📚: The Edge by Lucy Goacher
⭐️: 2.5/5 (rounding down on #goodreads)

Clementine is back home in London, grieving her little sister, Poppy’s, untimely death. The court ruled it a suicide - but Clementine has the nagging feeling that it wasn’t. And as she gets closer to the truth, it seems like no one around her can be trusted anymore.

Don’t let the same day read fool you, this was a tough read. The first half felt verrrrryyyyy drawn out (I picked it up and put it down several times today). Honestly, I found myself skimming through parts to try to keep this read going.

By the second half, the pace picks up, paranoia around all of the central characters is there, and I felt like it was leading up to a big, redeeming twist.

And then the ending ultimately is what I guessed 25% of the way in. (With a bit of a twist, but not one large enough to be satisfying.) Overall, not the thriller for me.

Thanks to Thomas & Mercer (Amazon Publishing UK) via @netgalley for the digital copy. The Edge is out now.

TW: suicide

Super twisty! I really enjoyed this book! There were so many surprises and twists throughout the entire book. And an amazing twist at the end! An amazing debut from this author. I cannot wait to read more by Lucy Goacher.

I don't usually read this kind of book but this one just looked interesting to me, and it is! Very interesting.
Oh my goodness, I was on the edge of my seat biggest part of the way through the book..
This is one that I would be interested in reading again in the near future. I thought that it was really a good book.

Thank you so much, NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this wonderful book. I. enjoyed it so much.

Poppy jumped to her death and everyone believes this until her sister talks to Daniel. Poppy used to be creative, fun, and enjoyable. Daniel also has a sister who jumped but he claims he has proof that was she was pushed. As they start to explore the two deaths it is discovered that Poppy could have potentially been pushed as well, There is a discovery of Poppys boyfriend as well and that brings more questions for her sister. Poppys sister feel like she is loosing her grip on reality and it become apparent there are more questions than answers.

This was too much for me to read. Talk of suicide is rough in general but the idea of two people invovled is even harder. Even as we go through the book and murder is dicussed I couldnt get into it. There was lot of emotions in this book and it really showed the raw side of the human psyche. It was an okay book and the characters werent very deep. It was okay but not that great.

*4.5 Stars*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley for an honest review.

This was a really interesting read - how this guy was able to con all these girls into falling for him. Some surprises that I didn't see coming. Clementine was a determined characters - determined to find out the truth of what happened to Poppy. Great characters, good book, surprise ending.

I quite enjoyed this book, particularly from an author so young. She clearly has lots of promise for future books. There are an awful lot of 5 star gushing reviews for this book in a short space of time using very similar language like 'twists and turns' which makes me think that some are perhaps written by Lucy's friends and family! I, like many others, got this books as a freebie Amazon first reads, so here's my honest review of it.

I liked the opening chapter - so you knew immediately that it was murder and not suicide, that was going to be the main story in the book (no spoilers there). The lead character, Clementine, was rather frustrating as she was so paranoid and constantly jumped to all the wrong conclusions, despite the obvious reality staring her in the face from quite early on in the book - despite the red herrings she created along the way. Despite the author saying that Clementine was a scientist and therefore presumably meant to be quite clever, there was no evidence of that in her investigation. I also didn't understand why she had been at Harvard instead of university in the UK, as the story is totally based in England. The killer turned out to be quite an incredibly implausable actor/chameleon with a motive that wasn't believable after so much 'success' in his more recent life. I won't say here if Clementine ever discovered who the killer was or not. The ending was also rather contrived and I wondered if the author had originally planned to end it differently.

Despite the above slight annoyances, I found it a fairly gripping read and would recommend it to others who enjoy thrillers. It kept my interest and I read it quite quickly. I would definitely read other books by Lucy Goacher in the future.
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Disappointed that this book was approved just days before it went into archive this rendering it as inaccessible for reading. I unfortunately cannot give a fair review.

The Edge by Lucy Goacher

TW: Suicide is frequently mentioned

The blurb!
Everyone says Poppy jumped. My beautiful, creative sister, with her paint-splattered dresses and sunshine smile, took her own life. And I think they’re right. Until the day I get a call from a man with a very similar story.

Everyone says his sister jumped too. But he has proof that she was pushed. And if she was, I have to ask myself: could the same thing have happened to Poppy? In the moments before she died, was she really calling me to say goodbye, or was she calling for my help? Was she really alone on that cliff edge?

