This was a very slow burn and pretty repetitive but in saying that it's very character driven and if anything it is more of a character study on the broken minds of people than anything else. It's definitely thought provoking and layered but might not suit those who want a more fast paced thriller. I can see the appeal and it certainly was fascinating and engaging

What a great read. From the first page to the last, I was gripped by this story. The tension, the unknown, the characters. It was superb and a perfectly crafted psychological thriller that really kept me emotionally connected to the story and hooked on what was going to happen. The story is told from the perspective of Grace and Daniel, both damaged individuals, and both expertly written. Their stories are told simultaneously as we try to unravel who killed 12 year old Elise. This is a book that will have you reading very late into the night. It keeps you guessing and wondering what is happening but the ending is superb and I didn't see it coming. The writing is flawless and if you've read any of Sarah Hilary's previous titles like Fragile, then you know you are in for a treat. This is such an easy 5 star rating. I devoured this book and looked forward to escaping into the story every evening after work. It's a real mind blowing, whodunit, and the flawed characters will definitely keep you guessing and wondering what is going on. Highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a psychological, well written, read.

An intricate, well-drawn portrait of the consequences of a tragic moment in time.

Sarah Hilary has yet again proven she is the mistress of thoughtful, thought-provoking, dramatic crime fiction, studying the effects on those involved in a series of crimes that doesn’t bear thinking about.

Intelligent and haunting, Sharp Glass will leave scars on its readers.

An absolutely brilliant read. I was captivated from the beginning of this wonderfully written book. This was a great mystery written by a wonderful author.

A profoundly unsettling book to read: at first I thought - not another woman held captive in a basement, but then it turned out to be so much more than that. So claustrophobic - a small cast of characters, with damaged psyches one and all, and a very small space for them to act in (even aside from the house where the action kicks off). I had some doubts about the slightly too convenient amnesia, but I can see why it was necessary for the story, plus it gave us that broken narrative which links this to other memorable works of crime fiction, such as In a Lonely Place.

Sharp Glass is an addictive narrative with a narrow character focus and some beautiful writing.

It is honestly as much character study as it is psychological thriller- anyone looking for the cheap twist won't find it here - this is a deeper picture and done very very well.

Personally I loved it. Highly Recommended.

Claustrophobic Suspense ..
The lines are drawn in this intense, slow burn claustrophobic suspense. With a tension fuelled narrative the reader is drawn into a furious battle of wills between the central characters, one a captor and one a prisoner, as the mystery at the heart of the situation is slowly unravelled. But, are we dealing with a case of revenge or obsession here? Between unreliable narrators, a disjointed narrative mimicking chaotic thoughts, a heady closed atmosphere with a locked room feel and a drip feed, gradual reveal, the underlying vein of menace is never far from the surface.

I don't really know what to make of this book. I think Sarah Hilary is a great writer and there are some real flashes of brilliant writing in this book, but I was just so confused about what was going on and why, and the pace was just so slow and there was so much repetition, it really killed any chance there was of this being a gripping thriller. I'm disappointed because I loved "Fragile" but this just didn't do it for me at all.

.....”I remember arriving at the old house, ready to pack it’s contents for the owner who is selling it. For reasons best known to myself, I decide to arrive at night and being miles from anywhere, it’s extremely dark out here. That’s when he hits me over the head and takes me to the cellar. I’ve been in here for three days, trapped in the pitch black with my imagination running riot. What does he want? We’ve come from opposing angles - but am I right or is he? Whose is the truth about the dead girl???”.......

This is an intense slow burner with the author making me feel as if I’m trapped in the cellar with the character as her thoughts fluctuate between the rambling and the rational as she tries to assess her captor. Who they both are is really intriguing and you’re kept in suspense trying to figure out who is telling the truth as it becomes apparent that neither are reliable. It goes round and round as you try to sift through the secrets, the abundance of lies and so becoming a mystery wrapped in a huge conundrum. What also becomes clear is that the characters are damaged, obsessive, despairing and complicated people, one or two are truly terrible, plumbing the depths of human nature. It’s a suspenseful read with palpable tension and a dark psychological thriller. The ending is especially tense with unexpected twists.

However, it can’t be denied that I find it slow and repetitive in places as it bats back and forth between the central protagonists. This results in the narrative becoming stop/start before it revs up again. Equally though, I thoroughly enjoy trying to establish who is the least unreliable and trying to peak into the truth. This is the fascination of the novel.

Overall, it’s a terrific premise, it’s well written and a good read if you don’t mind an uneven pace.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Pan Macmillan for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a slow burner yes but it's definitely worth sticking with. I really liked the main character and this kept me more invested in the story. Absolutely would recommend xx

Although a bit bit of slow burner, it is well worth sticking with this book. Beautifully written and truly a masterpiece.

This was a gripping read and I was intrigued by the characters. I will look out for more by this author.

A really gripping read, I thought the characters were intriguing and I'm going to look out for more by this author.

‘Sharp Glass’ is written round an interesting premise. Sarah Hilary explores in great detail the relationship between a captor and his prisoner and the ways that they rely on each other. It’s not quite as straightforward as that but to say much more about the plot would be to reveal the psychological twists and turns of the novel.
Did I enjoy it? Not much. The pace was extremely slow and, whilst that doesn’t concern me if I am fully involved in the characters and their motivations, I wasn’t here. The narrative felt rather too far- fetched and the author’s exploration of the results of poor parenting not particularly insightful.
Has Hilary’s Marnie Rose disappeared into the ether? I sincerely hope not. That series was the author at her best.
My thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

I have long been a fan of Hilary's writing and a new Sarah Hilary book is a source of great excitement for me. I can't say that I loved Sharp Glass but I, once again, hugely appreciated Hilary's writing.

I found this book to be a bit slow. Where I'd usually race through a book of Hilary's, Sharp Glass took me a while to read.

That said, Hilary's stop-start narrative, the frustration of unreliable narrators, and the slower pace all added to the tension in this book. I found myself so frustrated with the characters, desperate for answers. which Hilary carefully drip-feeds to the reader.

Not my favourite of Hilary's work but I lapped up her writing.

I have to admit I struggled with this one. It started off well but I found it started going round in circles especially with the dialogue between the two lead characters. It is probably just me but I was still confused at the end.
I did enjoy this author's Marnie Rome series but this one wasn't for me.

One of my favourite authors and this book didn't disappoint. This psychological thriller has lots of twists and an ending that I didn't see coming.

This was a strange one for me. Normally suspense/thriller type books, I can race through in a day or day and a half however I found this one took me a few days to get through.

This isn't a criticism of the book, I actually really enjoyed it however the story and writing were disjointed and very stop/start which meant I wasn't able to race through it as I normally would. Please don't take that as a criticism of the book, in fact the disjointed nature of the story requires this type of story telling however I think some people might be put off by that.

In terms of the story, I don't want to add anything over and above the synopsis as to do so, firstly, would be difficult and, secondly, would ruin the element of suspense.

If you like books where you never know where the story is going, then this is for you.

Things I Know To Be True:

- This book is impressive.
- I will definitely be reading more of this author.
- This list will make more sense when you read the book.

Enjoy!

Thanks to Netgalley and Pan Macmillan, Macmillan for an ARC in exchange for an honest review

3.5 🌟

My levels of frustration were sky high on this one, as it took slow burn to a whole new level.
I just, at times, wanted to shake either character and get them to tell me what the hell was going on.
The truth.

Weirdly compulsive to read, and tension in all the right places.

This was very intense read, to go from her empty home to a cellar is a massive jump in situations which creates a suspenseful situation as we learn more about why she is there.