The premise sounded interesting but this book was nothing like I expected. Billed as a thriller, THE ACCIDENT really isn't a thriller. It's more like a suspenseful drama...but definitely NOT a thriller. As it was billed as such, I kept expecting something to jump out of nowhere with a shock surprise...but nothing like that happened. In fact, the story was a little predictable. But it was still a good quick read.

It's February 2018 and the UK is gripped by a deep winter freeze with snow and rain creating icy conditions on the road and making driving a real hazard. Navigating rush hour traffic is even worse with bumper to bumper traffic and snow, rain and black ice...it only takes a moment for an accident to occur.

Hannah Graham is on her way to a meeting and is on the on-ramp to the motorway. Joe Parker, also on his way to work, is driving his wife Alison to her mother's on the way. Alan Jones is driving his 15 year old son Timmy to his orthodontist appointment. All three families are about to have their lives changed forever in the blink of an eye.

Hannah is navigating the icy ramp when her car suddenly loses control and as she tries to correct it, the car turns swiftly into the rear end of a lorry. Facing back the way she came and in a daze, Hannah sees a Range Rover barrelling towards her, the shocked expressions of Joe and Alison Parker a mirror of her own as their car rams into hers. Hannah is knocked unconscious while Joe feels the thump, thump, thump of the cars behind him hitting his and each other.

The result...a multi-car pile up leaving three dead and Hannah in a coma.

Hannah wakes up in hospital three days later, her husband Mike by her side. She has no memory of the accident and her leg so badly damaged it had to be amputated. She is shocked to learn of the devastation of the accident and secretly wonders if she were at fault. After all, she can't remember what happened so who's to say she wasn't to blame? Then when her husband announces he wants a divorce to marry his pregnant girlfriend, Hannah is shocked and their teenage twin children angry at their father. With the help and support of her children and her good friend and neighbour Rosie, Hannah attempts to put the past behind her and move on with her life. But at the back of her mind she still wonders if she was to blame for the accident.

Joe Parker suffered minor injuries and a fracture collarbone but his wife Alison was killed instantly. He is devastated and cannot imagine a life without her. If not for the kindness and care of his neighbours, Phil and Helen, and the love of his dog Liffey, Joe may not have overcome the grief of losing his wife. Then life takes on a more complicated turn when his estranged brother David and his wife Pam turn up at Alison's funeral with a strange request, setting of a sequence of events so far out of his control.

Alan and Cassie Jones's son Timothy was the apple of their eye. Having been unsuccessful at falling pregnant in the past when Timmy came along he was like a gift to them. When early tests revealed he had Downs Syndrome early in her pregnancy, Alan and Cassie refused to terminate and the end result was a beautiful, loving and happy boy. Timmy had such a love for animals that after his death Alan and Cassie chose to honour their son's memory by creating an animal sanctuary for abandoned and abused animals called "Timmy's Farm".

It was at the open for "Timmy's Farm" that Hannah and Joe meet again for the first time since they were both in hospital. They talk about the accident which changed both their lives dramatically and find an ease with each other as only those involved could understand.

Then comes the inquest which ultimately returns its verdict.

Told from two perspectives, Hannah and Joe's, THE ACCIDENT is a story of the aftermath of a life-changing trauma as the families wrestle with the emotional turmoil of putting their lives back together. There is a lot going on for all involved as the lives of each family come together and intertwine in the wake of their grief.

A short quick read, THE ACCIDENT is an addictive page turner with a steady pace about ordinary people in an extraordinary life changing situation. It is predictable and yet it is still enjoyable. It certainly wasn't what I was expecting!

It is not an action-packed thriller with unreliable narrators and shocking plot twists. It is a story about the lives of three families that are infinitely changed forever in the blink of an eye and its aftermath. There are a few twists but nothing shocking, some predictable and overall enjoyable. I liked pretty much everyone except for Mike and Joe's witch of a mother in law Ethel.

My second book by Gillian Jackson, THE ACCIDENT is definitely what I expected. It is not a thriller...more of a suspenseful drama. The ending was wrapped up nicely in the Epilogue giving it that satisfying sense of closure.

Enjoyable short read that could be read in one sitting. Recommended.

I would like to thank #GillianJackson, #NetGalley and #SapereBooks for an ARC of #TheAccident in exchange for an honest review.

This story is set in the middle of winter. The weather is bad,snow on the ground . Everyone going about there daily routine when the accident happens.
Hannah wakes up without her leg
Joe has minor injuries but his wife has died
Alan & Cassies son has died
This is all about how these families cope with the aftermath of this terrible accident.
Thanks NetGalley

Hannah and her husband are in a strange place, she isn't sure what is going on with him, but things are not right. On this day there is a major storm and Hannah heads out to work and is involved in a major accident.

It only takes a split second and many lives are changed forever.

Hannah wakes in hospital, suffering a life-changing injury, with no memory of what happened. She is finding it difficult to cope and her husband isn't helping. Her kids are terrific, better than expected. Then her homelife is starting to fall apart.

Joe is also mixed in this devastating accident, loosing what means most to him in the world. But over time, he learns that family is not always what you expect, and new people in your life may be the answer to moving on.

