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Magpie
She’s married to him. But does she know him at all?
Claire lives with her family in a beautiful house overlooking the water. But she feels as if she’s married to a stranger – one who is leading a double life. As soon as she can get their son Joe away from him, she’s determined to leave Duncan.
But finding out the truth about Duncan’s secret life leads to consequences Claire never planned for. Now Joe is missing, and she’s struggling to piece together the events of the night that tore them all apart.
Alone in an isolated cottage, hiding from Duncan, Claire tries to unravel the lies they’ve told each other, and themselves. Something happened to her family … But can she face the truth?
Claire lives with her family in a beautiful house overlooking the water. But she feels as if she’s married to a stranger – one who is leading a double life. As soon as she can get their son Joe away from him, she’s determined to leave Duncan.
But finding out the truth about Duncan’s secret life leads to consequences Claire never planned for. Now Joe is missing, and she’s struggling to piece together the events of the night that tore them all apart.
Alone in an isolated cottage, hiding from Duncan, Claire tries to unravel the lies they’ve told each other, and themselves. Something happened to her family … But can she face the truth?
400 pages, Paperback
First published November 14, 2019
176 people are currently reading
2087 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Draper
6 books132 followersSophie Draper is a Derbyshire based author. Cuckoo is her first book and won the Bath Novel Award 2017. She also won the York Festival of Writing Friday Night Live Award 2017. A second book is due to be published later in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 357 reviews
November 21, 2019
Ever read a book and upon finishing it, feel that it had so much potential and you enjoyed the ending and found it to be clever and looking back realized the clues were there and yet......, wanted it to be much much more? That was my feeling upon finishing this book. I really enjoyed the "aha" and "Oh wow!" moment I had at the end but in the middle of the book, I wanted it to get to the end a little bit faster.
Claire, Duncan and their son, Joe live in a beautiful house on top of a cliff overlooking the water. How's that for a setting and atmosphere? It almost screams tension, dread, and bad things to come. Claire is unhappy in her marriage and has been waiting for son to turn eighteen so that she can leave. Her husband has a "secret" life and is often absent and both physically and emotionally.
This book is told in Before and After chapters telling both Claire and Duncan's POV. Plus, Joe has gone missing. Is he out with his metal detector again looking for lost coins and treasures? Has he run away? Has something happened to him?
So much potential. When I reached the ending, I saw the cleverness of the plot but again, it took a while to get there. That ending though is thought-provoking. Had me thinking about actions, consequences, how we can second guess ourselves, the what-ifs, what we take for granted, and how we treat others, etc.
I found this to be slow in spots, yet well written. I wonder if I would have enjoyed this more if it had been written in a different format. This book began on a good note for me but then it lagged in the middle, and I kept wanting something - anything to happen to speed things up a little.
Enjoyable but left me wanting more. This is a book I find, I didn't quite enjoy so much while reading, but upon reflection, I can appreciate the subtle clues and enjoyed the ending. This book teetered around a 2.75- and 3-star rating for me. Upon reflection, I am leaving it at 3 stars.
Thank you to Avon Books - UK and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Claire, Duncan and their son, Joe live in a beautiful house on top of a cliff overlooking the water. How's that for a setting and atmosphere? It almost screams tension, dread, and bad things to come. Claire is unhappy in her marriage and has been waiting for son to turn eighteen so that she can leave. Her husband has a "secret" life and is often absent and both physically and emotionally.
This book is told in Before and After chapters telling both Claire and Duncan's POV. Plus, Joe has gone missing. Is he out with his metal detector again looking for lost coins and treasures? Has he run away? Has something happened to him?
So much potential. When I reached the ending, I saw the cleverness of the plot but again, it took a while to get there. That ending though is thought-provoking. Had me thinking about actions, consequences, how we can second guess ourselves, the what-ifs, what we take for granted, and how we treat others, etc.
I found this to be slow in spots, yet well written. I wonder if I would have enjoyed this more if it had been written in a different format. This book began on a good note for me but then it lagged in the middle, and I kept wanting something - anything to happen to speed things up a little.
Enjoyable but left me wanting more. This is a book I find, I didn't quite enjoy so much while reading, but upon reflection, I can appreciate the subtle clues and enjoyed the ending. This book teetered around a 2.75- and 3-star rating for me. Upon reflection, I am leaving it at 3 stars.
Thank you to Avon Books - UK and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
November 28, 2019
This is the story of Claire, her husband Duncan and their son Joe. It is told from the perspectives of Claire and Duncan, Before and After a series of events happens to them. I’m sorry to say that I did not particularly enjoy this book for a number of reasons. First of all, the story did not flow well from the Before and After and from character to character and I found the storyline at times very confusing. The writing style is all over the place as Claire’s story is told in the first person and for the most part in the present tense but Duncan’s isn’t. Some of the sentences are so short that it felt too staccato and jerky. The format also means that there is an awful lot of repetition that it becomes tedious. There are a lot of statements of the obvious too. Did we really need to know so many times that Joe is Claire’s son?? The story seems to be full of unnecessary details that adds little to the storyline except to fill pages and detract from the point of the story, it becomes boring and any sense of menace or suspense is lost. The characters are not very likeable especially Duncan who is downright unpleasant, so much so that he seems a caricature of an angry man. Overall, this is a disappointing book.
Thanks to Avon Books for this ARC in return for an honest review
Thanks to Avon Books for this ARC in return for an honest review
October 6, 2019
I really wouldn’t put this as a thriller, more like a suspense.
It’s a slow burner for sure. I had to take a few breaks and read something else in between as I tended to get a bit frustrated with the chapters back and forth.
Forward, then six weeks back, forward, then six weeks back and different POVS.
It was very hard work.
The story was good......in the end, not fantastic, but OK.
I just got twisted in knots using too much brain power.
The ending was good though.
It’s a slow burner for sure. I had to take a few breaks and read something else in between as I tended to get a bit frustrated with the chapters back and forth.
Forward, then six weeks back, forward, then six weeks back and different POVS.
It was very hard work.
The story was good......in the end, not fantastic, but OK.
I just got twisted in knots using too much brain power.
The ending was good though.
September 29, 2019
Claire has been secretly planning to leave her husband Duncan, when their son Joe is eighteen. Their marriage hasn’t been happy for years and he cares more about his veterinary practise than he does his family, she suspects he has been unfaithful to her several times.
Joe goes missing and the chapters alternate between before and 6 weeks after he goes missing, slowly revealing secrets and keeping the tension building!!
I did enjoy this book even though it was a slow burner and took me a while to get into it. I found the family secrets and infidelity intriguing I wanted to find out where Joe was.
For me it was a surprising ending and I had to go back a chapter to see if I had missed anything!! I think I had gotten confused with before and after chapters and wasn’t sure if I was coming or going. Definitely saved the biggest surprise until the end!!
