The Heights

by Louise Candlish

The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among warehouses in London. Its roof terrace is so discreet, you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren’t standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there—a man you’d recognize anywhere. He may be older now, but it’s definitely him.

But that can’t be because he’s been dead for over two years. You know this for a fact.

Because you’re the one who killed him.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Mystery Thriller, Crime, Suspense

416 pages, Paperback

First published August 5, 2021

About the author

Hello and welcome to my page... You may already know my domestic noir thrillers or perhaps you're curious and not sure which to try first - either way, you're in the right place!

My latest is OUR HOLIDAY, a Sunday Times bestseller, WHSmith Richard & Judy Book Club pick and Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2025 nominee. It features my favourite ever love-to-hate characters Perry and Charlotte, second home owners in the idyllic English beach resort of Pine Ridge. It's now in development for the screen - I'll share news on that as soon as I can.

Next up is A NEIGHBOUR'S GUIDE TO MURDER, published in July 2025 (UK) and 2026 (US), available to pre-order now.

Last year I celebrated my 20th anniversary as an author with the news of two prestigious awards for my 90s-set thriller THE ONLY SUSPECT: the Capital Crime Fingerprint Award for Thriller of the Year and the Ned Kelly Award for Best International Crime Fiction. Stay tuned for TV news on that one too - it will be the next of mine to hit our screens!

OUR HOUSE is the one you may know me for as it's now a major four-part ITV drama starring Martin Compston and Tuppence Middleton (watch the full series free on ITVX). This is the novel that turned my career around, winning the 2019 British Book Awards Book of the Year - Crime & Thriller and shortlisted for the Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award, the Capital Crime Amazon Publishing Best Crime Novel of the Year Award​, and the Audible Sounds of Crime Award. It was also longlisted for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Award and the Specsavers National Book Awards. A Waterstones Thriller of the Month, it recently received a Nielsen Bestseller Silver Award for 250,000 copies sold.

A bit about me: I live in a South London neighbourhood not unlike the one in my books, with my husband, daughter and a fox-red Labrador called Bertie who is the apple of my eye. Books, TV and long walks are my passions - and drinking wine in the sun with family and friends. Authors I love include Tom Wolfe, Patricia Highsmith, Barbara Vine, Agatha Christie and Evelyn Waugh. My favourite book is Madame Bovary.

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Reviews

[MarilynW · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Heights by Louise Candlish

Ellen Saint is so full of hate that it overshadows everything in her life. She has one mission and that is to kill a man she thought was already dead. Ellen is blind to anything other than killing Kieran Watts.

The story is told from several points of view. There is a journalist who is sitting in on writing class that Ellen attends, observing Ellen and the things she writes and comparing them to events in Ellen's life. There is Ellen's side of things, what she has written as her story, but I've already mentioned that Ellen is blinded by her rage and fury. Then there is the point of view of Ellen's ex husband, Vic. As the story is revealed to us, we will find that things look very different when seen through the eyes of each person.

So much to think about here, but for me, everything in this story is overshadowed by Ellen's insistence that her way, her thinking, her demands are the only way. She may have gotten more mileage if she reeled in her murderous hate but that's not Ellen. No one is allowed to have a thought that doesn't align with Ellen's thinking. I really can't say more because there is a story here that I don't want to give away. I just want to go on the record that I do not like Ellen!

Pub: March 1, 2022

Thank you to Atria Books/Simon & Schuster and Edelweiss for this ARC.

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a fan of Louise Candlish, this book absolutely kept me at the edge of my seat and gave me extra anxiety attacks! I was drawn into story from the beginning. It has strong and intriguing opening: what will you do if you recently see the image of the person you’ve killed two years ago: the very same person: a problem child, probably a sociopath who targeted your family, ruined everything in your life returned back from the grave for revenge!

At the beginning, we’re introduced to Ellen Saint having a client meeting at their condo. When she catches a glimpse of next building called the Heights, she cannot believe in her eyes but she sees Kieran Watts who should have been death for two years! He looks thinner with his bleached hair ( originally he’s red head)
Could it be possible?

Then we go back to the past to learn about her family of four: her teenage son Lucas from her first lover, her husband Justine, second child Freya. When Kieran is transferred to Lucas’ school, Lucas finds himself in his orbit like a moth to a flame! Kieran has truly bad influence on him. Ellen doesn’t want this problem child in her son’s life: she shares her worries with Lucas’ father Vic. She does everything in her power to separate the boys. But when she agrees her son to see Kieran when he gets back to home for Christmas holiday, something tragic happens.

Then we start to read Vic’s POV which surprises us a sudden twist: that’s the cue where I stop to tell you more details!

You can sense something truly earth shattering happened to rock Ellen’s world!

The writing style was so capturing! Slow burn high tension keeps you agitated. You keep waiting something sinister’s coming up any second to shock you! Introduction of high place phenomenon which means a sudden urge to jump when in high place is also crucial addition to the plot!

Only thing I didn’t like was Ellen’s characterization which was a little bit annoying. I couldn’t relate with her and Vic!

Ending was a little argumentative. It wasn’t bad but there were a little plot holes.

Overall: it was still exciting page turner that kept my interest intact. Especially I recommend it to author’s fans!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

[JanB · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book opens when Ellen Saint sees Kieran standing on the rooftop terrace of a building. How is this possible? She KNOWS he died two years ago. Seeing Kieran creates a rage in her that can’t be extinguished. How is it possible this monster is still walking the earth and what will she do about it?

From here, we go back in time to when Ellen and her family meet Kieran. She considers him the catalyst that sent her family down a path of pain and destruction. Kieran ends up paying for his actions but it’s not enough for Ellen so she starts a public campaign to destroy him in the court of public opinion. No punishment is enough for Ellen. I don’t want to give too much of the plot away here because most of the pleasure of reading this novel was in seeing the story unfold.

