Lying in Wait by Liz Nugent Book Review
I usually wait a bit before writing a book review so my mind can settle in. But, I cannot wait to talk to someone about Lying In Wait by Liz Nugent! What a crazy, dark, tense ride!

Many Twists, Dark & Intriguing
No spoilers here because the first line of the book is, "My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it." Readers already know we are dealing with a murder. We know how they did it, but we aren't really sure why. And check out the title, Lying In Wait, that means danger is lurking around the corner. Well, my friend, you have no idea!

These characters though. My heart aches a bit for the son Laurence. His dad has money problems, but his mother definitely has bigger issues. I mean she doesn't even leave the house & she's super controlling. Laurence is overweight, a bit lonely, but smarter than we initially realize. At the same time, Liz gives us a look into Annie Doyle's family.

Raw, Unlikable Characters
Lying In Wait introduces readers to some unsavory characters, but you know what, it totally matches the storyline. I don't have to love the characters to be Into a story, I just need to feel a certain way about them. Liz makes sure to give us plenty of dirt on each character, so the reader may form his or her own opinion.

THE VERDICT
I am Really Into This book. While it's a bit darker than my standard thriller fare, it's a wild one. I think it will make a great movie or miniseries, so someone needs to get on that pronto!

Special thanks to Liz Nugent, Gallery Books & NetGalley for providing our copy in exchange for an honest & fair review.

This complex, creepy and downright disturbing book had me from the first line, "My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it." Lydia appears to be a loving mother and wife that prefers the company of her husband, Andrew, and son, Lawrence, and their stately home, Avalon, above all else. Lurking under the surface, however, Lydia is crazy! This novel is a psychological thriller that will not disappoint!

Wow, what a crazy story! The murder is announced in the first sentence: "My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it." The speaker is Lydia, the wife of Andrew, a respected judge in Dublin. She is not exactly a reliable narrator; in fact, she is most likely a psychopath.

But thankfully, there are two other first-person narrators who help flesh out this tale with some sanity: Laurence, Lydia and Andrew's sixteen-year-old son; and Karen, Annie Doyle's sister. Laurence is aware that his parents are lying about their whereabouts on the night the girl went missing--Karen is desperately trying to figure out what has happened to her sister.

I really enjoyed Nugent's writing style in this thriller. Even though the reader knows whodunit right from the start, there are layers to this story that make for compulsive reading--perfect for your summer reading list! Highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for providing me with an arc for an honest review.

Liz Nugent is one of those rare authors willing to take true risks with her writing. In terms of structure, themes, and character depth, Nugent defiantly refuses to adhere to long-held crime fiction conventions. Her debut novel, Unraveling Oliver, made an instant splash with its UK release and proceeded to experience a slow boil as other locations discovered the book’s unparalleled uniqueness. By the time her new book appeared, it was clear that many fans the world over would be rushing to get their hands on Lying in Wait. They will not be disappointed.

Lying in Wait begins with Lydia Fitzsimons conspiring with her husband on a secret meeting that ends in the death of a young woman named Annie Doyle. By the end of the first chapter, Annie is buried in the garden behind the family estate.

The rest of the novel covers 36 years in the convoluted journey of this Irish family. Readers are given three points of view: Lydia, Laurence (Lydia’s son), and Karen (Annie’s sister). There are a number of other characters who play key roles in the development of this novel’s plot, but the reader’s only access to them is through the lens of the three leads. As the police, relatives, and their own guilt begin to close in on the Fitzsimons, this insular family must make some very difficult choices or risk having their secrets exposed.

Plot-wise, Lying in Wait is so elegantly structured that really to say much more would risk spoilers. The narratives of each of the main characters reflect upon the others in beautifully enlightening ways, weaving through each other’s testaments, exposing the speaker to the reader in subtle, by significant ways, and yet obscuring the most pertinent details until that precise moment when maximum impact can be achieved.

It is probably Laurence who elicits the most sympathetic response from readers. His choices are the ones that readers will most easily identify with – albeit, knowing that he is making mistakes along his journey. Watching him gain confidence and self-worth as he overcomes unhealthy eating habits and his obesity make him relatable in all his flawed glory. As the “outsider,” Karen’s viewpoint allows readers a glimpse into the family dynamic that those intimately involved are unable to see. All that said, Lydia is likely the character readers will remember the most by the dramatic conclusion of this novel. To put it mildly, she is a piece of work.