THE ACCIDENT is a thought-provoking domestic thriller that will pull at your emotions and stay with you long after the pages have turned.

I really enjoyed this book. Following the various story lines of the victims of the car accident was so interesting - the fallout goes much wider than that of just the deceased. The injured, the bereaved and the unscathed all have to go through so much in terms of the inquest, delayed funerals etc. I liked how each of the stories unfolded, sometimes crossing paths with someone else in the book and sometimes following its own path. Recommended.

Thank you NetGalley, Sapere and Gillian Jackson for gifting me an ARC of The Accident in exchange for an honest and unbiased review of this book!

The book is written from 3 separate POV’s brought together by a very bad snow/ice storm....The Beast From the East!!! Hannah, Joe and Timothy’s parents bring the book together from tragedy to new beginnings!! Jackson brings the issues of loss and grief, in more ways than one. She treats them all with such compassion!!! She shows the healing process and how each struggle but come out with some happiness!!! I am not sure where the description “a psychological thriller” comes into play but I truly enjoyed reading this book!!! The book is very intriguing and keeps you coming back for more!!!

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone to read!!!

I would firstly like to thank Netgalley and the publishers for allowing me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. This is my first book by author Gillian Jackson, I look forward to reading more books in the future.
The accident that happens truly is devastating and the ripple effect that followed had me feeling a ton of emotions and empathy for those involved. Fantastic read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mix of characters all thrown together after an accident and seeing where that accident would take them. It was well written and flowed well. The Accident follows the lives of three families involved in a motorway pile up during freezing weather. Each family has to cope with loss and deal with the emotional and practical challenges that stem from this, leading to an enjoyable, interesting and realistic look at families under stress.

Book rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ 💫 .

It was a short read.
But I think categorizing it as a "Mystery/Thriller" is quite misleading.
It was a story full of family drama.
I was skimming near the end as I felt that it’s too light despite “The Accident”, it was too predictable and nothing really ever happens.
Nothing exciting and it held no suspense whatsoever, and the characters are too good to be true.
Okay, you get it, it’s not so good for me.
But the epilogue is quite nice, hence the 2.5 rating.

I loved this book – how one moment in awful weather can change people’s lives forever. The accident is nobody’s fault, yet it brings people together in the way you don’t expect. Very sensitively written and very insightful. Highly recommended.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, loved the characters and the build up of the story. Found it well written and easy to follow. My first with this author and hopefully won’t be my last, as I’m keen to read her others.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Read and reviewed in exchange for a free copy from Netgalley. I enjoyed this, and liked the characters. It was a fairly short, straightforward read. Jackson captured the individuals well. My main gripe however was the events taking place in early February, when the Beast From the East, when the book was set, was late February/early March 2018. Given the events would be plausible in any snowstorm, the discrepancy in time really distracted me as such emphasis was made on that weather event. However, I enjoyed the book and would be interested in reading more from the author.

I would recommend this story to all thriller lovers .This book took me by surprise. It kept me interested throughout the story and I needed to see what was going to happen. I truly enjoyed the pacing of the story and the well written characters.

The Accident starts out with everyone beginning what they thought would be a normal day when tragedy strikes and families' lives are changed forever. The description on Goodreads listed this book as a shocking domestic thriller and that just doesn't seem to describe it for me. Not at all what I thought it would be from the description. It was somewhat predictable but I still enjoyed it..

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my review.

Life can change in the blink of an eye, as this book proves. The characters were well described and while the story was a bit predictable, it was still an excellent read. Don't take my word for it !!! Read for your self !

When the icy weather causes a car collision between several vehicles, three families are left devastated. What follows is the tale of the three families and how one tragic event causes so many ripples. Can something good come out of something so devastating? A sad but enjoyable read, with a lovely ending. A positive story that shows us that it isn't necessarily what happens to us that defines us, but rather whether we allow it to ruin our lives or use it to create a better future for ourselves. A lovely story of hope.

I really enjoyed this read and was able to read it quickly. I became attached to the characters from the beginning but would have liked if they were developed a little more.

Thank you Sapere Books, Netgalley, and Gillian Jackson for picking me to review this book!

This was an incredible thriller that I had a great time reading. Exquisite character development and fast flowing story make this book a success.

This is a short read that I read in just one sitting.
This is my first read by this author but it definitely won’t be the last.
Likeable characters and an interesting plot. This is one that I have not been able to put down ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

AWESOME BOOK:
I want to start off by saying thank you for the opportunity to read and review this book, it was a very good read easy to follow along with storyline and characters. This was a new author for me but I very much enjoyed it, thank you for the opportunity and I look forward to reading more by this author again. I highly recommend this book to everybody.

Its so refreshing to read a book about hope and redemption. this is a very real feel good story.
At tragic accident, horrible loss and grief and the experiences of good people working through it and coming out on the other end intact. Loved this book. read it in 2 sittings. Tired eyes made me put it down.

This is a good, emotional read, but certainly not the thriller I was expecting. Instead, it’s a competent novel exploring the aftermath of a tragic car accident, the people involved and how their lives are changed forever, some better, ,some worse.