Ellen is a flawed and most unpleasant and unlikable person. You’ve heard the saying, “Revenge is a dish best served cold”? In Ellen’s case, no amount of time will cool the burning hot fire of hatred and her desire for revenge. Is Ellen’s hatred clouding her judgement and blinding her to the flaws in her own family? Her sighting of Kiernan sets in motion a series of events that ends in an explosive and surprising ending.

Told in four parts, Part One details the events that destroyed her family, Part Two tells the story from the POV of Vic, Ellen’s ex-husband, and Part Three is the current day. Interspersed throughout the book are magazine article and book excerpts, while Part Four is the explosive ending. Each part adds missing pieces and gives the reader more insight. Where does the truth lie? No one is likable so if that is a requirement then it’s best to steer clear. (Unless you LIKE “enlightened” lenient parents who know it all and think their darling children can do no wrong.)

Ellen also suffers from a condition known as High Place phenomenon, which is an urge to jump from a high place. Her fear and obsessive thoughts add to the tension as a counterpoint to her obsession with Kieran. I was kept on my toes and although I got a few things right, there were still surprises in store. This could be considered a slow burn but I enjoy strong character-driven novels so I loved this aspect of the story.

A buddy read with my friend, Marialyce, we both found this to be interesting and entertaining, as well as thought-provoking. This was my first book by this author and won’t be my last.

* I received a digital copy for review from Edelweiss. All opinions are my own.
* Publication date March 1, 2022 by Atria Books
* for our duo review please visit: https://yayareadslotsofbooks.wordpress

[Holly B · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bust!

This story was all about obsession and revenge.

Ellen blames Kieran for her son's death and she lives and breathes revenge. She wants what she feels is justice. Every single page was about her being totally consumed with thoughts of Kieran. (at least it felt that way to me)! I even had to switch books for a day because I couldn't take it anymore.

I realize she was grieving her loss, but her neurotic behavior was insufferable.

I could not wait for this saga to be over. All the jumping around of pov's, the wordy repetition, and the unlikeable, uninteresting characters. At 400 pages, it was just too long, and the pace was plodding. I really wish the author had explored the theme of High Place phenomenon more as I found it fascinating. I've concluded that this author may not be a good match for me.

Don't mind me though, if you enjoy a slower pace with little tension, there are tons of four and five star reviews for you to check out.

Thanks to EW for my advanced copy. OUT on March 1, 2022

[Michael David (on hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!

Ellen Saint is working with a client at their condo when she happens to glance at the apartment building next door. The Heights is the name of the building. She can hardly trust her eyes when she sees a man she recognizes on his rooftop deck. A man who single-handedly ruined her life and her family...A man she thought was dead.

I debated how much of the plot to disclose in my review, but I think I’ll keep that part short and sweet.

This is an entertaining and compelling psychological suspense story that I couldn’t put down. It’s a bit of a slow burn, but never boring. The first 30% caused me major anxiety (bad for me, but a clear indication that a book has me hooked) as I just knew something unsavory was going to happen...and that it did!

I ended up guessing the majority of surprises soon after that, but that didn’t deter me one bit. Louise Candlish has a knack for writing enthralling storylines with fully dimensional, everyday characters in tough situations. Although Ellen got a bit annoying at times, her grief and occasional hysterics felt real and raw. I didn’t see the reveal in the last chapter coming, and I thought it was a clever way to make me reflect on the story as a whole from start to finish.

Bottom Line: If you’re a fan of Candlish, and/or a fan of simmering suspense, do yourself a favor and pick this one up!

Side Nugget: I found the High Place Phenomenon experience very interesting, and I’m glad this book gave me something new to google.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a widget of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Expected Publication Date: 3/1/22.

Review also posted at: https://bonkersforthebooks.wordpress.com

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future"
-Oscar Wilde

Ellen Saint is a victim and her son’s best friend, Kieran Watts, is the villain … at least, that’s how she sees it, and she’s not having any of it. She clearly believes the villain must pay. Where do those thoughts take her? Luckily her book within a book, Saint or Sinner, spells it out.

I won’t detail the plot points, as so many reviews have been written for this already, but at its core, this is a story of what happens when someone’s pain blinds them to reason, and when the line between victim and villain gets blurred.

Candlish once again writes a compelling story that encompasses themes of family, parenting, love, grief, obsession and revenge, among others. Ellen isn’t a sympathetic character - while I understood her motivations, I found her dogged stubbornness and refusal to listen to anyone off-putting, even if I might’ve felt the same way if I’d been in her shoes. Her ex, Vic, wasn’t perfect, but I could at least partially sympathize with him.

On the surface, this is a tale of hate and revenge. Dig deeper and you’ll find a story that explores how anyone could be a saint or sinner under the right circumstances.

A bit of warning: it’s a slow-burn, so those looking for ‘thrills’ won’t find them. What you will find is a well-written book with fascinating, flawed characters and a book that just might make you think!

★★★ ½ (rounded up to 4)

Thanks to Atria Books, NetGalley and author Louise Candlish for this ARC. I’ve given my opinions freely and honestly. This is due for publication on March 1, 2022.

[Jayme · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

Ellen Saint cannot believe what she is seeing. As she gazes at the discreet rooftop terrace of “The Heights”, from the building across from it, she recognizes the man standing on it. But that isn’t possible. He has been dead for two years and she is the one who killed him.

That is all the synopsis says and for me-less is more!!

I was completely intrigued!

You could say, that this is a story of a woman’s descent into madness, unfolding over 4 parts:

In Part one, (the first 55% of the book) we learn about when Ellen Saint, our main protagonist, met this man. And, why she hated him enough to want him dead. It was easy to figure out what the reveal would be, and it took MUCH too long to confirm it.

In Part two, a second POV adds to the narrative. Though some of what we learn is repetitive, we are also given some NEW information, and the pace finally starts to pick up.

