years later Eabha writes a play about what happened that night. Highly successful she is unable to follow it up with anything as well received and 15 years later decides to revive the play. Dara, a young actress successfully auditions for the role of Eabha and is soon firmly ensconced amongst Eabha’s exciting but destructive life.

The story is cleverly interwoven with excerpts from the play with subtle hints at the true story behind Cillian’s death. As the time for the opening night gets closer so the tension ramps up. A good and satisfying read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Wow! Starts a little slow, but just keeps getting better! A fantastic book - really enjoyed the story, and by the middle couldn’t put it down until I saw how it ended! Great read!!!!

I can't believe this is a debut novel because the character dynamics and the atmosphere of the novel was extremely well done.
This was mysterious and haunting right from the beginning - And I thoroughly enjoyed it.

This is not the kind of thing I usually read but I thought it was very well done, adept at the obsessive nature of fascination and as a reader all you could really do was sit and witness the characters make any number of silly mistakes. I disliked everyone in the book but nevertheless kept reading in a compulsive way.

I really enjoyed this book, it was gripping, intense, mysterious and unpredictable. I couldnt predict the ending and that is a ajor thing for me with books like this. I couldnt put it down and definitely will be reading more from this author.