Nine Perfect Strangers – Liane Moriarty

Contemporary Fiction
4*s

A secluded retreat for stressed-out people complete with the promise to change your life in just ten days, pricy and exclusive and just what the doctor ordered for our willing candidates?

I am a fan of Liane Moriarty, she is one of those authors that has a real eye for shining a light on everyday situations and letting her readers see how absurd they are. In Big Little Lies she took the school gates as her starting point, this time we move to the more exclusive setting of a retreat at health-and-wellness resort Tranquillum House which promises total transformation for those who sign up. This story is completely bonkers but very entertaining.

Tranquillum House is run by Masha, a women we met in the prologue having a heart-attack in her corporate office. Masha is a Russian who moved to Australia as a young woman and following her near-death experience she has become evangelical about saving others from themselves. All the bad things are banned, including any electronics and replaced with healthy smoothies, massages, mindful walking and light fasting.

The first guest we meet is romance author Frances who is not only menopausal but has just had her latest book rejected, readers are falling out of love with romance and she’s obsessing about a bad review. She herself had a thriller in her bag, one which over the days at Tranquillum House she finds less than thrilling… it seems that Liane Moriarty knows her audience!

She is joined by rich young things Ben and Jessica, who come complete with a Lamborghini for him and various surgical enhancements for him. They have signed up for couple counselling in a bid to save their marriage.

There is a family of three, parents Napoleon and Heather along with their twenty-one year old daughter Zoe who are all cloaked in sadness, the cause of which is revealed later in the book. An aging football star Tony, a health junkie Ben and a divorce lawyer Lars complete the guest list. They are all in, and then Masha reveals the start of her innovative treatment plan.

Believe me the thought of being on a retreat doesn’t really appeal to this reader under what I imagine are normal circumstances but this one takes an ominous tone right from the start when the guests are given their orders so perhaps a healthy wariness and lack of funds is a good thing!

This is really a character study, not only of the guests, but of the owner and her chief of staff, former paramedic, Yao. With the guests under the spotlight and in the prime location to reveal their hopes and fears there is so much room for the author’s trademark wry humour, the poking of fun of those earnest health-junkies is tempered by some life-stories that can’t help but tug at the heart-strings! This book should be approached with the aim of enjoying the ride. I said earlier, it’s bonkers, it is but a well-written bonkers book that yet had one foot in reality reflecting society as well as the differences between the generations and one that had me chuckling in delight at regular intervals. If you can’t afford a retreat to make changes in your life Nine Perfect Strangers will go some way to giving you the best medicine, laughter.

I’d like to say a huge thank you to the publishers Penguin UK for allowing me to read a copy of Nine Perfect Strangers prior to publication on 4 October 2018. This unbiased review is my thank you to them, and the author for such an entertaining read.

First Published UK: 4 October 2018
Publisher: Penguin UK
No of Pages: 451
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Amazon UK
Amazon US

Other books by Liane Moriarty

Truly Madly Guilty (2016)
Little Lies (2014)
The Husband’s Secret (2013)
The Hypnotist’s Love Story (2011)
What Alice Forgot (2010)
The Last Anniversary (2006)
Three Wishes (2004)

This Week in Books (October 3)

Hosted by Lipsy Lost & Found my Wednesday post gives you a taste of what I am reading this week. A similar meme is run by Taking on a World of Words

My current read is Rachel Abbott’s foray into psychological thriller land with her novel And So It Begins. Having been a fan of her DCI Tom Douglas series for quite some time I was interested to see how the switch of genre works; in short so far so good… and she’s chosen a great name for one of the key characters! And So It Begins will be published on 11 October 2018.

Blurb

Cleo knows she should be happy for her brother Mark. He’s managed to find someone new after the sudden death of his first wife – but something about Evie just doesn’t feel right…

When Evie starts having accidents at home, her friends grow concerned. Could Mark be causing her injuries? Called out to their cliff-top house one night, Sergeant Stephanie King finds two bodies entangled on blood-drenched sheets.

Where does murder begin? When the knife is raised to strike, or before, at the first thought of violence? As the accused stands trial, the jury is forced to consider – is there ever a proper defence for murder? Amazon

The last book I finished was Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty which I have to say was just the lighter read I needed to balance the rather hectic time I’m having at the moment. Nine Perfect Strangers is out this week, on 4 October 2018.

Blurb

The retreat at health-and-wellness resort Tranquillum House promises total transformation.
Nine stressed city dwellers are keen to drop their literal and mental baggage, and absorb the meditative ambience while enjoying their hot stone massages.

Miles from anywhere, without cars or phones, they have no way to reach the outside world. Just time to think about themselves, and get to know each other.

Watching over them is the resort’s director, a woman on a mission. But quite a different one from any the guests might have imagined.

For behind the retreat’s glamorous facade lies a dark agenda.

These nine perfect strangers have no idea what’s about to hit them . . . Amazon

Up next is another highly anticipated review copy (it must be the beginning of another month) with Fatal Promise by Angela Marsons. This is the ninth in the Detective Kim Stone series set in the Black Country and will be published on 19 October 2018.

Blurb

Eeeny meeny, miney, moe. Who lives, who dies only I know.

When the body of a doctor is discovered brutally murdered in local woodland, Detective Kim Stone is shocked to discover the victim is Gordon Cordell – a man linked to a previous case she worked on involving the death of a young school girl. Gordon has a chequered past, but who would want him dead?

As the investigation gets underway, Gordon’s son is involved in a horrific car crash which leaves him fighting for his life. Kim’s sure this was no accident.

