This is another great thriller!

Veronica is an unreliable narrator, which makes her story all the more compelling. It's difficult to tell when she's telling the truth. Fairly early on, I could tell that things weren't adding up, but I couldn't be sure if I was wrong. There were also hints of someone else playing tricks on her, but it wasn't clear who it was until the end. 

I had figured out everything by the end but it was still an exciting story. Even though I could predict things that needed to be told at the end, I didn't know how they would come out. (I don't want to give spoliers but if you read the book, you'll know what I'm referring to.)

There were clever hints as to what was happening to Veronica. There is one particular flashback to Grace that I really liked. 

I enjoyed this story. I recommend it if you want to read a psychological thriller!

The Accident is the story of a perfect suburban family that is torn apart and destroyed by the death of their daughter in a car accident. Months after her death, Veronica and Tom are still trying to come to terms with their loss and are drifting further and further apart. Veronica has cut herself off from all of her old friends and has basically become a recluse. There's finally a glimmer of hope for Veronica that life can get better when she bumps into Scarlet and their friendship quickly blossoms. Scarlet encourages Veronica to stop locking herself in the house all the time and to get back outside and live again.

Shortly after meeting Scarlet, Veronica begins noticing things around her house that remind her of her daughter, Grace, things that have been put away and the memories all come flooding back. As her daughter's 10th birthday approaches weirder things happen and Veronica spends more and more time with Scarlet out drinking and becomes more and more reckless. She begins to question if the friendship is really good for her and begins to wonder if Scarlet is responsible for the odd reminders of Grace that keep popping up.

I found The Accident to be a quick and enjoyable read with an interesting ending. I originally felt that there should have been more backstory to Grace's accident earlier in the plot as the accident is already disclosed in the summary of the book. The story line kind of skirts around this leaving the reader questioning what happened throughout the book (if you hadn't read the summary) but as I got closer to the end, I began to understand why Ms. Goodwin chose to do this which I won't disclose due to potential spoilers. Just be warned you might find yourself screaming "tell me more" in the beginning!

I enjoyed that the author navigated between narrators in order to give a more rounded story and did not find this method was confusing at all. Most of the chapters are told from Veronica's point of view but a few are slipped in from the point of view of Tom, Grace and a few others. I felt this just added to the book and gave more depth to the chapter, basically a story-within-a-story.

Upon finishing the book, I found myself wishing that there was another chapter or even a sequel. I found myself so absorbed in the characters, that I wanted there to be a continuation so I could see how they proceed with their lives. Again, I won't go into detail as I'm trying to keep this review spoiler-free, but the book does leave you hanging a little bit.

I felt like I was going to die of boredom reading this

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

Veronica is in the depths of despair. Her daughter Grace has been killed in a tragic accident and her marriage is in tatters. She has nothing in common with her friends anymore but then meets Scarlett, an unpredictable and adventurous woman who brings colour and joy back into Veronica's life.

This book was an ok read, I realized immediately what the twist was and therefore my enjoyment of this book was spoiled. Although well written most of the characters were pretty unlikeable and the plot was predictable.

I also don't understand why books are compared to other books when they are nothing alike.

If you want to know what the definition of grief and pure evil are, you MUST read this book. The Accident is a thought provoking roller coaster ride. I think that I went through every emotion reading this book. All the characteristics of a great thriller. I hope to read more from this author.

A fantastic debut novel from this new author Dawn Goodwin.

What an engrossing story a great psychological thriller that gripped me from beginning to end.
The characters were totally believable, well rounded.

Veronica has a good settled life, wants for nothing, good husband. Daughter, Grace.

But when something happens to Grace, Veronica's life tips upside down, she can't cope and is suffering from clinical depression for sure. As time goes on we realise that its affected her in many ways, many unusual ways that made me question her sanity, but then again I could see that this was a woman holding onto what she knew, the life with Grace was easier to keep hold of than life without Grace which she couldn't accept.

This leaves her marriage in a crisis. She hardly ever ventures outside the home.

Then once she meets a woman named Scarlet they become quite close. They say that 'opposites attract' and this is surely the case with Veronica and Scarlet.