Part Three has a VERY SINISTER feel. This section reminded me of why I am always eager to pick up a book by Louise Candlish!

Part Four delivers ANOTHER clever ending! Even when I have worked out some of what is coming, I have NEVER guessed one of her outcomes in its entirety.

The gaps to the story are filled by both a Sunday Times magazine article entitled “Killing Time” by Michaela Ross and a memoir “”Saint or Sinner” written by Ellen Saint in a writing class, designed to explore the impact that violent crime has had on the students taking the course.

Many authors can write an entertaining story but few seem able to deliver a satisfying conclusion. Never a problem for this author who nails it every time!

3.5 ⭐️ from me means it’s better than average, but I rounded down since I struggled to stay engaged with the first 55% which was more than half of the book. Disappointing because I DID really enjoy the remaining three parts.

AVAILABLE NOW!!

Thank You to Atria books for the gifted copy. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

[Susan (on hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

More Books by This Author Please!

Melancholy, wonderfully written and wholly different from other middle of the road thrillers. I was expecting something else and was surprised by the depth.

To paraphrase an observation from another reviewer, the story here is more than words converging around plot points moving the story forward. It’s always a happy occurrence to read a thriller with evocative prose.

This is my second book by the author and I’m happy I made another attempt after a so-so first impression with Those People.

Purchased at The Book Depository

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not really surprising and I didn’t like Ellen AT all. I thought the book within a book was gimmicky and unnecessary. Twist toward the end was decent.

I have come to realize that this author is just not for me. I enjoyed the big picture of the story once the book was completed, but I might have liked the journey more had I cared even one bit for Ellen. There were times throughout the book where she would say "I know it seems like everything was about Kieran, but I'm just showing you the highlights". I could have done with more filler honestly, because it was just obsession about how horrible and awful and destructive Kieran was (Ellen--pot meet kettle).

This book was just way too long and spiraled many times. It wasn't horrible, because like I said, the twists toward the end were good and the overall story is decent. It just took every so long to get there and I felt like Ellen's perspective was just too heavy.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Heights is a story about hate and how it can become an all-consuming obsession.

Ellen Saint is working at a client’s home when she sees a man standing atop a roof terrace across from her. A man that she was confident she would never see again. Why was Ellen so sure, you ask? Because she killed him just over two years ago.

That’s all I shall say about the plot.

As is the trend these days, this suspenseful story has multiple POVs, parts, and timelines.

Ellen’s sections were the most exhausting to read. Supposedly, she’s a nice person, but the reader hardly ever witnesses it. The object of her hate was still legally a minor when her obsession began.

In one of my other recent reviews, I stated that that was the slow burns of all slow burns. I take it back - this might top that one. The first three parts were slower than slow, made even more so by Ellen’s single-minded focus.

With most books, I will generally prefer one timeline over another. And that was the case here. I enjoyed the more recent timeline over the one leading up to it.

The final quarter was a doozy. This is where everything started to get juicy, and the pace finally picked up. While I guessed some of the twists, I didn’t get them all. Some of the final twists were quite clever. The ending made me bump this up to 3 stars.

This was my first time reading Louise Candlish, and I will keep a lookout for future novels.

I recommend this book to those wanting a slowly plotted suspense that could also be considered a character study.

Thank you to Atria and Simon & Schuster Canada for an arc provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://booksandwheels.com

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up.

This is a novel about hate; hate that Ellen Saint harbours for Kieran Watts who destroys her life and took that of her son Lucas. She believes he is a monster whose hold over Lucas becomes like that of a cult leader he has so much sway. The Heights is a slender apartment building nestled among the warehouses of Shad Thames and there to her utter shock she glimpses her nemesis who she thought was dead. Ellen is writing her story at a writing class and she recounts how Kieran came into their lives from 2012. It’s interspersed with an article about Ellen ‘Killing Time’ from 2021 and we also get her ex Vic’s point of view who is the father of Lucas.

This is an incredibly powerful and well written psychological thriller which could also be classed as domestic drama. It’s so skilfully crafted because you have no clue where the truth lies until the tense, breathtaking nail biter of an ending which is really clever. It’s like watching a train crash in slow motion, waiting for the impact and disaster to unfold. The settings are excellent and are used to great effect. The Heights apartment block is vividly described. The characters are well crafted and all are flawed. What is the truth about Lucas? Does Kieran have a hold over him? Is he challenging, malicious and malevolent as Ellen believes? What about Ellen? Are her feelings justified? Her tension and fears are palpable and so cleverly the author adds in a phobia called High Place Phenomenon which is a compulsion to jump from heights. You feel Ellen’s vertigo like sensations and this is woven into the storytelling effectively. As the storyline progresses her emotions of grief and shock manifest themselves into an overwhelming desire for revenge and her anger and pain come across strongly. Vic’s perspective is a fascinating counterpoint and good insight into Ellen and this leads you to ask further questions about where the truth lies.

Overall, this is a high class slow burner thriller by an author at the height of her game. This book grips from start to finish with all the twists and turns in the plot. Highly recommended to fans of the genre.

With thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

[preoccupiedbybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

A dark, slow and melancholic drama about bereavement and revenge

Ellen Saint is working with a client when she sees a man she knows on the roof terrace of the building opposite. Except it can't be him because he's been dead for two years, and Ellen was the one who killed him...

The premise for this sounded so good to me, and the opening was exciting, reeling me in! But that was where my excitement faded.. This was an overlong and slow moving book, which took me a week to read! I found it easy enough to read, but it had no real drama, tension or suspense 😢

I liked the setting, I could really visualise 'The Heights' building by the river in London. I also liked the way the phobia Ellen had was described. High Place Phenomenon, a sudden urge to jump when in a high place, was written in a terrifying and dizzying way, which made me feel quite sick!

