Published 6th June 2024 by Viper.
From the cover of the book:
It's always the husband... Isn't it?Astrid Webb is missing. The police have found her car crashed near the woods, the driver's door open, the seat spotted with blood. But there's no sign of Astrid herself, a sick woman who rarely left her house, who surely couldn't have left the scene of the accident without help.
Her husband Bryan is sure that she's alive - after all, this isn't the first time she's vanished, only to reappear without explanation. But as the days pass, Bryan starts to look like a suspect in his wife's disappearance, perhaps in her murder. Because Bryan isn't telling the police the whole truth. Not about Astrid's stalker, their broken-in back door, or the threatening messages she received. And it seems as if both Astrid and Bryan have something to hide.
Then a woman's body is found in the woods, her face terribly disfigured. By staying silent, is Bryan protecting Astrid, or protecting himself?
***********
Bryan Webb returns from a bike ride to find his wife Astrid is not at home - something unusual given that she rarely leaves the house due to her chronic conditions. His anxiety turns to shock when the police arrive to tell him that Astrid's car has been involved in an accident on a country lane, and they have been unable to find any trace of her beyond the splatters of blood left behind. The plot thickens when Bryan discovers there has been a break-in at their home. He admits to the police that Astrid was traumatised by her past experiences with a stalker, and he is concerned that this person might have resurfaced to extract revenge.
Ex-policeman Bryan is sure Astrid is alive, but he has little faith that the police team investigating her disappearance will find her before she comes to harm. When he takes matters into his own hands, he realises she was keeping secrets from him. But Bryan has his secrets too, and when the police find a body in nearby woodland, his inability to tell the truth puts him in the spotlight as their number one suspect... after all, it's always the husband... Isn't it?
The story unfurls through the narratives of Bryan, Astrid and a mysterious character called Celine, moving back and forth in time between before and after the accident. Malakin plays beautifully on the premise that there are always two sides to every story, and in a masterclass of misdirection keeps you guessing about not only what has really been going on in this marriage, but exactly how Celine fits into the bigger picture too.
Straight out of the gate, Malakin puts a question into your mind, casting suspicion on Bryan as a guilty husband - something the police also seem to suspect, despite his apparent reputation as a pillar of the community. It becomes obvious that this has not been a marriage made in heaven, but does that mean Bryan has been up to no good... or has Astrid? Well, that you are going to have to find out yourself. However, I can tell you that there are some truly delicious twists and turns to negotiate before you find out the truth.
I swallowed this book whole, and loved how Malakin manipulates your perception throughout, in the way only a brilliant story-teller can do. He plays subtly with the crime tropes we all know and love, and explores some meaty themes around unresolved trauma, whopping secrets, what goes on behind closed doors, redemption, and justice, to give you lots to ponder upon when the ride is over.
What a page-turner! Dan Malakin certainly has style, and I like it. I cannot wait to read more of his books!
The Wreckage of Us is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.
Thank you to Dan Malakin for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review.
About the author:
His new novel, a crime thriller called The Wreckage of Us, will be released by Viper Books in June 2024.
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