Review : Accidents Happen by Louise Millar

Posted by Kay on July 26, 2013 12:39 pm in 3.5 stars reads | 4 comments

Accidents Happen by Louise Millar
Pages : 400
Genre : Mystery, Psychological Thriller
Stand Alone My Rating : 3,5/5

From the back of the book  :

My Thoughts :

I was a bit sceptical going in Accidents Happen, as I always am when I am reading about a character who seem to have all the bad luck in the world. And it certainly is the case here for Kate, who after losing her parents and her husband in unfortunate events, has also lost part of her sanity. Obsessing about statistics and safety, she is making hers and her son’s life a misery; which is why her in-laws, worried for their young grand-son, threaten to take him away if she doesn’t pull her life together.

So the book starts with a bit of an emotional « bang ». It’s hard not to feel for a mother who only wants to protect her son, after having already lost so much. But the effects of her anxiety are also clearly visible on Jack, who has been worried about monsters in his closet and claims having heard noises from it regularly. It’s no wonder the little boy is so nervous, when is mom is so worried all the time about noises, things going missing and eventual accidents.

The story itself was entertaining and intriguing. A tad predictable maybe, but it still kept me turning the pages. Kate’s anxiety constantly puts the reader slightly on edge, wondering about what is true and what isn’t, and what will happen next; it works, though I felt like the switch of narrative point of view ruined a bit of the effect, letting you know what Kate doesn’t. The effect would have been much stronger, in my opinion, if the story had been told exclusively from her point of view.

The conclusion left me a little disappointed, I have to say. It was a bit too much of « the villain gives his villain speech », if you know what I mean, but on the other hand, how else do you want to explain his side of the story? So I wasn’t too bothered by it. Plus, I did like how the story ended. I felt like we left Kate in a great place, ready to move on with her life. The book not only solves the mystery, but also gives Kate the opportunity to grow and regain a more normal control of her life. I liked that she went through some important personal growth, despite everything going on.

In the end, I quite enjoyed reading Accidents Happen. I felt the author’s exploration of anxiety and obsessive behaviors was realistic, and Kate ended up being a strong character to lead the story. While it had a few faults, I wouldn’t hesitate recommending this book to fans of thrillers featuring strong leading women.

Accidents Happen is available for sale now! Thanks to Atria for generously providing a copy of the book for this review!