I am honestly torn about this book. I found the first half slow and quite boring yet the second half improved. I don’t want to post any spoilers so I can’t really explain what I didn’t enjoy. I will say the characters were not described well enough in the first half to be able to like them. I didn’t like Duncan at all throughout the book while Claire I wanted to like but I just couldn’t. The storyline is confusing and instead of enjoying the twists I was relieved for it to be over. Perhaps others will enjoy this book but it just didn’t resonate with me.

I found this book a bit of a slow starter and then felt the ending wasn't much of a shocker. I did enjoy how the book was laid out and as the book is set in my home town it was enjoyable to read. I will still pick up another book by this author and give it a try.

Once I got into this book, mainly because of the before and after storyline, I really enjoyed it. It’s not a psychological thriller but a mystery with a unhappy marriage at the centre of it. I certainly didn’t guess how it was going to end which was even better!
Sophie Draper is becoming one of my favourite author’s.

I finished reading this story feeling incredibly sad, the ending is haunting, full of loss and wasted opportunity, and what if…

This story begins like the domestic thriller, I thought it would be, but it is essentially a suspenseful family drama. Claire’s home life is materially perfect, but under the surface, it is a maelstrom of claustrophobia, discontent and simmering hatred. She wants to escape, from her house’s emotionless perfection, and her empty marriage.

The story is told from Claire’s point of view, before and after Joe’s disappearance; her story is full of resentment, and as it is in the first person, intensely personal. Duncan’s point of view is after Joe’s disappearance, except for one later chapter. This is told in the third person, so his point of view is more objectively portrayed.

This is a family drama, interwoven with strange occurrences that echo what Claire is experiencing. She is an unreliable protagonist, tortured by a past secret, which has dominated her future life. Duncan is essentially an unlikeable character, abusive, and a serial philanderer. It is only when the reasons for this emerge that his behaviour becomes easier to understand. Joe their son is autistic, and he finds the coldness of his parent’s marriage hard to cope with, choosing solitude and the company of his dog in preference to theirs.

This is an unhappy, but believable story. The pace, for the most part, is slow, and the events ordinary and repetitive, because it portrays their life. The twists when revealed have more impact because of this.

The setting is atmospheric and described in detail. The folklore surrounding Claire and Duncan’s home provides an interesting strand of the story, and Claire is haunted by it, in her precarious emotional state.

Guilt and secrets underpin this drama, which is suspenseful, but not in the way you may expect. The ending is well-written and devastating. It draws all the plot threads, and the main characters together in a heartbreakingly tragic way, that resonates.

Poignant family drama, with a suspenseful thread, that explodes into an unexpectedly powerful conclusion.

I received a copy of this book from Avon Books UK via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

My thanks to Avon Books U.K. for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Magpie’ by Sophie Draper in exchange for an honest review.

Claire lives with her husband, Duncan, and teenage son, Joe, in a beautiful house in rural Derbyshire. However, things are not going well and Claire is determined to leave Duncan, who runs a busy veterinary practice.

The story is broken into chapters narrated by Claire headed as ‘Before’ and ‘After’ and chapters about Duncan, again headed as ‘Before’ and ‘After’. Though before and after what remains a mystery until the final chapters.

In the Before sections we learn of the reasons for the marriage breakdown and in the After sections Claire is living alone in an isolated cottage, hiding from Duncan, and dealing with the fact that Joe is missing. She is struggling to piece together the events that tore them apart and seeking her son.

The fact that Duncan was a vet led to a few scenes that I found difficult to read, even though it was clear however horrible a husband Duncan was, he really cared for his animal patients.

I found it a dark and atmospheric novel. The jumping back and forward in time did leave me confused about what was going on. However, with the concluding chapters it does all come together brilliantly. Indeed, so much so that I immediately wanted to reread. As such it is a novel that I feel is better served by a close reading to appreciate its multiple layers and themes.

There also is an element of folklore/folk tales running through the story, verified by the author in the Acknowledgments. This appeals to me very much. It is also very rich in its descriptions of the bleak Derbyshire landscapes.

My feeling is that ‘Magpie’ doesn’t really suit being marketed as a domestic noir/psychological thriller and this may account for low ratings from readers who were expecting a more conventional narrative.

I would place it more in the category of a dark and brooding literary suspense with Gothic elements and I hope that it will find its audience once word of its uniqueness spreads.

My current plan is to purchase its audiobook edition and to revisit it soon. I have already started recommending it to friends. I also plan to read her first novel, ‘Cuckoo’ and be in the lookout for her future projects.

