Book giveaway: Accidents Happen by Louise Millar. Apply for free copy and post your feedback

[RachelMumsnet]

This week's book giveaway comes from Louise Millar who excels in creating gripping psychological thrillers based in seemingly innocent domestic settings.

Her first novel, The Playdate was well received by mumsnetters who accessed free copies last year and we now have 50 copies of her latest offering, Accidents Happen to giveaway.

Read more and apply for your copy and then come back to this thread and let us know what you think.

Thanks very much for my free copy. It has taken me a while to complete the book - not because I didn't enjoy it all but simply because I found it a really tense read and one I could only read when I wasn't feeling tired and stressed myself.

I found the main character incredibly realistic and likeable. I could really empathise with her and the sense of tension was palpable. Likewise, the son's character was well written and plausible, which can be difficult to achieve.

I did have some reservations about the (sudden) relationship with Jago and found some of his behaviour odd so do think there were lots of hints there towards the ending but was happy with the twists and turns and found the ending totally gripping.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one and am definitely going to read the Playdate - just hope it lives up to this standard.

Just marking my place. Unfortunately, I have only just started reading this as I had just started another book when I received it and things have been quite hectic lately. Anyway, loving it so far. Have found it really easy to get into. Haven't read any of the other threads as I don't want to spoil it and will update as soon as I've finished.

I was very pleased to win a copy of this book. I had not read anything by Louise Millar before, and I enjoyed reading it.

I thought that the pace of the story was spot on, and the level of tension was credible.

Although I felt a lot of sympathy for Jack, I found many of the characters not quite believable. Kate, for example, had such extremes of attitude to life that transition from one to another seems implausible in the timescale indicated in the book. It really seemed unbelievable that Jago could convince her to do the things that he planned for her, but sure enough she did them anyway.
And while I realise that Jago had suffered from childhood, I found it hard to believe that anyone would go to the lengths he did to get revenge.

I found the short italicised chapters rather puzzling, especially earlier in the book, but they did make sense in the end ( well they would, wouldn't they?) and the ending of the book was a real surprise. I didn't see that coming.

Overall an enjoyable read.

Thaks for my free copy. Poor Kate,i thought that Hugo's parents were harsh, Jago seemed so nice. I really thought they would live happily ever after, luckily Jack saved the day. This book is a perfect holiday read. Will have to get the play date. Passing my copy of the Accidents Happen on to my sister.

I really had initial high hopes or this book,it started at a good steady pace,building tension between Kate,Saskia and Kate parent in-law. initially, all beginning to emerge as a taut social and psychological tension.until, well...it went literary tits up.Truly

Kate meets Jago,dashing scottish visiting maths professor at Oxford with interest in statistics and accidents .so far so semi-pausible. From this point on,it really deteriorated,I mean into realms of unresolved questions (what was significance of Magnus skulking about...why buildup to not resolve?)

A succession of really badly told tests of situations occur between Jago and Kate. All increasingly stupid,implausible and badly told. Especially the event in the highgate woods. reading it I was genuinely bemused thinking what the hell (not in a good gosh I was gripped way)

The reveal,is shockingly poor,badly written and in last 200pages Millar scrabbled about to create explanation,and tension. Frankly it was sub o-grade. Not well constructed,not really explaining anything. The reveal on Jago was risible, I mean shockingly so

Please don't waste time on this sub-standard effort