A one-sitting read. Loved this! For those who liked ‘gone girl’

A special thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Liz Nugent's dark and compelling thriller opens with the perfect hook: "I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her." Told from multiple points, Nugent's debut is a chilling exploration into the nature of evil.

Oliver Ryan is a handsome, charismatic, and successful children's author. He is married to Alice, who illustrates his award-winning books. She is a devoted wife, and their life is one of envy and privilege until one evening, Oliver knocks her into unconsciousness and beats her into a coma hovering between life and death.

Those who know the couple are shocked and are trying to understand what could have driven Oliver to attack his wife so savagely. With each chapter, the story unfolds, and the layers of Oliver's character are peeled away to reveal his manipulation, deception, and shame.

Nugent has a fresh approach to this genre—there is no question of whodunit, and there is no doubt as to what the crime was. Instead she takes the reader on a ride to figure out what could have driven someone to commit such a horrific act. For a debut, this is a solid effort, and I can't wait to see what Nugent writes next.

What an amazing book. So happy to have been able to help out. First time author for me but definitely not the last.

Very enjoyable book. Throughout this book, we get a glimpse of what caused Oliver to snap, and then beat his wife. Each person who had co tact with Oliver during his life, gave I formation to help us see what happened; how a normal person can possibly become a wife beater. Although a little confusing g in the beginning, it is an excellent read.

3 ½ stars.
Unraveling Oliver, by Liz Nugent. This novel had one of the most engaging opening chapters I’ve read. Ever. I was totally hooked and gobsmacked in equal measure. The book posits that it will ‘unravel’ the origins of Oliver’s sociopathy and how he came to do what he did in that unforgettable chapter one.
And it does do that.
I suppose.
And yet, I closed the last page feeling less than satisfied. Was Oliver unravelled? Again, I suppose. There were no dangling story threads – things were wrapped up and tidy – but it often felt like I was being given summary explanations by a character, rather then acquiring that same knowledge by experiencing events through them. I wanted very much to sit down with the author and ask her why she included certain scenes and characters, and weighted them the way she did.
This entire book is an origin story. Beginning with ‘the incident’ in chapter one, the novel then travels backward through time. And while it’s clear that there would not be one single event that could transform a person into a sociopath, it still felt as though the character’s journey would follow an arc, not unlike a story arc. That is to say, events in Oliver’s life would build and build until a climax event occurred to act as a trigger for his sociopathy. As a reader I wanted to know when I’d reached that trigger. I don’t want to give away any spoilers, but I will say that I feel the ending would have been far more satisfying if given that frisson of anticipation that comes with anticipating what might happen.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of Unraveling Oliver by Liz Nugent in exchange for an honest review. The story begins with Oliver Ryan, a best-selling children's author, violently beating his wife, who is also the illustrator of his books. From that point on, the novel goes back in time. Each chapter is narrated by a different person, each involved in the life of Oliver. Unraveling Oliver peels back the layers of Oliver's life, leading up to the domestic violence, revealing how his life brought him to sink to such a level.. I highly recommend this book, especially if you like reading psychological suspense. There is much to enjoy here. A captivating read.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free, electronic ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
“Unraveling Oliver” by Liz Nugent is one hell of a gripping tale.
Oliver Ryan is an author of children’s books, and he lives a seemingly storybook life himself, married to the quiet and demure Alice, his illustrator. One night it all changes, when Oliver beats Alice into unconsciousness. As Alice struggles to heal, we learn the truth about the real Oliver, and what may have triggered him to perform such a violent act.
This novel is told from the perspectives of many people. Alice, Oliver (of course), and then several of their friends, neighbours and family members. Although the cast of narrators is multitudinous, these alternating storylines contribute to the story’s realistic and haunting setting. A reader gets to hear from not only Oliver and Alice, but other outside parties, contributing to a deep understanding of what makes a person (and a husband, in this case) tick.
I loved everything about this book. The storyline was gripping and addictive, the characters were likable (well, not Oliver) and honest, and I held a deeply vested interest in how Alice would fair. (I loved Alice’s brother Eugene most of all!).
The ending was beautifully appropriate, providing justice and a definitive ending for all those involved. This novel is a psychological treat- it really breaks down the psyche of a seemingly normal man.
There is nothing about this novel I didn’t like and I would recommend it highly. I have never heard of Liz Nugent before and I can promise you that I will keep an eye out for anything else she pens! A fantastic psychological profile of a sociopath who, on the surface, seems handsome and successful. Definitely a gripping read!

