Intrigued? Well read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Clare Mackintosh’s Other People’s Houses, which is out now.

You want what they have, but what price would you pay?

The Hill is the kind of place everyone wants to live: luxurious, exclusive and safe. But now someone is breaking and entering these Cheshire homes one by one, and DS Leo Brady suspects the burglar is looking for something, or someone, in particular.

Over the border in Wales, DC Ffion Morgan recovers the body of an estate agent from the lake. There’s no love lost between Ffion and estate agents, but who hated this one enough to want her dead – and why?

As their cases collide, Ffion and Leo discover people will pay a high price to keep their secrets behind closed doors . . .

Prologue
SUNDAY

The weather broke overnight, rain drumming onto baked earth and swirling along the pavement. There were few awake to see it, and by the morning, summer was restored. Now the sun is hot and high despite the early hour. Water has drained into gutters and soaked into the cracked soil, and all that’s left of the night’s sudden storm is a welcome freshness in the air and the swollen banks of the Awen. The river tumbles over itself in its effort to reach the lake, rushing over rocks and tree roots in a torrent of white foam. Every now and then, the force of the water dislodges a stick or a handful of moss from the bank and whips it downstream too fast for the eye to follow.

Fifteen-year-old Ed Clough is walking along the southern bank, away from the rafting center. He has been sent to look for a missing kayak, and he is taking his time with it. Ed is supposed to be on kitchen duty this morning, but he spent yesterday evening at a Young Farmers rally, and the thought of greasy bacon pans makes his stomach churn. He draws deep lungfuls of clean air and wonders how long he can string out his search.

Most of the rafts and canoes are locked in a secure unit at night, but there are a few old yellow kayaks on a rack at the back of the center, and they occasionally go missing. They are carried aloft by drunk stags and abandoned in the road once enough fun has been had, or they’re launched into the river by bored kids. Before Ed started working at the rafting center, he’d once done exactly that with his best mate, the two of them sprinting down the banks to try to beat the empty vessel to the lake. They had lost by a country mile, as they’d known they would. White water won’t be beaten.

Just as Ed is about to turn around, he sees a glimmer of yellow through the trees. He brightens. Donna can’t give him a row about how long he’s been away from the kitchen if he finds the missing kayak. She might even let him off bacon duty.

The vessel is upside down between rocks, stern pushed underwater and bow in the air. Ed tugs at it, but it’s hard to get purchase on the resin hull. The bank is steep and slippery, and he grips a tree root with his left hand to stop himself from sliding into the water. He pushes his foot against the kayak, but it won’t budge. Ed sighs, then kicks off his trainers and strips to his underpants. Donna better put something extra in his pay this month; this is above and beyond a minimum wage weekend job.

Despite the heat wave, the river is freezing. Mud squelches beneath his toes; something flits, tiny and fast, between his legs. Ed squeals involuntarily and immediately looks around, relieved to confirm there was no one to hear it. Waist-deep, he reaches over the kayak to grab the opposite side of it so he can use his full force to yank it out from
between the rocks and flip it back over. It’s stuck fast, and Ed pulls and pulls, and suddenly it comes free. And now the kayak is right side up, and it’s Ed who’s upside down, thrown off balance and clinging to the kayak as he flails for a footing.

It’s barely a second (although it feels like longer) before he resurfaces, cursing this stupid job, his stupid boss, the stupid kids who stole a kayak and let it float downriver to lodge itself in these rocks, and…and…

Ed stops thinking. He stops breathing. His entire body is trembling, goose bumps covering his skinny frame, from his ice-cold feet to the white-knuckled hand still gripping the kayak. The kayak that had been so hard to turn over, not only because it was trapped but also because it was heavy.

Because there was someone in it.

Ed’s stomach gives a sharp, painful spasm. The kayaker is dead, that much is obvious, and yet the face is…the face is moving. Ed cries out, and this time he doesn’t care who hears him.

It’s only river water, he tells himself. That’s why it looks as though the skin is sliding off the skull. River water seeping out from the eyes and nostrils. River water trickling from the corners of those deep-blue lips…

Ed’s throat fills with bile. He staggers backward, then he turns and vomits into the foaming waters of the Awen.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Other People’s Houses’ by Clare Mackintosh appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

I Don’t Forgive You by Aggie Blum Thompson
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

It all starts at a neighborhood party when a local dad corners Allie and calls her by an old, forgotten nickname from her dark past. The next day, he is found dead. 

