I have loved other books by Abigail Dean but this one felt too slow. It follows the trial of the perpetrator of a home invasion, who was actually a serial killer. The emotions it conveys is on point, showing how the repercussions continue for a lifetime. Recovery from the trauma is ongoing and lives are changed forever. I felt there were many unanswered questions in the book, but this also gives the reader scope for reflection.
A thought provoking novel.

I loved Abigail Dean‘s novel Girl A which I read in 2021 so I grabbed this novel when I saw it on NetGalley UK
This book tells the story of a happily married couple living in South London whose life was torn apart one night when a serial rapist and ultimately murderer enters their house whilst they’re sleeping and subjects the woman to a sexual crime which her husband is powerless to prevent.
The story starts at the end in a way at the period of time surrounding the court case and trial of the rapist after he is captured.
We know early on that the family are victims and gradually the author tells us more and more about the awful crimes that this person has committed. We are introduced to other victims and the police involved in chasing and ultimately capturing the perpetrator.
The author is very skilled at the way she drip feeds you the information at the perfect rate to keep your utterly enthralled as you read. I was very quickly entrapped by the story and really didn’t want to put this book down.. The pace is absolutely perfect as is the gradual reveal.
.There is a an interesting twist which to prevent spoilers I won’t mention again. But I will admit I Hadn’t predicted it

There are personal reasons that mean that I no longer enjoy and, I don’t usually read crime novels but I was very glad I picked this one out this was mostly because entwined within the story of a serial killer is a story of a deep abiding love between two married people which feels very real This element of the story really broadens the whole novel and makes it a very memorable reading indeed
The author has a beautiful simple writing style making the book an addictive, enjoyable read
I’d recommend this novel for those that like a crime story, but also enjoy the mystery of a story that is introduced gradually as you read
I suspect this novel is going to do very well and I would predict that it willl make a great TV series or film
I read an early copy of the novel on NetGalley UK in return for an honest review. The book is published in the UK on the 10th of April 2025 by Harper Collins UK, Harper fiction.
This review will appear on Goodreads, StoryGraph, and my book blog bionicSarahSbooks.wordpress.com after publication it will also appear on Amazon UK

I read The Death of Us within 2 days, which for me is great. I adored this novel, this being my first read by author Abigail Dean I will be reading her other novels asap. She writes with such passion, descriptive and so emotive that I was really invested in this novel.

The content of this novel is very triggering for some. We meet main characters Isabel and Edward, they are soul mates and living a good live, both in their 30s and one evening destroys all of what they have achieved. They are targeted by an intruder who brutalises Isabel.

Each part of the novel is told through the view point of Isabel and Edward and we really get to know them as individuals.

The novel starts, with the intruder having finally being caught and there is a court case starting.

We learn about how evil Nathan Wood was, and about some of his other victims.

A very good novel and I have to give it 5 stars as even though I found it extremely upsetting, this kept me hooked for 2 days straight and I could not stop reading it.

Thanks to the author, Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of a love that was put to the upmost test .Edward and Isabel are happily married after knowing each other most of their lives until one day a serial rapist later a killer breaks into their home and violates them .Edwards and Isabel deal with the heinous crime differently which over time causes them to divorce .When after 28 years the killer is caught they are invited to go to the court and read out a Victim Statement along with many others ,they support each other as they realise that their love hasn't died .This is not an easy read but a well worth one .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

Utterly brilliant. Abigail Dean's writing keeps you on the edge of your seat and craving for more.
The Death of Us is part thriller, part love story. I imagine it will feature heavily in book clubs this year, and so it should. Told from the point of view of Isabel and Edward, they explore how their relationship has been damaged by the crimes of an intruder who eluded capture for far too long.
This is a work of hope and tragedy, and stays with you long after you have finished it.

Thanks to NetGalley for a free e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Abigail Dean is incredibly talented and beautiful writer. In The Death of Us she creates two complicated protagonists, Isabel and Edward, and the reader witnesses as they fall in love and are torn apart by tragic circumstances. I don’t want to say too much about the main inciting event that happens to these characters, but suffice to say, it’s dark and deeply traumatic. Although it is handled very sensitively, the complete focus on these events makes the book a very sad and depressing read. Despite this, I remained totally gripped. This is ultimately down to the writer’s skill and ability to build authentic, believable, but conflicted and emotionally complex characters. You really get the sense of a life being lived; two people trying in their own way to build something together and then try and navigate a truly unimaginable situation.

Stylistically, the book is very impressive. It is written in multiple points of view, alternating between Isabel and her husband, Edward’s perspectives. It also jumps through time as the reader is drawn into the story of how they first met and started building a life together, and then after the incident, how it widened cracks in their relationship and also many years later how they are still living with the fallout of the tragic events they suffered. They are the type of couple that epitomise the phrase “can’t live with them, can’t live without them”. They rotate around each other, magnetised yet repulsing at the same time, both being destroyed by fate and also creating a wake of destruction in their paths.

This is a powerful and emotional read. Due to the subject matter, I don’t know if I would say I enjoyed it, and I think it will be tough for anyone who has been subjected to, or knows someone who has been subjected to a violent crime, but it is an incredible piece of character writing and well worth reading.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of the manuscript in return for an honest review.