Would I recommend this book? Yes I would as it is well written and defiantly gave me food for thought at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy on exchange for a review.
Joe goes missing and the chapters alternate between before and 6 weeks after he goes missing, slowly revealing secrets and keeping the tension building!!
I did enjoy this book even though it was a slow burner and took me a while to get into it. I found the family secrets and infidelity intriguing I wanted to find out where Joe was.
For me it was a surprising ending and I had to go back a chapter to see if I had missed anything!! I think I had gotten confused with before and after chapters and wasn’t sure if I was coming or going. Definitely saved the biggest surprise until the end!!
Would I recommend this book? Yes I would as it is well written and defiantly gave me food for thought at the end.
Thank you to Netgalley for my copy on exchange for a review.
December 11, 2019
Claire and Duncan's marriage is in trouble, from the outside it looks like they have it all but the reality itself is far different with Duncans growing coldness and numerous infidelities seeming to be a route cause of a lot of the problems between them.
Her eighteen-year-old son through not diagnosed definitely has an ASD and his additional needs have also piled on the pressure on top of what is already a pressure cooker just waiting to explode.
So this narrates the events in a before and after fashion from both Claire and Duncans POV.
This did keep me turning the pages to discover the truth and I did enjoy the mysterious obscurity of it all as I pieced the puzzle together.
I must confess I did guess the twist so the ending here didn't really come as a surprise to me but some of the whats and whys were news.
I also realised the further I read that the same story could be interpreted differently depending on who you actually listened to and that this actually was a lot of shades rather than the black and white like I originally thought.
I could kind of see how events had come to pass the way they had, of course, I am in no way excusing it just understanding how they had come to be at the stalement they now were.
Guilt and blame can rot the strongest of foundations and Duncan's games are almost like a crutch he uses to cope.
So for me, this was a bit repetitive and also a tad slow.
The narrative at times was also overly descriptive and somewhat confusing though it did set a great spooky atmosphere.
I was also left feeling somewhat sad and melancholy after finishing.
One last thought I really liked the inclusion of the son Joe in this: my own son has Aspergers and I really could appreciate a lot of similarities between them.
My son is as obsessive in his interests as Joe was here, he also extremely literal so I got that also.
I did have a few issues with this but it was still an interesting experience.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Magpie.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com
August 23, 2019
I loved Sophie Draper's debut novel 'Cuckoo' and was looking forward to reading her second book 'Magpie' which I had high hopes for. I can't only hope this book is a blip in her promising writing career because I couldn't wait to finish it but for all the wrong reasons. The book starts ok but the tempo never picks up until the final couple of chapters.
The main character Claire lives with her husband Duncan and son Joe in a glass house overlooking the water. Their marriage is waning with her husband leading a double life with affairs. She wants to get away with her son Joe and leave Duncan. All Claire's plan are thrown into turmoil when Joe goes missing and she struggles to piece together the events of the night that tore them all apart.
The plot is extremely slow, repetitive, uneventful and such a disappointment after 'Cuckoo'. I find it difficult to write such a poor review but I promised to give an honest opinion.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Avon Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The main character Claire lives with her husband Duncan and son Joe in a glass house overlooking the water. Their marriage is waning with her husband leading a double life with affairs. She wants to get away with her son Joe and leave Duncan. All Claire's plan are thrown into turmoil when Joe goes missing and she struggles to piece together the events of the night that tore them all apart.
The plot is extremely slow, repetitive, uneventful and such a disappointment after 'Cuckoo'. I find it difficult to write such a poor review but I promised to give an honest opinion.
I would like to thank both Net Galley and Avon Books for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
November 13, 2019
I really enjoyed Cuckoo by Sophie Draper so was excited for Magpie. Unfortunately I was very disappointed.
This book was confusing, repetitive and slow. I couldn't connect with any characters and I struggled to work out what was happening most of the time.
Not for me but I have read some great reviews.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
This book was confusing, repetitive and slow. I couldn't connect with any characters and I struggled to work out what was happening most of the time.
Not for me but I have read some great reviews.
Thanks to Avon Books and NetGalley for my advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased
October 4, 2019
I was really excited to be presented with an opportunity to read and review this book. I have heard a lot of brilliant things about this author and the blurb and cover equally intrigued me. However, this did not meet all my expectations and I wonder if I had too high hopes for the story?
This is a dual-narrative that follows the perspectives of both Duncan and Claire. We are presented with chapters titled ‘Before’ and ‘After’; it is not until we are fully into the story does it become clear what this actually means. For the most part, readers are witnessing the breakdown of Claire and Duncan’s marriage. There is distrust, arguments and their poor son, Joe, often gets caught in the cross-fire. The writer cleverly manipulates the reader into feeling sorry for both Joe and Claire, although it is not until the final chapters do we really understand the full extent of the story.
For the most part, there is a lot of focus on setting. Draper’s vivid descriptions of the reservoir, its surroundings, and the use of pathetic fallacy, created a spooky and isolated feeling. I was glad to be wrapped up warm and inside as a result! However, I feel that this stagnated the plot and made it a rather slow-paced story. Claire seems to be running around a lot, trying to find her son, and is paranoid that she is turning mad. Duncan, who shows little care towards his family, is taking out his anger and frustrations on everyone around him. Then we have Joe, whose only escapism is metal detecting and researching his discoveries.
The title of the novel is really clever. At first, I thought it referenced Joe’s metal detecting and finding a precious coin. However, not only does Claire see magpies during the story, but also the concept of protecting special things plays a massive part. Being attracted to all that glistens – both literally and metaphorically – reflects the recurring theme of the novel.
Overall, I found the plot rather slow and a little uninteresting in places. Indeed, I felt like I had seen this all before with a broken marriage, distrustful wife and cheating husband. I would liked to have seen more detail on Joe and the people he has started to mix with as a result of his findings. I think this would have diluted the jealousy that is rife in the plot and could have provided another perspective to the narrative. It was only until I reached the final few chapters did I really find myself engrossed in the story. I could not predict the ending and found my hands would not release the book until I had finished it! This, I believe, is the type of writing I was expecting from Draper.
In conclusion, I feel this was an average thriller. For the majority of the story, it does not stand out from other books yet, the closing was dramatic and interesting. I would still wish to read Draper’s other stories and believe that her flair for creativity and unexpectedness is something that showcases her talents as a writer.
With thanks to Netgalley and Avon books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a dual-narrative that follows the perspectives of both Duncan and Claire. We are presented with chapters titled ‘Before’ and ‘After’; it is not until we are fully into the story does it become clear what this actually means. For the most part, readers are witnessing the breakdown of Claire and Duncan’s marriage. There is distrust, arguments and their poor son, Joe, often gets caught in the cross-fire. The writer cleverly manipulates the reader into feeling sorry for both Joe and Claire, although it is not until the final chapters do we really understand the full extent of the story.