However, the main characters were just so unlikeable, and I felt little connection with them. Ellen particularly put me off. I expected to empathise with her as she was angry and grieving, but she was just so filled with hate, bitterness and prejudice. I didn’t like her at all, her pov brought me down, it wasn't a nice experience to be in her head, to be in her world. I also didn't feel like I got to know other characters well enough.

Unfortunately, I saw most of the twists coming, except the final one, which did get me!

I seem to be the minority so far, so I will be interested to see what others think, once this is widely available.
Louise Candlish has a huge fan base, and I own The Other Passenger which I still plan to read.

If you're looking for a slow burning story about retribution, then give this one a go!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for the ARC, in exchange for an honest review!

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 3 out of 5]

EXCERPT: Craning to glimpse the man who has come out onto the terrace and stands at the clear glass balustrade, my first thought, as it always is when I witness someone poised inches from a sheer drop like that, is, 'He's going to throw himself off.' He's going to lean forward, look down, and hear the call of the void, exactly as I would. Then he'll jump.

I say as much to Selena, and she exclaims in horror, 'But why would he want to jump?'

'Not him. Me. If I were standing where he is. Don't worry. It's nothing to do with feeling suicidal. It's a condition. They call it high place phenomenon.'

'What, it's like vertigo?'

'That's more a sensation of spinning - like in the movie. This is a kind of irrational impulse. But not everyone has it.' I gesture to our man on the roof terrace, as still and poised as an elite diver about to go for gold. 'He obviously doesn't.'

'Well, it wouldn't be the best place to live if he did,' Selena says with a smirk, as he turns and walks the length of his terrace to its river-facing corner. That's when it happens. The impossible. The grotesque. There's a self-consciousness to the way this man lifts his chin, an exaggerated bounce to his step, that I recognize. That makes me put my hand to my mouth to muffle a gasp, my heart punching a savage rhythm in my chest.

It's him.

ABOUT 'THE HEIGHTS': He thinks he’s safe up there.
But he’ll never be safe from you.

The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among the warehouses of Shad Thames, its roof terrace so discreet you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren't standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there – a man you’d recognize anywhere. He’s older now and his appearance has subtly changed, but it’s definitely him.

Which makes no sense at all since you know he has been dead for over two years.

You know this for a fact.

Because you’re the one who killed him.

MY THOUGHTS: Geez, Louise! What happened? I have loved your previous books. I enjoy the 'slow burn', BUT ..... The Heights is just slow.

I took four days to read The Heights, for no other reason that I kept finding other things to read/do. I would put this down, and just wasn't motivated to pick it up again.

The Heights lacks drama, suspense, which was a real disappointment after the wonderful opening chapter. I was excited by opening chapters, but as the novel ground on, I lost interest.

I felt nothing for the characters, which surprised me as I expected to have great sympathy for Ellen. Instead I actually disliked her. I tried to put myself in her place, but I don't think that I could sustain that level of hatred and vitriol.

And the twists? Sorry Louise, but I saw them all, bar one, coming a mile off, and I wasn't really surprised by that either.

I would like to point out that I am very much alone with my thoughts on The Heights, and that just about everyone else has loved this book. But sorry, it just didn't work for me. However I will be right there in line for whatever Louise Candlish writes next.

⭐⭐⭐

#TheHeights #NetGalley

I: @louisecandlish @simonschusterau

T: @louise_candlish @SimonSchusterAU

#contemporaryfiction #crime #familydrama

THE AUTHOR: Before writing fiction, I studied English at University College London and worked as an illustrated book editor and advertising copywriter.

I live in a South London neighbourhood not unlike the one in my novels with my husband, teenage daughter, and our fox-red Labrador Bertie.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Simon & Schuster Australia via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Heights by Louise Candlish. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

[megs_bookrack · Rating 3 out of 5]

**2.5-stars rounded up**

While gazing out the window at a client's condo, Ellen Saint, spots a man she knows across the way on a rooftop deck. She can't believe her eyes.

Sure, he's aged and other things about him seem a little off as well, but it's definitely him. She would know him anywhere.



Ellen is shocked to see Kieran Watts that day because he is supposed to be dead. She knows this because she had him killed herself.

As you can imagine, this turn of events flips Ellen's world upside down. She becomes obsessed with Kieran all over again. It takes over her every waking thought.



Through flashbacks we learn how this seemingly harmless suburban housewife could come to hate this young man, a close friend to her son, so much.

It's clear Ellen believes Kieran is at fault in regards to a tragedy that changed their family forever. She will never forgive him and feels he got away with it when he should have been harshly punished. Vigilante justice comes to mind.



The Heights was a tough one for me. From the beginning, Ellen's character put a bad taste in my mouth and it really never went away.

Normally I love a tale of obsession, but there was something about this one that just didn't sit right for me.



I thought the end, like literally the last 10-15%, brought something interesting that I wasn't expecting, but other than that I found this to be fairly boring and at times annoying.

I have really enjoyed three of Candlish's previous novels, Our House, Those People and The Other Passenger, so just because this one missed the mark for me, I still consider her to be one of my favorite Domestic Thriller authors.



With all of this being said, I did like the way this story was formatted; the way Kieran's relationship with Ellen's family was revealed, the tragedy that changed everything and the revelations at the end.

Finally, as I always say, just because this one didn't work for me, doesn't mean it won't work for you. If you are intrigued by the premise, if you want to know what the heck Kieran did to become so vilified, you should definitely pick this one up and give it a try.



Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to picking up Candlish's next book!

[Marialyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hate, it consumes one, makes you irrational, unable to use common sense, morals, and humanity while it drives deeper into your heart, mind, and soul.

When thinking of the character, Ellen Saint, I picture a ball of fire, consuming her every minute of every day. True Ellen and her ex-mate, Vic have a valid reason for hating Kiernan, a new friend of their son, Lucas, and believe Kiernan to have been the devil who led their son done a path to drugs, partying. After all, Lucas had been an angel of a son before Kiernan entered the picture. However, there was much more to the story of Kiernan, who seemed to immediately feel that Ellen would be his nemesis forever.

