Štai kaip viskas prasideda

Stephanie King #1

by Rachel Abbott

Kas patikės tavo istorija, jei vienintelis liudininkas negyvas?

Dabar Kleo, rodos, jau turėtų džiaugtis dėl brolio Marko. Staiga mirus žmonai, po kurio laiko Markas sutiko kitą moterį, Ivę, ją pamilo ir susilaukė dukters. Vis dėlto brolio mylimoji kelia didelį nerimą: kodėl jaunai moteriai prabangiuose partnerio namuose taip nesiseka? Draugai taip pat susirūpina: gal ją skriaudžia Markas?

Vieną naktį gavusi iškvietimą į namą, stovintį ant uolos krašto, seržantė Stefanė King randa du kūnus krauju permirkusioje lovoje.

Kada žmogžudystės pradžia? Kai ranka sugniaužia peilį, ar anksčiau, kai kyla mintis? Kaltinamoji stoja prieš teismą, o prisiekusiesiems tenka spręsti, ar toks nusikaltimas apskritai gali būti pateisinamas?

„Štai kaip viskas prasideda" — tamsus kompulsyvus psichologinis trileris, turintis visus Rachel Abbott bestselerio bruožus — provokuojančią dilemą, daugiasluoksnę paslaptį, aštrią įtampą ir puikiai sukurtus charakterius.

Atsiliepimai:

Išties dėmesį prikaustantis, įtraukiantis, malonumą teikiantis trileris su painiais siužeto vingiais. Absoliučiai NUOSTABUS!
Angela Marsons

Romanas „Štai kaip viskas prasideda" yra tamsus, patraukiantis, gerai supintas psichologinis trileris, kulminaciją pasiekiantis teismo salėje... Akivaizdu, kodėl R. Abbott pritraukė tokią milžinišką auditoriją.
The Times

Gudriai, pamažu atskleidžiama siužeto intriga... nesunku suprasti, kodėl skaitytojai vis imasi šios autorės knygų.
Observer

Psichologinių trilerių karalienė nenuvilia šiuo niūriu ir įtemptu pasakojimu.
Fabulous

Pirmasis tradiciniu būdu išleistas R. Abbott romanas yra galingas psichologinio trilerio ir teismo dramos derinys, o siužeto posūkiai vis nesibaigia.
Heat

Rachel Abbott — nuostabi pasakotoja... įtraukė nuo pačios pradžios.
Cara Hunter

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

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 11, 2018

About the author

I was born and brought up in the north of England, and worked for many years as the managing director of an interactive media company. I wrote every day - everything from creative proposals to user manuals - but most exciting of all was writing interactive dramas - including for the Cluedo (Clue in the US) interactive games. I was fortunate enough to sell my company in 2000 and we moved to Italy where we bought and restored an old country house.

I have published six full length novels and one novella, and my seventh Come a Little Closer is due for release in 2018. I now live on the beautiful island of Alderney in the Channel Islands, where I write full time.

Find out more on my website.

Reviews

[Felicia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Welp, here we go....

This book somehow managed to include every single element that can ruin a good thriller.

The characters. It's not that they were poorly developed, it's that they weren't developed at all. And all of them were unlikeable. The only positive is the unreliability of the main player, Evie. But even that was ruined because her less than truthful narration of the events was so obvious it completely negated everything I love about unreliable narrators.

Second, the completely irrelevant romance between the detectives Gus and Stephanie. Jeezaloo can writers please stop with this nonsense? Entire chapters are devoted to these two and their tumultuous love affair. By the end my skimming had turned into skipping those chapters altogether.

Next, the tired plot. I don't want to give anything away, although it'll be obvious pretty quickly to most readers, but it's a worn out premise at best.

And finally, the not so big reveal. This is another one of those stories that ends with the bad guy (or woman) giving a dramatic and long-winded rendering to explain all of their actions since birth (ok that's a bit of an exaggeration but you get the point) to their victim in an attempt to wrap up all of the loose ends in one breath. Oh lort I really have a disdain for these types of endings.