This is a good story. Thank you to Simon and Schuster publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and rate this.

Oliver is not a nice man and the story starts with him beating his wife Alice into a coma. Awful topic and yet I liked how the author revealed Oliver and Alice to us, layer upon layer, through friends and loved ones eyes. The chapters are narrated by different people and slowly reveal what lead to the opening trauma. I liked all the supporting characters and I liked how the author laid out the story line. I even had small moments of empathy for Oliver, hard to do considering what happened in chapter one!

The flow between time and events was smooth and the character voices believable. I particularly was impressed with the chapter by Eugene.

This book is not a thriller in the sense that we already know what happened and who did it, however, it is a compelling read and I have been thinking of the ending, long after being done reading. A sign of a good book.

What a great read! Do not start this book until you have a chunk of time free. Nobody got dinner at my house because I kept telling myself, “Just one more chapter”. And, thanks to the layered and complex characters leading me through their lives, dangling hints and clues along the way, I gobbled it up in one sitting. The characters were credible and likeable. You cared about them all.. Enjoy!

As the story begins we find Oliver Ryan in an unexplained violent situation, he’s hit his wife, though he doesn’t seem to intellectually understand why she is on the floor, he continues to beat her. Oliver is a successful author of children’s books and his wife Alice is his illustrator. The partnership seems to work brilliantly.

We get to know Oliver better along with Eugene, Alice’s disabled brother, Laura, Oliver’s past girlfriend, Michael, Laura’s brother, Barney, Alice’s past boyfriend, and finally Philip, Oliver’s half-brother. We learn of a pivotal summer when Oliver, Laura and Michael went to a vineyard owned by Veronique in France where they learned much more about their basic desires. The experience was fundamental in the decisions they made for their lives.

Oliver’s story is quite tragic, the son of a failed clergyman who and has, aside from arranging schooling, disowned Oliver completely.

We learn Oliver’s inner workings as he processes his actions and does, finally suffer the consequences.
An interesting study in neglect and the consequences.

A very solid book.
A lot of authors lately are trying to go too far with "wow" factor and create a set of captivating yet not necessarily believable circumstances when bringing the story to life. Yet Unraveling Oliver is definitely not the case. You know that Oliver can be anyone you know, your neighbor, your acquaintance, your coworker, anyone and this might be just the thing that makes the book even more striking.

The narrative of this book was sharp and the author does not waste any pages with needless descriptions . The story set in the seventies is told as a flashback from several points of view. The characters were fleshed out well and on the whole it was an interesting read. The opening chapter is intriguing and the actions of the protagonist is followed by the narratives of all the leading characters. The suspense builds up into understanding the mysterious Oliver. The ending felt a little abrupt and when Oliver is exposed ,his actions for which he is condemned did not generate the shock value which was anticipated. Still an impressive work and a great read!

This book was easy to read and kept me intrigued. I loved unravelling Oliver through different characters in the book and following their story through the years. I would recommend this book.

The premise of this book led me to expect a lot of it, in terms of it being a psychologically twisting thriller with a lot of suspense and a fair amount of character development. Liz Nugent seems to have tried very hard to deliver on this promise, but sadly, fell short of the mark.
The novel begins well enough with an act of violence and the introduction of a rich set of characters who, in a Rashomon-style round table format, deliver the backstory that led to the events of the first chapter. However, it doesn't take long before the novel gets bogged down in a narrative that takes a long time (within the relatively short pagecount of the book) to really get anywhere, culminating in an ending that is well written enough, but was easily foreseeable from the outset.
There are a couple of narrative points, especially towards the end, that add interest to the story, but none of them are big enough to be called a twist, and can mostly be seen coming from a long way off. I think my biggest disappointment is in the title character, who doesn't seem to undergo much development over the course of the novel and whose motivations are, largely, immediately obvious and one-dimensional.
There is a lot of potential good in this novel that just never comes to fruition. I would have liked to see more in-depth character analysis, especially in the form of Oliver, who had a lot of room for complexity. Almost equally, I think Alice deserved more attention; her relationship to Oliver and her motivation for being with him would have been interesting to explore. It seems that Nugent just skimmed the surface of what was possible with these characters and the result is a novel that teases but doesn't really satisfy.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

It’s meant to be a psychological thriller, but it felt a bit flat to me. The whole why just felt so small and not worth the effort. I had things figured out pretty quickly.

