Unraveling Oliver: A Novel 02/06/2018 - by Liz Nugent (Paperback)

About the Book

"In this "compelling, clever, and dark" (Heat magazine) thriller, 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. This work of psychological suspense, a #1 bestseller in Ireland, is perfect for fans of Patricia Highsmith and Ruth Ware. "I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her." So begins Liz Nugent's astonishing debut novel--a chilling, elegantly crafted, and psychologically astute exploration of the nature of evil. Oliver Ryan, handsome, charismatic, and successful, has long been married to his devoted wife, Alice. Together they write and illustrate award-winning children's books; their life together one of enviable privilege and ease--until, one evening after a delightful dinner, Oliver delivers a blow to Alice that renders her unconscious, and subsequently beats her into a coma. In the aftermath of such an unthinkable event, as Alice hovers between life and death, the couple's friends, neighbors, and acquaintances try to understand what could have driven Oliver to commit such a horrific act. As his story unfolds, layers are peeled away to reveal a life of shame, envy, deception, and masterful manipulation. With its alternating points of view and deft prose, Unraveling Oliver is "a page-turning, one-sitting read from a brand new master of psychological suspense" (Sunday Independent) that details how an ordinary man can transform into a sociopath"--

Book Synopsis

"Searing, searching, finally scorching. Think Making a Murderer via Patricia Highsmith: an elegant kaleidoscope novel that refines and combines multiple perspectives until its subject is brought into indelible, tragic focus." --A. J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

"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

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

Before becoming a full-time writer Liz Nugent worked in Irish film, theatre and television. In 2014 her first novel, Unravelling Oliver, was a No.1 bestseller and won the Crime Fiction prize in the 2014 Irish Book Awards. Her second novel, Lying in Wait, went straight to No 1 in the Irish bestseller charts and remained there for nearly two months. She lives in Dublin with her husband.