I am genuinely dumbfounded by all of the 4 and 5 star reviews for this one.

By 25% into the story I found myself trying to make up one of those ridiculous and cheesy Lifetime movie titles for this book because that's exactly what I felt like I was reading.

I decided on "Dead Brothers' Sisters Scorned".

[8stitches 9lives · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my giddy aunt! This is going to be big. Without doubt one of the best books of 2018. I'll eat my hat if this doesn't become a bestseller!

Full review to come closer to publication date!

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

ARRRRRRRRRGH where do i start am not sure here we go yet again this is my first read by Rachel Abbott & probably my LAST! the premise sounded good but the presentation gave me nothing did not like Miss Abbotts writing style, for me it was a slow monotonous burn that sent me crazy the characters were developed but did not like one character at all found myself thinking of what book i will read next.


Now i don't know if its me but this sort of plotline has been done before why cant authors be original the reveal wasnt so big & was a complete letdown i like my thrillers to be suspenseful engaging & packs a bit of a punch but alas this one didnt, pity really was looking forard to finally reading this author only to find myself bored shitless.

[Pauline · Rating 5 out of 5]

And so it begins by Rachel Abbott was an excellent psychological thriller, full of lies, deception, murder and revenge.
Evie is in a relationship with Mark and they have a baby girl. Mark's sister Cleo is jealous and wants Evie out of the picture.
One evening the police are called to the family home and find Mark dead and Evie injured, did she murder him or was it self defence?
Quite a few twists and turns in the story and an underlying feeling that everything was not quite as it seemed. I didn't predict the ending.
I enjoyed this book it was wickedly good.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Headline for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark and Evie have a whirlwind romance. Marks sister Cleo, knows she should be happy for him, but she doesn't trust Evie. Evie starts having accidents at home. Her friends are concerned for her. When Mark ends up in a pool of his own blood, Sargent Stephanie King is sent to investigate. Was it murder or a case of self defence?

This story is divided into two parts. The first part is mostly Mark and Evie's domestic life and the second part is the courtroom drama. This book has multilayered storylines. An intense story that deals with revenge, lies and cover-ups. There are so many curve balls thrown at you in this storyline that they will keep you guessing. The characters are well described with a few having complex personalities. Cleo is not a likeable character but I did really like Stephanie King, a character I'd like to see grow in future books. The book has a satisfying ending but it did shock me as I did not quite see that coming. A real good psychological suspense thriller.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Headline and the author Rachel Abbott for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Angela Marsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

A highlight of my journey so far has to be getting a message asking if I'd like to read the latest Rachel Abbott book? Err....Yeah!!!! I have admired this author's work for so long and once again her latest absolutely blew me away. No spoilers but the story centres on Evie, Mark and Cleo and the complicated relationships between the three of them. There are things you can count on in a Rachel Abbott book which for me are 1. Brilliantly drawn characters 2. The fact that the author is going to decide how I feel about these characters and has the ability to change my mind at any stage of the book. 3. Eerie, atmospheric undertones that make me question EVERYTHING. 4. The fact that once I start reading I'm going to get nothing done until I've finished. 5. I'm going to be left breathless at her ability to manipulate me along the journey and finally to give me a truly compelling, twisty, enthralling and satisfying read. Add in courtroom drama and a new character - Stephanie King - who I'm eager to meet again and that's me now in need of a lie down in a dark room. Absolutely AMAZING!!!

[Natalia Luna · Rating 2 out of 5]

Comencé este libro con altas expectativas por sus buenas calificaciones. Y una vez más tengo que discrepar.
Comienza bastante bien pero a los dos capítulos ya estaba perdida. La forma en que está escrito es bastante confusa. Los personajes no caen bien. Un lío monumental de qué va realmente la historia.
Sigues avanzando porque nos han descrito un posible asesinato al comienzo del libro. Y sigues y sigues. Leo en diagonal las partes del romance entre los policías. Me aburro. Demasiado lento y demasiado largo. Quiero llegar al final 😴

Un posible maltrato, un asesinato y una explicación de los hechos que no ha merecido realmente la pena. Olvidable para mi gusto.
2 estrellas.

