3.5 rounded up

This story was a slow burn with a bit a dual timeline in that we learn of the lives before the horrific night that changed Isabelle and Edward’s lives forever. A prolific offender known as the home invader in London is preying on middle class couples where he sexually abuses the women which admittedly I was not prepared for the graphic details that were given in this book at times it was deeply disturbing. I guess this is the point the writer is making because these crimes are exactly that - horrific!!!

The perpetrator has been offending and with Isabelle’s account he makes her state the next time I will kill them all to which he does go on to murder the victims, the case takes 25years for him to be caught and then go to trial at which point we learn of the impact on both Isabelle and Edward of a night they hadn’t spoken of!

As this was in audio format I have to state that unfortunately I found there was something distracting within this particular copy possibly a page turning I couldn’t quite place it but it sadly did take away from the ability to fully immerse in the audiobook. Also with the 2 narrators I found the speed was different in that the voice of Claire was slower than John meaning you may have to adjust the settings accordingly when listening to the different characters which also was a little distracting. After a little bit of time I managed to find a flow and followed no problem but this is worth mentioning due to it being an audiobook.

With thanks to NetGalley & Harper Collins Uk Audio for the opportunity to listen to this ELC in return for an open honest review. 📚🎧

The Death of Us by Abigail Dean.

If you are looking for an unputdownable read for the long weekend, Abigail Dean's recently published, third novel, The Death of Us is a page turner. I read her previous two novels and appreciated her dark tales but this book feels like the book I/ her readers were waiting for from her. Part crime novel/ part portrayal of a marriage and character study, the book tells the story of Isabel and Edward and their lives both before and after the unthinkable happens.

The couple meet as students and after various hiccups , marry and are living in London, Edward pursuing his career in law and Isabel deciding which career she will pursue. The buy a house in London, they drink with friends in their garden, in their early thirties the rest of their lives are brimming with hope and possibility. At the same time, a man is breaking into homes in London carrying out attacks and targeting middle class couples, the media have coined him the "South London Invader" and one night he appears in Isabel's and Edwards bedroom.

Their lives are irrevocably changed. The invader goes on to become a murderer and 25 years , he is finally caught, the court case is happening and finally the truth of that night will be spoken about. The book catalogues the effects the attack had on their marriage, their lives and on their actions to each other.

This was a super read. Intense, brutally realistic and so well written. Despite the dark subject matter, this novel is laced with care and hope. The two main characters (and the cast of secondary characters) are well captured and portrayed brilliantly, I was wholly invested in their lives and their story. Dean writes about human behaviour with such care, accuracy and warmth, it is a fascinating read. At times it is a dark read but ultimately this is a book about survival and hope and I could not put it down/ stop listening .

Recommend 4.5

Without a doubt the author’s best novel yet - this story felt so original and powerful, and I truly couldn’t put it down. It chilled me despite the reader knowing what was coming from the very beginning, as we slowly moved back in time to all these horrific crimes. But it was also heartbreaking witnessing the break down of this marriage, which meant the crime kept reverberating through the decades.

The only thing I would say is that the audio narration was a little frustrating because the two narrators had such different paces - for the female narrator I wanted to speed up to x2.5 as it felt quite slow, but then the male narrator was so fast I had to keep changing back to x2 speed, which became a little annoying. But that doesn’t take away from the brilliant story itself!

Actual rating 4.5.