Unfortunately, it has been a few years since I read this book and I did not record my book report. . I wanted to leave a 4 out of 5 star rating, but NetGalley needs at least one hundred characters in order to do so. I apologize. This was an enjoyable book and I look forward to more novels by this author.

I think the author must have lived in my house as I grew up. Perhaps Liz is the pen name for one of my sisters. I loved the book beginning to end. Thank for sharing your work.

Finally, something a bit different!

This story follows the lives of three brothers, told from each of their perspectives, from childhood until the untimely demise of one of the brothers. The identity of which brother died is kept secret until the end, and the identity of which brother did it is also hidden.

The story reads more like a family drama, filled with the lies, deception, and debauchery that could only culminate in a murder. It was such a train wreck, but their stories were so well-written it was a very enjoyable train wreck to witness.

Just when you think it couldn’t get worse, it does. And this really helped keep me guessing as to who was dead and whodunnit.

I really enjoyed the concept of this story and would be interested in exploring more of the author’s works.

Thank-you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my advanced reader copy.

Plot: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️ ½
Characters: ⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️ ½
Mystery: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️
Writing: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️⭐️
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐️⭐️ ½, rounded down

I am a sucker for family dysfunction novels and crime. This was a great plot line. Brilliant, original and fast paced.

We learn at the beginning of Our Little Cruelties that Will, Brian, and Luke Drumm are at a funeral. However, the funeral is for one of the brothers and we won't learn which one until nearly the end of the book. The three brothers have been at odds since childhood when they first began to compete for their mother's affections. Of course, they never grow out of this competitiveness and instead compete and backstab one another over different women, fame, and money.

The story is quite slow and unfolds sections dedicated to each of the brothers (and bouncing around the years). It is quite revealing as we revisit different events but from a different viewpoint. At first, I found it difficult to get into the story, but once I gave it a chance, I enjoyed it a great deal (despite not liking any of the characters...).

Our Little Cruelties is my first book by Liz Nugent and I'm keen to read more in the future from this author.

Thanks to the author, Simon & Schuster Canada, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great read. Thoroughly enjoyed with various familial relationships and unexpected twists and turns.

Little Cruelties by @liznugentwriter was a hard read. A family story about three brothers who grew up together, but all managed to lead different lives. This book was told from three perspectives, Will (the favorite), Brian (the middle child) and Luke (the screw-up). A well told story, but one that made my heart hurt for them. This one had some tough topics which is why I think it was a slow burn for me. But I'm so glad I finished it!!

This book took me a while to get into, but I did love all the layers of family drama., unlikable characters, etc. The story was intriguing, but not "unputdownable". I was expecting more suspense/ thriller aspects but it was really more of a drama.

This book was so good. Liz Nugent is a genius. I really loved how the timeline went on this book. You know the end from the beginning but then you learn how we got there. I enjoyed this book and hated all the characters. It was perfection for me.

This book was a surprising read for me in the sense that I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it but I found myself falling into the story.

I loved the unliveable characters in this novel. Typically that will push me away from a story but in this case I was drawn in and holding my breath to see what each character would do next.

I also loved the interactions the characters had with each other, they were fascinating and absolutely shocking.

The plot of this novel was interesting and gut wrenching. It made me uncomfortable and that’s what made me enjoy it so much. I loved the structure of the novel and the way that the author flipped between timelines.

4.5 Stars! Compulsively enthralling, dark, and unputdownable!

LITTLE CRUELTIES by LIZ NUGENT is a psychological drama that immediately hooked me in its grasp and didn't let go until the very end. The story was fascinating, absorbing, heartbreaking, and downright shocking.

The dysfunctional familial interactions between the Drumm brothers had me totally invested in this story and reading it every spare moment that I had. I was absolutely horrified with their behaviour and totally disturbed at times with what I was reading. Every dirty little secret that was revealed and their “little cruelties” made me cringe but also made it such a fun book to read. Loved it!!

The title is spot on for this book. And the ending absolutely floored me!!

Thank you so much to Simon & Schuster Canada for my review copy!

“All three of the Drumm brothers were at the funeral, although one of us was in a coffin’

Little Cruelties is a story of three brothers, William, Brian, and Luke, and how their lives and relationships evolve over many years. In the very first few pages, the brothers are at a funeral, and one of them is dead. Which brother is it and how did it happen? The rest of the novel takes us through their marriages, struggles with fame, addiction, mental health, and scandals, eventually leading us to some answers.

Liz Nugent's writing style is so unique! These are unlikeable characters at their best (or worst?), with some truly appalling behaviours, yet I was still hooked. The story is told with separate sections for each brother. There are jumps back and forth in time periods, and some events are revisited from different perspectives.

Honestly, I went into this expecting a thriller, but it is a dark family drama that reads almost like a biography! It is a detailed and in depth character analysis of three siblings, and how their lives are interconnected yet also evolve in very distinct directions!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for providing me with an electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.