[Mandy White (mandylovestoread) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book thanks to Pigeonhole. What a tangled mess of lies all these very unlikeable characters had created. Not knowing who to believe was all part of the fun but I kind of figured it out by the end.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book in the Stephanie King series.

Mark and Evie are married after a short courtship, his first wife Mia died after a tragic accident and his sister Cleo who has always been overprotective of Mark, has never really liked Evie. Evie has been having random accidents, is Mark hurting her?

When Sergeant Stephanie King arrives at a murder scene, she discovers Mark in a pool of blood in his bed with Evie curled up next to him. Evie confesses to his murder straightaway. She has wounds on her arm, was she defending herself? Stephanie knows the house well as she was called out when Mia was discovered dead. Is history repeating itself!!

We go back to how Mark and Evie met and how their relationship started, we go to the court case which had me on the edge of my seat. Evie has her own secrets that come tumbling out complicating the case. This is not an open and closed case.

There are lots of twists along the way. By the end I felt like I had been put through a tumble drier, I read a paragraph near the end of the book thinking I knew what the ending would be only to realise I had presumed who the character they were talking about was, only to get it completely WRONG!! I had to reread it and then I was gobsmacked.

An addictive read that will keep you guessing until the end!!!

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite Quotes:

I think we’ve both given up pretending we can be friends. We have reached a point at which we manage to say all the right words to each other, but they are hollow – the fancy wrapping paper around an empty box.

There was something about the way she had related the story of her accident to Cleo that hadn’t rung true, and for just seconds Cleo had experienced a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach as if she was being dropped from a great height.


My Review:


This is a prime example of how a thriller should be written – it was perfectly sublime! The premise was unique and original with cunningly crafted and shrewdly paced storylines. I fell right into this riveting tale while my beloved Kindle thrummed with tension. The narrative vibrated with intrigue that wafted off the compelling and complex characters. There were so many well-nuanced and grinding secrets. I was on edge with unsure footing, waffling back and forth in my theories, and hissing at every interruption to my perusal. It was divine and my first exposure to the exceptionally agile and insightful storytelling of Rachel Abbott. I have but two words to sum up my final thoughts on the experience – MORE, please!

[Liz Barnsley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read all today could NOT put it down. Brutally addictive psychological thriller with engaging divisive characters and an unpredictable, edgy plot with emotive themes. Full review for publication in November.

[Berit☀️✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Masterfully manipulative. This was one twisted thriller chock-full of unreliable, unlikable, unbelievable characters. The book kicks off with a gory scene, Sergeant Stephanie King enters a residence and discovers two bloody bodies in a bed. One victim is alive and one victim is dead. Then the story bounces back two life with Mark and Evie. Mark is an eccentric photographer and Evie rescued him from his depression after the death of his first wife. Marks older sister Cleo has always been overprotective when it comes to Mark and she does not have a good feeling about Evie. A little psychological thriller... a little police procedural... a little quart room drama... a lot twisted....

This was a definite addictive read with plenty of potential bad guys. At no time during the story did I completely trust anyone, not even the detectives. The story is told from multiple perspectives so there is no doubt that each character has their own agenda going on. There is also a lot of misdirection and manipulation going on. Loved how this thriller also blended in the police investigation and the court case. I am purposely being vague because I certainly wouldn’t want to spoil this for you. A well told compelling thriller with a surprising end.

This book in emojis 📸 👶🏼 🧩 🔪

*** Big thank you to Bookouture for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

[Lorena · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantástico. Una trama perfectamente urdida en la que todas las piezas encajan. Hasta el último capítulo no sabía qué pensar ni a quién creer, pues los personajes están tan bien dibujados que hace que te los creas a todos.
Parece que va a ser una serie de libros con la investigadora como protagonista, así que estaré atenta para el próximo.