Suffice to say, all three points of view are needed to work this word magic. One loose thread in any of their tales and this house of cards would crumble. Liz Nugent’s talent is such that she makes this look so easy, when in fact later rumination reveals many deliberate choices that enhanced the overall enjoyment of Lying in Wait.

This is a very Irish tale, almost fairy tale in nature, assuming that one likes their fairies warped and their tales dark. Some readers may be put off by the overwhelming unhappiness on display throughout the novel, but Liz Nugent knows what she is doing. Even the main setting – the family estate known as Avalon – comes alive and vacillates between feeling like “home sweet home” and a menacing entity in which every crevice holds a secret.

All of this is in service to the winning plot. Lying in Wait is one of those books where plot and character merge so successfully that it would be impossible to imagine one without the other. Prepare to dig in, you never know what you will find buried within.

From the very beginning, you know "whodunnit", but you don't know why and you don't know if they will be found out. The story unravels through multiple perspectives and you won't want to put this one down! Be cautious of reading alone at night; this story is eerie and Lydia's actions will leave you shook.

I really enjoyed Unraveling Oliver and was excited to see that Liz Nugent had written another book. I'm an avid reader and though I have had the pleasure to read many, many excellent books, only a few opening sentences have stayed with me year after year. Lying in Wait opens with, “My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it.”( rather a memorable opening line, I must say). To say this sentence was intriguing may be an understatement since I was fairly confident that this book would be hard to put down(and indeed it was). I wasn't disappointed and the Fitzsimons(Lydia, Andrew, and Laurence) seem to be a perfect blend of respectability on the outside, however, as is often the case, looks can be deceiving.
Andrew, Lydia's husband quickly falls apart after Annie's murder. Laurence knows more than his parents imagine, and Lydia, ah Lydia is determined to bury this 'unpleasant incident' and resume her everyday life. That may be easier said than done, since the best way I can describe Lydia is creepy with definite mental health and control issues. As the story unfolds, many layers of the characters are exposed, until ultimately, all is revealed. It is a dark and twisty tale and the ending was not at all what I expected.
This was a fast-paced, page flipping read where I just wanted to know what would happen next. Multiple points of view, well-written characters and what a plot. I would recommend Lying in Wait to anyone who enjoys this type of dark, disturbing mystery.
Thank you, Liz Nugent, Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books and NetGalley for the DRC. I hope to read more books by this author in the future.

Lying in Wait has one of the most brilliant opening lines that I've come across and a cover that practically screams, "Read Me!" The first chapter lives up to that, hinting at a growing tension as this family covers up a heinous act. However, after that first chapter the story slows down considerably while we learn about a sociopathic matriarch who will go to any length to have things her way and the family she controls through manipulation and lies.

The storyline, while not exactly original, is interesting - deeply dark and twisted, but interesting in and of itself. There's no real mystery here, as such, since we're told the who, what, and when from the beginning. The only suspense is the actual why, which the author does eventually get around to, and when and how it will all be revealed. The latter takes us on a disturbing, albeit rather circuitous, journey of deceit, greed, and manipulation. The pacing does pick up in the last third or so of the book, but it did feel like it took a considerable amount of time getting there.

Even with the pacing, my biggest issue lay with the characters. With the multiple points of view in this one, I would've expected at least one stand out character, somebody to empathize with and possibly even root for, but there's not a likable person in the bunch. We have the self-entitled Lydia, who is nothing short of devious in her manipulations of those around her, including her only child, Laurence, who doesn't have enough backbone to break free from his mother's iron grip. No matter how many birthdays we see Laurence through, his inner musings never progress beyond juvenile and so much emphasis is put on his weight that it becomes his only distinctive characteristic. Then we have Karen, who is wishy-washy to the extreme. One minute she's utterly consumed by the need for answers about Annie's disappearance and the next, she's in no hurry. Throw in a couple of Laurence's girlfriends - one a user and the other practically a doormat - and the only character I found any real sympathy for was Karen and Annie's father, who is so far on the periphery that we never really get to know him. Even our victim doesn't inspire much in the way of compassion once everything is revealed. Unlikable characters in this type of story is to be expected and many times, the flawed characters stand out, but it just didn't work for me here. Everybody has an agenda and eventually, Annie's murder became more excuse than reason for their actions.

