The Truth About the Accident by Nicole Trope
Genre: Domestic drama, Domestic thriller
Read: 2nd July 2023
Published: 30th June 2023
★★★ 3.5 stars
DESCRIPTION:
I gaze at my husband’s once-handsome face, so still and pale in the hospital bed. The doctors say I should keep talking. He might be able to hear me even after the terrible accident that left him fighting for his life. But all I have to whisper to my husband is this: I know what you did.
Every day I wave my husband Damon off with a kiss and a smile, drive our precious children to school, and make sure our house is pristine before preparing a delicious meal. I pretend I’m not filled with fury that he once nearly destroyed our perfect life. It’s important to carry on as normal.
That is, until the accident.
My husband was hit by a car. It was pouring with rain. Nobody saw what happened. But the police are asking questions…
Do they know about the terrible argument we had that day?
Do they know about the text message I sent, telling someone to Delete everything?
And do they know that no-one is happier that my husband is in a hospital bed, than me?
An absolutely addictive page-turner about a family in crisis, a marriage at breaking point, and how secrets can be deadly. Perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty and Sally Hepworth.
MY THOUGHTS:
There are three sides to this story...her's, mine and the truth...
Nicole Trope is one of my favourite authors and one I go-to without hesitation. And once again delivers a quick, easy read that revolves around an unfaithful husband, an angry wife and a string of women who really should know better. It's a compelling read filled with family drama and a wealth of secrets and lies. And I read it in pretty much one sitting.
The story opens with "the accident" and various 000 calls reporting the incident. Each of the three witnesses to call it in all describe a different car responsible for the hit and run and, while eyewitness accounts are notoriously unreliable, we eventually discover why.
Then we meet Marla. She's the wife of a CEO of a successful IT company. They've been married for twenty-on years and have two teenage children - Sean (19) and Bianca (17). But her marriage isn't all that it appears on Instagram and she self medicates with drink to get her through the day. And her children are practically grown, her usefulness there appears to have ended also. But life hasn't always been like this. She was there when her husband started his company and there as he built it up. She too has reaped the affluent rewards of his success in their beautiful home, luxury cars, designer clothes and expensive lifestyle. She even has botox to keep those wrinkles at bay. And it all looks good on Instagram too. But it's just a facade. And Marla suddenly feels as though she is no longer enough...for anyone anymore.
Sonya is a single mum to twelve year old Jasper. Her own marriage ended nine years ago and her ex has since moved to America, remarried and now has a brand new baby of his own. As a psychologist, one would think Sonya could read the warning signs and prevent all the heartache that came her way but she is only human too. She sits in her office awaiting her client who arranged this unscheduled appointment on her day off long enough to deem him a no-show before she grabs her bag and heads home.
Athena - even her name is ethereal - is a 39 year old woman about become a first time mother, pregnant with the child of her lover who doesn't want children. She thinks she can change his mind, that as soon as he sees his child's heartbeat on the monitor he will fall instantly in love with the baby and move in with her. She wants that more than anything. But at what cost?
When the news comes on that evening, scenes from the hit and run are breaking news. Police are appealing for witnesses, dashcam and mobile phone camera footage to help them identify the victim and the car that ran him down. Each of the three women see the news and each of them recognise the gold watch and the wedding band he wears...albeit, occasionally. Each of them rush to the hospital respectively to identify the victim as Damon Kennedy. But how are each of these women related to him? As the story progresses, readers will discover his relationship with each of them. But what does it all mean?
The police are struggling to find out who is responsible despite investigations and the constant questioning and review of their own respective vehicles, having been identified by nearby CCTV footage. But the drenching rain the day of the accident makes visibility on any footage retrieved next to useless.
And what of Damon Kennedy? And the trail of hurt rejected women in his wake? Did someone run him intentionally? And if so, who? The why is blindingly obvious but with so many suspects, the question remains which one of them did it?
The story unfolds through the differing perspectives of Marla, Athena and Sonya, as well as the odd random inclusion of a mystery woman peppered throughout. Each chapter is heavily inclusive of detailed descriptions of their interactions with Damon as well as each other. Sometimes I found this confusing as I was unsure whether some of the interactions took place before or after the accident. It wasn't entirely clear in the way it was told, leaving me a little baffled in parts.
While this was a quick and easy enough read, it wasn't one of Trope's best. And I really loathe to say that because I know what a brilliant storyteller she is and I love her work. But even our favourite authors can write a tale that we just don't enjoy as much as their others though I know I am bound to love whatever she brings out next.
Overall, a compelling read dripping with secrets, lies and tension. With a twist at the end that even left me guessing.
I would like to thank #NicoleTrope, #Netgalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheTruthAboutTheAccident in exchange for an honest review.
MEET THE AUTHOR:
Nicole Trope went to university to study Law but realised the error of her ways when she did very badly on her first law essay because-as her professor pointed out- ‘It’s not meant to be a story.’ She studied teaching instead and used her holidays to work on her writing career and complete a Masters’ degree in Children’s Literature. After the birth of her first child she stayed home full time to write and raise children, renovate houses and build a business with her husband.
The idea for her first published novel, The Boy under the Table, was so scary that it took a year for her to find the courage to write the emotional story.
She is now published by Bookouture and is an Amazon top 100 bestseller in the USA, UK, AUS and CAN.
She lives in Sydney with her husband and three children.
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