Pre the loss of Grace a neighbour across the road was her buddy, but now Veronica has reason to not need this other friend, we see why as time unfolds.

Scarlet
Is she a good influence on Veronica or not.
I'll leave you to make your mind up about that.
It certainly changes things.

The ending was fab, a totally superb easy to engage in, read. Highly recommended.

My thanks to aria for my copy from Net Galley

Wow, what a wild ride with Dawn Goodwin’s new release, The Accident. Veronica has lost her daughter in a horrible car accident, resulting in Veronica becoming more and more withdrawn from life, until she meets Scarlet. Veronica’s husband Tom has tried to reach her and pull her from her shell, to no avail, but suddenly starts seeing a new side of Veronica after she meets Scarlet. Then there is their oldest friends, Felicity and Ian, neighbors across the street. To outsiders, Felicity seems to be a concerned friend, but is she really?

The first thing that comes to mind after reading this novel is, “never trust a woman, regardless of what sort of friend you consider her to be.” I hate saying something like that, but oh my God, Felicity was Satan on earth!

The Accident had so many realistic themes including the loss of a child, rediscovering yourself, adultery, and the realization of who people really are – when no one else is watching and judging. If you or someone you know often say that they have more male friends than female friends – this novel is why they feel that way!!! And if you are just an innocent female that reads this novel, it will truly remind you to be a better friend.

Not wanting to give spoilers, I cannot say that the main issue with Veronica was a surprise to me. I think I picked up on it very early, but I still felt compelled to read on and discover what happened with the rest of the endless drama with Veronica, Scarlet, Tom, and Felicity. This novel serves as a sad reminder what damage can be incurred following the loss of a child (not only to an individual person, but also their relationships), but also served as a reminder of the damage that results from infidelity and dishonesty.

The Accident is not an uplifting novel that will make you want to go skipping through a field of daisies, however, you will be instantly reeled in by the suspense.

*Thanks to Netgalley and Aria for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Veronica and her husband are still reeling over the loss of their daughter, who was hit by a drunk driver. Tom is going to therapy and trying to cope, but Veronica refuses to even mention the accident , and still acts as if Grace were alive. Then Veronica makes a new friend. Scarlet helps bring Veronica out of her protective shell, but at the same time makes her do things she would never have done otherwise. To add another twist, someone is intent on driving Veronica insane. They are leaving mementos of Grace in unexpected places, hoping to cause a breakdown.
I can not say enough good things about this book. I could not put it down. The storyline is captivating, and you won't want to put it down until the very last page. This is definitely a must-read!

Veronica has tragically lost a child. As often follows, she and her husband are growing apart in their grief. Veronica has come to the realization that her "friends' are mostly superficial. As she tries to cope with her grief and regain her self, she encounters a new friend, but to what cost?
I thoroughly enjoyed this debut from Dawn Goodwin. I was really impressed by the pacing of the book, and her technique of using flashbacks and different viewpoints every once in awhile, it added to the suspense. The characters are quite layered and real, I appreciated the portrayal of their honest emotions.
The Accident is a very strong and solid novel, the twists and turns are only lightly telegraphed, and sometimes only recognized bt a re-read.
Well done, I would definitely read more from Dawn Goodwin..

How twisted can a mind be? How much is a friendship worth? Can you trust what you know, see, believe in? Veronica struggles with her life and her relationship to her husband Tom, after the death of her daughter Grace. She feels like loosing her mind, when one day she makes the acquaintance of Scarlet. They become friends quickly and for a while it seems to do her a lot of good to have Scarlet around, but things get out of hand and Veronica doesn’t know who to trust anymore.
There where a lot of feelings bubbling up inside me, while reading this book. I felt sad and I tried to grasp the feeling of loosing a child. I was ambiguous to Scarlet, didn’t know if she was a good friend or someone it was better staying away from. My heart went out to Tom, all alone in his grieve and anxiety about his wife - at first. Then I wanted to slap him. Well and then there is Felicity, the so called best friend. I pity her, but the hate is so much bigger than the pity could ever be.
Well written story about coming to terms with loss, the importance of talking to each other and not to trust lightly. I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thanks to NetGalley and Aria!