[Μαρία Αλεξοπούλου · Rating 4 out of 5]

Πρόσφατα κυκλοφόρησε το ψυχολογικό θρίλερ της Rachel Abbott που μου κέντρισε την προσοχή τόσο λόγω εξωφύλλου όσο και υπόθεσης. Εκτενέστερα, όταν η Ίβι αρχίζει να παθαίνει περίεργα ατυχήματα στο σπίτι, την υποπτεύεται ο περίγυρός της. Μήπως αυτός που προξενεί τα «ατυχήματα» είναι ο σύντροφός της ο Μαρκ; Μήπως τα προκαλεί ή ίδια όπως υποψιάζεται η αδελφή του Μαρκ; Όταν η αρχιφύλακας Στέφανι Κινγκ δέχεται μια κλήση για βοήθεια φτάνει εσπευσμένα στο σπίτι του ζευγαριού, που δεσπόζει στον βράχο πάνω από τη θάλασσα. Κι εκεί, βρίσκεται μπροστά σε δυο κορμιά αγκαλιασμένα πάνω στα λευκά, μουσκεμένα στο αίμα σεντόνια. Έτσι άρχισαν όλα. Έτσι άρχισα να διαβάζω Rachel Abbott.

Aναλυτική κριική στο Οne girl, one pen!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evie Clark met artist Mark North when commissioning some pictures. She knew he had lost his wife in an accident a few years ago. Evie brought him out of his shell after a long period of grief. Now living together with their young daughter, Evie begins having accidents...a broken hand, a burnt arm. Mark's sister Cleo believes that Evie is doing it to herself. Her brother would never hurt the woman he loves. But things aren't always as they seem.

I should have stayed away from this book. It is billed as a psychological thriller or a domestic thriller, neither of which I'm a big fan. The story is told from various points-of-view from mostly unreliable narrators. I quickly figured out what was going on. I just couldn't put my finger on the motive. When I got to the end of the story, it was a big letdown for me.

This is the first book in the Stephanie King series. Stephanie is a police detective investigating the murder at Mark and Evie's home. She and her new boss (and ex-boyfriend) Angus were secondary characters in this book, and probably the only characters I actually liked. I found the story interesting, but hated the end. My rating: 3 Stars.

[Penguin The Reviewer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Είχα αποφασίσει ότι ήταν για 4 αστέρια μέχρι το δεύτερο μέρος, αλλά η λύση του μυστηρίου δεν με ικανοποίησε.
Το βιβλίο αποτελείται από 3 μέρη.
1.Το πρώτο που μας εισάγει στα γεγονότα και τα πρόσωπα του έργου
2.Ακολουθεί το δικαστικό θρίλερ (μοιάζει με το 13 του Cavanagh, αλλά όχι τόσο καλό)
3.Και τέλος η λύση του μυστηρίου

Θετικά
-Η συγγραφέας ξέρει να κλείνει τα κεφάλαιά της προκαλώντας το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη
-Το δεύτερο κομμάτι (η δίκη) ήταν το πιο ενδιαφέρον
-Το τελευταίο κεφάλαιο δείχνει πως η συγγραφέας μπορεί να δημιουργήσει μυστήριο σε μια ιστορία