The Fiancée by Kate White
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The New York Times bestselling author returns with an unsettling but riveting psychological thriller about a captivating woman who joins a family and threatens to upend their picture-perfect lives. 

Our Woman in Moscow by Beatriz Williams
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The New York Times bestselling author of Her Last Flight returns with a gripping and profoundly human story of Cold War espionage and family devotion.

Hostage by Clare Mackintosh
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A claustrophobic thriller set over twenty hours on one airplane flight, with the heart-stopping tension of The Last Flight and the wrenching emotional intensity of Room, Hostage takes us on board the inaugural nonstop flight from London to Sydney.

The North Face of the Heart by Dolores Redondo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

In a propulsive thriller by the #1 internationally bestselling author of The Baztán Trilogy, a female detective follows a sadistic killer into the eye of a storm.

Seven Days In June by Tia Williams
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Seven days to fall in love, fifteen years to forget and seven days to get it all back again… From the author of The Perfect Find, this is a witty, romantic, and sexy-as-hell new novel of two writers and their second chance at love.

Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the author of the “full-throttle thriller” (A. J. Finn) No Exit—a riveting new psychological page-turner featuring a fierce and unforgettable heroine.

The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Silent Patient comes a spellbinding tale of psychological suspense, weaving together Greek mythology, murder, and obsession, that further cements “Michaelides as a major player in the field” (Publishers Weekly).

Survive The Night by Riley Sager
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

It’s November 1991. Nirvana’s in the tape deck, George H. W. Bush is in the White House, and movie-obsessed college student Charlie Jordan is in a car with a man who might be a serial killer.

The Disappearing Act by Catherine Steadman
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A British actress discovers the dark side of Hollywood when she is the only witness to the sudden disappearance of a woman she meets at an audition in this psychological thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Something in the Water and Mr. Nobody.

Dream Girl by Laura Lippman
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Following up on her acclaimed and wildly successful New York Times bestseller Lady in the Lake, Laura Lippman returns with a dark, complex tale of psychological suspense with echoes of Misery involving a novelist, incapacitated by injury, who is plagued by mysterious phone calls.

Girl One by Sara Flannery Murphy
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Orphan Black meets Margaret Atwood in this twisty supernatural thriller about female power and the bonds of sisterhood

What June releases will you be picking up? Tell us in the comments below!

The post June 2021 Fiction Book Releases appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

The characters we meet first, who form the core of the story are Mina and Adam, whose marriage has been disintegrating in recent months. They have a five-year-old daughter who is very bright, but has some issues that require effort from Mina and Adam that they both sometimes doubt that they have.

Adam is a detective, and Mina is a flight attendant who is working a high-publicity flight from London to Sydney. The plane has not been in the air very long before Mina starts getting clues that something is afoot. She soon receives a terrifying note from someone on the flight who has figured out exactly what it would take to force Mina to comply with their plan.

Mackintosh allows Adam and Mina to alternate narrating what is happening in their part of the story, which allows us to see inside each of their thoughts. We know from this that they are each keeping secrets from the other, as well as from co-workers and others in their lives, but even we don’t know what those secrets are…at first.

Chapters each begin with whose point of view we are following as well as the time. We know the flight is 20 hours, so the reader can practically hear the ticking clock as the story twists again and again. As time ticks down, the plane starts to feel more and more frightening and claustrophobic—to the characters and to the reader as well.

Mackintosh has filled Hostage with fear, panic, and excitement, and jam-packed it with action. In addition, she has included bits of smart social commentary on prejudice and discrimination, extremism, and the assumptions we make about those around us. This is a true edge-of-your-seat suspense thriller that is not to be missed!

Hostage is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of June 22nd 2021.

Will you be picking up Hostage? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

You can save hundreds of lives. Or the one that matters most.

A claustrophobic thriller set over twenty hours on one airplane flight, with the heart-stopping tension of The Last Flight and the wrenching emotional intensity of Room, Hostage takes us on board the inaugural nonstop flight from London to Sydney.

