The Heights by Louise Candlish is one of those twisty and misleading family dramas with a strong dose of mysterious goings-on. Not much can be revealed about the excellent plot as, no matter what the reader perceives, there will be many curves along the telling of this story. Therein the reader finds parent-child relationships, ex-spouses’ connections, crimes, mental illness and all forms of love. Louise Candlish has put together a wonderful group of characters: some will frustrate, some will confuse but all appear real in the scope of most troubled families. The reader is led astray many times along the way. You will not figure out the ending until the literal last word. I found myself reading quite slowly so as to appreciate this very original mystery. If you are searching for a book with a difference, this one certainly fits the bill. I will most assuredly be reading more Candlish novels. Highly recommended. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Louise Candlish has quickly become one of my go-to thriller authors! Her books are engrossing, multi dimensional stories with excellent (yet oh so perfectly flawed) characters.

This one was more of a slow burn than her previous two books but the backstory and characters were so intriguing that I barely noticed.

4 stars!

A woman spots a man on a nearby roof terrace. She thinks it is the man she blames for the death of her son, which is impossible since he’s supposed to be dead.

The Heights is told using multiple points of view and timelines, which adds more layers to this thriller.

A novel about obsession and revenge. The Heights is a dark and slow-burning psychological thriller. I had a hard time getting into this story, but still found it an enjoyable read.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Ellen Saint becomes concerned when her son, Lucas, becomes involved with a new kid at his high school – Kieran Watts. Kieran is rude, brooding, a wannabe gangster and clearly a bad influence on Lucas. Ellen does everything she can think of to separate Lucas and Kieran as Lucas’ behavior spirals dangerously out of control. Tragedy strikes and Ellen and her ex-husband, Vic, take matters into their own hands. Ellen and Vic are stunned when Kieran reappears two years later with a new name and a fancy apartment. Deceptions and betrayals are uncovered, and Ellen decides to finish what she started two years earlier in this fast-paced thriller.

I read this book quickly and enjoyed it thoroughly.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Louise Candlish is not a new author for me. I read and enjoyed The Other Passenger last year (click here for my review). The Heights was a quick read for me. It kept me turning the pages!

The Heights is a story about obsession and revenge. It’s also a story about stories and the power the storyteller has to control the narrative. The novel is built around the premise that Ellen Saint is taking part in a memoir-writing class and the story we read is written by her. As the story progresses, it becomes increasingly clear that she is not the most reliable narrator. She is paranoid, obsessive, and over-protective.

Then we see things from Vic’s perspective. Vic is the father of Ellen’s teenage son, Lucas. Getting a new perspective helps the reader see Ellen differently, though it is unclear who the narrator is in this third-person POV. Vic is shown as a conflicted man. At this point in the book, it’s difficult to know who is trustworthy—if anyone. And I think this was intentionally done to throw the reader off balance.

Candlish does an excellent job of balancing characterization with the limitations of the POV she has chosen. Those limitations help increase the mystery as the reader is left wondering who to believe and whose side to take.

Candlish is one of the best London noir psychological writers and this novel is no exception to her talent. Twisted and twisty, the novel will keep even seasoned mystery readers guessing.

Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for the chance to review this ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Talk about surprise endings- wow! It all pulls together when you’re so sure it can’t. So many levels. Recommended. #PageTurner #twisty #surpriseending #netgalley

This is a page turner that missed the ending for me. The characters aren’t particularly likable but they are compelling.

This goes between modern day and the story of what happened in the past. It actually works and is easy to follow.


This isn’t a book I’d reread but I enjoyed y time reading it.

I liked this but wasn't as fond of it as I was of my favorites of hers, Our House and Those People. It had a good twist but I couldn't empathize with the main character, Ellen, all the way through. Her devotion to her child and his memory - and her stark attempts to villainize the friend she held responsible for his death - made her just seem paranoid, off-kilter, and somewhat villainous herself. A lot of the other characters, particularly her ex-husband Vic, were well drawn and interesting. Unlike Candlish's other books, though, I found my attention drifting in places. A good book but not the riveting thrill ride of Those People or Our House.

4.5 stars rounded to 4!

This book was a book about revenge, told in such a unique way. It is not your typical thriller, although it does have some suspenseful parts. Honestly, this is a book about how the desire for revenge just tears this woman apart. It is actually very deep, much more than meets the eye.

I would say the first part of the book dragged on, especially reading over and over how much the main character hates one person in particular. There were many instances provided about interactions between the two that led to her hatred, and I felt that it was so slow paced that I got a little bored waiting for the action.

The last 25% of the book was super action packed and suspenseful, and although you already have an idea of what might happen, it is like a trainwreck that you can't look away from. I will definitely be looking for more books by this author - this was not your run of the mill "domestic thriller with a happy ending" outcome. This book was a little deeper and thought provoking about such topics as justice, fairness, punishment, and revenge.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF - Did not finish. I did not connect with the writing style or plot and will not be finishing this title. Thank you, NetGalley and Publisher for the early copy!

Pulled me right in from the very first page! Such a fun book, full of twists and turns and unreliable characters (which I love). I couldn't put it down until I read the very last word! Thank you so much!