Αρνητικά
-Το τέλος ήταν προβλέψιμο (κάτι που δεν θες σε βιβλία μυστηρίου) κι ένα στοιχείο για το προβλέψιμο τέλος το δίνει η συγγραφέας στην αρχή του βιβλίου. Η σκηνή με την οποία ξεκινά το βιβλίο έχει αγωνία, αλλά ένας προσεκτικός αναγνώστης θα αναρωτηθεί ποιος ήταν αυτός που τηλεφώνησε στην αστυνομία. Αυτό απαντάται στο τέλος του βιβλίου, αλλά αν έχεις αυτήν την ερώτηση στο μυαλό σου όσο διαβάζεις το βιβλίο, αντιλαμβάνεσαι ποια είναι η λύση του μυστηρίου.
-Υπάρχουν ανεπάρκειες στην πλοκή:
1) Δεν γίνεται ολόκληρο δικαστικό σύστημα και αστυνομία να μην μπορούν να εντοπίσουν έναν άνθρωπο –ειδικά αν χρησιμοποιεί αεροπλάνα - και να τον βρίσκει μια απλή αστυνομικός τυχαία.
2) Η αστυνομία καταλήγει αβίαστα πως ένας θάνατος προέρχεται από τα λυμένα κορδόνια του θύματος χωρίς να τον ερευνά περαιτέρω (περίμενα κάτι καλύτερο.
3) Στη δίκη αναφέρεται πως η κατηγορούμενη δεν έχει τραυματιστεί μόνη της (και προσπαθεί να το αποδείξει πετυχημένα), ενώ στο τέλος του βιβλίου παραδέχεται ότι αυτοτραυματιζόταν. Επομένως, αν τους ξεγέλασε τόσο εύκολα, μάλλον οι δικαστές δεν είχαν σχέση με τη νομική.
-Η συγγραφέας πήγε να συνδυάσει σε ένα βιβλίο το δικαστικό θρίλερ και το αστυνομικό, αλλά όχι με τη σωστή σειρά. Πρώτα παρουσιάσει τη δίκη που υποτίθεται έχουν γίνει πλήρεις έρευνες για το ζήτημα (αλλά δεν) και μετά την αστυνομική έρευνα που φέρνει τη λύση του μυστηρίου και δίνει απάντηση σε απλά ερωτήματα. Έτσι, δείχνει ότι η έρευνα που είχε κάνει ολόκληρη αστυνομία ήταν ανεπαρκής κι επιφανειακή.
-Το κίνητρο της δολοφονίας δεν με ικανοποίησε, αλλά αυτό είναι υποκειμενικό

[Namita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sergeant Stephanie King is called to a crime scene where she finds Evie, a young mother stabbed and lying next to the murdered body of her boyfriend Mark. It seems like an open and shut domestic abuse case when Evie confesses to killing Mark but Stephanie feels there is more to the story especially with Chloe, Mark’s controlling sister in the picture.

And So It Begins by Rachel Abbott is a tension filled gripping psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns. This book is divided into 3 parts; the events leading up to the murder of Mark, the court-case and the final twist after the case which I didn't see coming . Another winner by Rachel Abbot and am looking forward to reading her next one

I would like to thank Headline & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Caroline Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

There's a reason Rachel Abbott is one of my favourite authors, and I'm reminded why every time I pick up one of her books. I'm always guaranteed a thrilling read and And So It Begins is no exception. The penultimate in psychological suspense, this novel had me changing my mind about characters Mark, Cleo and Evie again and again as I was blindsided by a new twist. I loved the courtroom aspect which came in during the second half of the book and I could see this play out as a great drama on TV. I also loved the dark, chilling undertones that gave it a creepy edge. Can you tell how much I loved this book?! And So It Begins is an unnerving, twisting tale that you won't be able to put down.

[pelaio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bueno, no sé exactamente como calificarla, le he dado 3 estrellas pero creo que era un 2 estrellas tirando hacía arriba. A ver, reconozco que es entretenida y se lee fácil, muy fácil. A mí particularmente me ha parecido bastante light para ser un thriller, demasiado amor por todas partes, entre hermanos, entre parejas, entre amigas, entre madre e hija...bastante pasteloso. Dejando claro que se lee bien para estas fechas en que estamos todos encerrados en nuestras jaulas, también decir que el final me ha parecido de película típica de los sábados o domingos en la 1 o en la Sexta, un poco ojiplático me ha dejado. Resumiendo, estoy convencido y así veo por ahí, que habrá gente que le dará 4 y 5 estrellas, o sea, no me hagáis ni caso. Prescindible, para olvidarla el mismo día de haberla terminado.