Mina is trying to focus on her job as a flight attendant, not the problems of her five-year-old daughter back home, or the fissures in her marriage. But the plane has barely taken off when Mina receives a chilling note from an anonymous passenger, someone intent on ensuring the plane never reaches its destination. Someone who needs Mina’s assistance and who knows exactly how to make her comply.

It’s twenty hours to landing. A lot can happen in twenty hours.

The post Review: Hostage by Clare Mackintosh appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

APRIL

Lies We Bury by Elle Marr

Marissa was born in captivity.  It’s been twenty years since she gained her freedom, but a new string of murders threatens to bring all of her secrets to the surface.

The Perfect Daughter by DJ Palmer

Grace has to visit her teenage daughter in the state psychiatric hospital where she is being held on a charge of murder.  Doctors have disagreed about a diagnosis of multiple personality disorder, but what dark and shocking secrets will be uncovered if she goes to trial?

The Truth About Unspeakable Things by Emily A Myers

After horrific trauma, Emma has finally opened her heart to love again.  She has kept so many secrets about the abuse she experienced, her past may destroy her before she gets her second chance at love and happiness.

Her Three Lives by Cate Holahan

After a violent home break-in, a family no longer knows whether they can trust anyone, even each other, as doubts, questions, and suspicions abound.  Gaslighting galore!

In The Company of Killers by Bryan Christy

A tightly wound debut thriller! Tom is an investigative reporter, but only as a cover – he’s also a CIA spy.  While he is on assignment in Kenya, his carefully crafted double life begins to fall apart, revealing truths that even Tom doesn’t know about.

MAY

The Next Wife by Kaira Rouda

Does anyone really ever ‘have it all’?  There is no limit to what some women will do to try to have it all, or to keep it.  In the name of love, or revenge, there is no limit to what a woman might do.

Find You First by Linwood Barclay

The master of psychological suspense is back with a deadly race against time when the unconventional heirs of a dying tech millionaire begin to meet mysterious ends.

The Hunting Wives by May Cobb

An elite club that focuses equally on target practice and martinis leads to a life of dangerous behavior, obsession, seduction, and murder when Sophie, her husband, and young son settle down in a small Texas town.

The Photographer by Mary Dixie Carter

After observing the wealthy and elite of New York City through her camera lens, Delta feels an uncontrollable desire to no longer be separated by the camera, and instead be part of their world.  Manipulation at its strongest is on full display here!

A Good Mother by Lara Bazelon

An exciting debut thriller with two young mothers in different positions in the same murder trial, where the decision about what defines a good mother has to be answered by the jury!

JUNE

The North Face of the Heart by Dolores Redondo (Translated by Michael Meigs)

A young but experienced female detective literally follows a murderer into the eye of a storm when she helps the FBI find a killer using natural disasters to hide his crimes and aid his escape.

Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams

The author of No Exit is back with a new thriller where a young woman refuses to accept the official police version of her sister’s death.  Lena is willing to fight for the truth, but instead may be fighting for her life.

The Fiancee by Kate White

What should have been a relaxing family vacation is turned on its head when a mysterious woman is involved.  An unexpected death further rocks the family, but was that only the beginning?

Hostage by Clare Mackintosh

The ultimate locked-room mystery, a claustrophobic thriller that takes place entirely on a twenty- hour flight from London to Sydney. A lot can happen in twenty hours.

Survive the Night by Riley Sager

Set in 1991, when help was not just as close as a cellphone call away, two people share a car ride when neither person knows enough about the person they are riding beside.

JULY

Choose Me by Tess Gerritsen and Gary Braver

When a young woman who is both beautiful and brilliant plunges from her apartment balcony, the detective in charge can feel in her gut that there is more to the story than meets the eye.  Discovering her sordid secrets provides more questions, rather than answers.

For Your Own Good by Samantha Downing

This best-selling author is back with a new thriller set in a prestigious private school.  Meddlesome parents, murder, Teacher of the Year, and overachieving students – what else could we ask for?

Her Last Breath by Hilary Davidson

When it is discovered that a woman predicted her own murder, her sister will absolutely not let the truth be brushed aside, despite being a pariah in her own family. Digging for the truth may come at too high of a cost, however.

Safe in my Arms by Sara Shepard

At an elite preschool, the principal is attacked and three moms who don’t think they fit in with the ultra-wealthy community work together to both find out who is trying to frame them as well as how to keep their real secrets hidden.