There were many things that made me grate my teeth about the parenting skills of Ellen, Vic, and her new husband. They seemed to omit the word "no" from their parental dictionary and one might call their skills (or lack thereof) progressive.

As foretold tragedy happens, when the car Kiernan is driving plunges into the water and Ellen is seething and as Kiernan is tried and sentenced to two years in jail, she demands more. She sets up on online group that demands longer sentences for crimes such as these, and of course attracts all the hate filled followers she can.(sounds like our social media platforms these days) In the meantime, her relationship with Vic has fallen apart, and she has met, marriied, and has a daughter with her new husband (aptly named Saint btw)

Time is a great healer they say, but in Ellen's case, time only fuels the fire raging within her especially when one day she catches a glimpse of Kiernan in a building's penthouse garden. She is appalled, nearly slipping out of her skin, for she knows that Kiernan is dead or so she thought. She and Vic had had taken care of this, had they not? What or how is Kiernan still walking the planet? Hell has not opened up and consumed him.

All this leads to a roundabout story of revenge that had five years to smolder, but burns ever so bright now. Ellen will have her revenge. She will make sure his life is one that ends in whatever way she can arrange.

There are lots of twists which set this story up to be an intriguing read, and although it had some holes, the web of the story held true. Jan and I enjoyed our foray into Ellen's madness. There are never any guarantees that once revenge is accomplished that one will feel better. For Ellen, her end seems to make things come round full circle as she exchanges places with the boy she came to abhor.

Thanks to Louise Candish, Atria, and Edelweiss for a copy of this story that will publish March 1, 2022

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Heights by Louise Candlish is a 2022 Atria publication.

The Heights is a tall apartment building in London- and from the terrace of this building, Ellen sees a man she knows for a fact is supposed to be dead. How can that be? Once it is determined that she wasn’t just imagining things- Ellen descends into a frenzy of obsession- determined to rid the world of a man she can’t allow to continue living on the same planet as herself…

This is one crazy story of revenge, hate, and obsession- a lethal combination- for sure. The story flips back and forth between the past and the present, catching us up on why Ellen despises Kieran Watts, and present day, as she begins to realize she’s been laboring under an illusion for a long while, and determined to end any designs Kieran may have to further disrupt or cause pain to Ellen or her family.

Well, my goodness! I don’t know what this says about me- but I liked this novel- a lot! I think I might have been under the impression this was a different type of revenge story when I started reading it, but I was way off base. It is a story of obsession, revenge, and hate- no doubt, but one is never sure who is trustworthy- if anyone is.

These characters are not likeable, or at least I didn’t think they were, but Ellen is so unhinged she nearly overwhelms any chance the reader might have at objectivity. She becomes the villain- but is she the only one?

There are so many twists in this story, so many angles, it is hard to figure out who to believe. While I get that Ellen was not palatable for most people, she was an interesting character study.

This is a mesmerizing story, hard to put down, and doesn’t really fit into any specific mold- which is a good thing. The story does take its time to develop, but is well-crafted, executed, and thought-provoking.

I thought about these characters long after I turned the last page- marveling at the way their minds worked, and my own response to them.

Overall, this is a great brain twister that will toy with your emotions as well. The wrap up was both clever and satisfying!

4 stars

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holding grudges feeds and waters a giant Redwood of hate.

Louise Candlish infused The Heights with buckets filled with emotions. As readers, we unpack this one carefully and try to categorize just where to set them down and where to separate the thrills from the spills. There will be moments of sheer pity and empathy for the main character while then suddenly flipping the switch to frustration and vexation.

Candlish begins with Ellen Saint in a circle of fellow writers. Ellen has taken to revealing a portion of her life that will cause us to turn pages rapidly in the telling. She has quite the story to push forward.

Ellen lives with her family in London. She's a lighting technician by trade. This is her second marriage since things didn't work out with Vic who is the father of her son, Lucas. They still remain friends. Currently, she is married to Justin and they have a young daughter, Freya. Candlish lays out the typically busy lives of these characters with work and with attending school. It's all day-to-day until the wheels dramatically come off.

The spotlight shines on Lucas through much of this storyline. He's been chosen as the assigned friend for a new boy at his academy. Kieran, red-haired and awkward, is a foster child living not too far from them. Upon meeting Kieran for the first time, Ellen senses something outright disrespectful and challenging in the boy. His cold stares leave Ellen uncomfortable. But Lucas is taken with Kieran and refuses to curtail their friendship. We'll experience a deep change in Lucas as the threads start to unravel.

Louise Candlish circles the wagons around motherhood here. Ellen becomes transfixed on intervening in her son's friendship with Kieran. She enrolls her ex partner, Vic, into monitoring the situation. Eventually, Vic realizes that Ellen has become obsessed over it and he calls her out on it. We now realize that there's no stopping Ellen.....ever.

The Heights is filled with unlikeable characters.....people fulfilling their own needs at the expense of others. Everyone seems to have hidden motives that they take to excess. Initially, we stand with Ellen and her Momma Bear intuition until this grizzly reveals a pack of sharp incisors. Drawing blood is inexcusable no matter how we convince ourselves otherwise.

Louise Candlish can always be counted on to deliver on heavy psychological thrillers. And she does here in The Heights. My only concern was the long winding road taken in respect to Ellen. It grew a bit tiresome towards the end. But Candlish cranked up the adrenaline in the last scene and won us over. The Heights proves that we all have hidden fears brought to the surface by someone who deeply recognizes them in an instant.

I received a copy of The Heights through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Atria Books and to Louise Candlish for the opportunity.