For the most part, there is a lot of focus on setting. Draper’s vivid descriptions of the reservoir, its surroundings, and the use of pathetic fallacy, created a spooky and isolated feeling. I was glad to be wrapped up warm and inside as a result! However, I feel that this stagnated the plot and made it a rather slow-paced story. Claire seems to be running around a lot, trying to find her son, and is paranoid that she is turning mad. Duncan, who shows little care towards his family, is taking out his anger and frustrations on everyone around him. Then we have Joe, whose only escapism is metal detecting and researching his discoveries.
The title of the novel is really clever. At first, I thought it referenced Joe’s metal detecting and finding a precious coin. However, not only does Claire see magpies during the story, but also the concept of protecting special things plays a massive part. Being attracted to all that glistens – both literally and metaphorically – reflects the recurring theme of the novel.
Overall, I found the plot rather slow and a little uninteresting in places. Indeed, I felt like I had seen this all before with a broken marriage, distrustful wife and cheating husband. I would liked to have seen more detail on Joe and the people he has started to mix with as a result of his findings. I think this would have diluted the jealousy that is rife in the plot and could have provided another perspective to the narrative. It was only until I reached the final few chapters did I really find myself engrossed in the story. I could not predict the ending and found my hands would not release the book until I had finished it! This, I believe, is the type of writing I was expecting from Draper.
In conclusion, I feel this was an average thriller. For the majority of the story, it does not stand out from other books yet, the closing was dramatic and interesting. I would still wish to read Draper’s other stories and believe that her flair for creativity and unexpectedness is something that showcases her talents as a writer.
With thanks to Netgalley and Avon books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2019
Claire is in an abusive marriage and decides to leave her husband.
Her eighteen year old son goes missing and she is trying to find him.
I found this book very slow and it did not hold my interest.
It was told in a before and after format that did not work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Her eighteen year old son goes missing and she is trying to find him.
I found this book very slow and it did not hold my interest.
It was told in a before and after format that did not work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 3, 2019
The three main characters in this beautifully written story that is a mixture of mystery,the supernatural,folk tale and domestic drama are Claire and Duncan Henderson and their teenage son Joe. The Henderson's live in a beautiful,very impressive converted barn that is all gleaming sleek lines and glass. The house is all made out to Duncan's personal specifications,it's stunning but to Claire it feels more like a tomb than a home. She has had enough of Duncan's serial cheating and his behaviour towards her and her beloved son and has decided to take Joe and leave.
But before she can put her plan into action, Claire and Duncan have a massive row and Joe disappears into the night.
Claire goes into hiding in a isolated cottage,desperately searching for Joe,struggling to piece together the events of the night that tore them apart and unravel the lies that they have told each other,and themselves.
But can she face the truth?
The chapters of this haunting story flip back and forth between before and after and are narrated by Claire and Duncan. Every word of this story holds the readers attention and keeps you wanting to continue reading but my personal favourite sections were Claire's after chapters. They had an intense,sinister atmosphere and gave the feeling that all was not as it appeared to be. I loved the settings for these parts of the story,the desolate,run down cottages,the mysterious,spooky hall and the folk tale of the ghostly church that was submerged in water when the reservoir was created and is rumoured to occasionally rise up out of the murky depths when the water level subsides. Character wise,I loved how protective Claire was of Joe who reminded me of our son Tom who is also on the autism spectrum. I spent most of the book not liking Duncan very much but he did redeem himself a little towards the end of the story. Although there is no excuse for cheating or his behaviour towards Claire and Joe,as they say,there is always two sides to every story.
Magpie is a beautifully written,mesmerising story that keeps the reader guessing and frantically turning the pages from the first page,right through to the heart breaking conclusion. It's a captivating tale that plays with the readers emotions and pulls on your heart strings. I had a lump in my throat more than once as the story unfolded and I discovered what had happened in Claire and Duncan's pasts and on that fateful night. Sophie Draper is a very talented author who can cleverly manipulate and captivate the reader with her compelling story telling. If you enjoyed reading Cuckoo then you are going to love Magpie. Worth far more than five stars and very,very highly recommended
Many thanks to Avon Books UK and Sophie Draper for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review
But before she can put her plan into action, Claire and Duncan have a massive row and Joe disappears into the night.
Claire goes into hiding in a isolated cottage,desperately searching for Joe,struggling to piece together the events of the night that tore them apart and unravel the lies that they have told each other,and themselves.
But can she face the truth?
The chapters of this haunting story flip back and forth between before and after and are narrated by Claire and Duncan. Every word of this story holds the readers attention and keeps you wanting to continue reading but my personal favourite sections were Claire's after chapters. They had an intense,sinister atmosphere and gave the feeling that all was not as it appeared to be. I loved the settings for these parts of the story,the desolate,run down cottages,the mysterious,spooky hall and the folk tale of the ghostly church that was submerged in water when the reservoir was created and is rumoured to occasionally rise up out of the murky depths when the water level subsides. Character wise,I loved how protective Claire was of Joe who reminded me of our son Tom who is also on the autism spectrum. I spent most of the book not liking Duncan very much but he did redeem himself a little towards the end of the story. Although there is no excuse for cheating or his behaviour towards Claire and Joe,as they say,there is always two sides to every story.
Magpie is a beautifully written,mesmerising story that keeps the reader guessing and frantically turning the pages from the first page,right through to the heart breaking conclusion. It's a captivating tale that plays with the readers emotions and pulls on your heart strings. I had a lump in my throat more than once as the story unfolded and I discovered what had happened in Claire and Duncan's pasts and on that fateful night. Sophie Draper is a very talented author who can cleverly manipulate and captivate the reader with her compelling story telling. If you enjoyed reading Cuckoo then you are going to love Magpie. Worth far more than five stars and very,very highly recommended
Many thanks to Avon Books UK and Sophie Draper for a arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review
November 26, 2019
Claire and Duncan's marriage is falling apart. Claire k owns Duncan's secrets and she plans to leave him taking their son, Joe with her. But things don't go to plan. Joe goes missing and Claire is hiding from Duncam.
Gosh, this story is very confusing. The story is told from Claire and Duncan's perspective. It also jumps between before and after the event. There are a few twists and a decent one at the end, but there was so much repetiveness throughout the story. This is a slow burner. I did not like any of the characters, there was nothing endearing about them.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Sophie Draper for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Gosh, this story is very confusing. The story is told from Claire and Duncan's perspective. It also jumps between before and after the event. There are a few twists and a decent one at the end, but there was so much repetiveness throughout the story. This is a slow burner. I did not like any of the characters, there was nothing endearing about them.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Avon Books UK and the author Sophie Draper for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 25, 2019
Having thoroughly enjoyed Ms Draper's previous novel, Cuckoo, I was eager to read Magpie but unfortunately, it was a massive disappointment. It's repetitive to the point where I was incredibly bored and there is so much filler that it gets tedious wading through all the unnecessary elements. I never give up on a book but this is the first in which I have done so in many years; I just couldn't continue. It is also very slow-moving and the switches between Claire and Duncan's point of view were clunky and often confusing as it was difficult to distinguish between two similar narrative voices. I really don't know what happened to make this such a disappointing read as I am aware from her preceding thriller that she is capable of producing a captivating story. A real shame. Many thanks to Avon for an ARC.
