This was a great dark gritty novel. It was very well written but wouldn’t too sidereal it a thriller so much as a family drama. Another great read from Liz Nugent!

Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent paints a portrait of a dysfunctional family (with a capital D). The Drumm brothers of Dublin, Will, Brian and Luke have spent their childhood seeking love and approval from their mother, a selfish performer with a giant ego. This competition has driven a wedge between the brothers and they turn against each other, go out of their way to make the others miserable. This does not change when they become adults. The rivalry simply becomes more cruel. And this ends with two brothers attending the third brother’s funeral. Which one died and what caused his death? The narration is by each of the brothers, at different ages. This helps the reader get to know each one individually. This is dark family drama at its best: reading Little Cruelties is so fascinating that it is difficult to look away. Highly recommended to readers who enjoy family fiction with a helping of suspense. Thank you to Simon & Schuster, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Little Cruelties is a solid piece of fiction. This book follows three brother as they grow old. As the story unfolds through each brothers voice, the power of the little cruelties they play on each other unfolds and spans generations showing exactly how deep wounds can lie.
Good character development keeps the reader pulled in each direction as the brother’s lives start to unravel.

* I received an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon&Schuster Canada for an egalley in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger: Scenes of sexual violence

Have you ever heard the expression "you can pick your friends, but you can't pick your relatives.?" Well for Irish brothers-William, Brian and Luke this appears to be true. As the years pass from their childhood into adulthood, there are ups, downs and so much backstabbing. Events are told and retold by each brother and in the end, it was hard to say which brother I disliked more.

I am a huge fan of Liz Nugent but because of my hostility towards the characters, I couldn't wait for the ending of the novel. Also, some parts of the plot were easy to decipher and by the time all three characters discovered the truth, I felt nothing. As well, IMHO a certain brother needed to stop talking. Why couldn't Liz just stop him from letting us in his head anymore? Why Liz, why?

Despite my feelings on my reading experience, I still (without hesitation) would recommend any of Nugent's books to other readers.


Publication Date: 24/11/20
Goodreads review published 01/12/20

I didn't enjoy this book. I made it 48% in before I gave up and decided not to finish. Unfortunately, it wasn't holding my interest and as hard as I tried to stick it out, I just couldn't do it.

My issues with it were:
- None of the main characters were likeable, which is typically fine but with this book it was more of them being awful people who cared for no one but themselves. It also deals with a lot of sensitive topics that were not handled well (ie. mental health).
- The story was told from the perspective of the three brothers, which normally would be fine but the year timeline jumped around a lot when they each were speaking (ex. it would go from 1985, to 1992, then 1978, then 1999). This caused me a lot of confusion. If it had been told consecutively through time, I think I would have enjoyed it more.
- It didn’t present like a typical thriller and felt more like a slow moving family drama. Unfortunately, it was more character driven then plot, which I have since realized is not my preference.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the eARC in return for my honest review.

A tangled web of dysfunction connects three brothers on the day of one of their funerals. Will is a filmmaker, Luke was a famous indie rock musician and Brian manages talent. Tainted by a neglectful mother and traumatic pasts of mental illness, drug abuse, misogyny and sex addiction, which one of them is dead and how did they meet their end?

What a bunch of twisted people! Will was the best developed character in my opinion and he is the first brother that narrates the story. The other two have sections but I just didn’t get as full of a picture with them as I did with Will. The storyline flips back and forth between many years for all of the brothers, giving us glimpses into their childhood, adolescence and adult lives. It jumps around quite a bit which made it a bit hard to get any sense of fluency in the story. I did like the theme that was explored about what it means to be loyal to family and how all of the brothers choose to betray each other at some point. This is an extremely character driven novel and more of a drama than thriller in my opinion and I was disappointed with the lack of twists & turns. Thanks to @scoutpress, @simonandschusterca and @netgalley for my review copy.