Veronica Pullman suffers from severe depression after her daughter Grace is killed in a tragic accident. She shuts herself from her friends and her marriage is on the verge of collapse. One day on her way back home she makes a new friend Scarlet. Scarlet is completely different from Veronica , fun loving and outgoing with care a damn attitude. Scarlet though ends up being a bad influence on Veronica getting drunk at odd hours , shoplifting etc. Veronica’s husband and her close friends start getting worried seeing these changes in her. But when strange occurrences start happening in Veronica’s life she starts fearing her sanity or is there something sinister in play ?

I felt The Accident by Dawn Goodwin is an excellent , debut psychological thriller with an unexpected ending . An engaging read that kept me turning the pages till the end

Many thanks to Aria & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

A nightmare for any couple. A tragic accident tears a young family apart. A loss of a child in such circumstances rends this family apart and does not bring them any closer. Months go by and the situation does not seem to improve at all. The mother seems to revert to a state of not acknowledging the absence of her child and the father tries to reach out to her and at the same time, has no support for his own overwhelming sorrow.

Enter a new friend who supports the mother, brings her out of her shell and forces her to live again.
It may not be the ideal way to go about things and old friends are shut out firmly, mainly because they remind her too much of the past. As the days go by Veronica seems to drift deeper and deeper into a morass of her own mind which seems to make sense only to her. You wonder where it is all going to end and you also know its not going to be good.

The ending of course is with a twist in the tale. It is that which supports the whole story.

It was a sad story, very emotional, very good characterization.

Goodreads and Amazon reviews posted on 2/10/2017. Reviews on my blog 15/10/2017. Also linked to my FB page.

EXCERPT: 'Seeing her like that was a bit of a shock. Her dark hair was lank and scraped back in a messy ponytail - not the charmingly messy kind; rather, the kind that looks like you slept in it. The circles under her eyes made her look haunted and her skin had the grey tone of someone who has been indoors too long.
Not so perfect now, are we? '

THE BLURB: A tragic accident, an unbearable loss and a marriage in crisis – but who can she trust or is she all alone? A gripping, debut psychological thriller that will keep you hooked. Perfect for the fans of Paula Hawkins and S.J. Watson.

Veronica Pullman's comfortable suburban life comes to a shuddering halt when her young daughter, Grace, tragically dies in a car accident.

Months later, unable to come to terms with her daughter's death, detached from her husband and alienated from her friends and family, a chance encounter on a rainy street pushes her into an unlikely new friendship.

Scarlet is everything Veronica could've been: feisty, adventurous, unpredictable. But as she approaches what would have been Grace's 10th birthday, it becomes clear to Veronica that the friendship she thought was saving her life could be costing her everything.

Consumed by grief and left questioning her own sanity, is there anyone she can really trust or is someone out to torment her as part of their twisted game?

MY THOUGHTS: I have lain awake half the night thinking about The Accident, a debut novel by Dawn Goodwin. It made me think about friends, and the mostly random way we become them. We have different friends for different periods of our lives. There are our school friends, some of these we keep for life, others drop to the wayside as we, or they, move on. Our workmates, usually fleeting relationships that change with our jobs. The friends we make as mothers, our children encouraged to bond. And our neighbours, who sometimes also fit into one or more of the categories above.

If we are really lucky, we have one incredible friend. A friend that, if you don't see her for months, it doesn't matter, because you just pick up where you left off and it is like you have never been apart. Veronica Pullman doesn't have a friend like that. She has a group of acquaintances, other mothers who meet for coffee and who vie to be the thinnest, have the newest kitchen, the fanciest SUV, the brightest most talented children.

When Veronica's life falls apart following the accident, although her friends make the right noises and
numerous casseroles, they are all secretly glad that it didn't happen to them. Tom, her husband, is coping with his grief in his own way and has his work to sustain him. Only Veronica is isolated in her grief, which leaves her vulnerable.

You will recognize a lot of Goodwin's characters. You've probably had one or two of them in your life. You may even have been, or be, one.

Dawn Goodwin has written an excellent first novel. It is like a slow burning fuse; the explosion at the end, devastating. This is an author whose career I will be following with great interest.