Centred around Claire and Duncan whose marriage has disintegrated, Claire has been waiting for their son Joe to turn 18yrs old before she left and now finally ready, he has disappeared.
I loved the authors first novel Cuckoo, it was such a dark and twisty tale but Magpie was much tamer. It has been described as a thriller but I would think it’s more domestic noir.
The story is told in alternating chapters of Claire and Duncan, before and six weeks after Joe’s disappearance. Even though the chapters are titled, I found it hard to follow because a lot if it seemed repetitive. A couple of times I wondered what time frame I was actually in.
I didn’t really connect with any of the characters and it was actually Joe and his metal detecting that I found most interesting but it seemed rather a side point.
That said, it was a slow burn but the author sets the atmospheric scenes very well. There was enough to keep my interest but it wasn’t till the last few chapters where there was some tension and it moved more quickly.
I will certainly look out for the authors next title.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy to read.

WOW!! What a mesmerising read from beginning to end!

I absolutely LOVED this book! It is so descriptive you can visualise every little thing.

"I am Alice in her Wonderland, too big for the space, too small to fight back, too disbelieving of my fate, as I'm sucked down into a vortex of my own making"

You love Claire, you can't stand Duncan, you feel so sorry for Joe and you see that sometimes your fate is determined by your own failures.

I will definitely read everything by Sophie Draper from now. She has a magical way with word.

Thank you so much to #netgalley and avonbooksuk for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Claire and Duncan's marriage is falling apart. Claire I owe Duncan's secrets and she plans to leave him taking their son, Joe with her. But things don't go to plan. Joe goes missing and Claire is hiding from Duncan.

Gosh, this story is very confusing. The story is told by Claire and Duncan's perspective. It also jumps between before and after the event. There are a few twists and a decent one at the end, ut there was so much repetiveness thr5the story. This is a slow burner. I did not like any of the characters, there was nothing endearing about any of them.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Sophie Draper for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5⭐

Thank you NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I have read her previous book "Cuckoo". It was a book that didn't do much for me. I didn't especially like it but I wanted to give this author another chance and prove me wrong.

Unfortunately, that didn't quite happen with Magpie.

I was quite taken aback with the very descriptive scenes of animals being in pain or in surgery. I didn't see the point of this and I wish I hadn't read them.

I didn't really enjoy the writing style. There were some chapters that were pages and pages full of text without any conversation going on and although, I am not against this, I found it too tedious and slow to read.

As the book was advancing and scenes of the vet clinic were happening I lost a bit of interest. I have never read a book with a vet as a main character and I probably wasn't ready for it. I am a animal lover and there were some scenes that my stomach couldn't handle.

I felt really bad for both parents, though. Especially Claire. I could feel their anxiousness, their pain, their stress, their not knowing what to do...

It surprised me how bad their relationship was. Before and After too. There were some comments, scenes and situations that oh dear! There was a lot of tension, problems and struggles between them.

The ending was okay. Somehow satisfying and sad, very sad. We got closure to the mystery and I liked the overall conclusion.

I can't 100% recommend this book but I will keep trying this author in the future!.

3.5 stars
I did enjoy this book but the to-ing and fro-ing from past to present got a bit confusing.
Claire is frustrated with her husband Duncan, as she knows he’s had affairs and the most recent one has made her mind up.
She arranges to rent a remote cottage for herself and her son but then tragedy strikes and Joe disappears. She has to try and unravel what happened, and the truth is darker than she ever imagined.
This is a bit of a slow burner but hang in there as all is revealed in the final chapters.
Thanks to Avon and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book.

A marriage on the skids, a runaway teen, a mother/wife making a run for it to escape a philandering jerk of a husband. Sophie Draper's Magpie, is definitely a slow burn sort of read, but worth reading, nevertheless. Thank you Net Galley, Sophie Draper, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my fair and honest opinion.

I am really sorry to say that I didn’t enjoy this book. It was very disjointed, jumping around in time and had sort of dream sequences from Claire that didn’t make sense. I think a bit more time and writing in it a different format would have helped. I did finish it but would only give it 2 stars which is why I didn’t review on my blog. This is such a shame as Cuckoo made my top ten reads of 2019.

Having thoroughly enjoyed Ms Draper's previous novel, Cuckoo, I was eager to read Magpie but unfortunately, it was a massive disappointment. It's repetitive to the point where I was incredibly bored and there is so much filler that it gets tedious wading through all the unnecessary elements. I never give up on a book but this is the first in which I have done so in many years; I just couldn't continue. It is also very slow-moving and the switches between Claire and Duncan's point of view were clunky and often confusing as it was difficult to distinguish between two similar narrative voices. I really don't know what happened to make this such a disappointing read as I am aware from her preceding thriller that she is capable of producing a captivating story. A real shame. Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.

FIVE STAR REVIEW on Sophie Draper's newest book "Magpie" to be released 11/28/19. I love the writing style where Sophie goes back and forth from the present to the past. This story is a must read psychological thriller with an amazing ending I did not see coming! After reading this it has shown me how you never really know someone, including your spouse.

