since we fell review @duffythewriter

Since We Fell is the latest thriller from New York Times Best Selling author Dennis Lehane, who has written some great thrillers, notably Mystic River, Shutter Island and Gone, Baby, Gone.  I loved both these books and the movies which followed, so put my hand up eagerly for Since We Fell expecting a slick, smart thriller with some twists.

What’s Since We Fell All About?

I Loved You….

I Hated You….

I Never Knew You….

Rachel never knew her father. Her mother extended half baked promises to reveal his name throughout her teenage years but never did. Rachel, the main character, spends the early part of the book trying to track her father down whilst trying to forge a career as a news reporter and settling into married life with a handsome man who adores her.  Then things start to go wrong. Her career falls apart after a live to air breakdown and panic attack, the search for her father doesn’t bring the results she wanted, and her idyllic marriage starts to show strain.  Who are the ghosts of Rachel’s past and can she really trust those who profess to love her?

My thoughts on Since We Fell

The book fell short for me, so short that I didn’t finish reading it.  You may be thinking ‘wow’, that tone changed quickly, where did that suddenly come from? Isn’t this book meant to be another awesome thriller? And that my readers, is how I felt reading Since We Fell.  I have only quit a handful of books in my life; I like to see them out, partly in the hope that things will get better, and partly out of respect for the author. This one though, I just couldn’t get through. I didn’t care for Rachel the main character one bit, and the second half of the book just became unbelievable, it was like two books in one and I couldn’t get a handle on either. My brain and the pages of this book were like two opposing magnets.

I had such high hopes for this book, and maybe my expectations were too high, but I feel that Lehane may have ‘jumped the shark’ with Since We Fell.  Lots of reviewers and book bloggers seem to like it though, so if you are a fan of Lehane, don’t let my review put you off. Just be prepared for something very different.

Two-star rating for the part of the book I read.

Check it out for yourself at Booktopia

Book Blurb

I LOVED YOU

I HATED YOU

I NEVER KNEW YOU…

Rachel’s husband adores her. When she hit rock-bottom, he was there with her every step of the way as she slowly regained her confidence and her sanity. But his mysterious behaviour forces her to probe for the truth about her beloved husband.

How can she feel certain that she ever knew him?

And was she right to ever trust him

Bringing together Dennis Lehane’s trademark insightful and empathetic characterisation, razor-sharp dialogue, stunning atmosphere and break-neck twists and turns, Since We Fell is a true masterpiece that will keep you in suspense until the very end.

About Dennis Lehane

Dennis Lehane is the author of bestsellers Mystic River, Shutter Island, Gone Baby Gone, and Live By Night, all of which have been made into award-winning films. He is one of the most celebrated and critically acclaimed authors of his generation and the recipient of the Shamus Award for Best First Novel, the Edgar, Anthony and Barry awards for Best Novel, and the Massachusetts Book Award in Fiction. His work has been translated into over three dozen languages.

He has written for The Wire, Boardwalk Empire, Bloodline, and the forthcoming Mr Mercedes, based on the Stephen King novel. Dennis was born and raised in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and lives in California with his family.