Thank you to Aria via Netgalley for providing a digital copy of The Accident by Dawn Goodwin for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own. Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com and my Goodreads.com page https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2133954329

This is a well written book and overall a good read, although, I did find it to be predictable and guessed the outcome very early on. Not much else to add. A heartbreaking topic and a mother doing what she needs to do to cope.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Aria fiction for the opportunity to preview.

I enjoyed this book but had worked out what was going on with the characters early on, so it was a case of reading until the end to see if I'd guessed correctly! And I had!
The story is something different and I liked the characters Veronica and Tom, but Felicity made my blood boil!
I can't say too much about the story as I don't want to spoil it for you but I will say that this is a gripping read and one that moves at a very fast pace.
I would recommend this book if you like thrillers that centre around family life.
Thanks to NetGalley and Aria publishers for sending me an advance copy of the book.

Really enjoyed this book. I did figure it out early on in the book....but it was still very well written!!!!
Excellent read!!!!

Loved the book. It was well written. Great plot. it was well thought out and very well put together. Good characters

WOW! I am sat on my sunbed a complete tearful wreck after reading this book. I am completely speechless, I loved it. This is Dawn Goodwin's debut psychological thriller and for new an absolute winner. The story centres around Veronica, who lost her only child when she was run down by a car and she cannot come to terms with her loss. She isolates herself and withdraws from everyone, including her husband Tom and their university friends and neighbours Felicity and Ian. Then one day Veronica meets a new friend, Scarlet who changes her life drastically. Before long Veronica is spiralling out of control, encouraged by Scarlet and all hidden secrets come to life. I found myself going through Veronica's pain, guessed one of the little twists but thought that Dawn has written a fantastic debut novel. Definitely one to read and I look forward to her next one. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read and review this book. Wish I could give it 10 stars!

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. THE ACCIDENT is the debut psychological thriller by author Dawn Goodwin. This is an excellent well-written novel with engaging characters. I was totally engrossed in this novel from beginning to end…wanting to know how it would end. I loved this book. Highly recommend

I was initially drawn to this book by its cover. Extinguished birthday candles is a pretty powerful image when you know that the story is about the death of a young child. One of the most poignant scenes in the book is watching Veronica bake a birthday cake for her daughter's 10th birthday, who is no longer there to celebrate. This does not stop Veronica from baking and decorating the most elaborate birthday cake imaginable. The story of life after the loss of a child is told mainly through Veronica's eyes but we sometimes hear from her neighbour and oldest friend, Felicity as well as an additional 'nameless' character, who's identify isn't revealed until the end. We also know that Veronica still does the 'school run' every day and this is where she meets her new friend, Scarlett.
“I closed the door on the world and leant against it, letting my cocoon of safety fold against me. I wanted to feel tears prick my eyes, but there was nothing. Life goes on around you with its villains and superheroes.”
Her friends are more villains than superheroes and I would not choose to have Veronica's friends as my friends, that's for sure! They don't seem to know how to be around her anymore and as her isolation from the group continues to close in on her more and more, their cruelty becomes more apparent. Into this mix comes her new friend, the wild Scarlett who brings out the side of 'Ron' that chooses not to acknowledge that her daughter has gone.
It sounds as if the book should be depressing and sad, and of course it is, but it is more about friendships, trust and how people can be so cruel to each other whether intentionally or not.
This is grief at its most raw and you watch helplessly as the partnership with her husband unravel after each toxic encounter with her 'friends'. We only hear the story in Tom's voice once or twice and his anguish and despair is tangible. The there's the evil 'nameless' narrator who physically gave me the chills.
There is one big 'twist' in this book but it was so obvious what it was from very early on in the piece that I'm wondering if that was the author's intention or not? If it was a deliberate 'reveal' in the early stages of the story, I think the greater twist then becomes in casually observing how the various players in the book play along with the 'twist' without realising what it is. As the reader, knowing the 'twist' enables you to better empathise with the main character and on reflection I do think this was the author's intention.
Thank you to Net Galley for approving my request to read this book. It will be released as an Ebook on Oct 1, 2017. If you like dark, suspense thrillers then I encourage you to download this one when available.