Dominoes
The Fall by Louise Jensen is an absolutely cracking contemporary psychological thriller that seriously messed with my sleep as I just did not want to put it down!
We see the action from various points of view in the third person and in different time periods. The voice of the guilty party can be heard but try as I might, I could not work out who it was. I put two and two together and came up with five!
A terrible tragedy is splitting a family apart as we know there is nothing that a parent won’t do for their child. Once united, a chasm is beginning to appear – but just how wide is it?
When tragedy strikes, it seems only natural to want to believe in something outside of one’s self. “She wished she had faith in something… longed for the utmost certainty that her prayers would be if not answered then at least listened to.” We need to know that we are not alone.
Peer pressure is awful. With social media, it is impossible to escape the bullies. We witness a character’s self-esteem eroding and crumbling.
There will always be those who prey on the misfortunes of others. We see the role that greed plays in trying to destroy.
In contrast we see the fierce love that protects. “As a parent… sometimes hiding the truth is the easiest thing. The kindest.” Burying the truth is never a good idea. Lies are a terrible master. Speak out the truth and face the future together.
We see the sad topic of early onset dementia that is robbing lives. “There are lots of things [she] can’t remember. But love, love for her family is ever present and all consuming.” Love wins.
I absolutely loved The Fall. It was an all-consuming, all body read. My heart raced and my palms were clammy as I faced the dilemma – devour the book to see what happens or savor it. I am afraid I greedily devoured it! I love all Louise Jensen’s books whether she writes as Louise Jensen or as Amelia Henley, they are all always superb.
I received a free copy from the publishers. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
JULIA WILSON