December 30, 2019
1 star. 1. Measly. Star.
I have never in my life given a book a 1 star review and I’m sorry that I have to. What a way to end the year. I almost DNFd this every one of the four days I was reading it. To be honest I wish I had.
This book was written like a GCSE practice essay. It was so overly descriptive I wanted to peel my eyeballs out of my actual head. Claire, Duncan and Joe were all horrible people, I didn’t feel any kind of emotions for them at all.
Also...isn’t it the first rule of being an author that you don’t do the whole “And it was all a dream/they were dead the whole time” kind of thing? Actually raging that they were dead. Particularly Arthur. Poor dog didn’t deserve that.
Claire has apparently been waiting 18 years to leave Duncan on account of Joe, but I’m pretty sure Joe wouldn’t be arsed either way, let him go metal detecting and make him a cheese toastie. He didn’t even like his dad so WHY WAS SHE STAYING WITH HIMMMMMMM??? It made no sense.
What was all the crap in the cottage with the dog? And the ghost village? Honestly this has baffled me beyond belief. I fell asleep TWICE reading this, but noooooo, I persevered because I thought I was just tired from Christmas.
This MIGHT have made a half decent short story, take out the endless descriptions of leaves being like hands, all the time Claire talks about fog, and all the times Claire makes a cup of tea, and you’d be down to about 150 pages anyway.
Jokes aside, the characters were horrible, the format was horrible, it was 110% predictable, 120% weird and just generally unenjoyable. And the dog dies. Would not recommend.
I have never in my life given a book a 1 star review and I’m sorry that I have to. What a way to end the year. I almost DNFd this every one of the four days I was reading it. To be honest I wish I had.
This book was written like a GCSE practice essay. It was so overly descriptive I wanted to peel my eyeballs out of my actual head. Claire, Duncan and Joe were all horrible people, I didn’t feel any kind of emotions for them at all.
Also...isn’t it the first rule of being an author that you don’t do the whole “And it was all a dream/they were dead the whole time” kind of thing? Actually raging that they were dead. Particularly Arthur. Poor dog didn’t deserve that.
Claire has apparently been waiting 18 years to leave Duncan on account of Joe, but I’m pretty sure Joe wouldn’t be arsed either way, let him go metal detecting and make him a cheese toastie. He didn’t even like his dad so WHY WAS SHE STAYING WITH HIMMMMMMM??? It made no sense.
What was all the crap in the cottage with the dog? And the ghost village? Honestly this has baffled me beyond belief. I fell asleep TWICE reading this, but noooooo, I persevered because I thought I was just tired from Christmas.
This MIGHT have made a half decent short story, take out the endless descriptions of leaves being like hands, all the time Claire talks about fog, and all the times Claire makes a cup of tea, and you’d be down to about 150 pages anyway.
Jokes aside, the characters were horrible, the format was horrible, it was 110% predictable, 120% weird and just generally unenjoyable. And the dog dies. Would not recommend.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2019
Magpie is an unusual and in many ways compelling read which I feel has been misrepresented by the synopsis as a thriller - it’s not, in my view, a thriller, and some of the negative reviews may stem from that. It’s a layered, hauntingly atmospheric story with, yes, a mysterious and even mystical thread running through it. But thrills, no.
We see events from the viewpoint of wife and husband, Claire and Duncan, “before” and “after” an unspecified event. “Before”, Claire plans to leave her serially unfaithful husband; their marriage has broken down over many years amid bitter recrimination and anger. “After”, Claire seeks with increasing desperation her missing eighteen-year-old son Joe - who spent his time searching obsessively with his metal detector for a fantasised hoard of ancient coins - while Duncan, a vet, deals with work and visits from the police.
It’s a slow and at times unavoidably confusing read which demands, and rewards, close attention from the reader. It took time to read and I wasn’t always sure what was going on. But by the end, I wanted to go back and read earlier parts again and in retrospect, it all made sense.
We see events from the viewpoint of wife and husband, Claire and Duncan, “before” and “after” an unspecified event. “Before”, Claire plans to leave her serially unfaithful husband; their marriage has broken down over many years amid bitter recrimination and anger. “After”, Claire seeks with increasing desperation her missing eighteen-year-old son Joe - who spent his time searching obsessively with his metal detector for a fantasised hoard of ancient coins - while Duncan, a vet, deals with work and visits from the police.
It’s a slow and at times unavoidably confusing read which demands, and rewards, close attention from the reader. It took time to read and I wasn’t always sure what was going on. But by the end, I wanted to go back and read earlier parts again and in retrospect, it all made sense.
November 9, 2019
Magpie is a book filled with grief and isolation, set in an eerie landscape. And still I couldn't put it down. The writing is exquisite.
Duncan and Claire have been together for over 20 years, sharing a teenage metal detecting obsessed son Joe.
We follow each member as their family unit falls apart and Joe goes missing.
The chapters are split in 'before' and 'after', have a pleasant length and a fast pace.
'Before' the foundation is already shaky, but 'after' it's survival of the fittest. An unexpected twist solves all the mysteries that are kept well under wraps throughout the story.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for the ARC.
Duncan and Claire have been together for over 20 years, sharing a teenage metal detecting obsessed son Joe.
We follow each member as their family unit falls apart and Joe goes missing.
The chapters are split in 'before' and 'after', have a pleasant length and a fast pace.
'Before' the foundation is already shaky, but 'after' it's survival of the fittest. An unexpected twist solves all the mysteries that are kept well under wraps throughout the story.
Thank you Netgalley and Avon Books for the ARC.
December 2, 2019
The Magpie is the twisted, dark, haunting story of a couple whose marriage and world is falling apart around them. I had already known that a Magpie was a bird, but after I finished the book, my curiosity as to other meanings got the best of me. I looked the word up in the dictionary and was intrigued to find a few other explanations; someone with mischievous habits, a collector of things. I had an aha moment!
Claire and Duncan have been married for over 20 years. Having met in veterinary school they fell in love and immediately married. While both did graduate, Duncan was the one to pursue the career. Claire stayed home and took care of their son Joe. Over time, Duncan was able to open his own practice. To make a good living.
The resentment they have for each other is palpable. The bitterness in their marriage awful. The routine of their lives bitter.
