Brilliant. An interesting story with a fantastic narrator. Quite different from what I'd usually read but well worth a listen.

"The Library Suicides" by Fflur Dafydd is a gripping locked-room thriller where twins Ana and Nan, convinced their mother's critic is to blame for her death, trap him in a labyrinthine library. As chaos ensues with hostages and a rogue security guard, it's a literary showdown that twists perceptions and tests loyalties in unexpected ways. Dafydd's witty narrative and fresh take on revenge make this a must-read for thriller fans who love a bookish twist.

This intriguing tale of revenge and mystery set within a labyrinthine library promises to keep you on the edge of your seat. With twins Ana and Nan on a quest to uncover the truth behind their mother's demise and bring her perceived tormentor, Eben, to justice, the storyline is full of twists and turns that will keep you engaged. Although I wanted more from the plot at times, Dafydd's writing is atmospheric and evocative, creating a sense of tension throughout. Fans of psychological suspense and mystery will find this book satisfying and enjoyable to read, and it will captivate their attention.

The premise of the story was wonderful. All the makings of a good mystery book for me. An air of mystery as to why and how throughout the book and it's set in a library! There was action, mystery, suspense, a certain reader on the edge of her seat mentally yelling "wait, you don't know what I know yet" to the characters.
The suspense was killing me but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
However, I had to struggle to keep my interest level for the entire read. There was a lot of the story that was stretched out unecessarily, in my opinion where I caught myself wondering how much more I would need to read for it to get better.
The ending was good and the story did get wrapped up in a nice little bow at the end but I wish it was more intense and more of the "high concept thriller" that it promised to be.
Yet, I would still get it a 3.5-4 stars.

What a riveting dystopian thriller. In an unnamed post pandemic society, germs are to be feared and paper and physical books are no longer viable for everyday use, Twins Ana and Nan work in a high security library with digitized books and the archives of precious physical books. Their mother
a famed author, recently committed suicide following damning critical reviews from Eben, who has requested access to her archived work in order to write her biography and clear his own name from the stigma attached to her death. The Twins have planned an extra surprise for him in their quest to avenge their mother. All is not as it seems though - the Twins are not on the same page, their mother withheld key truths and the library isn't all it seems. This is one library trip visitors won't forget. a thrilling listen from beginning to end. The audiobook is superbly executed by Elena Valentine. I would have loved more background on the dystopian setting as the snippets were intriguing. The ending gave me the chills. #thelibrarysuicides #fflurdafydd #netgalley

This is an intriguing story with an unsettling vibe. Ana and Nan are identical twins and daughters of the esteemed novelist Elena Wdig. Elena's death by suicide is blamed on critic Eben who is a member of 'the smotherhood' who aim to use their influence to discredit authors. The twins set out to seek revenge on Eben. The book has Welsh named characters and at one point mentions a lost language and it talks about 'the neighbouring country', but it is set in a dystopian near future following the great sickness. Paper is banned and there is heavy militia presence. There is a real feminist theme and some radical ideas about procreation and parenthood. The opening scene is compelling and sets the reader up for an unusual ride. The twins are certainly odd and have a complex relationship. The book is written from the points of view of each twin (if I remember correctly), Eben and Dan, the security guard. The majority of the book is set over one day and in the library, a vast building housing rare books, electronic collections and archives. I don't want to give any spoilers so I won't elaborate any more on the plot, but we learn about the twins and their mother's lives and learn a bit about Eben and Dan. The twins have quite differing personalities and this becomes more apparent as the book progresses. I really enjoyed the unfolding and development of the characters and the ideas behind the library and the dystopian setting. I loved the narrator's voice, she did a fantastic job. It didn't really feel like a thriller but it was certainly disturbing and tense at times. There was lots to keep you guessing and the ending was interesting. I have just learned that there is a film of the book which I will watch. Overall I really enjoyed the book and was immersed in this unusual world. I would definitely read more by the author.