I really think this is one of those stories that either works for a reader or it doesn't and while, I didn't hate it, I certainly didn't enjoy it as much as I'd hoped.

In Two Sentences:
To everyone else the Fitzsimons are the perfect family, but when their son learns the secret life as they know it comes crashing down. As lives intertwine the plot thickens.

My Thoughts:
I read Unraveling Oliver earlier this year and it took me a while to get into. By the end I loved it and wanted something else by her. And there was NetGalley to the rescue.

Liz Nugent is unlike any other thriller author I've read before. You go into this story knowing exactly what happens and who did what. And then the story begins. You start to understand why and get to know the family members and how their stories intertwine.

If you are expecting an edge-of-your-seat, jump-scare, keep you up at night thriller Lying in Wait is not it. They will keep you wondering what will unfold but it is nothing like Stephen King, Gillian Flynn or B.A. Paris.

Nugent excels at character-based thrillers. You get to see these characters grow up throughout the years and change. You know how they will react and then life changes, just like real life.

Told in alternating views, this was actually very easy to follow. Whereas some novels with multiple viewpoints are confusing because all of them have the same writing style or repetitive, Lying in Wait was none of these.

Then there was the ending. That ending was everything. I didn't see it coming and even looking back there isn't anything that leads up to it. It's such an amazing surprise ending.

If you haven't read anything by Liz Nugent I would say start with this one and go in expecting a character-based thriller with plenty of plot.

Perhaps it’s Nuget’s niche, as I felt the same about Unraveling Oliver, but I cannot connect with the primary characters. I get the angle of the unlikable narrator and the writing itself is quite good, but the story line drags and I find myself not invested in the outcome.

What I Liked

Liz Nugent is well on her way to becoming one of my favorite authors. Not only did I love Unraveling Oliver, I also think she did an amazing job while writing Lying in Wait. In this novel I felt that I was utterly shocked and surprised throughout, even with knowing who killed Ammie Doyle right from the description. I would never have thought it was possible, but Nugent has pulled it off. 

I was so engaged in this novel I read the last 75% without pulling it down. I needed to know what would happen next. I think a main part of this was due to the fact that the story she has woven has so many aspects. When you think there is just one thing happening, there turns out to be so much more. She ties that characters and their together so well, so much more than I would have originally thought. Seeing this and the plot progress in such a suspenseful manner really kept me engaged. 

Nugent uses multiple points of views to tell her story. I thought that was a very wise choice and it was executed very well. At first I was confused by the amount of voices and I could not really see how they were related, but soon enough it was made clear. Once these were firmly established and the plot "took off" each point of view distinct and added something essential to the story.

Another thing I really loved about this was the fact that the "monster" is so much more than I originally thought. But, I wont say anymore because I don't want to spoil anything. 

What I Didn’t Like

One thing I noticed and mentioned earlier was that this novel is told in many different perspectives. This was also done in her novel Unraveling Oliver, which I loved, but for some reason I found to have a bit more difficulty. But, as soon as the novel truly got going each voice was distinct and was no longer an issue. 

Overall Thoughts

Overall, I think this is a great thriller. It kept my on the edge of my seat to the point I binged on the last 75% of this book. The writing was done very well, the use of multiple perspectives was spot on and the overall plot was great. If you like thrillers or think you want to try a thriller out, I would highly suggest Lying in Wait. 

* I received this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

4 Out Of 5 "she takes bad mommy to a whole new level" STARS

What do they say about that bond between Mothers and their Sons? Well, whatever it is that they say…this mommy takes it way too far. Kind of like Norma Bates in Psycho.

The writing or the flow was superb and this was compelling readable even though there were a few things I found lacking in it. I wanted a bigger reveal about with what was really going on. It was somewhat anti-climatic. Plus the characters were so glum and the atmosphere and the era was a touch depressing. The ending…I'm not even sure how I felt about that ending. I guess it fits with the story…crazy.

