The Death of Us by Abigail Dean

 

I read the first sentence and knew this book would be unputdownable. From the beginning Isabel is speaking, in her head, to the evil monster who tore apart the life she and Edward had built together as well as the lives of his many other victims.

But this is the story of Isabel and Edward and the progression of their relationship from their first meeting, a blind date although they were each involved with others at the time, to the realisation that they had fallen in love, to their unfolding careers. Abigail Dean’s writing is sensitive, beautiful, captivating. At the same time it is shocking and honest and goes straight to the heart of the matter. Edward’s story is told in each alternate chapter, and in the past tense. The enormity of the wrong done to Isabel and Edward is such that it is always there, metaphorically, watching every move they make. There are always going to be tiny cracks in even the most perfect of lives and it becomes inevitable that these particular cracks are headed for breaking point. It’s a long story, though, and Isabel the playwright and Edward the  corporate man are such lovely characters, with all their flaws, that I stayed mesmerised to the end.

So far the best book I’ve read this year. Thank you NetGalley for my arc.

Published by Harper Collins