I admit I had some preconceptions about this book and I have never been so happy to be wrong.

The sickness mentioned is written with care and not played for a second for shock value.

Emma is having a horrible time in life, living with her mom, her vile stepfather, his daughter and finally her daughter. She’s moved back due to becoming unwell and is no longer trusted to look after her daughter.
She goes to see her specialist, she sleeps and she sits outside looking at the birds. That’s it.

But her luck seems like it is about to change when she meets a doctor outside the hospital her care is in.

From here the book is a twisty turny thriller with an ending that truly made me very happy. Wrapped up perfectly and had a strong theme (outside of the dark part) of women supporting women.

I felt things and I’m sure would too. Excellent, clever and thrilling.

I received this ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review, which this is.

With many thanks to Netgalley for this free arc and I am leaving this unbiased review voluntarily.

This is a cracking debut from Chris Bridges. Highly original with some brilliant characters none more so than the protagonist Emma. The first part of the book is a delightful slow burner that rapidly becomes addictive as the author slowly starts to weave the story and reel the reader in. Then the latter parts really sees the pace and tension ramp up as the story unfolds and takes us on a rollercoaster ride whilst still not knowing who is to be trusted. The different POV add an extra dimension to the plot as the unhinged characters start to slowly unravel. A simple but very effective ending rounds the story off very nicely. Loved it!

I love it when a book surprises me, and this one did. I read a lot of thrillers and can usually guess the twists, but not this time!

What an amazing read this is.

Emma has a neurological illness and when she meets Adam she feels that her dreams can finally come true.. only problem is Adam is married and the problem is his wife Celeste..

I loved this book. It is not what I expected at all.

It is drama filled with great characters and is a story that is superbly told

It makes such a difference to a reader when a novel is written as spectacular as this is..

Something completely different filled with great characters told from Emma's point of view first then from others later on in the book.
A slow start for me but picked up nicely leading to a well written story,the insight to Emma's illness was written so well I could at times feel her pain making her a very believable character who I wanted to take under my wing especially with what she has to put up with within her family who apart from her daughter are awful.
Great read that I recommend.
Thanks to Netgalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC.

Very original! Cleverly written- in parts it read like the inner monologue (Emma’s POV). Short snappy sentences give a ‘deranged and mentally unwell’ vibes and I thought it was just a spectacular way to write a character.
The multiple narrations really added excellent depth to this storyline! I enjoyed seeing the various angles of each event, and the vastly different viewpoints! Obviously each chapter written in certain characters POVs made you hate them just a little bit more each time 😂
Without spoiling the story I grew to love Emma, and I felt a bit maternal toward her and Ava in the last 30%- as a character she felt too real and I almost want to end this review with a ‘I wish her and Ava well’ 😭😂
Very impressive overall considering the originality of this and how on edge I was reading it!

I

Sick to Death tells the story of Emma, who has a disability and lives in her family's crammed council house. One day she meets the perfect man, Adam, a doctor. She can't believe her luck when he confesses he's in love with her. She's finally got her fairy tale ending! there's only one thing between them: Adam's wife, Celeste. Celeste is a celebrity chef who also happens to abuse Adam behind closed doors and has had a string of affairs. Emma knows what to do to free Adam from Celeste and finally find happiness -even if it means killing her.

The story is told from various POVs: Emma, Celeste, and a third one which would give the plot away, and the epilogue! Each main character has her own voice and the narrative flows easily from one chapter to another.

I absolutely loved this book. I read it in one sitting! I look forward to reading more by author Chris Bridges.

Sick to Death - Chris Bridges
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“The human capacity for lying – and for accepting lies – is impressive but never more so than when it comes to lying to yourself.”

Sick to Death predominantly follows Emma, who is diagnosed with a neurological condition. Living in a house without her own room and a family who belittle her at every chance, she seeks escape. When her new boyfriend, Adam, offers this, Emma will do anything for it. Except Adam’s wife Celeste is another person in Emma’s way. Emma’s sick, just not in the way you thought.

The first part of this book is told from Emma’s perspective, with the addition of another two perspectives later in the book. The unreliable narrator trope was done exceptionally well in this case and I did not know who to trust or who had good intentions throughout.

Sick to Death was an addictive read. The first part is a slow burner - not in a boring way, but in a way where you can see the water’s about to boil over the saucepan and you can’t do anything to stop it. Part two is full of twists, turns, further complexities and completely unhinged behaviour which made it a thrilling and fast paced psychological read.

This book explores hate, rage, jealousy and revenge; but also hope, despair, betrayal, dishonesty and love. The themes provide a wray of emotions and feelings for the reader, and this alongside the plot kept me turning the pages until the very clever ending.

Chris shares his own experiences in the authors note, and his passion for writing a sick character who bypasses all the stereotypical tropes. Emma does this with ease, she is a complex (slightly unhinged) character who is pretty unforgettable, and extremely strong and villainous despite her illness.

After seeing Sick to Death on bookstagram, I eagerly added it to my want to read list. I feel so fortunate to have been able to read a copy, and I will definitely be recommending it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Chris Bridges and Avon Books UK for sending this advanced copy of Sick to Death in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Emma wants out. Unwell, living with her bully of a stepdad and getting by on benefits, she longs for a better life. Enter Adam, stage left. A doctor. Handsome, caring, things are looking up, Married though, But Emma shouldn’t fret as Adam will soon be single again. Question is, who’s dictating events?

With the first person narrative changing between chapters, you get viewpoints not only from Emma but from those that would stand in her way. The plotting is wonderfully cloying and brings out the most base and raw human emotions. The
interplay with birds and how their actions can mirror ours are fascinating and add a macabre undertone to the narrative.
In Sick to Death, the author has not only captured the stresses and struggles of being in a dysfunctional family not of your choosing but has demonstrated that although we don’t have to play the hand we are dealt, there’s something to be said for hesitating before saying twist.

At last an original drama!
Fabulously written characters and a storyline that i became totally immersed in.
Emma is sick, her family other than her daughter are just awful human beings.
If only she could find true love and a means of escaping her life?
I did get one of the twists but not all of them!
A brilliant read that i highly recommend.
My thanks to netgalley and the publisher for my copy.