I am soooo disappointed to say that this one didn’t work for me...at all. I loved Lying in Wait by this author, so I had high hopes for this one, especially after having friends that loved it. I’m not sure if it was just me or mood or what but it was not a hit. I think a big part of it was because this is NOT a thriller like I expected, whether it was either marketed incorrectly or I assumed wrongly due to her previous work I don’t know, but this is a family drama, character driven book. Swipe to see the synopsis

Things I loved:
-the book was split in three sections with each brother taking a turn of POV
-the multiple timelines jumping all over made it interesting to tell the story

Things that weren’t my fave:
-it read so slowly for me, it took me over a week to read and I was ready to be done with it
-I don’t usually mind unlikeable characters, but I didn’t really connect with the brothers or care how their stories ended
-wasn’t suspenseful at all. The book starts at one brothers funeral, but you don’t know whose...I expected to be kept guessing the whole time with hints and mystery...none
-I just didn’t like it 😬

2⭐️

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada for the #gifted copy to review. All opinions are my own.

You must not consider your family to be dysfunctional until you have read Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent!
Everything leads up to "Three brothers are at the funeral. One lies in the coffin."
This is the story of three very different brothers (all three telling the story), each with different versions of the incidents experienced along the way.
I couldn't find a likable character throughout the entire novel, but I'm sure that was the author's plan.
This is what made Little Cruelties a gripping, psychological family drama.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This was an interesting read. Little Cruelties is a story of a dysfunctional family. The Drumm brothers were an odd set to me. I felt like there were too many things happening. The story is told in three different POV - Will, Luke, and Brian. Some parts of the book were great and engaging whereas other parts were really underwhelming and unnecessary. I was disappointed as I was expecting to read a psychological thriller but it ended up being a family drama with overly dramatic characters.

Thank you for the chance to review this novel for an honest review.

I have to say that I usually really enjoy Nugent's work, but I just couldn't connect with this novel or it's characters. I think this was different then her other novels and it just wasn't what I was expecting. I can see a lot of people enjoying this novel and the back and forth between past and present, but for me I just found it tedious to keep up with. I look forward to reading more by Nugent and forgetting all about this novel.

It is really disappointing for me to give 2 stars to one of my most highly anticipated books. I am a huge fan of this author but this novel felt like it was written by someone else entirely.

The storyline was dark and depressing and it failed to draw me in. I kept waiting to feel a connection that never happened. I didn’t care for any of the characters. The writing itself felt quite basic and rambly - like a personal journal that was never edited. Perhaps I missed the whole point of the way this was presented?

There are many heavy topics presented within the pages of this story. I didn’t enjoy the way they were included and handled. Overall, this comes down to me not being the right reader for this book as there are many glowing reviews which I encourage you to check out.

Thank you to NetGalley for my review copy!

“All three of the Drumm brothers were at the funeral, although one of us was in a coffin.”
What an opening line!

William, Brian, and Luke are three brothers who were treated very differently growing up, despite having the same parents and living in the same home. The relationships between the three brothers is complex, to say the least and the title is apt as they are indeed very cruel to each other at times. We hear the story of their relationships from each of the brother’s perspectives which initially I wondered if would be repetitive but it wasn’t at all as each brother’s perspective added so much to the story.

This book is dark, gritty and compelling. It’s a very character driven book rather than a fast paced thriller but it did leave me with my mouth wide open when it was revealed which brother was in the coffin, and why.

I was a huge fan of Liz Nugent’s previous book Lying In Wait so I knew I wanted to read this one even before I read that incredible opener and I wasn’t disappointed.

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

This is the opening line of Little Cruelties. The story of the many damaging incidents throughout the years that have led to the murder of one of the Drumm brothers.

The book is divided up – each brother telling their side of the story, flipping back & forth from past to present. The relationship with each other, their parents, and lovers – moments from the past that formed who they are. Throughout the years, the Drumm brothers have always been a part of some sort of feud or underlining issue that has been festering in the background. Whether against one brother or two, jealousy always on the forefront of their division.