When Poppy’s friends tell me she had a serious boyfriend, I feel like I’m losing my grip on reality. If they were so madly in love, wouldn’t she have told me? Wouldn’t there be pictures of them together? And when I find the silver heart necklace he gave her, I feel sick. It’s the same silver heart another murdered girl was given in the weeks before she died.

This can’t be a coincidence. Either I’ve lost my mind, or the man my darling sister loved killed her. And if he could charm his way into her life so easily, what’s to say he’s not already in mine?


This is Lucy's first novel and a great debut, lots of very unexpected twists.

The start was very engaging, and I loathed to put it down, about halfway through I though it dragged a little and became slow and a little repetitive.

Towards the end it picked up with gusto and went off in different directions and I was thoroughly gripped.

Clementine's character was well developed if a little naive and tenacious in her pursuit of the truth.

Without giving too much away the "murderer's" character was slightly far fetched and the situation seemed unrealistic - having said that I was gripped and wanted to know what had happened but in hindsight it was improbable.

This and the slower mid-section leaves my rating at 4 out of 5 stars.

To sum up - Once it gets going Gripping read


#TheEdge #NetGalley

Clementine has waited six months for the coroner’s verdict to come back regarding the death of her sister, Poppy. It was assumed that she committed suicide after her body was found on the beach by a cliff known to attract jumpers. But Clementine has never truly been able to accept that Poppy would do that. Sure, everyone says that, and denial is nothing new to the family and friends left behind. Nor is guilt, and Clementine has an immense amount of that. Then she meets Daniel, and her whole world is turned upside-down. He also had a sister who was thought to have taken her own life, except he has proof that she didn’t. Now Clementine feels justified in her denial and she’s more determined than ever to get justice for Poppy.

She and Daniel work to piece together the last few months of Poppy’s life. Away at college, she wrote Clementine often, but never mentioned the boyfriend Clementine discovers. How can that be? This would have been Poppy’s first relationship, a significant event for her. She suffered from social anxiety and could barely leave the house, or her flat once she left for college. Why would she keep this secret from Clementine?

Soon Clementine beings to doubt everyone in her life, fearing that she may already know this boyfriend. She believes he made sure no one knew about him so he could get away with murder. He won’t stop his sick games until he’s caught, so Clementine swears to do just that.

This is an amazing debut, and the author handles the subject of suicide with grace and understanding. It really would be difficult to get anyone to believe that a crime took place without definitive evidence. I like how the author included a plethora of suspects because of how readers will be questioning every single character. It’s not the typical one or two people you are suspicious of and that makes the mystery much more enigmatic. I can’t wait to see what this author comes up with next.

What a ride! When they say the Edge, they mean you'll be on the edge of your seat trying to predict what's to come. This book was enjoyable from the very start. Great plot, great characters, great ending! I would definitely recommend this title to my friends.

Thank you for an ARC of this title!

Fantastic read that really keeps you on the edge of your seat! It’s truly suspenseful and also a bit of a heavy read but I really enjoyed it! This is a debut from this author and she did an amazing job! I will definitely be reading more from Lucy Goacher, 4⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer, and Lucy Goacher for providing me with an advanced reader’a copy of this book.

An amazing debut mystery that checked all the boxes for me ....

As I read the story, the descriptive style of the author transported me to another place, where I began to walk with Clementine, feeling her pain and together we searched for the truth....

A warm recommendation for all readers, especially those who enjoy great thrillers....

The Edge by Lucy Goacher is a debut novel, and what an impressive one it is. I am always happy to discover a promising new author, and am confident that we can look forward to much more from the talented Ms Goacher in the future.

Clemmie is struggling to believe that her beautuful sister Poppy has ended her own life when she had so much to live for. While volunteering on a helpline, Clemmie speaks with a man whose own sister's death has also been ruled a suicide, though he is not convinced that she has not met with foul play. Is it a terrible coincidence, or is this the work of a serial killer who charms their way into the lives of their victims, leaving only bewildered families in their wake?

This one kept me up late, and racing toward a shocking and satisfying conclusion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for an ARC.

The Edge by Lucy Goacher.
Everyone says Poppy jumped. My beautiful, creative sister, with her paint-splattered dresses and sunshine smile, took her own life. And I think they’re right. Until the day I get a call from a man with a very similar story.
Everyone says his sister jumped too. But he has proof that she was pushed. And if she was, I have to ask myself: could the same thing have happened to Poppy? In the moments before she died, was she really calling me to say goodbye, or was she calling for my help? Was she really alone on that cliff edge?
When Poppy’s friends tell me she had a serious boyfriend, I feel like I’m losing my grip on reality. If they were so madly in love, wouldn’t she have told me? Wouldn’t there be pictures of them together? And when I find the silver heart necklace he gave her, I feel sick. It’s the same silver heart another murdered girl was given in the weeks before she died.
This can’t be a coincidence. Either I’ve lost my mind, or the man my darling sister loved killed her. And if he could charm his way into her life so easily, what’s to say he’s not already in mine?
A good read with good characters. Likeable story. 4*.

