Relationships are built upon trust. Think about it for a moment. You love and respect the person you've chosen to spend your life with, but there's no way for either of you to know every aspect of their life that hasn't included you. Undoubtedly, there were moments before you entered each other's lives that you simply don't know about. Even the longest relationships between couples who "share everything" are bound to have at least some kind of discrepancy or blind spot. It is the trust that you've established between yourselves that allows you to not have to worry about those unknowns. If trust between a couple can be built, it stands to reason that it can also be broken. In her debut novel He Said He Would Be Late, author Justine Sullivan tells the story of a couple about to face the ultimate test of trust in their relationship.
From the outside looking in, Liz Bennet has a perfect life. She's a published author with a deal for a second book secured. She's the mother to the precocious toddler Emma. Liz's husband Arno is everything she ever dreamed of. He's handsome, wealthy, and the perfect father to their daughter. To top things off, his last name is Bennet, giving Liz the same name as the protagonist from her favorite novel Pride and Prejudice. That has to be some kind of cosmic sign that her relationship is meant to be. Yes, there is no denying that Liz's life is about as perfect as she could dream of. Why then, does it feel as if her life isn't everything it is cracked up to be?
The cracks in Liz's life begin to appear soon after the birth of her daughter. Instead of the bliss and sense of duty that comes with being a mother, Liz can only think of the way this child is negatively impacting her life. Other mothers speak of the way giving birth flipped a switch that turned on motherly instinct. Liz loves her daughter, but that ethereal motherly inclination hasn't come to her. On top of this, spending every waking hour caring for Emma has kept her from writing her second novel. There's just no time to devote to her ever-approaching deadline. Finally, there's her relationship with Arno. He's a great father when he's home, but Liz is noticing him spending longer and longer days at the office. It seems as if he's always running late. Then she stumbles across a text from a female coworker on his phone. At first glance, it seems like an innocent enough message thanking Arno. But there's a kissy face emoji at the end. This simple text begins to sow seeds of doubt in Liz's mind. She'll stop at nothing to find out the truth.
He Said He Would Be Late marks the debut of author Justine Sullivan. She's written about the perils of paranoia in the form of suspenseful domestic fiction. The novel is told entirely from the perspective of the protagonist, giving the reader deep insight into the character and what motivates her. This isn't a thriller in the traditional sense. Instead, Sullivan uses the anxiety of her character to lace each page with a sense of uncertainty. As I read, I became intensely invested in the plight of this character. I wasn't certain that I could trust her instincts around her husband's infidelity, but I equally could not look away as she followed every breadcrumb of potential evidence. This is a tightly plotted read that will have you breathlessly turning the pages. The open-ended ending may frustrate a few readers, but I found that it perfectly capped off this story. I'm thankful to Sullivan's publisher for sharing a copy of the book with me, and I can't wait to read whatever she comes up with next.
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(2023, 16)
This sounds like a good one. Not knowing whether or not it's paranoia or if he's actually cheating would make this a good mystery to follow along with.
ReplyDeleteYou've nailed it. This one is suspenseful in a very realistic king of way. To me, that makes it a superior form of suspense.
DeleteI'm not a huge fan of domestic thrillers, or of open-ended endings, so this might not be the book for me.
ReplyDeleteYeah this one might not be the right fit for you then...
DeleteAs a reader who abhors open endings, I appreciate you mentioning it. The way you describe this makes the story sound quite intense.
ReplyDeleteI struggled with whether or not to include a note about the ending, but I know how divisive they can be!
DeleteWould love to read a book that is not a thriller but about anxiety in the main character. Nice review.
ReplyDeleteIt made for a great change of pace!
DeleteThis sounds good Ethan. I have not yet tried this author. I will see if my Library has a copy.
ReplyDeleteIt is her debut, and a good one at that!
DeleteOh hello, Sullivan is a new author to me, and this looks amazing , in particular that the author had you guessing about Liz and whether to believe her.
ReplyDeleteI was quite impressed at the way she managed to build so much suspense while keeping the story grounded. It is well worth a read!
DeleteInteresting. I like the way it is written
ReplyDeleteMe too :)
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