LITTLE CRUELTIES begins with a funeral. We know it is for one of the Drumm brothers but we don’t know which one.
Will Drumm is the oldest. Brian is the middle son with Luke being the youngest. They all seek their mother’s attention but it is William who is the favourite. Brian and Will fight constantly and Luke ends up being picked on by both of his older brothers. Luke is a bit of a strange boy. He is extremely devout and takes his religious schooling to an intense level.
Realizing Luke is the scapegoat of the family his father tries his best to show Luke the kindness that is not forthcoming from his bother or his mother.
The boys grow up into somewhat successful adults. Luke becomes a pop star sensation but acquired a drug problem on his rise to fame.
Will ends up becoming a fairly successful movie producer after a slow start.
Brian unsure of what he wants ends up securing a teaching position in France after he finishes university.
All the brothers have their weaknesses and flaws. The rivalry that started in childhood continues into their adult relationship.
LITTLE CRUELTIES is an interesting look at family dysfunction and sibling rivalry.
The characters are well drawn but not always likeable.
The question of who’s funeral it is at the beginning is not answered until the end of the book.
I did like LITTLE CRUELTIES though some parts were a bit disturbing. However dysfunctional families prove to make interesting and compelling reading.
Liz Nugent is a gifted story teller.
She shows the “not so nice” side of human nature with skill and insight.
LITTLE CRUELTIES would make a book club pick since the storyline would generate a lot discussion.
Thank to Simon and Schuster Canada for the opportunity to read an advanced digital edition of LITTLE CRUELTIES.

Just finished this and overall, meh.

Liz Nugent can definitely write. And I've loved her books in the past. This one, however, just wasn't my favorite.

Luke, William and Brian are brothers. Throughout the book, they each take turns sharing their lived experiences from childhood memories to explaining their choices later on in life. Even though some of the situations were interesting or unusual, I didn't really connect to any of the characters. Each one felt kind of yuckier than the next. And often, I finished chapters thinking "when is the something going to happen?" It wasn't dull per se, but definitely left me wanting more, especially from Liz Nugent, who usually leaves my jaw on the floor several times per novel.

I guess I was expecting a thriller and it felt more like a train wreck of a psychological drama. Not only were the characters not that compelling, but the story didn't really pull me alone either. For much of the book, I kept thinking about how trauma breeds trauma and wishing that these men would be in a place where they could be less shitty. Even the way the sub characters' stories tied up felt empty and grey. Maybe that was the point though. Hard to say.

Giving this book 3 stars, because the writing itself was good, as always with this author. But if I'm being honest, it was a struggle to get through and finish.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I saw that there was a new book on NetGalley by Liz Nugent, I had to request it because I loved Unravelling Oliver. My excitement started to fade when I finally started Little Cruelties and just couldn't connect. Maybe I wasn't in the mood for this style of book, or maybe the times we are currently living through provided enough darkness in my life, but I don't give up that easily on an author I previously really enjoyed. So on I went, slowly being drawn in to a complex story about three brothers and their mother. The story deals with the dysfunctional relationships between all the characters from the boys" childhoods to their adult lives. The book is divided into parts with each of the brothers telling their perspective of events. They are all keeping secrets which ultimately lead to more destruction, of lives, of relationships and of careers.
The characters are all very well defined and will have you emotionally invested, whether that is in anger, disgust or empathy. The one thing that I really wasn't fond of was that each character's story was told in a very random jumping back and forth in time that at times could be a little confusing.
Glad I stuck with the story because I definitely would have missed a great book!

To say the Drumm family is dysfunctional is an understatement. All of the family members are vile and all paint themselves as the victim through the alternating narration. This made for a cringeworthy, often hilariously so, unputdownable read. Just as with Liz Nugent's other titles, I absolutely loved it and devoured it in short order. Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title.

I have read her two other books and I loved them both, This book was no exception, I like how it was told over a number of years and I like how each brother got their own section. I like how dark and with the times it was as well. I liked how different the three brothers were, how interesting all the drama between them was And how dysfunctional the family was. I was also a fan of the ending. Even though it was told over many years the pacing was excellent. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.

The story is written in 3 POV with a constant back and forth in the time frame which I found confusing in the beginning. The author explore the cruelty of family members towards one another. - cruelties that exist within a dysfunctional family. Personally I felt a little bored at the beginning of the story but pushed on because of the positive reviews I had read. This story, however, was okay for me and it is not one I would reread.

My favourite character in the book was Dublin! Seriously, I can't resist a book that is set in Dublin.

I wish I had felt a deeper connection with the characters in this story, but I didn't. The writing rambled a little too much for me. Maybe others prefer that style but it wasn't a fit for me.

There are heavy topics in this book. Probably too dark for me. I believe I would have enjoyed the book more if the topics were handled differently. So overall, the book wasn't. a fit for me.

Many do rave about this book. Give it shot and decided for yourself!

Thank you to NetGalley for my review copy!

This is my second book by Liz Nugent whose previous book Lying In Wait is one of my most favorite thrillers 🙂 Little Cruelties is a twisted roller coaster ride full of surprises and some really heavy subject matter. It starts off at a funeral where 3 brothers (one is in the casket) are about to take the reader back in time to show how they all got to this point. And what a story it was. There were definitely a few “oh come on! as if!” moments that were hard to digest but it really was an entertaining read that touches on addiction, sibling rivalry, mental illness and much more. The time jumps and the different point of views it was written from was done very effortlessly by the author. I look forward to more books by Liz Nugent. I hope you pick this book up too!!⁣