This was so sad in so many ways, but the thriller part was good. I enjoyed following the story, and finding out more about the characters...I did see a twist coming, but not quite that one...I enjoyed this read, and I especially enjoyed some representation of chronically ill people, especially the oh so realistic being fobbed off by hospitals with an eye roll...

What can I say

Very well written.

You think you guessed the ending but you haven't. Brilliant twist and turns can't wait for more.

Emma is sick. She can’t work due to a neurological condition so she’s stuck in a small home with her family having to sleep on the sofa. She’s sick of everyone telling her to get over it. Only her boyfriend Adam understands. But she’s also sick of being the other woman. His wife becomes Emma’s target. Emma is sick. Just not in the way you thought.
This is a gripping thriller with some great twists. It’s pacy and will keep you hooked. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author for the chance to review.

A little slow for the first half, took some time to really get into it before the pace picked up. Interesting ending though, and an interesting plot.

3⭐️

A debut with an interesting premise about a woman with a debilitating neurological condition.

Emma had trained to be a nurse, but is left unable to work and reliant on benefits and family support to help her raise her young daughter Ava.
We get good insight into how her condition affects her, and how she is made to feel worthless. It’s a sad read, but the scene setting is too slow for me. I’m not sure about the inclusion of the bird information.

There are some good twists but they don’t come at frequent enough intervals to keep me fully engaged. In summary it had promise but didn’t manage to deliver enough for me.

A very well written book, took me longer than usual to get into the storyline but I thoroughly enjoyed it

The characters were good although for me personally it didn't keep me on the edge of my seat.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon Books for this ARC.

A psychological thriller filled with lots of twists and turns. I liked the character of Emma, trapped in a barren life because of a neurological disorder and the resultant loneliness. Great storytelling and a clever denouement from a debut author.

SICK TO DEATH is a brilliant read. Gripping plot, unexpected twists, beautiful writing, a page-turning and addictive story. And woven in ever so gently is the real, lived experience of having a stigmatised health condition. One that doctors doubt or confuse with psychobabble, and everyone else either accepts with love, or distances themselves from, or refuses to understand because it’s inconvenient. I have never read anything that reflects my experience of the world like this.

But this book isn’t preaching anything. It’s about the complex protagonist, Emma, who has a dark side, and a love story, and family drama. And she’s Sick To Death…

Sick To Death by Chris Bridges

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5

I really enjoyed this, I knew there would be some twists but I wasn't sure which way they were going to go.

Nice little "ooh" moment in the final chapter too!

The writing was great and loved the references to birds throughout, it somehow added an extra sinister point of view.

The book is out 27th March, definitely one to get on your tbr list! Thanks to @netgalley for the arc.

#books #bookrecommendations #reading

This is how to write a debut novel! Chris Bridges’ first book ‘Sick to Death’ is absolutely outstanding and an easy 5 star read. I was glued to every page and totally invested in the characters to the extent that I was emailing the author with my real life concerns for the characters, sorry Chris!

The story is of Emma, a woman in her 30s with a long-term physical health condition that can’t be diagnosed but means she’s unable to work and has to live with her family. Her family are not very supportive. Her stepfather Pete in particular is absolutely awful and bullies Emma at every turn .

Her stepsister Becky is more helpful. She helps bring up Emma‘s daughter Ava because Emma has been told by her family that she’s not capable of doing that herself.

Emma has resigned herself to a small quiet life trying to find a way to escape from her stepdad when she meets handsome doctor Adam who happens to be a neighbour of hers. The two of them to start a tentative relationship even though Adam is already married. Adam’s wife Celeste has everything that Emma wanted, money, security and Adam. She is violent towards Adam, bullying him and threatening him, almost mirroring how Pete treats Emma.

Emma and Adam plot to get rid of Celeste to clear the way for their own future. They plot back and forth, nailing down exactly how it could be done to minimise suspicion. At this point my heart was in my throat, I was so nervous for all of them and how it might play out.

There’s so much more to the story than this, but I don’t want to give too many spoilers .
I would absolutely recommend this to everybody. It is sensitively mad thoughtfully written with some beautiful phrases and descriptions. It’s clear the author has thought every detail of how the story will develop. The storyline of Emma‘s illness in particular is treated respectfully and not shied away from.

Book two now please!

I honestly LOVED this read. I found it to be full of deceit, dishonesty and twists and turns that kept me entertained the entire time.

Bridges' storytelling was absolutely fantastic - I felt as though every single character was so well-thought through and had such a pivotal impact on the narrative. I felt such empathy towards Emma at the beginning and it made me so gripped to the novel, questioning everyone's intentions and how the story would pan out.

I must admit, just when I thought I had everything figured out, Bridges managed to shock me to the core and make me question everything being said. That is the determiner of a great psychological thriller. A day later and I still can't get the narrative, the characters or the ending out of my head and it is consuming my every thought.

Emma is single and lives with her mother, stepfather and stepsister Becky and Ava who is Emma’s daughter in a small council flat. Emma has a neurological disorder that stops her from working and her Stepsister Becky looks after her daughter. Her stepfather thinks that she should get over it and get herself a job. She lives everyday from getting abuse from her family.
So when she meets Adam, who is separating from his wife they seem to have a connection, Adam has a nice house just up the road with his wife Celeste who Adam tells her that she is violent towards him. So, the pair decide to hatch a plan to get rid of Celeste. But nothing is straightforward as it seems when Emma finds out that Adam is not what he claims to be.
I didn’t know what to expect from this debut novel by Chris Bridges, But I found ‘Sick to death’ to be a surprisingly good read full of suspense and an advocate to anyone that suffers with a neurological condition.
Emma is a great character, and the author has portrayed very well regarding her condition and making sure that we are aware just because someone has a condition like this not as helpless as to be believed. Albeit a bit slow and at first, I thought I knew where this story was going but I was wrong, This story has lots of surprises along the way. 5 stars from me.

Possible spoilers


I was happily enjoying this book, thinking it was good, but just a tad predictable.
Until it wasn't. Then I enjoyed it a whole lot more.
Whilst the first half probably had you all sympathetic to Emma, it had me suspicious... was she really ill.
So I watched every move she made carefully, and I was still surprised by her actions, and those of a few others.
This book came recommended to me by a friend, so I best go thank them.
Good fun.

SICK TO DEATH BY CHRIS BRIDGES.
Release date set for the 27th of March 2025.
I was honestly shocked to discover that this book is the author's debut novel.
It's so original.
I loved the story line, i loved the writing style and the suspense is so gripping.
Huge congratulations Chris Bridges on your debut novel.
I can't wait to see what's next.

Toxicity in your life can not only exacerbate an illness beyond medical understanding, but it can actually be the route cause.

Emma has been living with FND, a chronic illness that is not only hard to diagnose effectively, or treat, but is also a chronic illness that has no visible or provable symptoms. Often adding an additional layer of stress and manageability due to appeasing others’ judgement or being able to action a proper treatment plan.
 
But when your main issues come from within the home, the one place where you should feel safe and supported, it is enough to make you feel murderous… A great look at FND and how allies in our lives can be found anywhere.

Great book. Was up all night reading it. I loved the characters & the storyline. I totally recommend reading this book straight away, the twists and turns are fab. Definitely 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Chris Bridges’ Sick to Death is a dark and deeply engrossing psychological thriller that masterfully explores themes of chronic illness, invisibility, and the destructive power of resentment. With its gripping narrative, morally complex characters, and sharp social commentary, this debut novel offers a standout experience for fans of psychological suspense.

Emma, the protagonist, suffers from a debilitating neurological condition that leaves her confined to her family’s cramped council house and dependent on those who fail to support her emotionally. Bridges vividly captures the isolation and frustration Emma feels, creating a realistic portrayal of life with an invisible disability. When she meets Adam, a charismatic doctor, Emma sees a chance for change, but his marriage to Celeste complicates her dreams. Driven by desperation and a growing obsession, Emma begins to navigate morally ambiguous territory, with consequences that spiral out of control.

The first half of the novel is a slow burn, focusing on Emma’s struggles and her growing infatuation with Adam. This careful buildup immerses readers in Emma’s perspective, making her emotions raw and tangible. The second half shifts to multiple perspectives, adding complexity to the narrative and heightening the tension as secrets unravel and motives are revealed. While the twists are compelling, the transition between the novel’s two halves introduces occasional repetition and moments that strain credibility.

Bridges uses Emma’s love for birds as a recurring motif, symbolizing her yearning for freedom from her physical and emotional constraints. This element, while poignant, might feel overdone for some readers. The conclusion ties up loose ends quickly but leaves a lingering unease, which fits the psychological thriller genre’s tone.

Overall, Sick to Death is a haunting and thought-provoking debut that balances suspenseful storytelling with an empathetic exploration of chronic illness. Chris Bridges delivers a narrative that challenges perceptions and stays with readers long after the final page. For those seeking a psychological thriller with depth, unexpected twists, and a compellingly flawed protagonist, this book is a must-read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

"Sick to Death" by Chris Bridges is a psychological thriller but you don't really know that until the twists kick in. Up until then you just think it is a book about an ill girl who meets a dreamy guy with a horrible wife. I really did feel sorry for Emma and the way that she had been ousted from her room and forced to sleep on the sofa, especially as she is so unwell. Like many readers, I did prefer the second half of the book when various other points of view are presented and build extra layers of plot.

I found this book took a bit of getting into, I was about half way through before I felt the pace pick up. Some good twists to the story and liked the ending. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.

Sick to Death is the debut novel by Chris Bridges and it was a really good read. I did however find the first,half of the book a rather slow burn but I did find the pace increased in the second half with lots going on. There were a few good twists that I certainly didn’t see coming and that ending !