The Liar's Wife by Samantha Hayes (ARC)
Genre: Psychological thriller
Read: 22nd November 2018
Purchase: Amazon
★★★ 3.5 stars
Firstly, I have to say, as a domestic violence survivor to physical and emotional abuse, I found this book very hard to read.
It is the first by Samantha Hayes I have read and I have to say it is medicore at best. THE LIAR'S WIFE, whilst in the synopsis sounded enthralling, in my opinion failed to live up to the hype.
A slow burning psychological thriller THE LIAR'S WIFE seemed to take a long time to get to the point. In the end, I felt I was reading just to find out what happened. BUT, having said that, I'm glad I did because there was a real twist near the end that turned everything on its head and even I was left with an "OMG!" feeling that left me slightly reeling. I didn't see what one coming, that's for sure.
Ella Sinclair is a woman who liked to keep to herself, is very private, revealing nothing about herself and avoids socialising. Her mantra - work, home sleep - is her routine that keeps her feeling safe. She knows where she is with "work, home, sleep". But one rainy night cycling on her way home from work, she ends up being hit and is left to all but die in the road.
Waking up in hospital with only vague memories Ella struggles to remember what happened. A friendly nurse taking care of her explains she has been in a coma and suffered various fractures in her arm, wrist, leg and ribs. But that her lovely husband has barely left her side throughout.
There is only one problem. Ella is not married.
However, as soon as Ella sees him walk into her room she is terrified. Because she knows exactly who he is...and he is NOT her husband. But she realises she must play along if she wants to survive. Because this man, who calls himself Jacob Sinclair, knows a secret from her past - the dark secret she has been hiding for the past 10 years - that could destroy her.
When she is discharged from hospital Jacob takes her straight to their "new" home, where he keeps her prisoner under lock and key, surveillance cameras and a quiet but posh gated community. Ella realises escaping is going to take longer than she had at first anticipated...especially as she is confined to a wheelchair for the next 3 months and therefore totally at his mercy. He makes her food for the day that he insists she must eat, and if she doesn't, there will be hell to pay. It doesn't take her long to discover why he leaves crusty bowls of porridge in the fridge or any other type of food for her. She is being drugged. Packs of 10mg of diazepam is enough to tranquilise her for hours...that way maintaining a level of control over her as she sleeps while he is at work.
But Jacob and Ella soon find they have a very persistent neighbour in Liz from the close, who won't be turned away or give up in her quest to help Ella in her recovery from the accident. But Ella knows that with every visit, there will be a price to pay.
However, as a domestic violence survivor to physical and emotional abuse, I found THE LIAR'S WIFE very hard to read. The amount of control Jacob reigned over Ella made me both sick and angry. How can anyone claim they love someone and treat them like that? Like a prisoner? No freedom. No choice. No nothing. Punching them in the head when they dare to cross them. As this was the scene for a good portion of the book I found it difficult to read, my anger so visceral, and wanted to put it down several times.
Being a slow burn thriller, THE LIAR'S WIFE was in danger of losing my attention several times though I admit I was curious to discover just what would happen...so I stumbled on. Much of it was predicatable with a few little shocks along the way but the killer twist at the end I have to say was worth the wait and saved it for me in the end - though still only rating 3.5 stars as the domestic abuse and Jacob was just so hateful.
Thank you to #SamanathaHayes, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheLiarsWife in exchange for an honest review.
No comments:
Post a Comment