was a gripping thriller that took you to every aspect of trying to figure out what was really going on and what was going to happen next! This was such an amazing book and I can’t wait to see what else is released from this author!

4 *s. This book is compulsively readable. I enjoyed it more than I do a lot of psychological thrillers. It is extremely dark with a really crazy character. Trigger warning: this one deals with some bullying and controlling of food which may disturb someone with an eating disorder.

Thank you #NetGalley for a copy of #LyingInWait.

I’m really not sure what I think about this book... it definitely wasn’t one of my favorites. It kind of dragged for me and wasn’t very fast-paced. A lot of the chapters, while coming from different people’s points of view, seemed awfully repetitive. And that ending... I have no words. I wanted to throw this book out the window after reading how AWFUL Lydia was to her son and the stuff she got away with doing. She was the main cause for everyone’s problems and in the end, and she was the last one standing completely unharmed. What a horrible character she was!

Deliciously demented. Cleverly cruel. Satisfying and sadistic.

These things may not make up the most ideal everyday scenario – but for me, they make the best types of thrillers. You know, those books that you simply have to devour in as little time as possible, because they are so difficult to put down.

I love to walk right on the edge of a dirty and taboo line when it comes to thriller or mystery novel. I revel in the things to be seen when you peek through a grimy window or just around the corner of a derelict house in the middle of the woods. I love the grit and the deceitfulness. A while many have the talent of weaving a mystery plot into a tapestry of mischief with original design, a true psychological thriller is not something that is created easily.

In all the books I’ve read, I’ve noticed one thing – not many authors are successful at diving deep into the depraved minds of sociopaths or serial killers, of delving into their twisted psyche and setting up shop there … at least not successfully. Maybe they find it a little too dangerous. Perhaps it leaves them a little too afraid of the shadows that threaten to linger around them as they travel through reality into the fiction of their written works. True psychological thrillers aren’t afraid to make twists and turns that are not only unexpected, but wrought from the chaos of intricate and unsavory plots … all while featuring characters that require an immense amount of critical thinking on the reader’s part to figure out. And even then – for a really well planned out novel – you still can’t predict exactly what they will do.

In Lying in Wait, Irish author Liz Nugent really knows how to do it … and do it up to perfection. What I mean is, the last few chapters left me shaking my head at her damn-near genius of an ending. The plot of this book kept me thinking about it for days after I read the final page. She made me marvel at how invested I was in the characters … and how even though they were a motley cast of cruel, devious, manipulative and pathetic, I actually cared where they ended up. The full body of work was crafted with a wily nature, little tidbits of information left behind for the reader much like bread crumbs leading to a sinister gingerbread house in the woods. The tone of Nugent’s storytelling is fluid and seductive, the alternating POV doing a perfect job of building up an impeccable tension that bursts like a foul boil in the end … one you are disgusted by, but also can’t turn away from. It’s a story of a murder, of a set of survivors, of the upper-class and their snobbery, and of the poor folk down the hill.

Lydia has always felt settled in her role as one-half of the golden couple known as The Fitzsimons. She’s the gorgeous wife of a beloved local judge, a doting mother to her only child and son Laurence, and keeps house in one of the most coveted properties in all of Dublin. The House at Avalon is historic really, set on an expanse of land so green and fruitful that it’s obvious wealth is almost obscene when compared to the rest of the town. It’s a place where Lydia is absolutely certain she’ll spend the rest of her days, a home that will be within her crafty grips until the very day that she passes from this world.

As luck would have it, Andrew had the audacity to die first. And truth be told, Lydia couldn’t help but view her husband’s death as a terrible inconvenience. She has no idea how she can possibly keep the house in the standing she is accustomed to without Andrew’s monetary contributions to the household. Lord knows the money they’d squirreled away is nearly all gone … to places Lydia would rather not admit to. Andrew really was quite rude to leave her with so many problems in her lap … the least of which is the body buried in the garden. But Lydia doesn’t feel too badly about that. The girl was dreadful and quite frankly, deserved what she got in the end.

But despite the impending money troubles looming over her head like an ominous dark cloud, Lydia can’t help but feel a little relieved. Andrew was the perfect man at her side, but only when it came appearances. Under the golden facade, he was a complete disappointment. He couldn’t perform even the simplest of tasks … in Lydia’s eyes, he was less than a man. And when he fumbled the removal of that horrid girl from their lives – that terrible and vile Annie – he set them down a course the likes of which she doesn’t know if she’ll ever be able to turn back to rights. But perhaps …

Her son, her Laurence. He’s the only real bright spot in Lydia’s life … besides Avalon. But the older Laurence becomes, the more she regrettably notices that he wishes to stretch his wings. He wants to get out from under the weight of, well – of his actual weight. Lydia has done her best to bind him to her, and if being overweight and unattractive keeps him at home, she is more than willing to do her part. But no matter the bleak reality of his life, Laurence is determined. He wants to get a job, meet a woman, fall in love and have a home of his own. Lydia doesn’t know if she can ever bear to let Laurence leave her, especially now that he’s the man of the house. And especially as she knows that wherever he goes, she could never follow. She could never leave Avalon. Not ever. She wonders if Laurence would be surprised if he knew just how far she’d go to be his mother – really, to be a mother at all. They need each other, and she’s sure he’ll see that in the end. If not, well – Lydia has contingency plans for her contingency plans.

