The Good Samaritan by John Marrs
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Read: 18th August 2018
Purchase: Amazon
★★★★★ 5 stars
This is the first book by John Marrs I have read and if this one is anything to go by it won't be my last. I loved it despite it's slow start. But at the same time I hated it. Why? Because of Laura, the main character and so-called 'good samaritan'. She is anything but and I hated everything about her. But it sure made for good reading. And I am not revealing any spoilers here because from the first moment you discover what she is like. It is only as the story develops do you discover just how deranged - and delusional - she is!
Laura is a wife and mother of three, feeling unfulfilled at home, wondering why her family never show up for meals she has cooked or why her husband sleeps in another bed. Then there is her work at a suicide helpline called End of the Line, where she feels needed and where she thrives. She is one of many volunteers who are supportive, non-judgemental and sympathetic. It is not their job to talk you out of suicide but to let you know you have options. But what happens when the kind sympathetic voice on the other end has ulterior motives? This is where Laura comes in. It is where she shines. But her defining moments come when she is on the end of the line as her callers take their last breath.
Then there is Ryan. He is devastated after his pregnant wife commits suicide with a stranger. Who was this man? And how did his wife know him? There is talk of her having an affair with him, but Ryan is not so sure. He endeavours to uncover the truth and find the answers he so desperately seeks. But at what cost?
The first part of the book is told solely from Laura's perspective and admittedly I found it a little slow and uneventful. We get flashes here and there about Laura and her past but Laura's story is somewhat of a mystery as you don't know how much is truth and how much is imagined. And then there is her home life. Where is her husband? Her family? They never seem to be around and they are never home to eat the meals she prepares. Her only saving 'anchor' is her son Henry who is in a care home, whom she visits often but her husband Tony never does. Laura's story almost feels claustrophobic as no one else seems to be play a part in it at all, except in her imagination. Then one day whilst on shift at End of the Line she answers a call from Steven. He is at such a low point in his life his only option was to call the helpline. One by one, he ticks off Laura's mental boxes to become one of her 'candidates'. But she must test him to ensure his seriousness in that final step. Until Steven makes an odd request which both frightens and exhilirates Laura.
The next part retells the story from Ryan's perspective, as he goes from loving husband to grieving widower. He goes from disbelief to denial to depression to anger...and there he stays. One day, whilst searching for answers, he comes across a hidden folder on his wife's laptop and when he gains access he is shocked to discover its contents. His anger fuels him as he searches for answers and the truth behind his wife's suicide. It takes months of calls to End of the Line before he finds her. And so he creates an elaborate end game to bring Laura down. But can he? Does he know just who he is up against? In his quest for answers and justice, Ryan finds himself in a cat and mouse game with a very experienced feline with years of experience. And in the end, at the great lengths he goes to to end Laura's game, he discovers he is no better than her.
The story switches between both Laura and Ryan's narratives with their own agendas, both just as devious. Laura exploits the vulnerable at the weakest time in their lives and manipulates everyone she comes into contact with. She is a sick and twisted person with no thought to anyone other than herself, and she will do anything to ensure everything in her life is just how she wants it. Ryan's was a sad story and one to which I could relate to. Losing a loved one is hard enough but to suicide - the fact they chose to end their life and not even 'you' were enough to keep them here - is horrendous. I felt his pain and the stages of grief he went through. But then he went off script and whilst I didn't agree or condone his methods or actions I could understand his reasoning. And that's what makes it so sad and tragic.
Who will be the last one standing? Can you guess??
THE GOOD SAMARITAN is dark, devious and seriously twisted but oh so good!! A dark book dealing with a heavy subject matter that will have you going through so many emotions. Suicide is a difficult issue and not an easy topic to read about. It may well be a trigger for some, and for this reason it may not be for everyone. Those who do enjoy twisted dark psychological books with plenty of twists, then you won't want to pass this one up.
THE GOOD SAMARITAN is a book that will definitely stand out in my memory for some time to come. I was a little disappointed with the ending but I still enjoyed it. I guess I just expected something different. It was still a well written and seriously twisted book that will stay with me for a while yet.
Laura is a wife and mother of three, feeling unfulfilled at home, wondering why her family never show up for meals she has cooked or why her husband sleeps in another bed. Then there is her work at a suicide helpline called End of the Line, where she feels needed and where she thrives. She is one of many volunteers who are supportive, non-judgemental and sympathetic. It is not their job to talk you out of suicide but to let you know you have options. But what happens when the kind sympathetic voice on the other end has ulterior motives? This is where Laura comes in. It is where she shines. But her defining moments come when she is on the end of the line as her callers take their last breath.
Then there is Ryan. He is devastated after his pregnant wife commits suicide with a stranger. Who was this man? And how did his wife know him? There is talk of her having an affair with him, but Ryan is not so sure. He endeavours to uncover the truth and find the answers he so desperately seeks. But at what cost?
The first part of the book is told solely from Laura's perspective and admittedly I found it a little slow and uneventful. We get flashes here and there about Laura and her past but Laura's story is somewhat of a mystery as you don't know how much is truth and how much is imagined. And then there is her home life. Where is her husband? Her family? They never seem to be around and they are never home to eat the meals she prepares. Her only saving 'anchor' is her son Henry who is in a care home, whom she visits often but her husband Tony never does. Laura's story almost feels claustrophobic as no one else seems to be play a part in it at all, except in her imagination. Then one day whilst on shift at End of the Line she answers a call from Steven. He is at such a low point in his life his only option was to call the helpline. One by one, he ticks off Laura's mental boxes to become one of her 'candidates'. But she must test him to ensure his seriousness in that final step. Until Steven makes an odd request which both frightens and exhilirates Laura.
The next part retells the story from Ryan's perspective, as he goes from loving husband to grieving widower. He goes from disbelief to denial to depression to anger...and there he stays. One day, whilst searching for answers, he comes across a hidden folder on his wife's laptop and when he gains access he is shocked to discover its contents. His anger fuels him as he searches for answers and the truth behind his wife's suicide. It takes months of calls to End of the Line before he finds her. And so he creates an elaborate end game to bring Laura down. But can he? Does he know just who he is up against? In his quest for answers and justice, Ryan finds himself in a cat and mouse game with a very experienced feline with years of experience. And in the end, at the great lengths he goes to to end Laura's game, he discovers he is no better than her.
The story switches between both Laura and Ryan's narratives with their own agendas, both just as devious. Laura exploits the vulnerable at the weakest time in their lives and manipulates everyone she comes into contact with. She is a sick and twisted person with no thought to anyone other than herself, and she will do anything to ensure everything in her life is just how she wants it. Ryan's was a sad story and one to which I could relate to. Losing a loved one is hard enough but to suicide - the fact they chose to end their life and not even 'you' were enough to keep them here - is horrendous. I felt his pain and the stages of grief he went through. But then he went off script and whilst I didn't agree or condone his methods or actions I could understand his reasoning. And that's what makes it so sad and tragic.
Who will be the last one standing? Can you guess??
THE GOOD SAMARITAN is dark, devious and seriously twisted but oh so good!! A dark book dealing with a heavy subject matter that will have you going through so many emotions. Suicide is a difficult issue and not an easy topic to read about. It may well be a trigger for some, and for this reason it may not be for everyone. Those who do enjoy twisted dark psychological books with plenty of twists, then you won't want to pass this one up.
THE GOOD SAMARITAN is a book that will definitely stand out in my memory for some time to come. I was a little disappointed with the ending but I still enjoyed it. I guess I just expected something different. It was still a well written and seriously twisted book that will stay with me for a while yet.
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