3.5 stars: I have enjoyed several of Louise Candlish's books and was looking forward to The Heights. The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among warehouses in an up-and-coming London neighborhood that is used as a backdrop for the story. You would think you could hide out there, but when Ellen is visiting a client across the way, she spots a man on the rooftop terrace. Kieran, the person responsible for her son, Lucas' death. Lucas lived a reckless life in his late high school years all because of Kieran's influence, as far as Ellen is concerned. When he drowns in an accident while Kieran is driving, Ellen wants nothing but revenge, he must die just like her son!

The Heights is a story about revenge, obsession and personal justice. It is also a story of a family trying to move on from a tragedy and deal with grief. Finally, it is a story of forgiveness, acceptance and sorrow. All this is wrapped up in a slow moving story. I know it is described as a thriller, but I felt it was more of a suspense story and psychological drama. I found the addition of snippets from Ellen's book, "Saint or Sinners" an interesting way to get Ellen's point of view. Ellen loved her son unconditionally, and would forgive anything he did, blaming his behaviour on everyone else. This maternal blindness was not healthy for anyone. I liked this story, but found it dragged at times. I was happy with the ending though. If you are a fan of Louise Candlish's writing, and like a good psychological drama, then pick this one up, but again I will say it was not the gripping thriller that I was expecting.

Ellen is full of hate and not very likeable. Does that cloud her perception of things? Very good plot.
Many thanks to Atria and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Usually I'm all about this author's books, but this one seemed to burn a little too slow for my liking and the story kept leapfrogging around. I found myself confused and bored.

Good concept, but not as good as her other boys

Ellen Saint's son Lucas was asked to mentor a scholarship kid at his private school. Ellen thinks that Kieran is a bad influence on Lucas.. Eventually, Lucas gets into a terrible accident and Ellen believes Kieran is responsible. She and her ex plot to kill Kieran because the authorities' actions fall short. This all happened some years ago.

Now Kieran is back. She thought he was dead, but he has returned from whence he came.

Oddly enough, I kept thinking I'd read this book already when I started it, but eventually I realized that the story had changed. I liked this book though many of the characters are unlikeable. Ellen is controlling, especially when it comes to her children. Along with Lucas, she also has a daughter, Freya, who is possibly the most likeable character, other than Ellen's second husband, Justin..

I found the twists and turns of this book to be engrossing. While you know from the description that Ellen believes she has already killed Kieran, the story of what happened to Lucas and how she "killed" Kieran is suspenseful.

Thank you to Netgalley for giving me this book in exchange for an honest review.

I read The Other Passengers by Candlish last year and after reading The Heights, I believe writing thrillers with simmering suspense and unreliable characters is this author’s specialty and I am here for it all!! Also this is one of those books you have to review carefully, because giving away too much of the plot will spoil it for potential readers.

Told in four parts, The Heights is about Ellen, our protagonist with High Place phenomenon - a condition that tempts her to jump from high places. The story starts when she meets the person who should have died two years ago! Cutting back to past, we see what happened in Ellen’s life. The altering timeline and deeply obsessive unreliable characters kept me quite occupied with this book. If it weren’t for my work interruption, I would have binge read The Heights!!

Many thanks to Atria books via Netgalley for the reader’s copy.

Ellen Saint has lived her life without her son for several years, knowing that his murderer is gone from this world as well. That all changes when one day she sees him on the rooftop terrace of a skyscraper, living his life quite healthily. The hatred she has allowed to simmer comes boiling to the top, taking Ellen and those around her on a journey into their darkest memories, the lies they've buried, and the consequences of every action taken since that fateful day. Kieren Watts is alive and Ellen Saint just cannot have that.

I don't know if it is at all possible to capture my feelings about this book in words, maybe if I was Louise Candlish, but alas I am not. I am just an uber-fangirl who will proudly shout that this is Candlish's best book yet. With a twisted, propulsive storyline and characters you just can't help but love to hate. I read The Heights in a single sitting, I advise that you take this book with you everywhere and finish it as soon as possible, it's just that addicting. I was swept away in this book, I truly could picture myself amongst the sky scrapers looking across London, in fact I wish I had listened to the audio as I know it would have transported me just that much further. Candlish writes so descriptively and with a flair that brings not just the characters, but the entire setting to life. The emotion each character feels can be felt in ones' own chest, pounding as the book hit its crescendo. This is a twisted tale of lies and deceit and how the truth, once finally uncovered, can tear everything apart.

The Heights is a longer read, with multiple character perspectives, and a plot that is twisted and obscene. The thoughts Ellen has as a bereft mother are dark, the hatred in her has transformed her, and reading from her perspective is downright anxiety inducing, but it's also so addicting. Louise Candlish captures in The Heights every emotion of a mother and of those around her trying so hard to help her mourn without going off the deep end. As a fan of the over-the-top slow-burn, this one was 100% for me and I am so happy I got my hands on it a bit early. If psychological thrillers are your thing, this is one I cannot help, but recommend.

DNF.... struggled to get into this one. It was a little too slow for me. I ended up DNF

Premise sounded intriguing.....I also felt the same about her last one (too long and struggled to get thru)

Everyone was a little insane in this one and made decisions I couldn't really understand but it was still an enjoyable story.