Karen always knew that her sister Annie was wild. She came into the world kicking and screaming, and spent much of her life doing her best to do things as loudly as possible. Annie drove her parents crazy but Karen … well, she always looked at her sister with a mixture of bemusement and awe. Maybe she secretly wished she could be as brazen. Perhaps she coveted the brave way in which Annie always did exactly as she pleased. Annie was sometimes insufferable but she lived a life as a player, not merely as a spectator.

And as much as her parents complained, the family fell apart the day they realized Annie was gone for good. She’d vanished almost without a trace, the only clue being an older model Jaguar that was sighted around her flat more than once. The family worked with police to try and track the car down but kept coming up with dead ends, except … the dead ends always seemed to end up in Dublin. Try as she might, Karen can’t seem to move on with her life … she can’t seem to get far enough away from the horror of the loss of her Annie.

When Laurence and Karen come together, it’s both a manipulation and a thrill. Is it love, or is it convenience? Is it friendship, or is it a deception? And with Lydia creeping around every shadowy corner like a Black Widow spider, will Karen get caught in a dangerous web that she’ll be unable to untangle herself from?

Lying in Wait is the second novel by Liz Nugent, an author who has spread her writing talents over many facets of the industry. Her resume also includes several prestigious awards, such as the Crime Novel of the Year for her first book, Unravelling Oliver.

Gaaaaaah, I just loved this book. It was gritty and gross and compelling. I think I swallowed it whole in about 24hours, finding myself unable to look away from the portrait of the ultimate dysfunctional family. Lydia’s character was a fascinating study of a sociopath and narcissist, and the bizarre but clinical way that she went about her machinations bordered horrifically on the brilliant. Laurence was a lumbering dolt who had redeeming qualities but mostly left me cringing, and Karen was so naive and sweet that it nearly gave me a toothache. The supporting cast of characters were drawn just as well, and the blanket of darkness that fell over this plot was breathtakingly creative.

I give this novel 4 out of 5 stars and recommend it to those who particularly enjoy Gillian Flynn’s writing style and dirty plots.

This book started off with a bang. The first line of the book is: “My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it.” 😳 RIGHT?! This was such an interesting read, filled with different twists and turns. I have to say at times things got a little far-fetched and weird, but that never swayed my enjoyment. I was completely into this story from beginning to end. If you’re a fan of dark psychological thrillers, this is definitely one to check out.

Lying in Wait was a fun read in a twisted way. I will definitely recommend it to readers who want a unique psychological story.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book, Lying in Wait.

Chilling.
The murder at the center of this story takes place within the first few pages of the story, where you are introduced to one of the most self centered blissfully ignorant by class character I have ever read.
And this character chilled me. To the bone.
We all see read the stories that are told through the various eyes of many characters through the story. It has become very commonplace, but it is difficult to pull off critically across the board. Liz Nugent achieves this deftly.
I felt as if I was sliding into a vat of ice cubes and ice water, and I remained there, chilled to the bone, almost drowning but not quite. That's how this book left me.
I highly recommend it.

This book was so good! I loved Unraveling Oliver and LIW didn’t disappoint. The insanity within these pages made me feel so bad for Laurence and that Lydia was a real character. Nugent did an amazing job adding so much detail to her characters and the plot that I felt everything in the story.

I loved how the book swapped between three narrators to paint a full picture for the reader. The book just got creepier and more unsettling as I read. It's not really a mystery (we know who did it from the beginning), but definitely a thriller and character study. Domestic Noir at it's finest. I can't wait to pick up more from Liz Nugent.

Amazing book, very well written and very suspenseful. I was pleasantly surprised at how good this book was. Looking forward to reading more from this author.

Unputdownable. A Twist at every turn.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

This one surprised me because it grabbed my attention on page 1 and only gripped me harder each page thereafter. The writing is amazing and written via chapters in character point of views.
Unique and creative plot. I loved how the twists were unexpected and Crazy PSYCHO. Everyone in this book has a secret. What happens when these secrets collides? Ohhhh you have to read it to find out!

Thank you #NetGalley, the author and publisher for my free arc in exchange for my honest review. Posting in Goodreads and Amazon as well.

In real life, I hate people who are incredibly selfish and only look out for themselves. In books, however, I absolutely love these types of characters. And the characters in Lying in Wait are selfish, self-obsessed, unreliable narrators at their finest. There were a few sections that dragged a little, but for the most part, this was a pretty quick read with a fantastic ending.