I will say though, that the back and forth between past and future was well done. It was interesting to see how Oliver was shaped to be the person he because. I was just hoping for a darker storyline, a darker reason why.

3.5 stars.

Never have I read a book where I disliked the main character so much. Oliver is, frankly, a piece of $&*@. Despite this loathing, I loved the book. The story unfolds through the eyes of Oliver and a few other characters. I usually don't like multiple points of view but in this novel, it works. I could not stop reading. Interestingly, the only viewpoint we don't ever get is the one of Alice, Oliver's wife.
I would not classify this novel as suspenseful or as a mystery, it's more of a character study. Through the eyes of other people and Oliver himself, we get a deep insight into why he is the way he is. I found it very interesting reading about Oliver's life and his thinking processes. It would be easy to think that the author wants us to feel sorry for Oliver but at the same time, you know it's not the reaction anyone would have. I did not feel any sympathy for Oliver at all...
A very good novel that I enjoyed reading much more than I thought I would.

Liz Nugent had my full attention right from the first chilling sentence. Unraveling Oliver is a fast-paced novel that kept me eagerly flipping the pages in order to uncover all that I could about Oliver Ryan. This is one of those compulsive books that grabs a reader and makes it impossible to put down until you’ve devoured every word.

The story is told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of different characters who knew Oliver, as well as from Oliver himself. This just made the story that much more appealing and addictive. With each passing chapter, I was pulled deeper into Oliver’s story through the words and memories of his friends, acquaintances, and neighbors. As soon as one chapter would end, I was compelled to read another, and another.

I am always drawn to books that deal with human nature and the human psyche. Oliver seemed to have it all. He was an established and successful author who had been married to his wife for over twenty years. To the outside world, Oliver Ryan’s life would appear to be normal, comfortable, and fruitful. What would provoke a seemingly normal man to act out so violently towards his wife? Did he just snap? Was this violent outburst truly out of character for him, or were his true colors finally showing themselves? I had to find out.

With glimpses into Oliver’s past, the author allows the reader to witness Oliver in various stages of his life. We get to see him as a child, a young adult, and as a man trying to make his way in the world. Through his memories and those of the other characters, we get a better understanding of Oliver’s life and what made him tick. Liz Nugent did a fabulous job of creating Oliver and writing his story. There were even times when I actually felt sorry for Oliver. These times didn’t last long, and I certainly couldn’t justify his heinous actions, but I wondered if things could have been different for him.

Unraveling Oliver is a fascinating, impeccably written story that is the true definition of a page-turner. Liz Nugent is an author who is definitely on my radar. I am looking forward to reading more by her in the near future.

*4.5 Stars

This is not a psychological thriller and if you are expecting one, you will be sorely disappointed. This story is all about character development - and I think the author is pretty clear about that from the description that was given. As mentioned by the blurb, the story is told from multiple perspectives - friends, neighbours, acquaintances, and Oliver all give their impressions. I think the problem with this novel was that the most interesting part of it was that first line. The story just didn't have the juiciness I was expecting. The author puts in a lot of effort to make the reader understand Oliver's character, and to a certain degree, I think there is success. There were times when I really did feel sorry for him and what he has gone through. However, there just seemed this disconnect between the power of that initial line in the story and the events and perspectives that followed it. I also really didn't care for the other perspectives. They were really just boring, and the only person I really cared about was Oliver. In the end, this novel just wasn't unique or interesting enough for my liking. For those reasons, I'm giving this a 2/5 stars.

Amazing book. The story starts with Oliver beating his wife into a coma. It then goes back into his life (he did have a tragic childhood). Many people comment on him and how he related to others and lived his life. A very good book with an excellent ending. Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schustet and the Author for allowing me to read and review this book.

This domestic noir thriller is well-written, but I found it very sad. It starts with the following paragraph: "I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her. She just lay on the floor holding her jaw. Staring at me. Silent. She didn't even seem to be surprised.", which sets the pace for the whole story. Little by little, we learn why Oliver (the husband) acted this way.