11.9.16

BOOK REVIEW: The Beauty of the End by Debbie Howells

April is on life-support and the only murder suspect. Noah is a reclusive ex-lawyer attempting to ignore his sadness and write crime novels. April is also the love of Noah's life, and though he has never recovered from her rejection, he returns to their hometown to prove April's innocence.
Meanwhile, Ella has her own secrets, but no one will listen to her. She is the same age that April was when Noah met her, and what Ella knows is key to finding the murderer.
Following the story of April and Noah's tragic and flawed relationship and Ella's determination to uncover the truth. Howells expertly knits together a web of secrets that has the reader guessing until the final chapter.

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

The Beauty of the End was fantastic from start to finish.
Noah gets a call to say that his ex has tried to commit suicide and is now in hospital on life support. As if that isn't bad enough, their mutual friend informs him that April is also the main suspect in a murder case. Noah is now a writer but he trained as a lawyer . He does not believe April capable of hurting anyone let alone murder so he cannot sit back and do nothing. Noah has been obsessed and in love with April since school but she effectively rejected him. He has never recovered from the hurt yet he is still willing to do all he can to help her. Noah has to uncover what really happened; did April truly mean to take her own life and what has been happening in her life to lead her to becoming a convicted murderer?
Inbetween the chapters about April and Noah we meet Ella, she is clearly very troubled and we slowly discover how she comes into the story and the part she has to play. 
I was so impressed by Debbie Howells last book The Bones of You but I would say that The Beauty of the End is even better. It felt slightly darker and more complex. I had a very uneasy feeling throughout and didn't feel as though I could fully trust any of the characters.
Noah and April's past is so tangled and complicated. As we learn about their relationship you begin to understand why Noah is so troubled. Can he really help April though when he doesn't know everything about her?
The Beauty of the End is a fantastic psychological thriller; dark, complex and thought provoking. 

Many thanks to Maura Brickell for sending me a copy of the book to review.  

2 comments:

Nadia said...

Dot, this sounds so good! I'm so glad you posted about it - I have to get my hands on a copy of it ASAP. :)

Dot said...

Hope that you enjoy it Nadia!

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