William is the eldest son, who worked had to start a production company from the beginning, an unfaithful husband and a womanizer. Brian the middle son, former teacher now manager of Luke’s music and acting career. Luke the youngest, a musician and actor who is constantly fighting addiction issues. Mum is a stage actress who wasn’t home a lot when the boys were younger and finds comfort in the arms of many men. The father, loyal to his wife and care taker of the household when the boys were young.

The last section of the book was the best. With all of the brothers’ story lines merging at one of the world’s most prestigious movie event of the year. A time when all are fighting among each other, a time when all the anger and jealousy is at it’s paramount. It’s here that we are witness to the death of one of the Drumm brothers. No flipping through the years here, just the moments leading up to the death as told by the brothers. This is the day when alliances must be formed to protect the secrets.

Liz Nugent works her magic to tell this story, unravelling bit by bit to expose the deception, jealousy, and secrets within the Drumm family.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, it’s been a long time since I read such an addictive and suspenseful read. Look out for Little Cruelties here in Canada on Nov. 10th and ebook form on Nov. 24th.

4 stars

A propulsive psychological thriller centred around the Drumm family. The Drumm’s are a drama filled family fueled by compulsive self righteousness and a genealogy ripe with amorality, selfishness and a panache for toxicity!

Nugent seamlessly weaves murder, addiction, adultery and mental health struggles into the family milieu. Ultimately creating a collective hellbent on their own destruction one little cruelty at a time.

My thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for an advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this book via netgalley!

A family intertwined with secrets and cruelties. Since an early age, these cruelties built up in each of these three brothers. What they didn’t realize is that each brother’s cruelties came back full circle to the next ones. And expanded to the ones they loved dearly and let near them. Full of twists until the very end!

Thanks so much to @simonschuster , @scoutpress and @netgalley for my e-arc in exchange for an honest review! This one publishes Tuesday November 10th!

TW: emotional Abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, rape, White male supremacy


I originally thought LITTLE CRUELTIES was going to be a thriller, as the book involves a funeral, and one of the three Drumm brothers dead, the other two in mourning.

This book is so much more than the funeral scene. This is a deep dive into the secret life of a deeply troubled family. This book explores the many ways a family can cause emotional havoc in their children’s lives, and the domino effect it will have on them and everyone they encounter in their lives. It’s emotional, it will make you angry, and sad, and question the actions and choices people make.

William, Brian and Luke Drumm are born a year apart, into a lower middle class Catholic family in 1960s Dublin. William is the oldest and finds success as a filmmaker. Luke, the youngest surprises everyone by becoming a hit popstae. Brian is the middle child, and the perpetual adult, helpful, sound, and manager of both his brothers at some point of their careers. But are all three brothers really what they seem? Wounded by actions taken place in their childhood, from a mother who was a successful actress, with a grudge against the world, the three brothers repeatedly betray and tell lies to one another. It’s like a never ending circle of lies, betrayal, truth, anger and revenge. How does it end? With one of them dead. But which one?

If you are looking for something different that will surprise you, pick this one up!

My rating: 📚📚📚📚

I loved the storyline of this book and the way in which it was written. It was fast paced, and gave you glimmers into the past piece by piece, as you slowly begin to put the pieces of the puzzle together. I find the way it was written leaves you wanting to know more, and flipping through the pages to get some more information about the brothers and their dynamics between one another and what makes them who they are today.

3 brothers all with secrets, lies and betrayals. They all have something to hide and they have all competed for their mother's love and approval since they were little boys. I enjoyed how the story was told from alternating timelines, often jumping from year to year in random order. When 3 brothers who pretty much feuded and fought with one another their entire lives, and two of them are present at the third brother's funeral, you wonder which brother is in the coffin and which of the other two brothers is responsible for his death. A complex and interesting story.