Joe was a difficult child from the beginning, always the odd child, prone to tantrums and with not too many friends, and Claire had been the protective parent. Now that Joe was 18 and not in school any longer his one aspiration was to spend time with his metal detector scouring the ponds and highlands surrounding their secluded house.
Claire knows that Duncan is cheating on her. This has been the pattern of their marriage. She just can't figure out who it is this time. Until she does. And she decides now is the time to take Joe and their dog and move into a cottage across the pond.
Then Joe goes missing and Claire is beside herself living in the cottage alone with their dog and trying to find her son. What has happened to her? What has happened to Joe? And what will happen if people find out the secret she and Duncan share?
This is a heartbreaking story of lies, infidelity and sorrow. But it is also haunting in so many ways. Draper's scenic writing skills are both breathtaking and grand, perfectly woven into this shocking tale.
Thank you to #NetGalley #Avon #Magpie #SophieDraper for the advanced copy.
Claire and Duncan have been married for over 20 years. Having met in veterinary school they fell in love and immediately married. While both did graduate, Duncan was the one to pursue the career. Claire stayed home and took care of their son Joe. Over time, Duncan was able to open his own practice. To make a good living.
The resentment they have for each other is palpable. The bitterness in their marriage awful. The routine of their lives bitter.
Joe was a difficult child from the beginning, always the odd child, prone to tantrums and with not too many friends, and Claire had been the protective parent. Now that Joe was 18 and not in school any longer his one aspiration was to spend time with his metal detector scouring the ponds and highlands surrounding their secluded house.
Claire knows that Duncan is cheating on her. This has been the pattern of their marriage. She just can't figure out who it is this time. Until she does. And she decides now is the time to take Joe and their dog and move into a cottage across the pond.
Then Joe goes missing and Claire is beside herself living in the cottage alone with their dog and trying to find her son. What has happened to her? What has happened to Joe? And what will happen if people find out the secret she and Duncan share?
This is a heartbreaking story of lies, infidelity and sorrow. But it is also haunting in so many ways. Draper's scenic writing skills are both breathtaking and grand, perfectly woven into this shocking tale.
Thank you to #NetGalley #Avon #Magpie #SophieDraper for the advanced copy.
December 20, 2020
Claire and Duncan are married, and have son, Joe. As Duncan is the Clinical Director of a veterinarian's office, he's well poised to supply her with anything she wants.
But all is not well between them. Claire feels she is married to a stranger and strongly suspects he's having an affair with a woman he works with.
Finding out about Duncan's secret life, she's determined to leave her husband and take her son with her. She's not sure what happened, but her son is missing .
(Book Blurb) Alone in an isolated cottage, hiding from Duncan, Claire tries to unravel the lies they’ve told each other, and themselves. Something happened to her family … But can she face the truth?
The suspense is nicely paced, with deftly drawn characters, warts and all. Twists and turns keep the reader riveted.
My one complaint ... there are many pages concerning animal abuse. Being in a vet's office, I can see where that would be a part of the story ... but it seemed too much, even though not extremely graphic.
Many thanks to the author / HarperCollins Publishers / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
But all is not well between them. Claire feels she is married to a stranger and strongly suspects he's having an affair with a woman he works with.
Finding out about Duncan's secret life, she's determined to leave her husband and take her son with her. She's not sure what happened, but her son is missing .
(Book Blurb) Alone in an isolated cottage, hiding from Duncan, Claire tries to unravel the lies they’ve told each other, and themselves. Something happened to her family … But can she face the truth?
The suspense is nicely paced, with deftly drawn characters, warts and all. Twists and turns keep the reader riveted.
My one complaint ... there are many pages concerning animal abuse. Being in a vet's office, I can see where that would be a part of the story ... but it seemed too much, even though not extremely graphic.
Many thanks to the author / HarperCollins Publishers / Netgalley for the digital copy of this psychological thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
December 19, 2019
This was quite a slow moving, well detailed story with hints of supernatural.
Claire lived with her son Joe and husband Duncan in a beautiful home. But things were not okay. Her relationship with her husband had broken down, so she wanted to leave him with her son. 2 things happened, she got to the truth of her husband's secret life, and her son went missing. The darkness of the night tore her family apart.
My second book by author Sophie Draper, I was pulled into the story by the sense of a haunting lilt that the prose had. When I went to analyze it, I didn't really have a word to describe that emotion. But it was hypnotic. I kept feeling that so many things were hidden from me.
The need to unveil the truth forced me to turn the pages faster. The suspense and mystery were built over the chapters. Written in dual timeliness with both the husband and wife's POV, the words brought out the almost gothic atmosphere. Something was more than what met the eye.
The rural setting of the village was well described, it was creepy. The mystery was hidden quite deep in the layers where nobody could reach. Characters were human and hence flawed. I felt myself sympathizing with them.
The ending did give me a swift rush when the truth was revealed as I realized that the author had hoodwinked me throughout the book. Wow. Well done.
Claire lived with her son Joe and husband Duncan in a beautiful home. But things were not okay. Her relationship with her husband had broken down, so she wanted to leave him with her son. 2 things happened, she got to the truth of her husband's secret life, and her son went missing. The darkness of the night tore her family apart.
My second book by author Sophie Draper, I was pulled into the story by the sense of a haunting lilt that the prose had. When I went to analyze it, I didn't really have a word to describe that emotion. But it was hypnotic. I kept feeling that so many things were hidden from me.
The need to unveil the truth forced me to turn the pages faster. The suspense and mystery were built over the chapters. Written in dual timeliness with both the husband and wife's POV, the words brought out the almost gothic atmosphere. Something was more than what met the eye.
The rural setting of the village was well described, it was creepy. The mystery was hidden quite deep in the layers where nobody could reach. Characters were human and hence flawed. I felt myself sympathizing with them.
The ending did give me a swift rush when the truth was revealed as I realized that the author had hoodwinked me throughout the book. Wow. Well done.
September 2, 2020
Well, that cover and the promise of a twisty and atmospheric thriller really enticed me. Too bad this was such a let down.
I didn’t really care for any of these characters. Claire and Duncan are both apathetic and somehow they still lash out at each other. The fighting became repetitive quite quickly. Joe could have been interesting, but felt more like a plot device than anything.
Plot wise, it was a mess. The dual POV combined with a before/after thread was just confusing. I’m assuming it was meant to add tension and keep me guessing, yet instead I found myself bored and skimming chapters.
Overall, it was a real disappointment and even though there was a bit of a surprise towards the end, it didn’t redeem the rest of the story.
FYI: lengthy scene of abortion and animal cruelty
**Huge thanks to Avon for providing the arc free of charge**
I didn’t really care for any of these characters. Claire and Duncan are both apathetic and somehow they still lash out at each other. The fighting became repetitive quite quickly. Joe could have been interesting, but felt more like a plot device than anything.