A twisty read with fascinating characters--some of them very disturbing indeed. Nugent is terrific at creating characters who may or may not be sociopaths, in vivid settings. She's one of the newer writers I really enjoy.

This book blew my mind and the ending....my mind is still reeling from that ending. Let's just say if you read this expecting a happily ever after, you'll get your heart ripped out and smashed into bits instead. Killer book, with an emphasis on the "killer".

I tore through "Unravelling Oliver," almost in one go, so I was really excited to get "Lying in Wait." However, I wasn't as impressed with "Lying in Wait," and by the end of the book, I didn't really care all that much what happened. I'm not quite sure what it was with this one, but I didn't enjoy it as much.

Thanks to Penguin and NetGalley for a copy of this book for my honest review.

Lying In Wait is a very dark psychological thriller. I'm very sad. I really really wanted to like this book.....good heavens, just look at all the 5 Star ratings!..but, it just wasn't there for me. I found the writing choppy and the plot too drawn out..the characters well ...just strange. I tried, I really did but ..ack!! I kept wanting to skim the pages ahead. I got through it, shaking my head thinking how strange the mother was..and the husband was a whimp...the son who was too codependent!! Anyway I am giving it 3 stars
If you like your characters broken and messed up you will really love Lying in Wait. Don't let my opinion stop you....give it a try! It's dark and twisted and, well just may be your cup of tea!

I loved the shifting of POV in the narrative even though the story wasn't totally original. I really loved one of the characters (as I was meant to) and that really made this book excel.

Gallery/Scout Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Lying in Wait. I was under no obligation to review this book and my opinion is freely given.

Lydia Fitzsimons, her husband Andrew, and son Laurence are living the type of life that is mainly unattainable to most. Under the surface, however, a secret lingers that threatens the carefully crafted facade. When a crime of passion leads to a cover-up, will the involved parties be able to maintain their composure? Will a suspicion of wrongdoing lead Laurence to search for the truth?

I am not a fan of books that give you the crime and the identity of the perpetrator (s) from the outset. The discovery, the suspense, and the surprise of that moment is taken from the reader, which ruins what might have been a good thriller. The writing lacks emphasis and emotion, leading to very flat, two dimensional characters. No character is particularly likable, so I found myself just reading to find out the eventual outcome. I also found it very unrealistic that a policeman would act in such a despicable manner without any recourse taken. Without the suspense of finding out who the perpetrator is, the plot of Lying in Wait is mainly flat and uninteresting. The surprise ending was just not enough to elevate this book, so I would be hesitant to recommend it to other readers.

I enjoyed readying this book. I'm a big fan of thrillers. The author did a great job with the mean different types of relationship out there- mother/son, father/daughter, sisters, friends, lovers. The complexity was very well described. There were mini twist throughout the book, but no huge plot twists.

Cover Review
That! Cover!! I cannot deny that, even though I of course have heard of Liz Nugent, that what really got my interest piqued in this novel was that cover. The macabre sense it completely conveyed, the grungy yet completely saturated colors just really spoke to me. This is a book that would definitely stop my browsing while looking on the shelves and make me pick it up.

Review
Can I confess something to start off with? I have not read any Liz Nugent before this. Before you click the X up in the corner, do know that I bought Unraveling Oliver on Kindle when it first came out. I just never got around to reading it, even after reading tons (and tons and tons) of amazing reviews for it. Believe me now, though; after reading this one, I cannot wait to actually check her debut novel out.

This book completely brought me in. Those first lines…. Nugent does not waste any time making sure the reader is completely enthralled with this story. The writing is superb, the plot line moves smoothly, and there are enough twists and turns to make any psychological thriller contented.

This story is told from three perspectives. First, we have Lydia, the matriarch. We follow her as she deals with the death of Annie Doyle and can of worms that opens. She is a fascinatingly horrid woman with a dark past that she has made sure to keep secret.

Second, we have Laurence, Lydia’s son. We watch him grow from a chubby teen to an adult. He’s trying to figure out the secrets to Annie Doyle’s death and how his family is somehow involved. Watching him figure things out (whether correct or not) was incredibly interesting. Though I loved Lydia (horrible of a person as she may be), I think Laurence’s parts were my favorites to read.

Third, we have Karen, the sister to Annie Doyle. Karen’s story takes brings in a whole new perspective. While Lydia and her family are rich, Annie’s family is poor. Karen shows us what happens to their family after the disappearance of her sister. Karen was a very strong character, though it took me a few chapters of her story to really get into her part.

Nugent does an amazing job about blending in these characters together. The way she has the different story lines cross over and meld into one is an amazing art. It may be premature to say this, having only read one book from her, but if her others are anything similar to this, I know that Nugent is a mastermind of the thriller genre. The mixture of loveable to love-to-hate characters, the multiple plot lines, the pacing — everything about this mixes together form a solid story.

Go buy this. Right now. You will not regret it.