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~MY RATING~
☆4☆STARS - GRADE=B+
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~BREAKDOWN OF RATINGS~
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Plot~ 3.8/5
Main Characters~ 4/5
Secondary Characters~ 4/5
The Feels~ 4/5
Pacing~ 3.8/5
Addictiveness~ 5/5
Theme or Tone~ 3/5
Flow (Writing Style)~ 5/5
Backdrop (World Building)~ 4.3/5
Originality~ 5/5
Ending~ 3.8/5
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Book Cover~ It's Okay
Publisher~ Gallery, Threshold, Pocket Books Gallery/Scout Press
Setting~ Ireland
Source~ I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
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Many thanks to NetGalley, Gallery/Scout Press, and Liz Nugent for the opportunity to read her new book. I was a big fan of Unraveling Oliver and this book will not disappoint - crazy good!

Lydia is married to Andrew, a judge, is mom to Laurence, and they live together at Avalon, her family home in Dublin. The book opens with Lydia stating that her husband killed Annie Doyle but he didn't mean it. The book is told in the voices of Lydia, Laurence, and Karen, who is Annie's sister.

There is so much here - obsessive love, mental illness, grief, guilt - all wrapped up in a well-written story that you won't be able to put down complete with some crazy twists. Highly recommended - loved it!

In Lying in Wait, author Liz Nugent takes sociopathy to a whole new, nightmare-inducing level. The story begins with the murder of a young woman and an explanation about that event: "My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it." Readers are introduced to Lydia Fitzsimons and her husband, a respected judge, parents to Laurence, a socially awkward, overweight boy. They reside in her beautiful family estate in Dublin and appear to have an idyllic life. However, Lydia’s son, Laurence, discovers a part of the secret Lydia and her husband, Andrew, have been keeping. And Lydia simply cannot have her plans derailed. She will do anything to achieve the goals she has set for herself and her son. Anything. Laurence is devoted to his mother and unable to break away from her psychological grip, often because of her histrionics and manipulations that he blindly fails to recognize. As he unwittingly furthers Lydia's diabolical schemes, he is pulled deeper and deeper into her twisted plot and unable to extricate himself. The action is nonstop, and Nugent throws in surprising plot twists that readers will not see coming, leading to a jaw-dropping, devastating conclusion that will shock even the most savvy readers of psychological thrillers.

Lying in Wait was a fine psychological drama, but for me, the intensity never really took off. It's a story of what happened to a family that spent years covering up a crime, and the toll that took on them, on their relationships, their finances, and every other part of their lives. The main sense of tension came from the way the truth always hung over them and threatened them. It's more interesting as a family story than a thriller, and what is revealed about Lydia throughout the story makes her much more interesting than she seems at first. The book is perhaps saved by an ending that I really did not see coming, and it's worth the trip to get there.

I don’t know where to start with this book.

On one hand, it’s like a giant train wreck you can’t look away from. On the other, I flat out HATED every single character. Which is fine, character flaws and all that, but this.. this was just something else.

A helicopter mom times ten. With.... issues. Issues so big nothing is going to help all that crazy.

I strongly disliked her son for putting up with it. He was nothing but a big baby. An enabler. They all were! Time to cut the cord already!

There is murder, lies, over eating issues, straight up psychotic psychological stuff.

A girl is looking for her sister, thinking she’s somewhere that she can find with no help of the police. She made the dumbest comments. Frantic to find her one minute and ‘ohh she can wait’ the next.

A lot goes on. Twists, turns, more lies.

Loved the plot, the story, the execution of it all.

Only downfall for me is the characters. Which resulted in the three star rating.

There is one thing I have noticed about female Irish mystery writers, they can write some creepy characters. This book features one of the creepiest characters I have encountered. The person almost made my stomach turn. I don't want to give it away but be warned. It's someone you'll love to be disgusted by.

Andrew and Lydia are a respected upper middle class couple. He is a judge and she has inherited an estate in Dublin that takes people's breath's away. They have one child, Laurence, and live an admirable life until Andrew invests his money with the wrong person. Things start falling apart.

There is an unfortunate incident that leads to a dead body being buried in their back yard. Andrew starts falling apart. Their son eats his way into obesity until he meets a rather crude girl. Life starts to get more and more complex and as a reader you keep turning the pages because you can't wait to find out what is going to happen next.

Laurence's efforts to live a normal life are touching and he is someone you can root for. He has several girlfriends, loses weight and gets a job at the Unemployment Office. He is trying so hard if only a parent will loosen their death grip on him. /does he have a chance?

This is a very compelling read that will keep you guessing. The characters are well drawn and keep you guessing. The plot is quite interesting. I recommend this book.

Thanks to Net Galley for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair review.

