Joel Dicker at his best: gripping, intriguing and entertaining. A page turner I couldn’t put down
Highly recommend

In this sequel to the acclaimed The Harry Quebert Affair, author Marcus Goldman teams up once again with his reluctant partner, police Sergeant Perry Gahalowood, to investigate the case of Alaska Sanders, a young woman found beaten and strangled eleven years earlier.

After the publication of his latest phenomenally successful novel, Goldman is in search of new inspiration, and the discovery that Alaska Sanders' killers might not have been the man who confessed and the friend he implicated sparks his curiosity, especially since the case has haunted his old friend Gahalowood for years.

At over 500 pages, The Alaska Sanders Affair is not a quick read, but it doesn't want to be.
Dicker deploys his usual omniscient narrator to gradually unspool the story of what happened to Alaska, jumping between timelines and perspectives fast enough to give the reader whiplash. At times this approach can be confusing - I had to re-read certain passages to understand how certain characters' accounts slotted into the overall narrative, and there is certainly an argument for the inclusion of Jeffrey Deaver-style 'what we know so far' lists - but the novel is as accomplished as it is ambitious, Dicker's genius apparent when you see how he has constructed a complete picture out of so many disparate parts.

On the subject of geniuses, my big gripe with Dicker's previous novel is perpetuated here: the cast of characters is populated by multiple tortured but brilliant men, but the female characters are again reduced to beautiful victims or pleasant but bland bit parts. There are also multiple past and present romantic subplots involving Goldman, and I struggled to summon interest in any of them. Conversely, I really enjoyed the dynamic between Goldman and Gahalowood, whose personalities complement each other perfectly.

Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Although this is a sequel, and Goldman's sometime mentor Harry Quebert does put in an appearance, it would also read well as a standalone. Given the very unsubtle, totally unconnected to the plot allusions to a family tragedy in Goldman's past, I'm sure there will be further instalments in this series to come too.

A murder mystery with suspense and many twists and turns brings a book that will hold your interest as the evidence keeps stacking up!
A murder many years ago was assumed solved, but when the case is reopened and mystery deepens. Detective Perry works with writer Marcus Goodman to reveal what is the truth.
The story moves back and forth between the years, there’s a lot to consider and analyse. I felt that it was impossible to solve the mystery, given the weight of evidence, I had no idea!

Thanks to Quercus Books, NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read and review this book.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a well crafted mystery and quite a page turner, but let down a little by some awkwardness in the translation.

Having not read The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair I was not aware of the hype around it when I requested and received the ARC from NetGalley.
Now I’m glad that I hadn’t as I found the writing style not to my taste. There was too many perspectives and plot twists that it was hard to keep up.
Not one of the better books that I’ve read.

I was given The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair many years ago and it was one of the books that reignited my love of reading as an adult. It was blooming fab and I ended up loving it so I think I’ll always have a bit of a soft spot for Joël Dicker. This has been sat on my kindle from @ for far too long, I wanted to read The Baltimore Boys before picking it up and I’m glad I did (PSA: TBB I also adored).

The Alaska Sanders Affair sees Joël Dicker return to the same style equation to be solved as HQ (very different from 622), and it’s always that little bit better when you already have the characters backstory. 622 fell a bit flat so I much much more enjoyed returning to Marcus Goldman!

As this is the third book following MG, I would argue it’s maybe one you could read as a standalone. Theres a balance to be found between giving some of the backstory, but not too much so as to repeat what you already know. TASA dances the line and there’s some minor bits that I felt didn’t work but that’s just my opinion.

It’s a book for fans of murder mysteries/thrillers with heavy character development (although I question how much development is really done because of the way the MC just is). I thought I had a feeling for where this was going but I didn’t work it out the way I thought. Pro to this - I don’t like a predictable read. Con - I don’t like feeling it’s obvious. Glad to say I was wrong though in this case. I’d say these books for me are the equivalent of a ‘cosy mystery’, I can understand that some people are not fans of the cheesy aspects but I had a fun time with this and it was definitely an easy read! I will definitely be picking up whatever comes next from JD and am so grateful for the opportunity to read this - I’ll be recommending for sure!

I wasn't a huge fan of the previous book ( Harry Quebert...) but know that it was hugely popular so decided to give this one a go. I think it's just reinforced my view! I found the story ponderous.

Having loved the truth about the Harry Quebert Affair, I picked up this book with great anticipation, and it certainly lived up to all my high expectations. We follow the investigation of an apparently open and shut cold case with Marcus Goldman, and his friend, Sergeant Perry Gaholwood. I really enjoyed catching up with the characters from the previous novel and learning more about them. The case is certainly not straightforward and there were many twists and turns which kept you guessing to the end. There is something about this authors writing that just draws me in and keeps me up late at night to read just one more chapter. A book that could easily be read as a stand alone but you would be missing out if you did not read his previously mentioned book. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this novel in return. for an honest review.

I struggled with this book as it’s been so long since I’ve read The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair, I didn’t really remember any characters. This was very long and became quite tedious.

I loved The Harry Quebert Affair - it's my favourite book by Joel Dicker so I was eagerly anticipating The Alaska Sanders Affair and I'm so pleased to say that I loved it every bit as much! We're back with Marcus Goldman and he ends up investigating the murder of Alaska Sanders, which happened 11 years previously. He has a bond with sergeant Perry Gahalowood from when he was writing about Harry Quebert so it was great to see where their relationship is now. This novel is convoluted, it moves back and forth in time and has red herrings galore but they are all of the things that I just adored in a Joel Dicker novel. He has such a a way of writing that keeps me invested and this story was so tricksy and has so many elements to it but everything we find out is relevant, I don't know how he manages to put together a novel like this. I loved this book so much, I highly recommend it!