[Dorie - Cats&Books :)]

DNF AT 30%. DIDN'T LIKE THE CHARACTERS OR THE WRITING STYLE. REALLY REALLY DISLIKED ELLEN!!!!!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, rounded up
The Heights tackles a mother’s anguish over the loss of her teenage son. The book starts on an outrageous note. Ellen Smart is at a client’s apartment when she looks across to another apartment and sees a man on his roof terrace. A man she recognizes but yet can’t accept is there. Because she knows he’s dead.
Ellen is a hard woman to like. Initially, I could relate to her struggle on how to rein in her teenage son. But after his tragic death, she goes totally off the rails, refusing to accept that her son had any issues of his own. She decides to go after the young man she holds responsible for her son’s death. When she sees him again, after his supposed death, she goes completely bonkers. She is totally obsessed with getting revenge for her son. To be honest, I was surprised that the men in her life continued to stay with her or in touch with her.
I liked the perspective of the story. Ellen is in a writing class and is relating her story on the written page. We also get blurbs from a newspaper article told by a reporter also in the class. In the second half, we are given the perspective of the father of her dead son. I liked that we saw events from both POVs.
The book is fast paced and kept my interest. Louise Candlish has been called “the queen of the sucker punch twist”. I didn’t find the various twists to be all that surprising and I had figured out the first. But I didn’t expect the ending and was pleased that it was believable.
My thanks to Netgalley and Atria Books for an advance copy of this book.

[Kaceey · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5🌟
This book has been sitting quietly on my shelf for over two years! Why? I have no clue!🤷🏻‍♀️ Glad I stumbled across it and decided to pick it up….

Seriously! What was I waiting for! Such a fantastic thriller!

Ellen travels across town for her job. While in an apartment of a client she glances across the way to a new high-rise and notices someone on the roof-top terrace. Someone who looks familiar. Both his looks, (from what she can see at a distance) as well as his mannerisms. But that just can’t be possible. This man has been dead for years! Dun...dun...duuun!

Oh my gosh! I was locked-in from the beginning. I felt for Ellen’s character as her life spiraled. I wanted to take her by the hand and do some deep breathing exercises with her to calm her. Come on Ellen you got this! Inhale…exhale! But nope! Nothing would stop this mama bear.

My favorite Louise Candlish book to date!🤩

Thank you to Atria Books via Edelweiss

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an addictive psychological thriller, the tale of a mother’s obsession with avenging her son’s death.

Ellen Saint, mother of Lucas and Freya is happily married to Freya’s father Justin, while her first husband Vic, Lucas’ father lives nearby. Lucas, a sixth former student, was expected to do well in his A levels, until he met Kieran Watts. New to the school and living locally in a foster home, Kieren soon becomes good friends with Lucas who begins to neglect his studies, partying on school nights and taking drugs. While Ellen and Vic were unhappy about Kieren’s influence, Justin felt Ellen was overreacting to Lucas behaving like a normal teen. However, when Lucas is killed in a terrible accident, Ellen blamed Kieran and when she sees him some years later, living in the penthouse on top of a luxury apartment building called ‘The Heights’, she is determined to get revenge for Lucas’ death.

The novel opens with Ellen taking part in a writing group where she is writing the story of her quest to make Kieran pay for Lucas’ death. Told mostly from her point of view, and that of Lucas’ father Vic, as well as a journalist writing an article about Ellen, we see the different ways in which Ellen, Vic, Justin and Lucas’ sister Freya treat Kieran. None of them are honest with each other, least of all with Ellen whose obsession with Kieran drives her to behave in ways she wouldn’t have dreamt of previously. While not a fast paced thriller, there is a tense atmosphere throughout the novel and its original plot will keep you guessing right up to the end where the author throws in a twist I did not see coming.

[Brenda ~The Sisters~Book Witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

The hook, setting/backdrop, pace and themes: Was the story a page-turner?

Yes!! The Heights is a discreet, tall, slender apartment building among warehouses in an up-and-coming London neighborhood that is used as a backdrop for the story and creates some dynamics between the characters. It’s a great place to live if you are hiding from your past, and it’s unlikely anyone will see you on your terrace at the top of the building. BUT Ellen, while visiting a client in the building across, spots a man, Kieran, on a balcony who shouldn’t be there, and she recognizes him right away as “the monster who destroyed her life.”

I was hooked and clicked the pages as fast as possible right from that opening. The story follows a psychological thriller/suspense pacing, starting slowly while increasing doubt and giving us time to get into Ellen’s head. It does drag a bit in the middle and feels repetitive, and we spend too much time in Ellen’s head.

The Heights has some of my favorite themes I love in a psychological thriller/suspense: obsession revenge, deception, injustice, grief, and parenting.

Structure: We get snippets from an article written for the Sunday times that introduces us to a workshop for writers “designed to explore the impact crime has had on their lives.” Then we get chapters of Ellen’s manuscript flashing back to the time when her son, Lucas, was high school friends with Kieran, and we see why she is obsessed with revenge and then from the perspective of Ellen’s former partner and Lucas’s father, Vic.

The characters: Are they likeable, or unlikeable with flaws that can be easily related to? Was I able to get into their heads and enjoy what I saw?

The characters follow Louise Candlish signature annoying, unlikeable characters that you could find too irritating to like. I thought they were compelling characters with flaws and conflicts that increased the doubt needed to drive the story forward.

Ellen is that seemingly earnest, sympathetic, flawed, unreliable character to root for. Still, she is a bit much and overwritten with her one-track mindset on revenge that was played repeatedly. However, I could relate to how she fixated on something, and her mind went around and around repeating the same things, unable to let go of her anxiety. I can be a bit much, and no one would want to be in my head. She also characterizes every mother’s fear that we can’t keep our children safe or from bad people from influencing them.
Kieran is a disadvantaged teenage boy who earns a scholarship to the posh academy Ellen’s son Lucas attends. He could be that unlikable, annoying, selfish character or a seemingly earnest, sympathetic, flawed, unreliable character. Or maybe it’s Vic, but he is definitely that character who is sleeping with a younger woman. That’s part of the fun here, trying to figure out if Ellen’s obsessive thoughts are reliable or not.

