Book Review: The Night Visitor

THE NIGHT VISITOR | Lucy Atkins
07.03.2018 | Quercus USA
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Professor Olivia Sweetman is a historian living a life she never could have imagined she would call her own. She has a successful career as a TV presenter, is a mother to three children, and has a husband whose talent is just as impressive as her own. Olivia is about to release a book about a woman named Annabel, who was one of the first female surgeons in the Victorian era. The book, titled in it’s main characters name sake, is slated to become a best seller with a movie option in the works. Just where did the inspiration for Annabel come from?

I need to make sense of how I come to be in this uncertain position. Writing things down seems to ease the chaos in my mind a little and, of course, it occupies my brain. After all, I cannot just sit here and wait for her. Not again.

Olivia stumbled upon Annabel’s diary at a quaint museum, where she also met the woman who would eventually allow her access. Vivian Tester is the caretaker for the Ileford Manor, which is the former home to Annabel. The only surviving relative is living in a nursing home, but Vivian is willing to work as Olivia’s research assistant on the project and help find whatever information she needs for her book. Vivian is the complete opposite of Olivia. She’s older, socially awkward, and obsessed with her dog. Despite their differences, the duo work well together and before they know it Olivia’s book is slated for publication. Hidden behind the scenes is a dark truth that could bring down the success of this book and Olivia’s career. Just how far is Olivia willing to go to keep the truth hidden?

The problem, of course, is that I have allowed myself to become tied up in another person’s life. Other people are messy; they have a tendency to let you down.

THE NIGHT VISITOR is a story unraveled through the perspective of both Olivia and Vivian. The book starts off on the night of the launch for Olivia’s book, where clearly the woman is expertly hiding a meltdown under the shell of a smile. The story then immediately rewinds to a few months prior to this evening the reader is led through the series of events that lead to Olivia’s current state of mind. Each perspective has an unsettling undertone to it, where the reader can tell they are not quite getting the whole truth. Eerie events starts occurring and the truths of each woman’s life begin to seep out as they confront each other closer to the book’s launch party. THE NIGHT VISITOR is a quick and captivating read that will keep you up late at night frantically flipping pages to get to the truth. This one was nearly perfect for me, with an ending that I was not expecting, however, there were a few storylines that I felt were left unresolved. Overall, this book was an unnerving, atmospheric thrill ride that I did not want to put down! I highly recommend THE NIGHT VISITOR to any bookworm looking for a summer thriller read!

One’s imagination is often more fearsome than reality. My night visitor is the product of my mind, but she is more real to me than most people, and certainly more frightening. 

A special thank you to Quercus USA for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.