Plot wise, it was a mess. The dual POV combined with a before/after thread was just confusing. I’m assuming it was meant to add tension and keep me guessing, yet instead I found myself bored and skimming chapters.
Overall, it was a real disappointment and even though there was a bit of a surprise towards the end, it didn’t redeem the rest of the story.
FYI: lengthy scene of abortion and animal cruelty
**Huge thanks to Avon for providing the arc free of charge**
November 27, 2019
WOW!! What a mesmerising read from beginning to end!
I absolutely LOVED this book! It is so descriptive you can visualise every little thing.
"I am Alice in her Wonderland, too big for the space, too small to fight back, too disbelieving of my fate, as I'm sucked down into a vortex of my own making"
You love Claire, you can't stand Duncan, you feel so sorry for Joe and you see that sometimes your fate is determined by your own failures.
I will definitely read everything by Sophie Draper from now. She has a magical way with word.
Thank you so much to #netgalley and avonbooksuk for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
I absolutely LOVED this book! It is so descriptive you can visualise every little thing.
"I am Alice in her Wonderland, too big for the space, too small to fight back, too disbelieving of my fate, as I'm sucked down into a vortex of my own making"
You love Claire, you can't stand Duncan, you feel so sorry for Joe and you see that sometimes your fate is determined by your own failures.
I will definitely read everything by Sophie Draper from now. She has a magical way with word.
Thank you so much to #netgalley and avonbooksuk for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
October 3, 2020
I went into this book with such high hopes, but they were quickly dashed when I saw the Goodreads rating. I try to take those with a grain of salt, but unfortunately I am in agreement with most of those reviewers. The book had so much potential, but it ultimately fell flat.
I am a sucker for a good dual timeline, and for the most part it worked. It was a little confusing with both main characters narrating in the past and present, but I was able to keep it straight. I also appreciate that the narration was limited to Claire and Duncan. So many times I've read a book with two main narrators, and then a random one thrown in. Draper could of done that with Joe, or even Sally, so props for avoiding that temptation. While I guessed the "twist" with Evangeline, I did not see the ending coming at all. Again, props to Draper for leaving me stunned. That being said...
The final "twist" gave me serious "We Were Liars" vibes which is not a good thing. The ending of that book left me frustrated, and the same can be said for The House of Secrets. While it was sneaky, and well executed, as a reader it left me unsatisfied. Essentially half of the book didn't really happen, and I am not a huge fan.
The dialogue in the book also felt stilted and forced. It didn't have a natural flow, and it made the characters feel fake. I know Claire and Duncan had a very strained relationship, but their interactions were painful to read.
I will say, I think Garfield deserved far worse than what Duncan actually did to him. Garfield's actions left me infuriated and heartbroken - people like that do not deserve dogs. Those portions of the book did not sit well with me, and I wish they had just been left out all together.
I am a sucker for a good dual timeline, and for the most part it worked. It was a little confusing with both main characters narrating in the past and present, but I was able to keep it straight. I also appreciate that the narration was limited to Claire and Duncan. So many times I've read a book with two main narrators, and then a random one thrown in. Draper could of done that with Joe, or even Sally, so props for avoiding that temptation. While I guessed the "twist" with Evangeline, I did not see the ending coming at all. Again, props to Draper for leaving me stunned. That being said...
The final "twist" gave me serious "We Were Liars" vibes which is not a good thing. The ending of that book left me frustrated, and the same can be said for The House of Secrets. While it was sneaky, and well executed, as a reader it left me unsatisfied. Essentially half of the book didn't really happen, and I am not a huge fan.
The dialogue in the book also felt stilted and forced. It didn't have a natural flow, and it made the characters feel fake. I know Claire and Duncan had a very strained relationship, but their interactions were painful to read.
I will say, I think Garfield deserved far worse than what Duncan actually did to him. Garfield's actions left me infuriated and heartbroken - people like that do not deserve dogs. Those portions of the book did not sit well with me, and I wish they had just been left out all together.
March 16, 2022
Setting: Derbyshire, UK. Claire is married to 'supervet' Duncan and has an 18-year-old son, Joe, who is obsessed with metal detecting and the hope of finding a treasure hoard on the banks of the reservoir near their designer home. Claire is torn between her concerns over her son and her conviction that Duncan is having an affair, so feels the increasing need to leave him and take Joe with her. But, on the eve of her leaving Duncan, Joe disappears....
I really enjoyed the author's first offering, Cuckoo , but for me this one had all the hallmarks of a second book in a two-book deal, with the author being 'rushed' into something not quite up to her usual standard - too many threads to this one, few of which were convincing and a bland set of characters made this only an okay read for me. The Derbyshire setting saved it a bit for me as I could at least equate to the area where I live and work - 6.5/10.
I really enjoyed the author's first offering, Cuckoo , but for me this one had all the hallmarks of a second book in a two-book deal, with the author being 'rushed' into something not quite up to her usual standard - too many threads to this one, few of which were convincing and a bland set of characters made this only an okay read for me. The Derbyshire setting saved it a bit for me as I could at least equate to the area where I live and work - 6.5/10.
December 27, 2019
Book reviews on www.snazzybooks.com
Having read and really enjoyed Cuckoo, I was excited to read Sophie Draper’s newest release, Magpie.
The book features the same great writing style and interesting characters, but I felt a bit let down by the plot, which I found confusing and a bit unengaging. It jumps around in time a lot, which is a style I usually really enjoy, but in this instance it was a bit confusing – despite the chapters having the name of the person speaking and ‘before’ or ‘after’ at the start, sometimes the way it moved between timeframes had me needing to keep going back to the start of the chapter or to other parts in the book to work out exactly when this scene occurred chronologically.
There’s a definite sense of suspense within its pages, and it’s definitely less action and more of a slow burner.
I really liked the way the reader slowly finds out more and more about Claire and Duncan’s life ‘before’ Joe’s disapearance. The alternative points of view means the reader gets to unpick more and more about their life. Both Claire and Duncan (and in fact Joe, too) have their problems and neither are perfect. I struggled to connect with them at points in the story, although out of the two I definitely liked Claire more – Duncan was a real piece of work at times!
I felt the plot lagged a little in the middle and I wanted it to hurry up, but the ending is really impactful and I liked the way the author laid some clues that only become clear at the end.
This is an interesting read, but I just didn’t enjoy the structure of this novel and felt it was a little clumsy. However I would still read (and look forward to) future releases by Sophie Draper.
Many thanks to Avon Books for providing a copy of this novel, on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
Having read and really enjoyed Cuckoo, I was excited to read Sophie Draper’s newest release, Magpie.
The book features the same great writing style and interesting characters, but I felt a bit let down by the plot, which I found confusing and a bit unengaging. It jumps around in time a lot, which is a style I usually really enjoy, but in this instance it was a bit confusing – despite the chapters having the name of the person speaking and ‘before’ or ‘after’ at the start, sometimes the way it moved between timeframes had me needing to keep going back to the start of the chapter or to other parts in the book to work out exactly when this scene occurred chronologically.
