Jessica Regan (Narrator) Stephen Hogan (Narrator) Sara Lynam (Narrator)

Sally Diamond cannot understand why what she did was so strange. She was only doing what her father told her to do, to put him out with the rubbish when he died.

Now Sally is the centre of attention, not only from the hungry media and worried police, but also a sinister voice from a past she has no memory of. As she begins to discover the horrors of her childhood, recluse Sally steps into the world for the first time, making new friends, finding independence, and learning that people don’t always mean what they say.

But when messages start arriving from a stranger who knows far more about her past than she knows herself, Sally’s life will be thrown into chaos once again . . .

My Review

My husband’s late granddad used to say ‘When I go, stick me in a bin bag Paul… (his daughter), and put me out with the rubbish.’ Of course we knew he was joking and wouldn’t have dreamt of doing it. But Sally takes things literally, so she does. When her father dies, she attempts a DIY cremation. Which attracts the attention of the guards, and the media. And that’s where the story begins.

Initially I found Sally intriguing, sad, often humorous, and I couldn’t stop listening (I had an audio version from Borrowbox). Then after a bit I wanted more – where was the story going – and I certainly got it. We moved from Sally to Peter and to be honest, I found his parts the more interesting of the two. If you think Sally’s childhood is dark, it pales into comparison with Peter’s. Because just when you think things couldn’t get any darker, they do. And then darker still.

Sally has social and behavioural issues and she doesn’t remember anything before she was seven years old, when she was adopted. She is 42 at the beginning of the book. She has trouble with anger management, but can relax when she plays the piano, and she’s very good.

Peter lives with his father, and never goes out, His father tells him he has a terrible, rare disease that means he can’t be touched by anyone who isn’t family or he will die a horrible, painful death. Peter is seven and believes every word. A bright child, he is homeschooled, but he is lonely and has no friends. He’s already quite creepy.

I have given the book 5 stars, but I have to admit that I would have preferred a slightly different ending. One of the outcomes was not unexpected, but it did drag something very different, kicking and screaming, into the world of mainstream commercialism. The other was depressing. Anyway, enough said. No spoilers etc. A brilliant read, one of my favourite books of the year, and the narration on audio made it even better.

About the Author

Liz Nugent worked as a stage manager in theatres in Ireland and toured internationally before writing extensively for radio and television drama.

Unravelling Oliver was published in 2014, hit the number 1 spot for several weeks and won Crime Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards.

Lying in Wait, published in 2016, went straight to number 1 and was chosen for the Richard & Judy Book Club. It won the Radio 1 Ryan Tubridy Listeners Choice Award at the Irish Book Awards.

In October 2017, Liz won the Irish Tatler Woman of the Year Award in Literature.

Skin Deep was published in 2018. It also went straight to number 1 in the bestsellers charts and scooped two awards at the An Post Irish Book Awards in Nov ’18: Crime Novel of the Year AND the Radio 1 Ryan Tubridy Listener’s Choice Award.

Little Cruelties (Our Little Cruelties) was published in 2020. Another number 1 bestseller, it topped the charts for fifteen weeks, was nominated for Crime Novel of the Year at the Irish Book Awards, long listed for a CWA award at Theakston Crime Festival at Harrogate. It was listed as one of the most recommended thrillers of the Year by the New York Times.

Liz was presented with the James Joyce Medal for Literature (via Zoom!) in February 21 and was a Guest of Honour at Iceland Noir in November 21.