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Table of Contents
About The Book
“Pitch-black and superbly written.” —Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in Cabin 10
“Top-notch grip lit…incredibly brilliant.” —Marian Keyes, New York Times bestselling author
In this astonishing debut novel, a man’s shocking act of savagery stuns a local community—and the revelations that follow will keep you gripped until the very last page.
Oliver Ryan has the perfect life. Elegant and seductive, he wants for nothing, sharing a lovely home with his steadfast wife, Alice, who illustrates the award-winning children’s books that have brought him wealth and fame. Until one evening, after eating the dinner Alice has carefully prepared, Oliver savagely assaults her and leaves her for dead.
But why?
The people who know Oliver can only speculate about the reasons behind his brutal act: his empty-headed mistress Moya, vain and petulant; Veronique, the French chatelaine who tragically lost everything the summer she employed him in her vineyard; Alice’s friend Barney, who has nursed an unrequited love for her since childhood; Oliver’s college pal Michael, struggling with voiceless longings that have shamed him for years. What none of them understands is the dark secret that lies behind his immaculate façade.
The revelations that come to light as the layers of Oliver’s past are peeled away are as brutal as his singular act of violence. His decades of careful deception have masked a life irrevocably marked by abandonment, envy, and shame—and as the details of that life are laid bare, Oliver discovers that outrunning his demons is harder than it looks.
With its insight into the mind of a psychopath emerging from the wreckage of his own misbegotten past, Unraveling Oliver is a chilling page-turner, brilliantly crafted and unexpectedly moving, by a stunning new voice in fiction. Liz Nugent "presents a fresh look at a man hiding his violent personality in this intense character study" (Publishers Weekly, starred review). As powerful as Patricia Highsmith’s unforgettable noir classic, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Unraveling Oliver will enthrall you from its mesmerizing opening line to its equally shocking last page.
“Top-notch grip lit…incredibly brilliant.” —Marian Keyes, New York Times bestselling author
In this astonishing debut novel, a man’s shocking act of savagery stuns a local community—and the revelations that follow will keep you gripped until the very last page.
Oliver Ryan has the perfect life. Elegant and seductive, he wants for nothing, sharing a lovely home with his steadfast wife, Alice, who illustrates the award-winning children’s books that have brought him wealth and fame. Until one evening, after eating the dinner Alice has carefully prepared, Oliver savagely assaults her and leaves her for dead.
But why?
The people who know Oliver can only speculate about the reasons behind his brutal act: his empty-headed mistress Moya, vain and petulant; Veronique, the French chatelaine who tragically lost everything the summer she employed him in her vineyard; Alice’s friend Barney, who has nursed an unrequited love for her since childhood; Oliver’s college pal Michael, struggling with voiceless longings that have shamed him for years. What none of them understands is the dark secret that lies behind his immaculate façade.
The revelations that come to light as the layers of Oliver’s past are peeled away are as brutal as his singular act of violence. His decades of careful deception have masked a life irrevocably marked by abandonment, envy, and shame—and as the details of that life are laid bare, Oliver discovers that outrunning his demons is harder than it looks.
With its insight into the mind of a psychopath emerging from the wreckage of his own misbegotten past, Unraveling Oliver is a chilling page-turner, brilliantly crafted and unexpectedly moving, by a stunning new voice in fiction. Liz Nugent "presents a fresh look at a man hiding his violent personality in this intense character study" (Publishers Weekly, starred review). As powerful as Patricia Highsmith’s unforgettable noir classic, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Unraveling Oliver will enthrall you from its mesmerizing opening line to its equally shocking last page.
About The Author
Steve Humphreys/Mediahuis
Before becoming a full-time writer, Liz Nugent worked in film, theatre, and television. Her five novels—Unravelling Oliver, Lying in Wait, Skin Deep, Our Little Cruelties, and Strange Sally Diamond—have each been #1 bestsellers and she has won five Irish Book Awards, as well as the James Joyce Medal for Literature. Her books are sold in more than forty countries around the world. She lives in Dublin. Visit her at LizNugent.com or follow her on Instagram @LizNugentWriter.
Product Details
- Publisher: Simon & Schuster (February 6, 2018)
- Length: 288 pages
- ISBN13: 9781501191282
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Raves and Reviews
“'I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her.’ From that searing opening line, the 'who' and the 'what' of this unnerving psychological thriller are never in doubt.. it’s the 'why' that fascinates as Nugent expertly peels back the layers to reveal the truth.”
– PEOPLE
“Pitch-black and superbly written.”
– Ruth Ware, New York Times bestselling author of IN A DARK, DARK WOOD
“A compelling whydunnit [that] examines why a celebrated writer of children’s books would harm his wife, the illustrator of his stories.”
– Toronto Star
A "highly entertaining and aesthetically satisfying novel — a book that stretches the limits of crime fiction... Nugent’s other exceptional asset is her skill as a plotter. She assembles the pieces of Oliver’s past to form a rich and coherent design."
– The Washington Post
"Top-notch 'grip lit."
– Marian Keyes, New York Times bestselling author
"Truly excellent, beautifully written ... strongly recommended."
– Sophie Hannah, New York Times bestselling author
“Outstanding . . . The tension subtly rises as Oliver’s past unravels, revealing a loveless childhood rooted in religious hypocrisy. Nugent presents a fresh look at a man hiding his violent personality in this intense character study.”
– Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Each year, a small handful of books are selected as “Buzz Books” at the BookExpo of America conference—a sign that a book . . . has the makings of a hit. This year, Liz Nugent’s Unraveling Oliver is one of those books."
– Entertainment Weekly
"A page-turning, one-sitting read from a brand new master of psychological suspense."
– Sunday Independent
“Secrecy and sadness permeate this rich debut novel . . . readers are skillfully given glimpses of events and of the resulting devastation that Oliver so nonchalantly metes out.”
– Booklist
“Already an award-winning debut in the author’s native Ireland, this will attract fans of domestic suspense . . . readers will eagerly turn the pages all the way to the shocking conclusion.”
– Library Journal
"A dark secret life is at the center of Nugent's debut novel. . . . Nugent may be used to spending her life behind the scenes. But she'll be in the foreground for the foreseeable future."
– Publishers Weekly
"[A] page turner . . . vivid."
– Kirkus Reviews
"A gripping and powerful read."
– Literary Hub (lithub.com)
Awards and Honors
- Paul's Pick
Resources and Downloads
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