Unraveling Oliver

A Novel

De: Liz Nugent

Narrado por: Sam O'Mahony

In this "compelling, clever, and dark" (Heat magazine) thriller, a man's shocking act of savagery stuns a local community - and the revelations that follow will keep you gripped until the very end. This work of psychological suspense, a number-one best seller in Ireland, is perfect for fans of Patricia Highsmith and Ruth Ware.

"I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her."

So begins Liz Nugent's astonishing debut novel - a chilling, elegantly crafted, and psychologically astute exploration of the nature of evil.

Oliver Ryan, handsome, charismatic, and successful, has long been married to his devoted wife, Alice. Together they write and illustrate award-winning children's books; their life together is one of enviable privilege and ease - until, one evening after a delightful dinner, Oliver delivers a blow to Alice that renders her unconscious and subsequently beats her into a coma.

In the aftermath of such an unthinkable event, as Alice hovers between life and death, the couple's friends, neighbors, and acquaintances try to understand what could have driven Oliver to commit such a horrific act. As his story unfolds, layers are peeled away to reveal a life of shame, envy, deception, and masterful manipulation.

With its alternating points of view and deft prose, Unraveling Oliver details how an ordinary man can transform into a sociopath.

©2014 Liz Nugent. All rights reserved. Originally published in Ireland in 2014 by Penguin Ireland. (P)2017 Penguin Audiobooks. All rights reserved.

Good twists.

Didn't see a lot of the twists coming. Fun and easy read Narrator was good

Population Explosion

Too many characters were given a voice in this book. I thought it would have been better served by focusing on a smaller crew and building more tension.

A brilliant addition to my Audible library!

Wow! From beginning to end, I was transfixed by this one. Author Liz Nugent weaves a tale from different points of view directed at Oliver. All narrators are excellent, no complaints here. Oliver's narrator could read a cereal box to me. The plot and writing style is quite unlike anything I've had the pleasure to enjoy. I anxiously listened to this book whenever I had time. This brilliant gem should not be missed. Highly recommended with 🍒 🍒 🍒 on top.

Excellent!

Even though this book isn’t my cup of tea – not really suspense or thriller – it was quite enjoyable and as the plot unraveled if that more and more interesting.

Nurture vs nature

This book was unexpected. A child never loved no human contact. Made Oliver unravel with very self worth. Destroying people on the way. Then a glimmer of light.

Captivating!

Very slow in the beginning but you suddenly discover yourself in Oliver’s web! Captivating plot and performance!

Disturbing...but I could not stop listening.

This is one of those books where the performances really add to the experience. There are several voices (unless Sam O'Mahony is the best actor I have ever listened to! :) ) but each and every one is superb. Excellent performances.

The story is disturbing because the main character is so incredibly cold. But the way the author lets you in on what happened and why to each of the characters is mesmerizing. I really couldn't wait to get back to it when I was forced to put it down.

Spellbinding story and writing

Very interesting story. The subject matter is dark, but the book is so well written and keeps your attention right to the end. At times, I had to stop and re-think some of the twists, as they were surprising and deliberately provocative. I looked for more books by this author, but don't seen any on Audible. Narrator was wonderful. Absolutely worth the credit.

SOOOOO AWESOME!!!

I knew i would love it just 10 minutes in. It’s just one of those rare finds....super talented author and perfect narration!! I just wish it was longer. Too bad there are more out there like this.

Have patience

Things were a bit slow to start but then became enticing as you got further into the story. The author peeled back many layers of Oliver's story that interconnected to help reveal why he ultimately turned into the man he became.