Wow. I absolutely loved this book. It didn’t disappoint. The sequel to The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair but can also be read as a standalone. A complex layered and intriguing mystery. It’s so captivating. I couldn’t put it down.
Marcus Goldman helps his friend Perry Gahalwood to investigate and piece together what happened to Alaska Sanders, who was murdered 11 years previously.
I love this author’s writing style, the way he weaves all the pieces together. It’s well written, so detailed and easy to read. A brilliant twisty story that keeps you guessing all the way through. I liked all the characters and the way they draw you in. I loved the relationship and conversations between Marcus and Perry. Both so distinct and likeable.
Overall, a gripping crime thrilling police procedural. Definitely recommend this one if you enjoy this genre. It’s well worth the read. I look forward to reading more from @joeldicker in the future.
With thanks to #NetGallery @quercusbooks @lauraekay for an arc of #TheAlaskaSandersAffair in exchange for a honest review.
Book publishes 12 September 2024.

3.5 stars on this one.

Premise; the perfect murder executed by an unlikely individual who framed an innocent party for 11 years.

The book was definitely interesting to read, I enjoy Dicker's writing, it's always engaging including the way he shifts perspectives from present to past and back to present over the entire book. I enjoyed the chronology of the story, the pacing and the setup of the various characters. Alaska herself may not have been as well developed at the beginning of the story as she was in the final chapters, which made for a better understanding of who she was and what she really was about. The only main gripe I had was when the "supposed character" was noted as the murderer it felt absolutely anticlimactic but I am glad that the writer redeemed that section swiftly when he wrote the actual murdered. This gave the book the shock element it needed. Also, I wish the writer had given us more detail on what actually killed Helen for closure.

Intriguing mystery to read although it has taken some time to get through. This is my 3rd book from this writer and I cannot wait to read more of his works in the future.

This is my first Joel Dicker book and I absolutely devoured it. A different writing style to what I usually read and I loved it. I look forward to reading other titles by this author. Maybe I should have read “The Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair “ after seeing other reviews. But I don’t feel it’s essential to read in order *****

Oh dear. I was so disappointed with this book, it was clunky & confusing & very, very long. There are far too many characters, red herrings & an unbelievable plot.

Marcus Goldman is back- it is eleven years on and again he is immersed in a murder- this time of a woman in a fast-food carpark. changes everything. He starts unravelling the case Sergeant Perry Gahalowood. This book is about their relationship and the effect of the original murder on them both- it is a symbiotic relationship that grows throughout the novel.
A good plot twist but did feel a little too long.

I certainly can’t complain that all the loose endings weren’t sorted by the end but gosh what a long winded read to get there.
Interesting characters who I mostly did like and if you enjoy a good twist the this one is for you.

The murder of Alaska Sanders was swiftly resolved—two suspects emerged, one died, and the other confessed, sealing the case. However, eleven years later, a woman's death in a fast-food parking lot disrupts this apparent closure. Marcus Goldman, a celebrity author and amateur investigator, uncovers a thread that threatens to unravel the very fabric of his best friend’s life.

Sergeant Perry Gahalowood, who oversaw the original investigation, is determined to set the record straight. Joining forces with Marcus, he confronts the most intricate case of his career, seeking redemption for past errors.

In this sequel to the acclaimed The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair, Joël Dicker masterfully constructs a slow-burn police procedural. Methodically, the characters uncover an unguessable puzzle, revealing twists only a plot master like Dicker could devise. As a devoted fan of the previous work, I found this follow-up highly anticipated and utterly satisfying. The investigation leads Marcus and Perry to reassess their assumptions about the initial case, proving that even seemingly closed chapters can hold deeper secrets. A brilliantly crafted whodunnit with a captivatingly twisty narrative, this novel solidifies the dynamic between Goldman and Gahalowood.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

Outstanding. I felt part of the investigation. It’s so clever with how it’s fiction yet it’s written like it’s non fiction. I never figured out the culprit so I wouldn’t make a good detective!
I will read anything by Joel Dicker, and I will continue to do so.

The first book I read that was written by Joël Dicker was The Truth About The Harry Quebert Affair. A very enjoyable read and memorable for being slightly different in that it is supposedly the Author telling the story in first person.

Click forward to The Alaska Sanders Affair and we have a re-hash of The Truth. I can only guess that Joël Dicker was given a huge advance on this book and he just churned out The Truth 2.0.

The Alaska sanders affair wastes so much time going over plot lines from different perspectives that the story becomes tedious and downright boring. The plot twists seem to be there just to achieve the word count and as such there is no real story just a series of annoying setups.

I have read other books by Joël Dicker and I had vowed never to read any more but I was tempted by the offer of a ARC from Netgalley, for which I am very grateful for as I am now firmly of the opinion that The Alaska Sanders Affair will definitely be the last Joël Dicker novel I will read.

The sequel to the Truth about the Harry Quebert Affair is a multi layered twisty.crime thriller set over two timelines. I liked the relationship between Marcus the writer and Sergeant Gahalowood, though at times the role of author as investigator felt unrealistic. The novel was a touch too long but the denouement very satisfying and the storytelling pristine.