but not right away...this 4th in the series has the twistiest plot yet. Maybe a bit too much, but once again, the characters in the mystery are full of depth and intrigue. And as for Zailer and Waterhouse: don't miss the worst engagement party ever! ( )

What I love about Sophie Hannah's books is how expertly she confuses me. I never have a hold on where her stories are going, I'm never able to predict the ending, no matter how many psychological thrillers I've read before. She doesn't follow a formula, and each book is a unique ride of twists and turns that somehow all make sense by the time the last page is turned.

In The Dead Lie Down, Hannah starts from what seems to be an impossible premise. Ruth Bussey's boyfriend, Aidan Seed, has confessed to murdering a woman who is still alive. Ruth, hiding a terrible past of her own, is desperate to figure out the truth and somehow protect the life she has built on shaky foundations.

Art, class, love, sins, survival, resilience, and family all intertwine in an incredibly suspenseful story. Hannah beautifully uses alternating points of view, upping the tension even more. Just when something is about to be revealed, a new chapter starts, and the information you've been wanting to know so much is now another chapter away, making it impossible to put the book down.

If you love authors like Tana French, and are looking for another great psychological thriller to add to your to-be-read shelf, I highly recommend The Dead Lie Down. ( )

I can say, in all honesty, that this book could do without 150 pages easy. The premise is there, the twisting plot delivers in certain points; but the constant repetition and the endless rambling makes this book a disappointing read in the end.
Ruth´s boyfriend, Adrian, confides in her by telling her that he murdered a woman years ago. Ruth is left speechless; but when she realises that the woman Adrian claims to have killed is very much alive and well, everything starts to fall apart. Detectives Charlie and Simon start doing some digging and things just get more confusing and complicated. After much reading, we get to the end, which is terribly delivered! It kept reminding me of when you are watching a bad movie and the killer starts confessing to everything at the very end so that it´s all crystal clear. Very poor closure. I recommend skipping this one. ( )

Great book. My first encounter with this author and she is wonderful. I will read more. ( )

I have read and enjoyed three other Sophie Hannah books, and this was the next for me to read in the Zailer/Waterhouse series. I had taken note of the many poor reviews, but was prepared to make up my own mind.

It's a long read, but I enjoyed it very much. It's about Ruth Bussey, a damaged woman whose boyfriend, Aidan, tells her he has murdered a woman who Ruth knows is definitely alive. This is the sort of storyline this author excels at, taking something seemingly implausible and making it into a gripping read.

I was left guessing throughout the majority of the book, and couldn't see how the story could be resolved. As it happens, it did get resolved in quite a convoluted fashion, and I admit that I found the end quite confusing, but at no point did I get bored with the story or feel the need to skim or even give up, which is the acid test for reading enjoyment for me.

This isn't her best book, but I still enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next in the series. ( )