Review: The Night Visitor by Lucy Atkins

Something very sinister is afoot in this novel about an author and her research assistant ... and the ending very nearly blew me away. Olivia Sweetman is a historian, professor, TV star and a newly published author of a historical fiction novel that is tipped to hit the bestseller lists. Behind the scenes is her research assistant, Vivian, an intense and friendless woman who pounces on the project--and Olivia--with a little too much enthusiasm. As the novel shifts between narratives of the two women, it becomes increasingly clear that Vivian is far from well and that Olivia may be in serious danger.

2017 has been a great year for books and The Night Visitor is another title that I can proudly add to an already long list of my favourite new releases. I loved the gothic feel of this one--the duel settings of rural England and France add to the unsettling atmosphere. Olivia is an easy character to identify with, while Vivian is interesting to read about. At first, I wondered if she was simply lonely and treated badly, then I wondered if perhaps she was just a little bit intense and misunderstood and then I found myself wondering more and more about her motives and her relationship with Olivia. As I said, the ending nearly blew me away ... and that beetles deserves its place on the cover. (Whoever thought of it is a genius.)

Highly recommended.

I received my copy of The Night Visitor from Hachette Australia after winning a competition on twitter. Thank you!

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