From the international bestselling author of Unraveling Oliver, an “unputdownable psychological thriller with an ending that lingers long after turning the final page” (The Irish Times) about a Dublin family whose dark secrets and twisted relationships are suddenly revealed.

My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it.

On the surface, Lydia Fitzsimons has the perfect life—wife of a respected, successful judge, mother to a beloved son, mistress of a beautiful house in Dublin. That beautiful house, however, holds a secret. And when Lydia’s son, Laurence, discovers its secret, wheels are set in motion that lead to an increasingly claustrophobic and devastatingly dark climax.

Book Type:

Psychological Suspense

Review: Lying In Wait

With LYING IN WAIT, Liz Nugent delivers a taut, clever psychological suspense that deftly explores a chilling mother-son relationship and the dark recesses of the sociopathic mind. Similar to her debut, UNRAVELING OLIVER, Nugent creates a gradual, sort of quiet tension throughout while she delves into what drives someone to do the often horrible things they do.

We meet the Fitzsimons—a Dublin family coming apart after husband (Andrew) and wife (Lydia) are driven to murder. The why comes later, but as we get to know them and their overweight, bullied son Laurence, we begin to peek at the secrets hidden behind the façade of this perfect family. They live in a mansion called Avalon, but are penniless, with Andrew being a respectable judge with blood on his hands. Lydia too hides secrets and her psyche and transgressions are at the center of this sinister story.

Lydia is a fascinating, multifaceted character whose past inclinations continue to shape her, pushing husband and son to the brink of their own sanities. What Lydia and Andrew were embroiled with sets in motion a series of events they can’t seem to circumvent, and one that inescapably entangles their own son.

Although Laurence struggles with his obesity and isolation, he is sharp and observant, not blind to the fact his parents hide secrets within their sprawling estate.

What Lydia fought so hard to control and keep buried, begins to unravel, however. She holds tightly to their pretense, to their secrets, to her son, even as he tries to sever ties. But as the story continues, they each begin to disintegrate, their carefully curated lives falling apart.

Overall, I thought the book was so cleverly written, with so much nuance and thoughtfulness that it kept me reading. I had hoped for a big twist (even though I knew at least from UNRAVELING OLIVER that perhaps that wasn’t her style), but the book is really rather quiet in its effectiveness and draw, so I think it’s important for readers to realize that should they expect edge-of-your seat thrills and plot twists. And while we don’t exactly get that, the end is deeply chilling and unsettling.

This is a great book for those who enjoy dark and compelling characters studies—it’s definitely quite the ride.

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