Silver Tears by Camilla Lackberg

Three generations of women have been hiding from one man, but secrets always eventually come out.  Betrayal and tears are sure to follow.

Are you as excited as we are about all of these upcoming thrillers? Are some of your favourite authors back with something new? Which books are you most excited to pick up? Tell us in the comments below!

The post Thrillers We Are Eagerly Anticipating In The Next Few Months appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

They say the best secrets are often the most twisted and some of the best books are the ones that keep you up all night, just for that last twist. Honestly, a well written thriller definitely steals the show, so we’ve rounded up some amazing thrillers that are bound to keep you engaged and sleepless for sure!

I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh | Goodreads

After a tragic accident, Jenna Gray moves to a remote cottage on the Welsh coast in the hopes of starting anew. But the ghost of past never leaves, and neither does the grief of the accident. Clare Mackintosh writes an intriguing psychological thriller that will keep you hooked to the story till the end. The twist is bound to completely leave the reader gaping. If you’re looking for a psychological thriller that is well written and has enough secrets to twist your thinking, I Let You Go is the book for you!

“I wonder briefly if I have become immune to physical pain: if the human body is not designed to handle both physical and emotional hurt.” ― Clare Mackintosh, I Let You Go

You Are Not Alone by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Perkins | Goodreads

Thrillers featuring badass, savage women are a treat to read on its own. With You Are Not Alone, the writer duo takes us on a whirlwind journey of a women obsessed with numbers, and sisters who have a whole different secret life of their own.

When the quiet and shy Shay Miller witnesses a horrific suicide, she is weirdly drawn to the victim. Soon she finds herself in the midst of the victim’s friends, a place for herself and her life finally settled. But things go awry when everything takes a completely turn, leaving Shay in a dark place to fend for herself. This magnificent story will definitely draw you in right from the start, with the mystery and suspense on the perfect scale. As always, that climax totally earns a whole star for itself! Part creepy, part thrilling, You Are Not Alone will keep you guessing the truth till the end.

The Butterfly Garden by Dot Hutchison | Goodreads

I will admit, I haven’t read anything so horrific as a book like this. A crazy man is obsessed with capturing beauty. He takes girls captive and inks butterfly wings on their backs while keeping him in a place that the man calls The Garden. This is a story of survival and family, of old grudges and abandonment. When the garden is discovered, a survivor is brought in for questioning, which goes on to reveal the cruelties and insane happenings that went on inside the so called Garden.

Gritty, gut wrenching and horrifying, The Butterfly Garden is a terrific and disturbing story of unthinkable obsessions taken to far, of desires that know no humanity and of the little hope that we sometimes cling on to.

Trigger warning: This book is also highly graphic and deals with triggering themes like rape, paedophilia, sexual assault and abuse, child molestation, torture, and murder amongst others, so it can be a highly disturbing read.

“Some people stay broken. Some pick up the pieces and put them back together with all the sharp edges showing.” ― Dot Hutchison, The Butterfly Garden

Sadie by Courtney Summers | Goodreads

A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial―like podcast following the clues she’s left behind. And an ending you won’t be able to stop talking about.

Sadie isn’t an easy book to read. A slow burn thriller that would set your heart thumping loudly as you near the end, it is a story of grief, revenge, and the inadequacies of justice. When Mattie dies and the police investigation is nothing but loose and botched, Sadie takes it upon herself to avenge the only family that she had. Then West McCray overhears her story, and starts his own podcast to find  the truth. Told in alternating POVs, switching between the podcast interviews and Sadie’s narrative, this story is equal parts heartbreaking and horrifying. The end is terrifying and will leave you with a hollow void long after you’ve finished the book.

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James | Goodreads

When Viv suddenly goes missing one night, no one really looks deeper into her case. Thirty five years later, Carly goes back to Fell, the place where her aunt had disappeared all those years ago, working the night clerk at the Sun Down Motel. When Carly too starts on the same job, bizarre things start to happen in the motel. As she tries to uncover the truth about her missing aunt, she also realises that the motel and the town people have secrets of their own.

Spooky and eerie, Simone St. James definitely delivers with this book. The fantastic narration will draw you into the story right from the beginning, coupled with the impending mystery and suspense of ghostly occurrences and a string of murders. True crime at its core, this is a horror thriller told in impeccable style and a storyline that is bound to break your heart. The theme of violence against women in the 1980s runs deep in this book, which is quite terrifying and horrific. With a pinch of supernatural and secrets, this book is bound to keep you up all night!