This was WAY heavier than I expected. I knew it was about a murder thought to be a suicide, but there is a theme of suicide throughout the entire book. It's very dark, sad, and depressing. It was well written, if a bit too long, but definitely be aware going into it that it's more sad than thrilling. This was a wonderful debut. I'll definitely want to keep reading more from this author.

After her joyful but socially anxious sister Poppy commits suicide(she doesn't, and we know that from the prologue), Clementine devotes her time to volunteering at a suicide hotline. She's stayed near her parents instead of going back to her work as a scientist. She carries a lot of guilt because Poppy tried to call her before she died and Clementine didn't answer. She'll never forgive herself and doesn't think she deserves happiness.

When a call from another grieving sibling reaches her at the suicide hotline, it throws into question everything she thought she knew about her sister's death. Maybe it wasn't really a suicide. As she investigates, it seems that every obstacle is thrown in front of her which leads you to wonder.. is the killer already in her life?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read and review!

This was quite the nail biter thriller! Prepare for many twists and turns—and expect the unexpected ending,

Huge thank you to Amazon Publishing UK and NetGalley for this ARC.

Clementine lost her sister, Poppy to suicide but she never believed that Poppy would do that. She was a happy person who had her whole life ahead of her and looked forward to it, not someone who was depressed or had suicidal thoughts. Clementine decides to start her own investigation and uncovers the truth.

While this story was a long one, each detail and event that happened was merely building up to the ultimate twist at the end. If you love a good suspenseful, twisty story, read this book! I have officially stayed up too late because I couldn’t put it down!

What a fabulous read - I really can't believe that this is a debut author! Everything about this intricately woven psychological thriller is just spot on. Took me ages to guess whodunit and the twist at the end just blew me away! Outstanding and can't nt wait for the next one!

An absolutely gripping read that hooked me right from the start and didn't let me go. It was utterly compelling with twists and turns, mystery and fast pacing. It was completely unpredictable and kept me guessing. I loved it.

TW: Due to the subject nature of this book, suicide is frequently mentioned.

Clementine is studying at Harvard in Boston, US when she receives a call from her father telling her that her younger sister, Poppy, is dead. Poppy apparently went to a local beauty spot at night & jumped. Everyone, including the police, are satisfied that Poppy took her own life, & Clementine is racked with guilt for not picking up her sister's final phonecall that fatal night. Back in England, Clementine is dreading the inquest as she knows her parents will find out about the ignored call. To try & assuage her guilt, Clementine has been volunteering on a helpline for people in distress, & one evening she receives a call from Daniel, a man whose sister died. During their conversation, Daniel confesses that he doesn't believe his sister would kill herself & that someone else was involved, but no-one in his life believes him.

After their call, Clementine listens to that last call message again & realises that it's not silent, she can hear someone breathing & it's not her sister. She starts to ask questions about Poppy's life at university & finds out Poppy had a secret boyfriend. Like Daniel, no-one wants to listen to her, not even her parents, but Clementine knows she has to find out if her sister was murdered. She makes a deal with Daniel to investigate both of their sisters' deaths, but the further they get, when it starts to look as if a serial killer is murdering young women & passing their deaths off as suicides, the more Clementine starts to wonder if the killer is already in her life. Can she really trust Daniel, or what about Liam, the over solicitous flatmate, Jude, her fellow helpline volunteer who seems to know an awful lot about her, or Alexander, the archetypical science geek who lives next door & who seems just a little bit too textbook?

This is a great thriller, & I can't believe it's the author's first published novel. It's not perfect: it's slow to get started, & for an intelligent woman Clementine can be unbearably dim at times, but overall it's well-written & there are some great clues in the narrative, & I didn't find it immediately obvious which of the characters was the guilty party. In fact I suspected all of them at one time or another. The ending was good (a couple of elements in it reminded me a little of What Lies Beneath with Michelle Pfeiffer & Harrison Ford - you'll see what I mean), & overall, this is an excellent debut & I'm looking forward to reading more by this author. 4.5 stars (rounded up)

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Publishing UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC.