A review by nietzschesghost
The Regret by Dan Malakin
4.0
What a fantastic read this was! I mean what more could you ask for? There's the stellar cast, a beautifully plotted story and fascinating insight into the daily life of those who have been stalked or scammed and the knock-on effect this can have on their lives for the foreseeable future. Not only this but it packed a real emotional punch too. Right from the beginning, you are drawn into a tale it is easy to immerse yourself in and losing a couple of hours between the pages was very enjoyable. I particularly loved the short, snappy chapters as it makes it so much simpler to read a couple more and then keep on reading even though you know you should sleep. There are multiple threads establishing themselves throughout but they were so seamlessly interlinked and it was a doddle to keep it all aligned in my head.
The sensitivity and true compassion the author shows in relation to topics such as stalking, anorexia and online fraud through his words felt as though they came from someone who really understood these subjects and the complexity of them inside and out. I could relate to Rachel and felt for her quite strongly as she was dealing with such a lot. It's well written in a way that will appeal to many readers and is a captivating, harrowing and evocative read for sure. There were twists and turns aplenty and the conclusion was a surprise but also added to the visceral punch. All in all, The Regret is an excellent debut thriller, and Malakin focuses on more realistic nightmare-inducers more of us may be able to connect and empathise with. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC.
The sensitivity and true compassion the author shows in relation to topics such as stalking, anorexia and online fraud through his words felt as though they came from someone who really understood these subjects and the complexity of them inside and out. I could relate to Rachel and felt for her quite strongly as she was dealing with such a lot. It's well written in a way that will appeal to many readers and is a captivating, harrowing and evocative read for sure. There were twists and turns aplenty and the conclusion was a surprise but also added to the visceral punch. All in all, The Regret is an excellent debut thriller, and Malakin focuses on more realistic nightmare-inducers more of us may be able to connect and empathise with. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC.