This was incredible. A truly magnificent read. It's a study of love and marriage and the effect of outside forces on relationships. Told through the present and the past, I absolutely adored hearing the different voices and seeing how Isabel and Edward adapted and changed and what parts of them remained the same. The story behind it all, of the invasion of their home and person and the ongoing trial of the perpetrator in the present is gripping. It's just so wonderfully done, everything weaving together really skillfully, I looked forward to reading it every night and am so sorry to be finished it now. If I could give more than five stars, I would.

Thirty somethings, Isabel and Edward, are left completely devastated after a violent home invasion one Spring night in their South London home. The consequences leave them both with a myriad of issues. Sadly the trauma is such, that it leaves them without the words to express those issues, because the perpetrator didn’t just invade their home, he invaded their marriage and their minds.

We follow Isabel and Edward in the succeeding years, and witness how much destruction that night caused, because it’s only when their attacker is caught, that it's finally time to tell the story of that night.
Not to the world. Or to the man who did it. But to each other.

Though something of a slow burn I was drawn into this crime/ love story, a story that is poignant and revealed slowly and carefully to the reader, allowing us to become intimate with the characters, sharing both their pain and their passion. Moreover, there’s still hope, for without hope there is nothing.

Actual Rating: 4.5

Anyone whose picked up a book by Abigail Dean before will already be aware of how vividly emotive and unique her approach to the thriller genre is. Her novels have a tendency to utterly captivate a reader whilst telling a tale that takes a different route to most within the crowd. And ’The Death Of Us’ is probably the hardest of her books to categorise yet. It’s undeniably a vividly compelling narrative surrounding the aftermath, and eventual trial, of a horrific crime yet something about this one feels closer to literary fiction than a thriller offering on the whole. This isn’t a bad thing by any means, just something readers should be aware of in advance.

Like always Abigail Dean’s writing instantly reeled me in and left me unable to pull myself away from the pages of this book. It starts off with a section in Isabel’s perspective which immediately got its claws beneath my skin. Her chapters are written as if she’s speaking to her attacker, talking in a surprisingly intimate manner that feels almost conversational but is deeply personal at the same time. Alternating around these chapters are those of Edward which offer additional insight into their past as well as covering the present timeline at the trial itself. Having these two viewpoints works wonders for keeping you invested and offering slightly different insights into certain moments in time. Over the course of both narrative voices events are revealed that you can’t help but form some degree of judgement over, yet later on further light tends to get shed that makes you see things in a whole different manner. It’s a deeply emotive and layered journey that is utterly compelling to unravel.

One thing that I particularly like about ’The Death Of Us’ is how complex, messy and true to life it’s characters feel. They make mistakes, they have problems of their own and although the invasion that they suffer through naturally has a catastrophic impact upon them, their attacker isn’t the only defining feature of their lives. Both have problems and struggles that existed prior to his entry into their lives. Both feel utterly fleshed out and believable. And both struggle through and react to the horrific invasion that they were victims of in a highly believable manner.

As you’d probably imagine from the premise this isn’t the easiest of reads as it deals with some very dark and difficult subject matters. What I always appreciate about this author’s books though is that she does so in such an emotive and moving way. Nothing dark and grisly is shied away from but it’s generally covered in a manner that puts the focus on the emotional impact of such horrors. Nothing is sensationalised simply for the sake of it. Although I will say that in this particular book I do think a few more details could have been shared. Not about the invasion at Isabel and Edward’s home but instead about some of the murders that followed. Not in a gory manner either, it’s just that the culprit’s crimes were escalating but very little was said about most of those later invasions. Given some of the action towards the end I think a couple more insights could have been beneficial too. Although it is hard to say exactly how they’d fit as ultimately this novel is what its title promises – the collapse of a marriage after a horrific crime.

Ultimately I recommend ’The Death Of Us’, particularly to anyone who wants a thriller that focuses more on the impact of crime than on the atrocities themselves. It’s a beautifully written and harrowing tale about the devastating events surrounding a horrific home invasion. At times it’s difficult to read given its dark subject matter but the manner that it’s written in is utterly compelling throughout. And its character work is simply phenomenal. Needless to say I can’t wait to see what the author writes next.

A fantastic thriller that had me gripped from the beginning. It's told from the point of view of the two main characters. Tragic, twisted. I loved this til the very end when I was gobsmacked. Definitely recommend.
Thank you to Net Galley for an advanced copy

"The Death of Us" by Abigail Dean is a horrifically brilliant book. Perhaps not as harrowing as her previous two books but the topic covered (home invasion) is bound to upset some readers. As you read on and the plot unfolds, you get to know the wonderful cast of characters. I loved that through the tragedy they were able to find love, comfort and a family in each other.

This was heartbreaking, heartwarming, gritty, bleak, and quite terrifying in parts.
I was so invested from the start, I loved the fact a lot of the narration was Isabel talking to her attacker. It really hammered home how something like that stays with the victims for the rest of their lives, and the impact that has on every aspect of their lives.
A brilliant book that deserves every one of the five stars I've given it.

An achingly beautiful yet tormented love story which follows the lives and relationship of Isabel and Edward, before, during and after they fall victim to a notorious serial killer. This was a slow read which is something I struggled with at times, simply because my usual preference is the twists and turns of thrillers but it was well worth the journey. The character development is fantastic and the author writes so beautifully that it's hard not to keep turning the pages, even when not much is happening at all because despite their flaws, you have such a deep-rooted connection with the two protagonists and what they have been through. I would agree with other readers that the ending felt too sudden for my liking and I yearned for more.

A really powerful and shocking book. A true thriller even you know who the perpetrator is, it goes back in time in flashbacks and more horror unfolds each time. The story captures the aftermath of experiencing sexual violence and how it affects a couple and their relationship.

Although this book is extremely well written I found it hard to get into at the beginning and it really wasn’t the sort of book for me. The issue of trauma was handled beautifully but I didn’t find Isabel a very likeable character.

The Death of us by Abigail Dean
⭐⭐⭐⭐⚡ 4.5/5

Pub Date 10th April 2025

I read this in under 48 hrs!!! That's always the sign of a fantastic read as I'm not the speediest of readers!

In a nutshell 🥜
Late on a summer’s evening when they are thirty years old, husband and wife Edward and Isabel’s home is invaded by a serial killer. Theirs was a classic story of young love that moves into true partnership—but their solid foundation implodes in the wake of this violence. 
At fifty-eight, they are reunited for their tormentor’s trial and forced to confront their lifelong love the secrets, passions, and encounter that bind them still.

Abigail Dean is a fantastic writer. Akin to her fantastic novel "Day One", she takes a traumatic event and gradually reveals to us the heartbreaking and life altering effects on the victims. Told from Edward's POV in present day and Isobel's POV in the past this slow burning, yet addictive story really held me from start to finish.

A realistic portrayal of the impacts of trauma on lives, individuals and communities. I liked the idea of a book showing the aftermath of a traumatic incident. It wasn't overly graphic but the themes are quite dark and emotional. The pace of the book was a little slow for me and I found that around the middle it dragged and I started to lose a bit of interest. It was interesting as a character study of human nature, trauma and relationships. This author writes well and her books often have a theme of abuse and trauma. As a Psychologist myself, I found the portrayal realistic and thought-provoking, I'd just have preferred it to be a bit quicker paced and had a few more breadcrumbs along the way to keep me a bit more interested.

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.