[Laura y sus libros · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este libro comienza con la escena del crimen que será el hilo conductor de toda la historia. Una vez se nos presenta ésta, la autora nos va llevando al pasado para que vayamos conociendo el contexto de los personajes y podamos ir elucubrando qué ha podido pasar.
Los personajes principales son tres, Evie, Markus y Cleo - la hermana de este último-. El desarrollo que más me ha llamado la atención es el de Cleo, aparentemente es secundaria pero es un personaje muy potente y vital en el desarrollo de la historia.
Existe además de forma paralela el esbozo de otra historia formada por personajes que probablemente formarán parte de otros libros de la autora como son los policías Stephanie y Gus, si bien no deja de ser una historia accesoria que poco tiene que ver con la trama principal.
Aunque el comienzo es desde luego impactante y te hace querer saber más, el resto de la historia para mi gusto se desarrolla de forma algo lenta aunque sí que es verdad que la última consigue coger el ritmo que esperas en una novel de este estilo.
La primera parte en la que se narra como se conocen Evie y Markus se me hizo hasta pesada ya que igual tenía la idea de que era un thriller y esperaba algo más trepidante. Poco a poco se van desvelando cosas que llevan a más interrogantes y conjeturas, pero dentro de un ritmo pausado, a la manera inglesa de escribir y hacer series y películas, muy buenas historias, buenos desarrollos pero ritmos lentos.
La investigación policial es muy escasa y la narración se basa principalmente en la elaboración de los personajes y su desarrollo psicológico. Sí que es cierto que esta parte está muy bien desarrollada y podemos entender lo que pasa por la mente de cada uno y por qué actúan de la manera en que lo hacen.
Por otra parte, algo más de un tercio del libro está enfocado en el juicio que se produce intentando dilucidar qué ha ocurrido y por qué, así que si os gustan los juicios este os gustará.
En definitiva se trata de una historia muy bien hilada fácil de leer y entretenida pero sin el ritmo que para mi gusto se debería dar en novelas de este estilo.

[Tracy Fenton · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW – just WOW that basically is my review. Although I think I should probably try and elaborate slightly: And So It Begins is Rachel Abbott’s new standalone thriller that DOESN’T feature the dashing DCI Tom Douglas, but fear not my fellow bookworms within the first couple of chapters I actually didn’t mind or even remember who Tom is because this book is EXCEPTIONAL.

A tightly woven tale of tension, layered with lies and topped off with tragedy And So It Begins is a fantastic thriller which proves that Rachel Abbott is a very talented storyteller.

And So It Begins is narrated mainly through Evie, a young mother discovered lying next to the murdered body of her boyfriend Mark, Cleo, who is Mark’s devoted and often controlling older sister and Stephanie King the policewoman who is first on the scene at the beginning of the story. This book is split into 3 parts; the murder and the events leading up to the killing; the court-case with both the prosecution and the defence deciding on Evie’s fate and finally the story after the court ruling.

Full of dark and damaged characters And So It Begins literally had me up all night reading. Can’t wait for Rachel Abbott’s next standalone now. 5 HUGE STARS.

[Brooke - Brooke's Reading Life · Rating 4 out of 5]

*www.onewomansbbr.wordpress.com
*www.facebook.com/onewomansbbr

And So It Begins by Rachel Abbott. (2018).

Cleo should be happy for her brother Mark when he finds a new partner after the death of his first wife, but something about Evie doesn't feel right...
Then Evie starts having a lot of accidents at home, and one night the police are called - someone is dead. When Evie faces trial, the jury has to consider if there is ever a proper defence for murder.

This one made me doubt my instincts in picking twists. It's definitely a clever plot where you think you know what's going on, and then you doubt yourself, and then you realise actually maybe you were right...or not....haha! This book was another one for me where I didn't particularly like or relate to any of the lead characters but did enjoy it overall and still found myself invested in the storyline. I also enjoyed the secondary minor plotline between the detective sergeant and her colleague/ex (an awkward situation for anyone!).
Overall, a well-written entertaining thriller that I'd be happy to recommend.