Battle of wits: What and who made up the battle of wits element to the story? Did the unreliable narrator element increase enough doubt to keep me guessing who was telling the truth?

The story relies heavily on that increasing doubt with every turn of the story, and the uncertainty enhances the suspense and tension as Ellen and Kieran battle wits. Not knowing how reliable Ellen's narrative is increases doubt about who is telling the truth or can be a trusted character. I was questioning what was real or what was Ellen's anxiety and if Ellen's obsession with revenge clouded her judgment.

Believability element: Did it blur the lines between fiction and reality with a believability element that made me think it could happen?

Yes, however it does push the plausibility of one turn to the ending but the final twist made up for that.

Pay off: Was the story layered with clues to see some of the twists and turns coming with a rewarding pay off in the end?

Yes!!! My head was spinning, trying to figure out if was Ellen, Kieran, or both who couldn’t be trusted. I was focused on who was hiding what, and the clues were there to see what was coming. I thought I did, and I was not too fond of the direction I thought the story was going; however, Candlish pulled the rug out from under me with a rewarding final twist. While I found the ending plausible because the clues were there, some parts were not believable.

Would I recommend it? Yes!!!

I received a copy from the publisher

For more reviews like this for the authors books can be found be found on our blog Penny For Our Thoughts

[Colleen Scidmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I thought was going to be a standard run of the mill domestic thriller turned into one of the better psychological thrillers I’ve read all year.

Ellen Saint is meeting with a client when she sees a young man on the roof of a sleek apartment building called The Heights. She thinks she might recognize him. No..she knows she recognizes him. She would remember that face, the face of her nightmares anywhere. But she shouldn’t be seeing this man, across from her on the rooftop of the building over. She shouldn’t be seeing him at all. Because he’s been dead for several years. Ellen knows this for a fact because she’s the one who killed him. So how is it that Kieran Watts, the bane of her existence is still alive?

The Heights is told weaving present and past through 2 POV’s, Ellen and Vic who share a teenage son, Lucas from their past relationship. Kieran became Lucas’ best friend in what I believe is Englands equivalent to Junior High (I have read a lot of books the last couple of years that take place in England and I still don’t know their school system 🤦‍♀️). Their friendship becomes an instant thorn in Ellen’s side. She feels with all her heart Kieran is not good for her son. All her efforts to put a wedge between them are thwarted and their friendship continues. After a catastrophic accident involving Kieran and her son Ellen is on an angry path, hell bent on her need for revenge. She will go to any length to get the retribution her family deserves.

Listening to Ellen and Vic’s POV was so surreal. I was totally invested in Ellen’s recounting. I even sympathized with her. Agreeing with some of her actions, because any good mother would go to great lengths to protect their son from someone that was considered a danger or someone who would drag them down. But when Vic described his version it was like a lightbulb had switched on and I saw the other side of a coin. There are literally 2 sides of the same story. The important details are the same but the way they both viewed things was so different.

Kieran was a bit of enigma to me. I never got his version, I was dependent on Ellen and Vic’s thoughts to fill in the blanks. So I was never really sure if he was truly a bad guy. I found out for sure in the end, but I kept going back and forth. Is he or isn’t he a bad guy? He did some bad things yeah, but he also a kid and was trying to better himself. He kept me guessing.

The pacing was good not to fast not to slow and it was all pretty straightforward. There were some little twists here and there but nothing big. That is until the last portion, when the good twists came out to play. The ending is actually what tipped the scales and made this such a good book. Some of it I was expecting but some of it I was not and I was completely shocked!

I really enjoyed The Heights and reading my first Louise Candlish novel. It got my brain moving, making me question what would I do if I were in Ellen’s situation? Her writing is subtle but powerful and I look forward to reading more by this talented author.

Thank You Goodreads, Atria Books and Louise Candlish for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.

[JaymeO · Rating 4 out of 5]

HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!

Saint or sinner?

“DO I HAVE YOUR sympathy at all, dear reader? It’s so hard to judge. How proper writers do it, I really don’t know. Invest their hearts and souls in their work with no guarantee that it will be liked—or even interpreted as they intend it to be.”

Ellen Saint’s life is turned upside down when her son Lucas is assigned a new buddy at Foxwell Academy. Kieran is is a foster kid and soon deemed a bad influence. Ellen watches as Lucas’ grades plummet and drug use increases. Growing more and more concerned, Ellen attempts to prevent Lucas from seeing Kieran. When both boys are in involved in a fatal car accident, who is to blame?

Ellen seeks REVENGE on Kieran for destroying her family and will do whatever it takes to punish him.

This book is told in three parts through Ellen’s memoir, a magazine article and through the perspective of Vic, Lucas’s father. Ellen is not a likable main protagonist, which might be difficult for readers to get behind. However, Candlish seems to realize this is the case and actually pokes fun of it (see quote above). It is a slow burn and takes a long time for the mystery to unravel. There are several twists that I was able to predict and one that actually caught me off guard! I do think this book could have been edited down a bit, but overall I enjoyed it!

3.5/5 stars rounded up

Expected publication date 3/1/22

Thank you to Edelweiss, Simon and Schuster and Atria Books for the ARC of The Heights by Louise Candlish in exchange for an honest review.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Heights is another brilliant psychological thriller from Louise Candlish. I love a book where we are drip fed the details of the past as the present is happening. It is a really hard book to talk about without spoilers so I am not going to say too much plot wise.

Ellen Saint is obsessed with revenge and will stop at nothing to get it. Her family is everything to her and nobody messes with it. But how far is too far? Is justice ever enough for the victims families? That is what this books looks at and it really makes you think. I could absolutely relate to her fears of heights, although the feeling of wanting to throw yourself off them is terrifying!