Verity by Colleen Hoover | Goodreads

A thriller like no other, Colleen Hoover takes the readers into the deepest, darkest lane of writers and insanity with her romantic thriller. When Jeremy Crawford, husband of the best-selling author Verity Crawford, offers the job of completing the remaining books in a successful series that his injured wife is unable to finish, Lowen accepts. Struggling with her own writing career, on the brink of financial ruin, she sees this as an opportunity to up her game. And besides, what’s she got to lose?

But what Lowen finds in the midst of a chaotic office is an unfinished autobiography that Verity never intended anyone to read. It harbours the chilling incidents and admissions from Verity, including the truth about what led to her daughter’s death. Caught in a whirlwind of romance and fear, Lowen’s life soon takes a drastic change as she is torn between secrets and family and her own feelings.

Bone-chilling and horrifying, Verity will leave you with an open wound at the end. Colleen Hoover has crafted a master thriller, with such twisted words and characters. 

“It’s what you do when you’ve experienced the worst of the worst. You seek out people like you… people worse off than you… and you use them to make yourself feel better about the terrible things that have happened to you.” ― Colleen Hoover, Verity

Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson | Goodreads

When a white baby dies under the care of a Black woman and her nine-year-old daughter, the public convicted Mary and the jury made it official. But year after year, one question still remains: did she really do it? Mary wouldn’t say. But when years later Mary is stricken with an unborn child and the state threatens to take away her child, Mary is determined to fight for her rights. And that includes telling the truth, but what exactly happened that night?

Set in a group home, Mary’s story is bound to clench at your heart and make you want to reach out and cradle her in your arms. This is the power of Tiffany Jackson’s writing, creating immense empathy in the readers. As the state tries to understand Mary and her mental state, we uncover Mary’s story and the truth. Honestly though, Allegedly is a difficult read. With enough gut wrenching scenes, Jackson breaks our hearts and then pulls the rug out from under our feet.

The ending had me screaming at the book at midnight. Shocking and gritty, Allegedly is a thriller unlike the others. Heartbreaking, romantic, and terrifying, Allegedly needs to be on your ever long TBR list!

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides | Goodreads

Alicia’s life ends up in a forensic psych unit after tragic domestic accident. One night, when her husband returns from a fashion shoot, Alicia shoots him five times in the face and then never ever speaks a word. Her refusal to speak garners enough attention, and her last piece of painting turns this domestic tragedy into something of a murder mystery. She becomes the silent patient, hidden away from the world. That is until Theo Faber, a criminal psychotherapist arrives, curious to work on Alicia’s case. He is determined to unravel the mystery of that night, a secret and search for truth that consumes him.

Told from the point of view of Theo, the story unravels its threads slowly and steadily, placing together the pieces of the puzzle really well. Michaelides’s easy narration and inciting suspense in the readers is the strong point of this book. The short chapters definitely makes it a fast read, a definite page turner.

And that ending – my goodness, what a terrific shocking ending! Clever and intriguing, The Silent Patient is a story of grief and mistakes, of life turned upside down in an instant. The whole story is so very cleverly written, the climax one of its strongest suits, and the end will leave you craving for more.

Dangerous Girls by Abigail Haas | Goodreads

In the spring break of senior year, Anna, her boyfriend Tate, best friend Elise, and a few others are off on a vacation trip to Aruba. But then Elise is found brutally murdered and Anna is convicted as the murdered. Stuck in a country that’s not her own, Anna fights against vile accusations as she tries to defend herself, while finding some hard truths about her friendships.

Heartbreaking and shocking, Dangerous Girls is a gritty thriller about friendship and young love. It starts with the death and then the past unravels, revealing cracks of truth as the story progresses. The depth of friendship that we see is incredible. There are layers and layers of secret’s that are revealed, and we can see what a picture and the smallest of things can sometimes land you on the wrong side of justice.

Written in heart-wrenching prose, Abigail Haas really does know how to seek the readers her characters, make the readers feel the characters’ wounds and pain. And right then drops the classic bomb on us, giving us a shocking reveal. A shocking thriller, much like Allegedly, and loosely based on a real life crime, Dangerous Girls will definitely give you sleepless nights for sure.