There’s a definite sense of suspense within its pages, and it’s definitely less action and more of a slow burner.
I really liked the way the reader slowly finds out more and more about Claire and Duncan’s life ‘before’ Joe’s disapearance. The alternative points of view means the reader gets to unpick more and more about their life. Both Claire and Duncan (and in fact Joe, too) have their problems and neither are perfect. I struggled to connect with them at points in the story, although out of the two I definitely liked Claire more – Duncan was a real piece of work at times!
I felt the plot lagged a little in the middle and I wanted it to hurry up, but the ending is really impactful and I liked the way the author laid some clues that only become clear at the end.
This is an interesting read, but I just didn’t enjoy the structure of this novel and felt it was a little clumsy. However I would still read (and look forward to) future releases by Sophie Draper.
Many thanks to Avon Books for providing a copy of this novel, on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.
July 12, 2020
This is one of the worst things I’ve ever read. There is absolutely no storyline and the characters are horrible. The big “secret” is that there is no secret, just a plotless 373 page bore.
September 27, 2022
Eerie, dark, haunting! Quick read and unput downable suspense. This has it all. But also a few flaws that I didn’t like. I hate sad dog story elements. The points of view and timelines were a bit hard to follow. And I really wasn’t a fan of the end even all of the clues were there leading up to it. This book really had potential but just didn’t come thru for me.
December 19, 2019
I’ve read Cuckoo by this author and loved it so was looking forward to reading this story. I wasn’t disappointed.
Claire is married to Duncan. She has everything she ever wanted.Sadly she isn’t happy and wants out. She doesn’t want to live with a stranger anymore. When their son Joe goes missing she needs to find the strength to get through it.
This story is told in before and after chapters. Although it was slow to start for me I did enjoy it. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Claire is married to Duncan. She has everything she ever wanted.Sadly she isn’t happy and wants out. She doesn’t want to live with a stranger anymore. When their son Joe goes missing she needs to find the strength to get through it.
This story is told in before and after chapters. Although it was slow to start for me I did enjoy it. I’m looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
January 7, 2020
I loved
"Cuckoo"
by Sophie Draper so I was eagerly awaiting her next. However, I was somewhat disappointed. It was nothing like her previous one and I found it to be painfully slow. To the point of glacial. I wanted to enjoy it but I couldn't really find anything about it to enjoy.
Claire, Duncan and their teenage son Joe live in a beautiful hilltop house referred to as "The Barn". The setting was atmospheric, almost isolated, lending itself to a creepy sense of dread. But life is not as idyllic as it may seem. Claire has been secretly planning to leave Duncan, who has had a "secret" life of his own for years, when their son turns 18. It is clear neither of them have been happy in their marriage for a long time.
Duncan is a vet with a local practice in the village and Claire suspects his attentions has been on one of the many female employees. She just isn't sure who. Still, when Duncan is home he's absent emotionally and when he's not there, who knows where he is.
Joe is their 18 year old son, and while he hasn't been diagnosed, I strongly suspected he was "on the spectrum" with some form of ASD. He was a loner, fiercely focussed and obsessive in his interests - in this case, metal detecting - and very rarely spoke. He screamed ASD to me. So naturally he came with specific needs which of course added extra pressure to the boiler that was Claire's marriage, ready to explode at any moment.
When Joe goes missing, Claire is frantic with worry where he could be. She has constant nightmares in which she searches for her son, waking in sweats imagining the horrors that could have befallen him. Then as the story progresses to six weeks after he went missing, secrets slowly begin to surface in an attempt to keep the tension palpable.
Told in the past and present timelines titled BEFORE and AFTER, the story unfolds through Claire and Duncan's narratives. Normally I can follow this type of format, but this one I found confusing. We go forward, then six weeks back, then forward again, then six weeks back again...back and forwards constantly that I found myself dizzy and wondering which timeline I was actually in. Claire's AFTER narrative I found to be very confusing. There were times I wondered what she was talking about, alone in her dilapidated cottage she left Duncan for, hoping Joe would return.
And then when I got to the ending...it kind of made sense in a clever kind of way. However way we got there, the journey was too confusing, but when we did it was somewhat clever. But for me, it was a far too tedious journey to get there.
I have no idea why the book was called MAGPIE, though I'm sure someone may enlighten me, and in the end I really had no idea what the book was actually about. I couldn't find one redeeming quality about any of the characters. The fact that Duncan was a vet should have been a redeeming feature but he was morose and irritating and I didn't much like him at all. In fact, for a vet, I found his attitude to be rather impatient when it came to his customer's pets. Not at all like the vets I know. Both Claire and Duncan were positively depressing, as was Joe, with everyone always seemingly complaining which made MAGPIE a rather depressing read.
MAGPIE, for me, was very repetitive and tediously slow. I felt sad upon reflection as I really enjoyed "Cuckoo" and wanted so much to enjoy this one also.
I would like to thank #SophieDraper, #NetGalley and #Avon for an ARC of #Magpie in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Claire, Duncan and their teenage son Joe live in a beautiful hilltop house referred to as "The Barn". The setting was atmospheric, almost isolated, lending itself to a creepy sense of dread. But life is not as idyllic as it may seem. Claire has been secretly planning to leave Duncan, who has had a "secret" life of his own for years, when their son turns 18. It is clear neither of them have been happy in their marriage for a long time.
Duncan is a vet with a local practice in the village and Claire suspects his attentions has been on one of the many female employees. She just isn't sure who. Still, when Duncan is home he's absent emotionally and when he's not there, who knows where he is.
Joe is their 18 year old son, and while he hasn't been diagnosed, I strongly suspected he was "on the spectrum" with some form of ASD. He was a loner, fiercely focussed and obsessive in his interests - in this case, metal detecting - and very rarely spoke. He screamed ASD to me. So naturally he came with specific needs which of course added extra pressure to the boiler that was Claire's marriage, ready to explode at any moment.
When Joe goes missing, Claire is frantic with worry where he could be. She has constant nightmares in which she searches for her son, waking in sweats imagining the horrors that could have befallen him. Then as the story progresses to six weeks after he went missing, secrets slowly begin to surface in an attempt to keep the tension palpable.
Told in the past and present timelines titled BEFORE and AFTER, the story unfolds through Claire and Duncan's narratives. Normally I can follow this type of format, but this one I found confusing. We go forward, then six weeks back, then forward again, then six weeks back again...back and forwards constantly that I found myself dizzy and wondering which timeline I was actually in. Claire's AFTER narrative I found to be very confusing. There were times I wondered what she was talking about, alone in her dilapidated cottage she left Duncan for, hoping Joe would return.