This is another example of a book that’s classified as a thriller that is not a thriller (in my opinion). This is a family drama with a dash of mystery which was extremely slow and character driven. And family drama, character-driven slow burn novels are unfortunately not my cup of tea. So safe to say this book was not what I expected when I requested it. I couldn’t connect with it, and the brothers were extremely unlikeable. The constant jumps back and forth in time every chapter gave me whiplash, although I understand why Nugent structured the book this way. Also, I surprisingly never felt confused about any part, which is a great example of how well written this book was. I enjoyed how we’re shown major life moments through three different perspectives, showing how each brother interpreted and moved forward from them. I also liked how we weren’t told which brother was killed but left to figure it out on our owns. Although it was fairly obvious to me. So to summarize, this is a well written family drama that unfortunately was not completely for me.

I have loved Liz Nugent's work for ages now, but this might be my favorite book of hers yet! A family drama spanning decades and told from the changing views of three brothers - I was hooked from the very start of this completely wild and wonderfully scandalous ride.

I love books that share incredibly complex, dynamic humans - I love the multi dimensional, messy and layered characters that don't do what you want or expect, and that are rooted in human mistakes, ego and behavior. Liz creates three incredible leads that are all kinds of messy - and so incredibly compelling to read!

I loved the way this story jumps around in time - and how each of the three parts interweaves to reveal a new layer of truth. I love that my opinions of the characters shifted and changed with each new reveal and I was constantly changing my guesses on which brother would end up dead (which you know from the get go one of them is gone, just not WHICH one).

And most of all, I love that Liz never lets up - there are no easy outs in this story, which parallels the reality of life, and makes this one of my favorite books of the year.

At the centre of this dysfunctional family drama are three Irish brothers: William, Brian, and Luke Drumm. The novel opens with one of the three dead, but the reader does not know which one. Each of the three tells his story, but it becomes clear that they all acquired resentments and jealousies in childhood and carried them into adulthood: “Three is an odd number, so there had always been two against one, although we all switched sides regularly. Nobody would ever have described us as close.” The narrative focuses on their rivalries and betrayals.

In the prologue, the reader is told that one brother died suddenly and horrifically; his body was “smashed and broken.” Both survivors may have been involved in the death because both seem to think “this outcome was all for the best.” The mystery as to the identity of the dead man is complicated by the fact that all three are flawed and have done things which could lead to a violent death. And each has a motive to want the other brothers out of the picture.

None of the three is particularly likeable. William, the eldest, becomes a film producer, but he is more memorable as a philanderer and misogynist. Brian, the middle brother, has difficulty finding his niche but gradually becomes a master manipulator who is pre-occupied with the acquisition of money. Luke, the youngest, is the most sympathetic of the three; he becomes a pop star but struggles with mental illness and addiction.

Each of the three is affected by their upbringing, specifically the treatment received from their mother Melissa. A singer and actress, she is a vain narcissist who sees everyone as inferior to her. William’s arrogance can be seen as stemming from the fact that Melissa makes it abundantly clear he is her favourite son. Brian is treated indifferently and perhaps sees financial success as a way of gaining more of Melissa’s attention. Luke is sensitive and his mother’s obvious lack of love for him leaves him fragile.

Since each brother narrates his own story, some events are seen from more than one perspective. Since William tells his story first, the reader may sympathize with him; however, once the perspective of another brother is given, the reader’s feelings may change. Some readers might complain about repetitiveness, but I enjoyed the additional insight into behaviour and the depth of character development.

The one complaint I have about the individual stories is that they all have unique, non-linear timelines (e.g. William: 1994, 1985, 1992, 1978 . . . ; Brian: 1978, 1993, 1979, 1976 . . . ; Luke: 1977, 1989, 1984, 1995 . . .). I could find little reason for this rather chaotic arrangement.

Liz Nugent is known for her crime fiction, but this book does not have the amount of suspense found in that genre. This novel touches on a variety of topics: dysfunctional families, mental illness, addiction, sexuality, #MeToo. I particularly liked how it demonstrated the effects of upbringing and traumatic events on personality and behaviour.

Note: I received an eARC from the publisher via NetGalley.