Lying in Wait hooked me with its first line. I mean, take a look at this and tell me you aren’t curious:

“My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it.”

This was was really full of surprises. I thought I was going to read a thriller, but it turned out to be more of a tragedy/character study of what happens after a murder is committed. Lying in Wait follows the events after the murder of Annie Doyle, with the main characters being Karen (Annie’s system), Lydia (lady from that first line), and Laurence (Lydia’s son). The story starts in 1980 and ends in 2016, with most of the action taking place in 1985.

Honestly, I finished this book thinking it was a tragedy because well… everything was so tragic. I had a few happy endings in mind, mostly influenced by previous thrillers I read, but what I got was something different. I’m not quite sure how I feel about it – it’s a bit like how Laura Purcell doesn’t do happy endings either and I am the type of person who likes a satisfying ending.

Since I mentioned this is also a character study, let me talk to you about the characters. Annie was a very likable character and I wanted so much better for her! Lydia was surprisingly one dimensional and the biggest surprise came from Laurence. I didn’t really know what to expect from him; he’s basically the victim of Lydia’s Jocasta complex and I never knew if he was going to be like her or if he was going to go against the mould. He was probably the most interesting character in the whole book and he was the one who kept me guessing the whole time.

All in all, Lying in Wait was an unexpected surprise. While I was hoping for a “regular” thriller to chase away the post-public holiday blues, I still really enjoyed this. If characters are what draws you to books, check this one out!

Featured Image: Photo from Canva