Synopsis:
As dawn approaches in New York, literary agent Isabel Reed is turning the final pages of a mysterious, anonymous manuscript, racing through the explosive revelations about powerful people, as well as long-hidden secrets about her own past. In Copenhagen, veteran CIA operative Hayden Gray, determined that this sweeping story be buried, is suddenly staring down the barrel of an unexpected gun. And in Zurich, the author himself is hiding in a shadowy expat life, trying to atone for a lifetime’s worth of lies and betrayals with publication of The Accident, while always looking over his shoulder.
Over the course of one long, desperate, increasingly perilous day, these lives collide as the book begins its dangerous march toward publication, toward saving or ruining careers and companies, placing everything at risk—and everyone in mortal peril. The rich cast of characters—in publishing and film, politics and espionage—are all forced to confront the consequences of their ambitions, the schisms between their ideal selves and the people they actually became.
The action rockets around Europe and across America, with an intricate web of duplicities stretching back a quarter-century to a dark winding road in upstate New York, where the shocking truth about the accident itself is buried.
Gripping, sophisticated, layered, and impossible to put down, The Accident proves once again that Chris Pavone is a true master of suspense
The Accident by Chris Pavone (author of The Expats) is a fast-paced thriller that kept me intrigued and entertained throughout.
The novel is told from various character’s perspectives and also jumps back and forward in time, which can be a little confusing as these sections don’t seem to be labelled with dates, but I feel this adds another dimension to the story and helps flesh it out more.
I really enjoyed reading about Isobel’s experiences as a normal person, from receiving the manuscript to trying to escape the people who seem determined to kill her, and she was a likeable and interesting character who I was ultimately rooting for, as well as ‘the author’ himself (you’ll know what I mean when you read it!) I also just generally enjoyed reading about the publishing industry, something I’m interested in anyway, and the whole idea of a novel with sensitive, explosive revelations in it being in the hands of a publisher, waiting to be unleashed on the world!
The novel is well written and never feels too rushed (although the ending seemed a little abrupt in my opinion, but I guess that is in keeping with the overall pace of the novel) and although it contains a lot of action, it isn’t ALL action; the characters are well developed enough for me to be interested in their background and, ultimately, their fates.
I really liked how there were unexpected twists and links throughout the story (I won’t say anymore as I don’t want to give too much away) and left me feeling very glad I’d read this book and hoping to read more of Chris Pavone’s novels.
Recommended if you enjoy reading a well-written thriller which is a little different.
Rating: 4.5/5
Many thanks to the publisher for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest and unbiased review!