"It is a terrible, terrible thing to live with, this knowledge of a murder-and the evidence right here-but now it is too late for us to do anything. It is five years since I discovered it. Since it can be established that I am the person who paved it and put the birdbath on top, I am now implicated in the cover-up.".....

A murder by someone the police would least suspect. Told from two sides. The family of the dead girl, a girl with a questionable history of drug abuse and possibly prostitution. The other side, a well to do family, consisting of a judge, his wife, and son.

When this young girl is murdered, Lydia, the judges wife, feels she deserved it. Their son, Laurence, slowly pieces together his parents secret. A shocking tale of blind love and loyalty. What happens when the truth unravels before his eyes?

An innocent family torn to shreds. Will there ever be justice for the dead girl, Annie Doyle? I was so engrossed by this tale. Unusual story line, well written. Full of twists and page turning surprises. An ending you’d least expect.

Thank you Liz Nugent, Netgalley, and Gallery Scout Press

Wow! This book had me from beginning to end. I just had to know what was going to happen. The character development was great and I felt that I really knew and understood all of the many narrators without it becoming confusing. The writing style was clear and concise. The plot was well thought out and executed and very logical.

I loved how, in the beginning, I thought I knew what was going on, only to have a layer pealed back to see the truth. That happened constantly throughout the book. Not exactly a plot twist but an approached and revealing truths that was very intriguing.

Once I finished this book I was just speechless and thankful that I am not friends with this author because she scares me. I am also thankful that this is a work of fiction because these characters are so messed up and but the fact that this could really happen just makes me cringe. Not many books can do that so, bravo!

The author, Liz Nugent, sets the mood in the beginning of the book with eerie imagery that made me think of some of Hitchcock’s works. From the first scene, I was sucked in by the very talented author, and left reading as quickly as I could to find out why the wife, Lydia, would help her husband kill someone she called “a lying tramp”.

The characterization is excellent. The author peels away layers and shows what each person is really made of. The book is told using the point of view of the main characters; I like when authors do that because it gives a broader glimpse of what is going on and how each person sees things and feels about what has happened. There are a lot of dysfunctional people in this book. Some I felt sorry for while others had surely brought the problems they were involved in on themselves, and then made them worse by their choices and actions.

I enjoyed this story and feel it was worth 5 stars.

Lying in Wait follows three different POVs.

Lydia, who’s husband, Andrew, (along with a little “help” from herself) murdered Annie in the opening scene(s) of the novel. Lydia has a whole multitude of psychological issues going on, including a very much jacked-up childhood history. She is one of those conniving, manipulative women that I really found myself loathing.

Laurence is Lydia’s son who is also struggling from some mental health issues of his own unfortunately was born into a home where I don’t believe he is going to get the appropriate help for those issues. Laurence is a little odd, very much controlled by his mother, but is over-all a pretty decent human being who is being faced with some very difficult and dark issues at home.

Karen is Annie’s sister and she is a very headstrong, determined character who is motivated to get to the bottom of her sister’s disappearance/suspected murder. She will stop at nothing to uncover the truth, which obviously Lydia will have ‘none of that’.

Anytime you are able to get inside the minds of multiple characters via differing POVs, you discover the dirty, dark corners of the minds of all. And sometimes you discover that a character isn’t so much dirty as they are sad, broken, and a little.. freaky. It’s just a strong, well-written mixture of characters.

The pacing of this novel was just perfect! Since it is from the direct POV of different characters, sometimes you get overlaps in the scenes, which are presented in completely different perspectives. And since it is following most of their individual thought processes, it felt like I was reading at a very mellow, slow-riding pace, while at the same time, being addictively entertaining and was a very fast read! Nugent has a very unique style and voice in this novel and I loved every minute of it!

This novel has one of those endings where you can’t quite decide if it’s the ending you wanted. It will leave you feeling satisfied in some ways and quite sad/sympathetic in other ways.. But I can tell you one thing– It was a dark, twisty, and nasty ending. I knew something twisty was coming, but I didn’t quite see that headed my way! and down to the last few pages, more little subtle twists are thrown about. Liz Nugent is golden. I haven’t read Unraveling Oliver (it has been on my TBR for a long while), but I will now be seeking out a copy. Pure psychological thriller gold.





Thank you to Liz Nugent and Gallery Books for providing me with a DRC of this title via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.