Blog tour: The Split by S E Lynes

Here’s what I have to say. Please ignore anything critical

Off the top of my head, I can immediately think of at least five reasons why I wanted to love The Split:

It’s a new book by S E Lynes who, as you’ll know if you’re familiar with my reviews at all, is one of my current favourite authors,
I was lucky enough to meet Susie last summer and in this case, you can forget any advice you may have been given about not meeting your heroes. She’s lovely and it was an absolute delight,
The book had some glowing reviews on Goodreads and Netgalley, that only made me even more excited than I was already at the thought of reading it,
I’m writing this review as part of a blog tour, and I wanted nothing more than to write and rave about the book, and
So much of The Split is so very, very good.

The basic theme explored by the book – that of how easy it is for humans to make bad decisions during a heightened emotional state caused by marital separation – is one that’s been done many times before. But Susie Lynes sets this one apart with her attention to detail. The portrayal of a Travelodge as possibly the most depressing place in the world if you’re already in a low mood is – there’s no other word – perfect. And the very fact that the sink in the bathroom isn’t big enough to allow you to fill the kettle makes everything else feel so much worse? Yes, yes, yes.

I also felt that Jessica and Will’s actions after their lives, as they knew them seemed to have imploded typified how so many women and men behave in such situations. Jessica has her mum, and her best friend Lena that she immediately felt able to confide in, and both of whom were immediately willing to offer friendship and comfort. Will didn’t feel able to do the same, and chose instead to hide in a corner of a pub with which he was not familiar, and there was no danger of him having to explain to anyone he knew just why he was drowning his sorrows.

And I loved the portrayal of some of the secondary characters. In particular, the very fact that this book is a psychological thriller meant that I knew instantly that both my and Will’s first impression of Ian as a kind benefactor had to be wrong. But when it became apparent just how wrong, it left me gasping in a sort of delighted horror. Meanwhile, my heart really went out to Lena, because all she really wanted was, for just once in her life, to be lucky in love. But that most simple and basic of needs left her vulnerable.

So far, so wonderful then. But – and there’s no easy way to say this – I had a couple of problems.

The first was the fact that for about the first half of the book, I found my attention wandering. I’d have been prepared to overlook this, because I’ll be the first to admit that a hectic few weeks in the day job have left me more easily distracted than usual, but for the fact that several other reviewers on Goodreads have said the same thing. That said though, the second half had me well and truly gripped as the pace picked up and some terrible truths were revealed.

Secondly, and more significantly is that The Split, like many of Susie Lynes’ other novels, has a character-driven storyline. This means that, for the book to really, really work, the reader has to form a sort of connection to at least one of the main characters. I did exactly that with Sam Moore in Susie’s earlier novel, The Ex, and as a result I still stand by what I said in my review: it felt as though the book had been written just for me. And I can easily see that anyone who made that sort of connection with either Will or Jessica this time around would adore The Split. But my problem was that I just didn’t – couldn’t – do that.

The issue, I think, is that the plot relies on both of these characters having very specific reactions to an anonymous message sent to Jessica’s phone. But those reactions aren’t necessarily the ones that I, or anyone else I know, would have had. And whilst Susie – using a technique which, thanks to her author’s note, I now know is called the ladder of inference – gives both characters enough of a back story to make their actions believable, for me it still wasn’t quite enough to make them relatable. As a result, despite the fact that I loved so many of the details in this book, it felt overall as though it had missed its mark.

It still gets four stars, because the writing is too solid and the fine detail just too, well, fine for me to possibly give anything less. It’s just that one final, but critical ingredient that, for me, was missing. But please, don’t even for a second let that put you off from reading the book, because it doesn’t at all follow that you’ll feel the same way.

This isn’t quite a perfect analogy but it’s the best I can think of for now. My favourite dessert is lemon meringue pie, and if it’s served warm, with thick double cream, so much the better. So if I were to cut into one where both the meringue and the pastry had been cooked to perfection, only to find that the filling inside was not lemon but, say, blackberry instead, I wouldn’t enjoy it as much as I’d been hoping for. But you might, quite reasonably and justifiably, think it was the best thing you’ve ever tasted.

My thanks to Bookouture for including me on the blog tour, and to the author and Netgalley for the digital ARC. I will post my review on Goodreads, Amazon and my social media pages.

My rating: ★★★★

12th March 2024

The blurb

The end of our marriage was only the beginning…

Last night, we celebrated our anniversary. Over candlelight, we talked about the children, our work, and I was so happy, and felt so loved.

But the next morning, when I check my phone, there is a message. From a friend. And a string of photos appear of my husband, Will, with another woman: walking along the street holding hands. Going into fancy hotels. Standing at a window, his arms around her, her head on his shoulder…

I beg Will to tell me what’s going on. But all he can say is that it’s not what I think. As if the betrayal wasn’t bad enough, he won’t even be honest with me.

And now there’s someone watching our house. Will is acting like a stranger and I think he’s following me. I can’t trust him anymore, and I desperately need to know who sent me those photos and why.

But maybe Will is telling the truth.
Maybe it’s not what I think.

Because the more our pain stops us talking, and the more the two of us tear each other apart, the more I wonder if I ever knew him at all – and what I’ll have to risk to protect my children.

And when at last the secrets are revealed, will the truth save our family, or destroy us all?

A thrilling, gripping page-turner about a marriage falling apart and the darkness love can contain. Readers who love Lisa Jewell, Ruth Ware and Shari Lapena will be hooked by The Split.

About the author

S.E. Lynes is the author of Amazon #1 best seller, THE HOUSEWARMING, plus best selling psychological suspense novels such as VALENTINA, MOTHER, THE WOMEN, HER SISTER’s SECRET, THE BABY SHOWER ,THE EX, THE SUMMER HOLIDAY and many more!

A former BBC Producer, she has lived in France, Spain, Scotland and Italy and is now settled with her family in Greater London. After completing her MA, S E Lynes taught creative writing at Richmond Adult Community College for ten years. She now combines writing, mentoring and lecturing in Richmond Borough.

Lynes has also published thrillers in Italy, Germany, Poland and Croatia, and has also published three children’s books in Italy: IL LEOPARDO LAMPO, LA COCCODRILLA INGAMBA, and the bilingual LA SCIMMIA SPIRITOSA/THE FUNNY MONKEY.