“Wouldn’t we all look guilty, if someone searched hard enough?” ― Abigail Haas, Dangerous Girls

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie | Goodreads

Ten strangers in a mysterious private island, their host unknown, and all of them with wicked secrets, all of them marked for murder. Then one by one, everyone sees their end, deaths following in the same way as described in a famous nursery rhyme. But who could devise such a plan? And who would survive to tell the tale?  

A classic thriller from the uber famous Agatha Christie, And Then There Were None is a book you ought to read at least once. Full of mystery and timely crafted deaths, this story is a definite page turner. And the bits of the rhyme that appears in between definitely will send a chill down your spine.

Of course, no one does thrillers and mysteries like Agatha Christie. And as usual, the end of this book is a classic shock to behold!

Have you read any of these books? Or do you have any other recommendations? Tell us in the comments below!

The post 10 Exciting Thrillers You Should Read appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

After The End is a heart-rending and sensitively told story about parents who find themselves in an impossibly difficult situation. Pip and Max Adams spent two and a half years raising a happy and healthy little boy, Dylan. They notice things are amiss and after a time, he is diagnosed as having a brain tumour. The story is told in the days, weeks, months, and years following the surgery that he has. Ultimately, they must make a tough decision regarding his future and his treatment, but they disagree. After The End is about their experience as parents before and after this decision and in the years following two potential, and differently imagined outcomes.

What is particularly noteworthy about this story is that the author, Clare Mackintosh, had experienced a similar situation as a parent, which inspired her to write this story. It is evident from the emotion and thoughtfulness of this book that this was a story which was close to her heart.

At its heart, this is a book about parenthood. It is a story about parents who lived a seemingly perfect life until their son’s illness shatters that experience and takes from them the initial feeling of perfection. The experiences of both parents are portrayed absolutely beautifully from the start and the story is told in a way that allows us to easily empathise with what each parent feels. Mackintosh describes in touching detail what it’s like for each of them as they process Dylan’s illness, the experience of being parents who frequent the PICU, the prognosis, and their feelings regarding his life and their futures. We see how it feels to be a parent in the hospital with Dylan, to navigate the waters of interacting with parents of healthy children, to reminisce about Dylan’s earlier years, and to grapple with news from the hospital. Despite the fact that the two parents ultimately have different viewpoints regarding Dylan’s treatment and future, readers can see that both are good parents in their own way, each wanting what they feel is best for a child they deeply love.

After The End is written in alternating chapters that each capture a character’s viewpoint. While most chapters tell the story from Max and Pip’s perspectives, some chapters tell the story from Dylan’s doctor, Leila’s point of view. For this reason, readers can easily understand and empathise with the thoughts and emotions of each of the characters. Additionally, Leila’s perspective conveys to readers that the job of a doctor in a hospital that treats critically ill children is quite a challenge, as we come to understand her emotions in treating the children under her care and sharing information with parents.

One area that this book covers exceptionally well is the impact of each of two possible court decisions on Pip and Max’s relationship. When parents differ on what the fate of a beloved child should be, it makes sense that it is hard for them to reconcile their differences. And yet, Clare Mackintosh writes thoughtfully about both their deep differences at the time when they must make a decision, and their complex feelings about each other and the relationship following the changes that occur later. She adeptly captures how scary and uncertain things must feel, despite each parent’s relative surety in their respective decision about Dylan.

In the latter half of the book, After The End follows an unusual structure. Pip’s chapters follow her narrative following the imagined scenario if she won in court. Max’s chapters follow his perspective following what would happen if he won in court. This was both interesting a frustrating to follow as a reader. It was fascinating to compare how different choices could impact the characters lives in such a profound way. It was also a bit frustrating and awkward to follow two separate story lines between breaks after each chapter. In some ways, reading a book which follows one storyline that moves ahead in time feels preferable to following two divergent stories, however thought provoking.

After The End makes is sure to make any reader question what it means to live a good life. There are no easy answers. It also brings up questions of how parents can possibly make a difficult decision on behalf of a child who is too young to understand what is happening or to speak on behalf of their own future (and too sick to be aware). It is a question that will make readers think about what it might be like to be in those characters’ shoes, and what parents and doctors must unfortunately go through all the time when faced with similar circumstances.