[Xana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este livro intrigou-me desde o início e conseguiu surpreender-me no final. Sabia que algo se passava de muito errado na estória, mas nunca adivinharia.
Muito bom.
Tenho tido sorte com as minhas leituras este ano :) poucos, mas bonzinhos..

[Norrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So clever, so delicious!

And So It Begins is a chilling and twisty story of a marriage gone wrong, and a gruesome murder leading to a trial that could set an example and provide hope for domestic abuse victims.

Evie is either the clumsiest woman in the universe, or there’s something sinister going on behind closed doors. She claims her marriage with Mark is just fine, and basically nothing to see here. So when the dude ends up dead in a puddle of his own blood in the bedroom of his own oh-so-oppressive cliff house, eyebrows are raised.

Mark’s sister Cleo wants to see Evie behind bars for murder, while a well known lawyer and women’s rights supporter wants to use this case to get public attention and help other women get the courage to come forward and get their justice. It was quite emotional, and frankly, I couldn’t help but sympathize with Cleo, even though she did come across a bit of an asshole from time to time. Her relationship with her brother was a tad bit questionable though. In the “bloody hell, lady, what’s wrong with you? Obsessed much?” sort of way.

Part domestic thriller, part courtroom drama, this story has something to offer for the fans of both genre. Rachel Abbott had me guessing about a lot of things. Who did what? Why? It was crazy!

Sergeant Stephanie King, while not the main focus of the book also had her own story line, and it was nothing short of heartbreaking. How she still managed to function and do her job properly, I don’t know, but I want to be just half as cool as she is!

The shocking twist at the end was a bit overshadowed by the theatrical events that took place, and I’m not particularly fond of characters launching into dramatic monologues either, but the rest of the story was so good, that it didn’t bother me too much. I’ve read the DCI Tom Douglas series by Rachel Abbott (which is awesome by the way), and I don’t recall anyone behaving like a Shakespearean villain in those.

Although this seems to be a standalone, I wouldn’t mind seeing Sergeant King again!

[Vera Neves (Sinfonia dos Livros) · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Este livro agarrou-me desde o início. Embora ainda não tivesse lido nada da autora, sabia que ia gostar bastante do que ia ler. São aquelas certezas que temos de vez em quando.
Mark e Evie, supostamente, têm uma vida calma e cheia de amor entre os dois. No entanto, à medida que vamos lendo, sentimos sempre que alguma coisa não está bem e que nem tudo é o que parece. Se pensamos que esta história é apenas de Mark e Evie, estamos totalmente enganados. Desde o início que sempre achei que Cleo, a irmã de Mark faz parte das personagens principais, não só porque é a melhor amiga de Mark desde que ficaram os dois sozinhos no mundo, mas porque também é a pessoa mais constante da vida dele. Ajudou-o a ultrapassar a morte da primeira mulher e, à sua maneira, tenta que ele acorde daquele novo relacionamento com Evie, apesar de agora, haver uma criança envolvida e que Cleo absolutamente adora acima de tudo.(...)"

Opinião completa no Sinfonia dos Livros
http://sinfoniadoslivros.blogspot.com...

[Margaret · Rating 3 out of 5]

The way the story is escalating, is excellent, the writing style is intriguing, and you can’t stop wandering what on earth is going on. But in the end you feel a little bit deceived because you couldn’t have guessed no matter how clever you are , for the information wasn’t even mentioned. And the explanation is highly impossible!

[Jeilen · Rating 3 out of 5]

La historia en si está bien. Bastante misterio e intriga. Lo que si no me gustó mucho fue la forma en que estaba escrita,en mi opinión le faltó bastante en las partes más importantes (ejemplo : el misterio de la juventud de Evie) y le sobra bastante a la parte del juicio y en algunas otras.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been a fan of Rachel Abbott’s books for some time – a few are reviewed here on the blog however she has now made the step from a very successful self publishing career having sold over 3 million copies of her six self-published thrillers to her first novel being traditionally published.

