Category Archives: Simon Lelic

Review: The Liar’s Room by Simon Lelic

Title: The Liar’s Room by Simon Lelic
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A new spine-tingling thriller from the author of The New Neighbors that takes place over the course of a therapy session, in which neither patient nor therapist are who they claim to be.

Two liars. One room. No way out.

Susanna Fenton has a secret. Fourteen years ago she left her identity behind, reinventing herself as a therapist and starting a new life. It was the only way to keep her daughter safe.

But when a young man, Adam Geraghty, walks into her office, claiming he needs Susanna’s help but asking unsettling questions, she begins to fear that her secret has been discovered.

Who is Adam, really? What does he intend to do to Susanna?

And what has he done to her daughter?

Review:

The Liar’s Room by Simon Lelic is a suspenseful mystery with a unique premise.

Susanna Fenton is a counselor with a secret past. Her newest client Adam Geraghty seems to be a little bit familiar to her but she cannot put her finger on why.  It also quickly becomes apparent he has some sort of agenda for booking his session with her. Susanna is shocked when he begins revealing details about her former life.  She is even more frightened it becomes clear that Adam also knows more than he should about her personal life in the present.  How does Adam know so much about Susanna? More importantly, what does Adam want from her and how can Susanna save herself and her daughter, Emily?

Following a  very public scandal and personal tragedy eighteen years ago, Susanna walked away from her old life and reinvented herself. She is friends with the dentist with whom she shares office space, but she does not share any information about herself.  Susanna does not dwell on what happened in the past, but Adam gives her no choice but to tell him about what happened eighteen years earlier.

The story unfolds over the course of a few hours and takes place in Susanna’s office. Susanna’s past is revealed through a series of flashbacks and letters. Emily’s diary entries in the present show how Adam insinuated himself into their life. Susanna is an unwilling participant in the drama taking place in her office, but her fears for Emily’s safety compel her comply with Adam’s demands.

Although a little slow paced, The Liar’s Room is a very compelling mystery.  Susanna’s fear and guilt are palpable as she tells Adam what he wants to know. Adam’s unpredictable reactions and overall behavior keep Susanna and readers on edge throughout the story. Although some of the plot twists are not a complete surprise, Simon Lelic brings the novel to a somewhat unexpected conclusion.  A clever mystery that I enjoyed and recommend to fans of the genre.

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Filed under Berkley, Contemporary, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Simon Lelic, Suspense, The Liar's Room

Review: The New Neighbors by Simon Lelic

Title: The New Neighbors by Simon Lelic
Publisher:Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Suspense
Length: 349 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

The Girl Before meets The Couple Next Door in a Hitchcockian thriller about a couple who moves into their dream neighborhood only to discover nothing is as it seems…

The perfect couple. The perfect house. The perfect crime.

Londoners Jack and Syd found their dream home: lots of space, a great location, and a friendly owner who wanted a young couple to have it.

Everything is exactly what they hoped for when they move in–except Jack makes a disturbing discovery in the attic, and Syd begins to wonder about the girl next door. And they each keep the other in the dark.

A mistake.

Because someone has just been killed outside their back door, and now the police are watching them.

This is their chance to prove they’re innocent–or to get away with murder.

Whose story do you believe?

Review:

The New Neighbors by Simon Lelic is a unique, chilling and suspenseful novel.

Jack Walsh and Sydney “Syd” Baker are amazed their bid on a sought after house in London was accepted. One of the major downsides of their move into their new home is they must clean out the previous owner’s belongings. Although Syd is completely in love with their new dwelling, Jack cannot shake the uncomfortable feeling that all is not right with their purchase. Eerie sounds, a nasty discovery and a puzzling box soon take a backseat as they and their home fall under intense scrutiny of Detective Inspector Karen Leigh and her partner DC Granger. When their lives begin taking a sudden downward spiral, will Syd and Jack emerge from their troubles unscathed?

The first part of the novel alternates between Syd and Jack’s points of view. Jack is the only child of middle class parents whose approval remains elusive. Syd has a very troubled background that has drastically improved over the four years she has been with Jack. While Jack decides to dig into the circumstances of the previous owner’s decision to sell the house, Syd becomes close to thirteen year old Elsie Payne who lives with her father in the house across the way.

The second part of the story focuses more on the police interest in Syd and Jack. Both Jack and Syd have been withholding information from one another that comes out once they take their suspicions about some of the strange occurrences at their new home to the police. Jack is a little disturbed by DI Leigh’s ability to accurately read him and use this knowledge to her advantage. Syd is distrustful once she receives shocking information and she is angered by the police reaction to their revelations.

The New Neighbors is a puzzling mystery with some very creepy elements and an unusual narrative style. Syd and Jack are interesting characters with very different life experiences. Simon Lelic brilliantly keeps readers guessing who (or what) is responsible for the mysterious goings on in the couple’s new home. With plenty of shocking twists and unexpected turns, the tension builds to a fever pitch as the novel hurtles to a stunning conclusion. Fans of the genre do not want to miss this outstanding suspense-laden mystery!

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Filed under Berkley, Contemporary, Rated B, Review, Simon Lelic, Suspense, The New Neighbors