Unraveling Oliver: A Novel
Aug 2017 · Sold by Simon and Schuster
star
11 reviews
Ebook
272
Pages
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About this ebook
“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
In this astonishing debut novel, 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.
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.
“Top-notch grip lit…incredibly brilliant.” —Marian Keyes, New York Times bestselling author
In this astonishing debut novel, 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.
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.
“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
In this astonishing debut novel, a man’s shocking act of savagery stuns a local community—and th...
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Ratings and reviews
11 reviews
Leslie Patenaude
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May 8, 2019
I loved this book from start to finish. Had a hard time putting it down, so I finished it quickly. It's not a thriller in the traditional sense, but to me it's better as it really made me think. Oliver is so twisted that I found myself fearing for anyone around him. He drew me in. I have to say it was definitely one of my top five of any and all books I've read in the last year. Unforgettable for sure.
1 person found this review helpful
Sabrina G.
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September 3, 2017
Racially motivated, unnecessary drawn out details of events, the futhest from reaility. Won't be purchaseing further books from this writer.
3 people found this review helpful
courtney stephens
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July 8, 2017
Very interesting, I read it in one day. Look at her "lying in wait book" as well
2 people found this review helpful
About the author
Before becoming a full-time writer, Liz Nugent worked in film, theatre, and television. Her five novels—Unravelling Oliver, Lying in Wait, Skin Deep, Our Little Cruelties, and Strange Sally Diamond—have each been #1 bestsellers and she has won five Irish Book Awards, as well as the James Joyce Medal for Literature. Her books are sold in more than forty countries around the world. She lives in Dublin. Visit her at LizNugent.com or follow her on Instagram @LizNugentWriter.
Before becoming a full-time writer, Liz Nugent worked in film, theatre, and television. Her five novels—Unravelling Oliver, Lying in Wait, Skin Deep, Our Little Cruelties, and Strange Sally Diamond—have each been #1 bestsellers and she has won five Irish Book Awards, as well as the James Joyce Me...
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