Then the body of a woman is found dead in suspicious circumstances and Kim makes a disturbing link between the victims and Russells Hall Hospital. The same hospital where Gordon worked.

With Kim and her team still grieving the loss of one of their own, they’re at their weakest and facing one of the most dangerous serial killers they’ve ever encountered. Everything is on the line. Can Kim keep her squad together and find the killer before he claims his next victim?

The killer is picking off his victims at a terrifying pace, and he’s not finished yet. Amazon

What do you think? Any of these books take your fancy this week?

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph (September 25)

Welcome to another Tuesday celebrating bookish events, from Tuesday/First Chapter/Intros, hosted by Vicky from I’d Rather Be At The Beach who posts the opening paragraph (sometime two) of a book she decided to read based on the opening. Feel free to grab the banner and play along.

My opening paragraph today comes from Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty which is due to be published on 4 October 2018.

Blurb

The retreat at health-and-wellness resort Tranquillum House promises total transformation.
Nine stressed city dwellers are keen to drop their literal and mental baggage, and absorb the meditative ambience while enjoying their hot stone massages.

Miles from anywhere, without cars or phones, they have no way to reach the outside world. Just time to think about themselves, and get to know each other.

Watching over them is the resort’s director, a woman on a mission. But quite a different one from any the guests might have imagined.

For behind the retreat’s glamorous facade lies a dark agenda.

These nine perfect strangers have no idea what’s about to hit them . . . Amazon

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

First Chapter ~ First Paragraph ~ Intro

1

Yao

‘I’m fine,’ said the woman. ‘There’s nothing wrong with me.’ She didn’t look fine to Yao. It was his first day as a trainee paramedic. His third call-out.
Yao wasn’t nervous, but he was in a hyper-vigilant state because he couldn’t bear to make even an inconsequential mistake. When he was a child, mistakes had made him wail inconsolably, and they still made his stomach cramp.

A single bead of perspiration rolled down the woman’s face, leaving a snail’s trail through her make-up. Yao wondered why women painted their faces orange, but that was not relevant.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Well having enjoyed six, yes six, books by this author I am pretty sure I’m in for a treat with this one but what do you think?

Would you keep reading?

Weekly Wrap Up (September 9)

I know I’m getting old because each time I come to write one of these posts I am shocked at how far through the year we are already – I mean how can the summer holidays have passed in such a blur. It’s been fun, we’ve had a number of guests, a wedding and fortunately there is more to look forward to with a trip to Stratford next week for a surprise birthday party. I have to admit that I am secretly looking forward to the autumn getting started so that I can sit quietly at home and read to my heart’s content.

This Week on the Blog

My week started with my review for A Double Life by Flynn Berry which used the disappearance of Lord Lucan as inspiration.

My excerpt post was from The Lost Letters by Sarah Mitchell as I looked for something a little less crime heavy in my future reads.

This Week in Books featured the authors Jenny Blackhurst, Sarah Ward and Martin Edwards.

On Thursday I took part in a Blog Tour which is running to celebrate Roald Dahl day on 13 September and featured four of the collection of books aimed at adults; Fear, Innocence, Trickery and War.

Friday saw me reviewing The Night She Died by Jenny Blackhurst, a brilliantly constructed psychological thriller about a woman who jumps to her death on the night of her wedding.

Yesterday’s review was from a book I read back in June on holiday; Sisters of Mercy by Caroline Overington was another winner from this Australian author.

 

This Time Last Year…

I was reading the terrific Persons Unknown by Susie Steiner. This multi-layered story uses real-life issues as well as having a crime at its centre, with an involved and intricate plot.

A man murdered in a park sets off a police investigation but this book feels less like a standard police procedural and could be considered a commentary on the time we live in. The storyline is linear with the main part running over a few weeks starting in December with each section featuring the date and chapter headed up by the name of the narrator and where necessary the place because whilst for the most part the action is in Cambridge, some takes us back to Kilburn, London.

I was hooked right from the start.

 

You can read my full review here or click on the book cover

 

 

Blurb

A brutal murder. A detective with no one left to trust.

A YOUNG MAN MURDERED
A city banker bleeds to death yards from a Cambridgeshire police headquarters.

A DETECTIVE OUT OF HER DEPTH
DI Manon Bradshaw’s world is turned upside down when the victim turns out to be closer to her than she could have guessed.

WHO SHOULD SHE BELIEVE?
When even her trusted colleagues turn their backs on her, it’s time to contemplate the unthinkable: are those she holds dear capable of murder? Amazon

Stacking the Shelves

I have added just one book to the bookshelf since my last post, but it is one I’m very excited about! Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty will be published on 4 October 2018.

Blurb

The retreat at health-and-wellness resort Tranquillum House promises total transformation.

Nine stressed city dwellers are keen to drop their literal and mental baggage, and absorb the meditative ambience while enjoying their hot stone massages.

Miles from anywhere, without cars or phones, they have no way to reach the outside world. Just time to think about themselves, and get to know each other.

Watching over them is the resort’s director, a woman on a mission. But quite a different one from any the guests might have imagined.

For behind the retreat’s glamorous facade lies a dark agenda.

These nine perfect strangers have no idea what’s about to hit them . . . Amazon

 

Since I last reported my figures I’ve read 8 books and somehow in the same time I’ve acquired just 1! The total is therefore down to the record low of 167!
Physical Books – 110
Kindle Books – 40
NetGalley Books –15
Audio Books –2

 

I have also added 3 reviews of my own books which means I get to add another complete tokens to the one I already had – up to a massive 4! I can feel a spending spree coming on…