This is a heartbreaking, heavy story. It is also told with great sensitivity and respect for the experiences of families that must go through the sort of experience that Pip, Max and Dylan went through. It is not a book to be picked up if you are looking for a light and easy read. It may also not be an easy book for parents of young children to read, in particular. However, it is truly insightful and heartfelt story about a heart-rending and incredibly tough situation. Clare Mackintosh presents the different perspectives well and keeps readers invested in knowing the outcome of her characters’ stories.

After The End is available from Amazon, Book Depository, and other good book retailers.

Will you be picking up After The End? Tell us in the comments below!

Synopsis | Goodreads

Max and Pip are the strongest couple you know. They’re best friends, lovers—unshakable. But then their son gets sick and the doctors put the question of his survival into their hands. For the first time, Max and Pip can’t agree. They each want a different future for their son.

What if they could have both?

A gripping and propulsive exploration of love, marriage, parenthood, and the road not taken, After the End brings one unforgettable family from unimaginable loss to a surprising, satisfying, and redemptive ending and the life they are fated to find. With the emotional power of Jodi Picoult’s My Sister’s Keeper, Mackintosh helps us to see that sometimes the end is just another beginning.

The post Review: After The End by Clare Mackintosh appeared first on The Nerd Daily.

Read on to discover our June fiction picks and tell us in the comments below if you will be checking any of them out!

The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

A dazzling, multigenerational novel in which the four adult daughters of a Chicago couple–still madly in love after forty years–recklessly ignite old rivalries until a long-buried secret threatens to shatter the lives they’ve built.

Thin Air by Lisa Gray
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Private investigator Jessica Shaw is used to getting anonymous tips. But after receiving a photo of a three-year-old kidnapped from Los Angeles twenty-five years ago, Jessica is stunned to recognise the little girl as herself…

The Daughters of Temperance Hobbs by Katherine Howe
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

New York Times bestselling author Katherine Howe returns to the world of The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane with a bewitching story of a New England history professor who must race against time to free her family from a curse.

We Never Told by Diana Altman
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

Set in an era when unwed mothers were shamed and pressured into giving their newborns away, We Never Told is a slice of America when the Hollywood lifestyle was at its height. That era still haunts us today, because those babies did not disappear; they grew up and went searching. Sonya is determined to unearth her glamorous mother’s secret, but when she finally does, she discovers something much worse than those around her ever could have imagined.

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda
Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

From the acclaimed New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls, a suspenseful new novel about an idyllic town in Maine dealing with the suspicious death of one of their own—and her best “summer” friend, who is trying to uncover the truth…before fingers point her way.

Mrs. Everything by Jennifer Weiner
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A smart, thoughtful, and timely exploration of two sisters’ lives from the 1950s to the present as they struggle to find their places—and be true to themselves—in a rapidly evolving world. Mrs. Everything is an ambitious, richly textured journey through history—and herstory—as these two sisters navigate a changing America over the course of their lives.

After The End by Clare Mackintosh
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From New York Times bestselling author Clare Mackintosh, a deeply moving and page-turning novel about an impossible choice—and the two paths fate could take.

Searching For Sylvie Lee by Jean Kwok
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A poignant and suspenseful drama that untangles the complicated ties binding three women—two sisters and their mother—in one Chinese immigrant family and explores what happens when the eldest daughter disappears, and a series of family secrets emerge, from the New York Times bestselling author of Girl in Translation.

Summer of ’69 by Elin Hilderbrand
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Follow New York Times bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand back in time and join a Nantucket family as they experience the drama, intrigue, and upheaval of a 1960s summer.

The Perfect Plan by Bryan Reardon
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From New York Times bestselling author Bryan Reardon comes a tense, twisting story about two brothers locked together in a dangerous game–and an unforgettable tale of a family’s dark secrets.

The Summer Country by Lauren Willig
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The New York Times bestselling historical novelist delivers her biggest, boldest, and most ambitious novel yet—a sweeping, dramatic Victorian epic of lost love, lies, jealousy, and rebellion set in colonial Barbados.

Valencia and Valentine by Suzy Krause
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For readers of Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine, debut author Suzy Krause delivers a quirky, colourful story about love, loss, second chances, and what it means to truly live.

Will you be reading any of these books? Tell us in the comments below!

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