The other half lives -Sophie Hannah

Genre: (A not so thrilling) Thriller
Unputdownable Quotient: low
Over all rating: 2.5/5


This is the first book I have read by this author. Will I take another book of hers the next time I visit my library? Yes. I will.
Well, now that it is established, lets move to the book. A psychologically disturbed woman -Ruth Bussey with strict catholic upbringing seeks the help of a psychologically disturbed ex-CID -Charlie Zailer, who is now serving as community police. Ruth tells Charlie that her lover -Aiden Seed, psychologically disturbed picture framer, claims to have killed a woman years ago. But Ruth knows that the woman Aiden claims to have killed is alive and well.
At the same time, Aiden approaches CID Simon Waterhouse, Charlie's Fiancé, with the story that he had killed a woman years ago. He gives complete description of the woman -Mary Trelease, the address where he killed her how he killed her and so on. Simon -the psychologically disturbed CID with strict catholic upbringing and Charlie Zailer gets sucked into this strange case.
What happened to Aiden and Ruth in their past? Did Aiden really kill Mary Trelease? If so, who is the woman who calls herself Mary Trelease and currently lives in the address provided by Aiden? This is what the book is all about.
There is no great detective work here. The characters literally tell us what they have done. All the main characters have unnecessarily traumatised past...to such an extent that you don't feel any empathy or sympathy for their suffering. The book has two voices -Ruth's narrative and the general third person narration. The switch between Ruth's narration and general narrative is jarring at times.
At no point, you feel compelled to continue reading the book well into the night. But overall, the book is an ok read. A bit amateurish, which I think Sophie tries to overcompensate with her psychotic neurotic lead characters. Let us see how her other books are.

Coming up next -"I am Malala"

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