Lying in Wait

"My Husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it."

The opening line of Liz Nugent's second novel packs a punch. The reader gets a glimpse of what is in store and the story starts off with a sprint. Lydia Fitzsimons has it all. A prominent husband, a clever son and a beautiful period property that has been in her family for years. Avalon is her safe haven and she finds no need to venture from its walls. Surrounded by lavish gardens, down a private avenue, she can protect her family from prying eyes and never worry about outside influence. All this is to change. When Andrew loses the family fortune and agrees to aide his wife in a crazy scheme, things begin to fall apart at Avalon. The death of Annie Doyle sets off an uncontrollable chain of events which do more to harm the couple's son, Lawrence, than anyone. Only one life may have been taken, but many more will be transformed...

Liz Nugent has written a novel like a game of chess. There are black squares and white ones. There are Queens, who appear to be less powerful than Kings but are behind a lot of the major game-plans and there are pawns, being sacrificed to increase the mobility of others. The juxtaposition between the characters has real clarity. Lydia's delusional approach to motherhood is carefully balanced with her son's battle with self-esteem and assertiveness. Andrew's meekness is most unlike his mother's cutting way. Annie Doyle and her family are the polar opposite of the middle-class Fitzsimons and their reaction to loss is unlike anything that Avalon has ever experienced. But what makes Muriel the way she is? Why is Lawrence so submissive? How many secrets does Avalon hold within its walls? Can a person have all bad blood flowing through their veins, or is there an inherent reason for their disturbed state? Can Lydia inspire some sympathy from the reader when they consider the bigger picture? Could Lawrence benefit from a large case of the 'wake-ups' that he so obviously needs. or is it too late? Annie Doyle could be any young woman in the 1980s who had difficulty in school and was always heading down the wrong road. How different her life was to the sheltered one that Lawrence led, yet they both had their demons.

From the winner of the Irish Book Award for her Crime Thriller, Unravelling Oliver, comes a tale of two families, two different paths and one interlinking event. It is slow and steady, with an almost gothic feel, with Lydia reminding me of the legendary Mrs. Danvers from Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca. There is a chill in the air, from page one, and the creepiness unfolds via alternating characters, one chapter at a time. Just when you think you can guess where it's all headed, you are spun on an invisible axis and are taken off in an alternative direction. This is an author who can show how madness and matriarchy are two subjects that can be mixed together with great effect. Spine-shivering in its subtlety.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Many thanks to Penguin Books (UK) via NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book

Liz Nugent’s debut Unravelling Oliver was one of my personal favourite books to read last year. It was also a huge hit with my book club. Eagerly awaiting a second book, I didn’t think that the next offering would quite live up to the fantastic debut, they rarely do, but I was so wrong, Lying in Wait most certainly did and then some.

As with Unravelling Oliver, Lying in Wait is a very impressive, skilled and cleverly thought out psychological thriller. Nugent is outstanding with ‘first lines’ which seem to grab the reader by the throat and doesn’t let go until the very last line. From the very first line of this book, I was hooked...'My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it.'. I read this book in one sitting as I literally could not put it down until I reached the end. I was totally engrossed with both the story and the characters. Nugent is an excellent writer, creates riveting characters and has an outstanding knack of keeping you turning and turning the pages.

The story centers around the disappearance of Annie Doyle, a young heroin addict and prostitute, a respected judge, his wife Lydia and their young son, Laurence. As the search for Annie by her sister progresses, the story becomes nastier and murkier, with many twists and turns along the way. Nugent is extremely good at creating dark, disturbed and unlikeable characters. I loved the fact that a lot of the story was set in the 1980s as it sparked many memories for me of the way Ireland was during those years. In addition, although not a major character, I loved Helen’s friendship with Laurence and her involvement in the story. I found her to be a great character through her actions and reactions to the various situations and major characters in the story. Lydia, Laurence’s mother, is a deliciously dark character and one that will not be easily forgotten. This story raises the concept of ‘Irish mothers’ and their sons, to a whole new level entirely!

I’m sure this book will be a huge hit in 2016 and I eagerly await any new book from Liz Nugent in the future. I highly recommend Lying in Wait and I think Ireland may just have found its very own Gillian Flynn.