Great storyline and characters! Isobel and Edward are very well written and the reader can so easily find empathy with them both. I thoroughly recommend this book.

This is a dark and harrowing tale of a couple who are attacked in a brutal way and how their lives unfolded afterwards. I found this a slow starter and I wasn’t keen on the female lead character but I suspect that is more down to me than the actual book.

This book is dark, tragic yet ultimately one of hope. Edward and Isabel are living the dream, having met at university and then become a successful and happy couple.

One day, their perfect lives are shattered when they become tragic victims of a home invasion. The story covers the changes in their attitudes and relationships as they struggle to cope with the aftermath of the attack.

Their lives will never be the same again. What do you do when you are rendered powerless to protect and save the one you love?

This novel is full of pathos, twists, sadness but ultimately hope from extreme adversity. Simply brilliant.

This is a very skilfully written book about the long lasting effects of rape on the victims and their families. The author manages to get this across without sensationalising the events. I found the character of Isabel difficult to connect with though; I felt it would have been just as (maybe more) powerful if she had been more ordinary. The book moves back and forward in time to tell the story which I found worked very well. What I didn’t like were those chapter headings which had dates as they weren’t necessary as it was clear to me in which period the chapter was located. I thought this was a much more interesting, nuanced and better read than her previous book Girl A.

This is a strong, introspective tale highlighting the intricacies and impact of violent sexual crime, both on the victims themselves and those surrounding them, in the moment of the crime and for decades after. The contrast of Isabel dictating to her perpetrator versus Edward's chapters solely looking inwards showcased their personalities throughout the novel.

I think the pacing sagged slightly about two thirds of the way through and the ending action was a bit odd? It didn't make all that much sense to me and felt a bit shoehorned in to pick up the pace. Nevertheless, I love Abigail's style of writing and how she takes difficult topics and crimes and emphasises the importance of people and relationships within such darkness.

cw// murder, rape, sexual assault, mentions of suicide, mentions of illness

On the surface a book about a serial rapist and murderer and the failings of the police to get anywhere even close to capturing them but this book is so much more than just a crime/thriller trope. The relationship between Edward and Isabelle, forever damaged by what they went through is revisited as they meet again for the court case some 25 years down the line when someone is finally charged with the crimes.
The book deals with how victims suffer long after the media stops caring about their trauma and the characters are perfectly written to deliver this message.

A powerful and poignant read that skilfully portrays the long term effects of being a victim of violent crime.

A harrowing story portaying the horrific crimes of a serial killer and the heartache he leaves behind.

But deep in the heart of the story there is a remarkable love story that is profoundly emotional and uplifting.

A gripping book about the evil that humans are capable of and the will to survive.

This is essentially a love story between Isabelle and Edward . They adore each other . Then one night everything changes when they become victims of a brutal serial home invader
25 years later the criminal has been caught and is awaiting sentence
Isabelle and Edward meet again to give witness statements in court
Will they find each other again or continue on their own path ?
Fabulous - I could not put it down !!
Thankyou NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review

A young couple who are attacked at home have their lives torn apart as they try to deal with what happened to them. Written in the first person by Isobel with intermediate pieces in the third person from Edward's point of view, we go back and forth between past and present as their perpetrator finally faces justice.

This is a sensitive and intelligent account of trauma which is extremely well written, It shows the damage that trauma can do even to the most loving of relationships. It is very well written and fearless in its examination of PTSD. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. .

Having read Abigail Dean's previous novels I couldn't wait to delve into her latest offering - I certainly wasn't disappointed.
'The Death of Us' is a dark, tragic and emotionally loaded book that focuses on the complexities of human relationships and the profound impact of trauma both in the immediate and longer term. Expertly written, well developed central and minor characters, a compelling narrative and lots of suspense. This novel examines the resilience of the human spirit and the power of forgiveness and redemption over time.
I am grateful to the publishers and NetGallery for an ARC of this challenging and emotional read.

Absolutely brilliant, loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me an advance copy, I will definitely be recommending.

One of the best books I read in 2024 and, taking into account that it is only released in 2025, it will probably be one of the best books of 2025! I cannot believe how GOOD the writing was, how ENGAGING, how THOUGHT-PROVOKING, "The Death of Us" is a unique piece of fiction which combines top-notch thriller, heartbreaking love story and beautiful writing. I loved it and I am giving it 10 stars out of 5!

Abigail Dean is an incredibly gifted author making you feel an array of various emotions of her characters via the story she tells. And all this with just a hint of horror, no awful details, no gore. The story comes alive in your hands, it has a huge heart and incredible characters.

It has been a long time since I stayed until 3 in the morning reading, but "The Death of Us" is the book which will keep you up all night! I am so jealous of people who are still to discover this amazing novel. Absolutely recommending it to everybody and buying it as presents for my friends!

Thank you!

Started of loving this but by about halfway was so confused had to let it go. I think it was the timeline i struggled with and some very harrowing subjects.

A dark book about the damage an assault in a couples home did to them over the year and now the perpetrator has finally been brought to justice after terrorising people for years they must finally sit and talk to each other about what happened that night and what they both did wrong to end their marriage. It’s dark and has some really triggering parts about rape and torture so be repeated but is a great read.