Back of the book : 

She’s married to him. But does she know him at all?

Claire lives with her family in a beautiful house overlooking the water. But she feels as if she’s married to a stranger – one who is leading a double life. As soon as she can get their son Joe away from him, she’s determined to leave Duncan.

But finding out the truth about Duncan’s secret life leads to consequences Claire never planned for. Now Joe is missing, and she’s struggling to piece together the events of the night that tore them all apart.

Alone in an isolated cottage, hiding from Duncan, Claire tries to unravel the lies they’ve told each other, and themselves. Something happened to her family … But can she face the truth?



What I think : 

After reading this authors first book 'Cuckoo' and really enjoying it, I was really pleased to be asked to be on the blog tour for her new one. I have got to say that I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the before mentioned first one. Having said that though please don't think that it isn't very good or anything, it's just different from the first one. I really enjoy a crime/ thriller books and I would say that this book isn't that, I would say that its more suspenseful than a thriller. 

The book tells the story of Clare, her husband Duncan and their eighteen year old son Joe. Its not a happy marriage and Clare believes that maybe Duncan has been having an affair, not only once but a few times.

Then Joe goes missing....

Its told in the before and after from the main characters perspectives, so we know what each character is thinking. 

I must admit it did take me while to get into this book, its quite confusing because it keeps on jumping from 'Before' to 'After' But after getting used to that it was quite an interesting story, that works its way up to a pretty explosive ending. 

Yes, all in all, I quite enjoyed this book and give it 8/10. ( 4 Stars )



Published on 28/11/19 by Avon Books.

The biggest Thank you to Sabah Khan & Sanjana Cunniah at Avon Books for the review copy of the book in return for an honest review.

I’m sorry but this was not my cup of tea at all. I always hate dream sequences, but these, especially, added nothing to the story. I skipped loads of paragraphs of pure description with no plot development whatsoever. I guessed the final ‘twist’ near the beginning of the book. The characters in the deserted village added nothing to the story and I’m struggling to understand how they made the final edit. I thought it was boring and self indulgent, which was a shame as I enjoyed her previous book.

Ever read a book and upon finishing it, feel that it had so much potential and you enjoyed the ending and found it to be clever and looking back realized the clues were there and yet......, wanted it to be much much more? That was my feeling upon finishing this book. I really enjoyed the "aha" and "Oh wow!" moment I had at the end but in the middle of the book, I wanted it to get to the end a little bit faster.

Claire, Duncan and their son, Joe live in a beautiful house on top of a cliff overlooking the water. How's that for a setting and atmosphere. It almost screams tension, dread, and bad things to come. Claire is unhappy in her marriage and has been waiting for son to turn eighteen so that she can leave. Her husband has a "secret" life and is often absent and both physically and emotionally.

This book is told in Before and After chapters telling both Claire and Duncan's POV. Plus, Joe has gone missing. Is he out with his metal detector again looking for lost coins and treasures? Has he run away? Has something happened to him?

So much potential. When I reached the ending, I saw the cleverness of the plot but again, it took a while to get there. That ending though is thought-provoking. Had me thinking about actions, consequences, how we can second guess ourselves, the what-ifs, what we take for granted, and how we treat others, etc.

I found this to be slow in spots, yet well written. I wonder if I would have enjoyed this more if it had been written in a different format. This book began on a good note for me but then it lagged in the middle, and I kept wanting something - anything to happen to speed things up a little.

Enjoyable but left me wanting more. This is a book I find, I didn't quite enjoy so much while reading, but upon reflection, I can appreciate the subtle clues and enjoyed the ending. This book teetered around a 2.75- and 3-star rating for me. Upon reflection, I am leaving it at 3 stars.

Thank you to Avon Books - UK and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.

(Also posted on my GR account!)

Nope.

To elaborate, I had a hard time reading the book. I thought it was just me, that I'm in a reading slump and if I move forward, I can get past it. Turned out, still nope. The book was repetitive, full with unnecessary fillers, too all over the place, and uninteresting.

I found this a very slow read. I really enjoyed Cuckoo and was sad that this just did not match up to it for me. The descriptions of the countryside were superb but often appeared to be repetitive. Towards the end I found it too weird for me to enjoy but had to read to the end. The ending was totally unexpected and put the whole story into perspective.
The book was not for me but I can understand why others would enjoy it.

The story of Joe and his parents Claire and Duncan. Duncan is a cheating uncaring husband with little regard for his wife or son. Claire is a mother trying to raise her son who has difficulty fitting in and finding friends. As the story progresses you find out why the family is so dysfunctional and unhappy. Slow moving, sad story of a family in turmoil.