This was a book that I had trouble putting down, it w=is not one that you want to start late at night as you will want to stay up top keep reading it. I made that mistake, but I finished it off the next morning.

Easily all the stars for this one - check out the blurb below and tell me you don't want to read it. Out in Australia June 2nd.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster Australia and Netgalley for my advanced copy of this book to read.

Synopsis:

The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among the warehouses of Shad Thames, its roof terrace so discreet you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren't standing at the window of the flat directly opposite. But you are. And that’s when you see a man up there – a man you’d recognize anywhere. He’s older now and his appearance has subtly changed, but it’s definitely him.

Which makes no sense at all since you know he has been dead for over two years.

You know this for a fact.

Because you’re the one who killed him.

[Debra - can't post any comments on site today grrr · Rating 3 out of 5]

3/3.5 Stars

He thinks he’s safe up there.
But he’ll never be safe from you.

What happens when you see a man who should be dead. You thought he was dead. He must be dead because YOU killed him?

This is what Ellen experiences. How could Kieran still be alive? She is angry. Ellen is very, very, angry. Kieran has changed everything in her family's life. She first met him when he was a sullen teen her son brought home. That was the beginning of the end. Tragedy strikes and there is a price to be paid. Kieran pays it, but that is not enough!

This book is told using multiple POV's. This adds some meat and detail to the story. This was another solid read by Candlish but not my favorite by her. I am not a slow burn fan, and I wanted this book to hurry up at times. But there is a nice payoff at the end with the reveal. That was a nice touch and one I didn't see coming. Very nice touch, Candlish, very nice.

Thank you to Atria Books 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.

Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com

[Anissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read books by Louise Candlish so when I saw that she had this one coming, I added it to my TBR and looked forward to its debut. Last week I received a message inviting me to read it early and I had to jump right in. I don't even remember what I was thinking about reading on the weekend because when this landed in my lap, I could not put it down! 

I won't spoil things but the story of Ellen and her grief over the death of her son turned into revenge fuel was a riveting story. She and her son's father, Vic narrate this tale and it was like navigating a slalom. If you enjoy an unreliable narrator (I do), this may be for you. I really enjoyed that! The tension was ramped up and in the last third, I wasn't sure where or how this was all going to end. The pacing was very well done and I also liked how online/media crusades were played in the story. Very timely and thoughtful. There's a final twist here that was almost too much but I decided not to squint too hard and let my credulity vault me over a moment to reader bliss. Whew! It was a ride and made my reading weekend! One caveat, you may not want to read this one in bed, the ending had me totally awake and took a while to come down and drift off to sleep. Worth it, though.

I'd of course read another by Candlish and I'm glad that I was able to read this sooner than later. I saved this to my TBR under the UK cover, I received a copy with the US cover. I've kept it under the original because I just like that one better.

Many thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review.

[Carole · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Heights by Louise Candlish is one of those twisty and misleading family dramas with a strong dose of mysterious goings-on. Not much can be revealed about the excellent plot as, no matter what the reader perceives, there will be many curves along the telling of this story. Therein the reader finds parent-child relationships, ex-spouses’ connections, crimes, mental illness and all forms of love. Louise Candlish has put together a wonderful group of characters: some will frustrate, some will confuse but all appear real in the scope of most troubled families. The reader is led astray many times along the way. You will not figure out the ending until the literal last word. I found myself reading quite slowly so as to appreciate this very original mystery. If you are searching for a book with a difference, this one certainly fits the bill. I will most assuredly be reading more Candlish novels. Highly recommended. Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well that was a cracking read! It’s kind of a story within a story where Ellen Saint, who is at a writer’s workshop, recounts the tragic events that lead up to and follow on from the death of her son Lucas in the form of a memoir.

Ellen was inconsolable when Lucas died and she blamed his friend Kieran Watts for not saving him when the car they were in plunged into a lake. But Kieran is now supposed to be dead. So how is it that Ellen sees him on the rooftop of the apartment building called The Heights two and a half years later. It was pure chance that she caught that glimpse and it ripped her life apart all over again.

Well, I thought Candlish did a superb job with the characters in this drama. You could feel Ellen’s pain and hatred and desire for revenge. Her ex, Lucas’s dad Vic Gordon, was also really well portrayed as he tried to navigate a path between Ellen’s revenge and all the legal and psychological consequences of exacting such revenge. The plot was cleverly constructed so that you didn’t really know what happened, even when you thought you did, until the very end. Of course it could really have only ended in the way it did. Which is easy to say when you’ve read it but I thought it was fitting in any case. For some reason I’m struggling with this review so I’ll leave it there. I really did enjoy the book though. 4.5 stars rounded down as I thought the middle part dragged on a teeny bit. Otherwise - brilliant!

[Katie B · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

Having loved the author's previous book, I had high hopes for this one. For the most part I enjoyed The Heights, but the story does lose some steam in the second half. However, there's interesting stuff going on in the final chapters which goes a long way in making up for the parts that dragged on.

I was hooked just from reading the publisher's blurb on the back cover. Basically a woman spots a man on the roof terrace of an apartment building. The kicker is she is convinced this guy is the same man she killed two years ago. Say what?

I'm finding it tricky to articulate my thoughts about the book without giving away too much of the plot so my apologies my review is vague. The story runs pretty smoothly as you are learning the women's backstory as well as what's going on in the present day with her searching for answers about the man she saw on the roof. This book is definitely more of a slow burn mystery. Unfortunately while Part Two is a key part of the story I did struggle with feeling fully engaged at this point. I like how the author shifted gears a bit but it somehow manages to be boring at the same time. I do think the book is too long and trimming 50 pages here and there would have helped quite a bit.

Thankfully everything gets back on track for the ending and I can say overall it's a pretty decent read.

I received an advance copy from Atria Books. All thoughts expressed are my honest opinion.