And then when I got to the ending...it kind of made sense in a clever kind of way. However way we got there, the journey was too confusing, but when we did it was somewhat clever. But for me, it was a far too tedious journey to get there.
I have no idea why the book was called MAGPIE, though I'm sure someone may enlighten me, and in the end I really had no idea what the book was actually about. I couldn't find one redeeming quality about any of the characters. The fact that Duncan was a vet should have been a redeeming feature but he was morose and irritating and I didn't much like him at all. In fact, for a vet, I found his attitude to be rather impatient when it came to his customer's pets. Not at all like the vets I know. Both Claire and Duncan were positively depressing, as was Joe, with everyone always seemingly complaining which made MAGPIE a rather depressing read.
MAGPIE, for me, was very repetitive and tediously slow. I felt sad upon reflection as I really enjoyed "Cuckoo" and wanted so much to enjoy this one also.
I would like to thank #SophieDraper, #NetGalley and #Avon for an ARC of #Magpie in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
March 10, 2021
So I literally have nothing good to say about this book except I’m glad it’s over. I skimmed the whole thing and it still took forever.
First of all, it’s incredibly over descriptive to a point where there will be almost a full chapter describing some trees or bushes. I just didn’t care. There wasn’t enough character description ironically, just descriptions of nature.
Secondly, I felt like I was reading a history book at times. I don’t care about coins and overall it did nothing for the story.
Thirdly, I could not connect with any character. They were not likeable. Joe was annoying as hell and he didn’t even get a POV in the book.
Number four! I didn’t understand the book or the ending. There just seemed to be no plot? Just a series of events that led to a bad ending.
Number five. The swaps between before and after POVs were confusing. And then adding in some 22 year flashbacks, POVS from two different characters and some chapters that were predominantly dreams (I think). The character didn’t even know if they were a dream so how could the reader?
I hate to be a negative nelly but this book actually made me question my reading hobby. I’ve been waiting days to finish this and to get this review out...and breathe.
TW: a lot of detailed animal abuse and suffering which wasn’t appreciated.
First of all, it’s incredibly over descriptive to a point where there will be almost a full chapter describing some trees or bushes. I just didn’t care. There wasn’t enough character description ironically, just descriptions of nature.
Secondly, I felt like I was reading a history book at times. I don’t care about coins and overall it did nothing for the story.
Thirdly, I could not connect with any character. They were not likeable. Joe was annoying as hell and he didn’t even get a POV in the book.
Number four! I didn’t understand the book or the ending. There just seemed to be no plot? Just a series of events that led to a bad ending.
Number five. The swaps between before and after POVs were confusing. And then adding in some 22 year flashbacks, POVS from two different characters and some chapters that were predominantly dreams (I think). The character didn’t even know if they were a dream so how could the reader?
I hate to be a negative nelly but this book actually made me question my reading hobby. I’ve been waiting days to finish this and to get this review out...and breathe.
TW: a lot of detailed animal abuse and suffering which wasn’t appreciated.
June 26, 2020
Worst book I have ever read. I finished it because I felt as though it had to get better but it only got worse.
December 9, 2019
If dark, domestic thrillers give you a buzz, then you must read Magpie, the latest novel written by Sophie Draper. Even though I have yet to read some of this author's earlier work, I knew I was going to be in for a treat with this one, and it was pretty good.
Claire, her husband Duncan, and son Joe, live in a beautiful house overlooking the water. But Claire feels as if she’s married to a stranger and one who is cheating on her. This has been the pattern of their marriage so she decides now is the time to take Joe and their dog and move into a cottage across the pond. As soon as she can get Joe away from him, she’s determined to leave Duncan. Then Joe vanishes and Claire is fraught with angst, living in the cottage alone with their dog, struggling to find her son, and attempting to make sense of the events of the night that tore them apart.
In Magpie, Sophie Draper explores the darkest corners of a toxic marriage in a mesmerising tale of secrets, lies, infidelity, quietly seething hatred, and sorrow. Written in two timelines - before and after Joe's disappearance - from the perspective of Claire, I was given the opportunity to see things from the protagonist's intensely personal angle. Sophie Draper's characterisation was so impressive, and she explored the psyche of her characters with great conviction, making them very credible.
I particularly liked the author's portrayal of Claire who displayed a fascinating concoction of characteristics - detachment, emotional instability, and simmering rage. Each character had a part to play in the story and all of them came across as being good or bad, or both, which made this a very believable read. Everyone had different motives and priorities for their actions, thoughts or behaviour. The pace was mostly slow, and the events ordinary and repetitive, because it portrayed the family's lives. The twists, when they came, had more oomph because of this.
The Derbyshire setting was great as it's place I'm a little familiar with and the author portrayed it artfully. Magpie brought few disappointments, capturing my attention for the most part and Sophie Draper created an underlying sense of unease and foreboding that I found gripping.
I appreciated the tautness of the plot, the twists and revelations, and the overall quality of the writing as the story spiralled its way towards a superb denouement. I have found a new psychological thriller writer in Sophie Draper and I highly recommend Magpie.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Avon Books via NetGalley at my request. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
Claire, her husband Duncan, and son Joe, live in a beautiful house overlooking the water. But Claire feels as if she’s married to a stranger and one who is cheating on her. This has been the pattern of their marriage so she decides now is the time to take Joe and their dog and move into a cottage across the pond. As soon as she can get Joe away from him, she’s determined to leave Duncan. Then Joe vanishes and Claire is fraught with angst, living in the cottage alone with their dog, struggling to find her son, and attempting to make sense of the events of the night that tore them apart.
In Magpie, Sophie Draper explores the darkest corners of a toxic marriage in a mesmerising tale of secrets, lies, infidelity, quietly seething hatred, and sorrow. Written in two timelines - before and after Joe's disappearance - from the perspective of Claire, I was given the opportunity to see things from the protagonist's intensely personal angle. Sophie Draper's characterisation was so impressive, and she explored the psyche of her characters with great conviction, making them very credible.
I particularly liked the author's portrayal of Claire who displayed a fascinating concoction of characteristics - detachment, emotional instability, and simmering rage. Each character had a part to play in the story and all of them came across as being good or bad, or both, which made this a very believable read. Everyone had different motives and priorities for their actions, thoughts or behaviour. The pace was mostly slow, and the events ordinary and repetitive, because it portrayed the family's lives. The twists, when they came, had more oomph because of this.
The Derbyshire setting was great as it's place I'm a little familiar with and the author portrayed it artfully. Magpie brought few disappointments, capturing my attention for the most part and Sophie Draper created an underlying sense of unease and foreboding that I found gripping.
I appreciated the tautness of the plot, the twists and revelations, and the overall quality of the writing as the story spiralled its way towards a superb denouement. I have found a new psychological thriller writer in Sophie Draper and I highly recommend Magpie.
I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Avon Books via NetGalley at my request. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
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