About The Book
Nina can never forgive Maggie for what she did. And she can never let her leave.
They say every house has its secrets, and the house that Maggie and Nina have shared for so long is no different. Except that these secrets are not buried in the past.
Every other night, Maggie and Nina have dinner together. When they are finished, Nina helps Maggie back to her room in the attic, and into the heavy chain that keeps her there. Because Maggie has done things to Nina that can’t ever be forgiven, and now she is paying the price.
But there are many things about the past that Nina doesn’t know, and Maggie is going to keep it that way—even if it kills her.
Because in this house, the truth is more dangerous than lies.
My Review
With thanks to the publisher for the copy received. This is the first book I have read by John Marrs and I now understand why he is so popular. It is a quite a while since a book has made me feel so unsettled.
The two women, mother and daughter, both live in the same house. But they don’t live together like a normal family. One of them lives in chains in the attic. The reasons why become clearer the further you read. This is one dysfunctional relationship.
The narrative switches between both of them, in modern day and from years earlier. The earlier years show how their relationship started to disintegrate but don’t be quick to assume anything. There are many unseen reasons why certain decisions were made. I was very quick to judge and at times I had sympathy for the wrong character. Neither of them were easy to like, it was only towards the end when I understood what was happening that my feelings regarding both settled. My nerves didn’t though, trying to sleep after finishing the novel was quite difficult.
This was a book I found difficult to put down, John Marrs is an author I will look out for in the future.
Steph's Book Blog 