And So It Begins is published by Wildfire and is a standalone psychological thriller. I am sure that there will be many readers missing Tom Douglas (I was – initially!) but this is a fabulously twisted read featuring a new detective, Sergeant Stephanie King who along with DI Angus Brodie could be a favourite pairing – if there were to be another outing for them.

Following the dramatic prologue – the first part of the story goes back and sets the scene with Evie Clarke and Mark North – how they met, and especially how Mark’s sister Cleo fitted into the story. Cleo was very close to Mark – to say she was overprotective is an understatement. In fact she didn’t seem to have much of a life of her own at all and she secretly resented any woman who came into Mark’s life, never thinking they were good enough for him. There were times when I felt really sorry for Evie, having to put up with Cleo’s interference and trying to assert her influence over Mark.

Evie was a complex character and her relationship with Mark seemed even more complicated and, at times, toxic. Mark, a photographer, was a reclusive character. The suspicion of domestic abuse made for an even darker story. It was easy to feel sympathy for the wronged party but as the story proceeds, lines become blurred and the reader has to decide for themselves who they believe.

And So It Begins is a mixture of genres – it’s predominantly a thriller but also encompasses police investigation and courtroom drama. I was hooked from the very first page and couldn’t read it fast enough. It had everything I loved in a thriller – an intricate plot, unlikeable and unreliable characters, well paced suspense and the anticipation in wondering what will happen next. Because of the prologue and the first chapter, you know that something bad has happened but what you don’t yet know is why.

All the way through I was trying to work out what had really happened and exactly who was involved. There are unexplained discrepancies concerning the death of Mark’s first wife which adds another strand. I had various theories about who what and why but nothing could prepare me for the finale! Rachel Abbott had me well and truly beaten this time.

A fabulous book. I loved it!

[Gerry Driver · Rating 2 out of 5]

When Evie Clarke manages to convince Mark, a reclusive widower, to take some photographs of her, it's the beginning of a whirlwind romance. Evie soon becomes pregnant, and Mark starts to feel he has a future after the accidental death of his first wife. The one problem is Mark's overprotective sister Cleo. Cleo doesn't trust Evie and Evie doesn't trust Cleo.

When Evie starts to have minor accidents at home, people begin asking questions. Then one night the police are called to their cliff-top house and find two bodies covered in blood, but one of them is still alive. Was it murder or was it self-defence?

Part police procedural, part psychological thriller and part courtroom drama, And So It Begins aims to go all Jed Mercurio and wrong foot us, tangle us up in riddles and confuse the hell out of us from the beginning. The trouble with trying to be all things is that you end up with a super strong start, an intriguing set up, a terminally slow build and an ending that even though it tries to double bluff you, you still see coming. The narrator shifts continually from the first person to third – sometimes midway through chapters – this is a book that demands the reader's attention, but can it maintain it? The narrative volte-face sometimes feels as though it disrupts the flow of the story and can be a little jarring in places, especially towards the end.

The characterisation is too muddy, and with several unreliable voices, it's hard to get close to anyone. The only likeable characters are the police officers (who disappear after the first chapter for far too long) and Cleo's friend Aminah. Evie, whose narration takes up a sizable chunk of the viewpoint, is portrayed as too neurotic and needy. When we (finally) find out about her motives and her past, we haven't warmed to her enough to care. The stand out character is Sgt Stephanie King, whose compassion, loyalty and nose for detail are the most exciting part of the novel.

Fans of Abbott's work may love this three-course dinner thriller, but those who like their crime to be served at a fast food pace will most likely find it too slow and disjointed.

[Rossy Montaño · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una historia de Odio y venganza retorcida, no quiero decir más para no echar a perder la trama, pero me quedo con el giro del final, si bien hubo una pequeña pista que dan en la segunda parte, me gustó la resolución.