An interesting premise for a novel. Found it a little hard to get into initially but continued and enjoyed it more. A novel of a unlikeable characters. Really nice narrator who made the work enjoyable

Really enjoyed this! It was very different than I was expecting and set in a dystopian and/or alternate Wales (only referred to as "the smaller country" and never actually specified as Wales...but it was Wales!), where using paper and new paper books are outlawed. We are thrown head-first into this world, and need to piece together what this world is, and what it is the twins and others at the library do. Full of political commentary, secrecy, and revenge this was a joy to listen to.

Elena Valentine is a wonderful narrator, and switches between the POVs flawlessly.

Don't think I'd call it a "locked room psychological thriller" and feel those going into this expecting that may be left disappointed - it's not the the blurb is misleading....just a part of the story.

What a thriller.
Library life with hidden mysteries affecting the future of sisters. Very gripping till the end and keen to keep listening.

Genuinely absorbing with a pair of sisters encountering the darker side of library life with hidden mysteries and dark deeds that are affecting their present and future.

hmmm ok I suppose but I wouldn't really class it as a thriller

It also seemed to be set in some sort of dystopian near future which wasn't made clear in the synopsis.
Took a long while to become invested

Wasn’t sure what to expect of this book, and after reading it I can say it was a bit of a strange one. Kind of a dystopian world but not a very obvious one. Was an enjoyable enough read but a bit slow and can’t say I was massively gripped by it.

A character driven novel, this story was full of dialogue to the point it distracted from the overall story. The characters were very over the top. The style of writing was very heavy and jumped about alot making it difficult to feel follow and enjoy

This book is based on a dystopian world after a virus which seemed to kill off many men.
Twins plan to change things in their library, where they work. Their plans don’t really go to plan, but they do get their points across. They felt the world wasn’t working well. Men being made to be sperm donnars, books are only printed if they have to be as paper is seen as a bad thing, people are scared to touch each other and relationships seem very challenging. Lots of rules, very few freedoms makes for the twins to go slightly mad.
The ending won’t disappoint!

Unfortunately I just didn’t like this story. From the blurb I thought it was something I would enjoy but the story just didn’t grab my attention.

The narrator did have a lovely voice but it didn’t justify me continuing the story.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for the audio copy in exchange for a honest review. Twins Ana and Nan are out to get revenge on the man they believe is responsible for their novelist mother’s death. Eben a literary critic was highly critical of her work the twins blame him for her suicide and they form an elaborate plan to take him down.

A future where paper is banned the only books the public can have is digital copies. Good characters with good plot a mix between dystopian and thriller. The narrator Welsh accent adds another element to this book.
I received this audiobook from Hodder and Stoughton and Netgalley for a review.

Interesting and thought-provoking with good narration I enjoyed listening to this audiobook. This audiobook was sent to me electronically by Netgalley for review. Thanks to the publisher for the copy. What a gorgeous book!

Quite a bizarre story - I strongly recommend the audio version. Elena Valentine's distinctive Welsh narration adds a special flavour to this quirky library hostage drama.
I liked the dystopian atmosphere and the nameless country where the events are happening in one single day. Lovers of books and admirers of literature will enjoy this multi-layered story centered around the life of a late writer. Affected most certainly by COVID, this novel paints a gloomy future for printed books, and probes into the question of gender equality, social responsibility and mental health issues. A very interesting read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for an Advance Review Copy.

The Library Suicides by Fflur Dafydd Narrated by Elena Valentine was a brilliant psychological thriller. I could not get into this book but so glad I had the audiobook to listen to.
Once I started to listen to the audiobook, I found the narrator was excellent especially and she had a beautiful Welsh accent. She bought it to life. But, it was missing something! Something to keep me interested in this book. If it wasn't for the narrator with her beautiful Welsh accent I would of given up on it. .

"When twins Ana and Nan are lost after the death of their mother. Everyone knows who drove Elena, the renowned novelist, to suicide - her long-term literary critic, Eben. But the twins need proof if they're going to get revenge.

Desperate to clear his name, Eben requests access to Elena's diaries at the National Library where the twins work, and they see an opportunity. With careful planning, the twins lock down the labyrinthine building, trapping their colleagues, the public and most importantly Eben inside.

But as a rogue security guard starts freeing hostages, the plan unravels."

Big Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this review copy