About the Book
This is shortlisted for the Specsavers National Book Awards Crime & Thriller of the Year. "There can't be a woman alive who hasn't once realised, in a moment of panic, that she's in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong man. Louise Doughty, more sure-footed with each novel, leads her unnerved reader into dark territory. A compelling and bravely-written book". (Hilary Mantel). "A superb novel. Grown-up, genuinely suspenseful, wonderfully well-constructed, intelligent and provocative. I really didn't want to finish it. And I don't say that very often". (Julie Myerson). "Once you start you can't stop reading. Terrific". (Helen Dunmore). Yvonne Carmichael has worked hard to achieve the life she always wanted: a high-flying career in genetics, a beautiful home, a good relationship with her husband and their two grown-up children. Then one day she meets a stranger at the Houses of Parliament and, on impulse, begins a passionate affair with him - a decision that will put everything she values at risk. At first she believes she can keep the relationship separate from the rest of her life, but she can't control what happens next.
All of her careful plans spiral into greater deceit and, eventually, a life-changing act of violence. Apple Tree Yard is a psychological thriller about one woman's adultery and an insightful examination of the values we live by and the choices we make, from an acclaimed writer at the height of her powers.
About the Author :
Louise Doughty is the author of six novels, most recently Whatever You Love, which was shortlisted for the Costa Novel Award and longlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction. She has won awards for radio drama and short stories, along with publishing one work of non-fiction, A Novel in a Year, based on her hugely popular newspaper column. She is a critic and cultural commentator for UK and international newspapers and broadcasts regularly for the BBC. She lives in London.
Review :
Once you start you can't stop reading. Terrific. Helen Dunmore There can't be a woman alive who hasn't once realised, in a moment of panic, that she's in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong man. Louise Doughty, more sure-footed with each novel, leads her unnerved reader into dark territory. A compelling and bravely-written book. Hilary Mantel Brilliant. Thrilling, thought provoking & utterly addictive. SJ Watson Brilliant and bruising. Obsession, betrayal and blood-letting... Ian Rankin A superb novel. Grown-up, genuinely suspenseful, wonderfully well-constructed, intelligent and provocative. I really didn't want to finish it. And I don't say that very often. Julie Myerson Just finished Apple Tree Yard ... Realised I'd been holding my breath for last 40 pages. Gripping. Val McDermid Doughty is a brilliant storyteller who knows how to build the suspense to breaking point. The Times A compelling cautionary tale of what happens when fantasy begins to occlude real life. "The trouble with stories is, they are addictive," Doughty states. In this case, she may never have written a truer word. Guardian Intelligent and captivating, Apple Tree Yard makes you realise how one bad decision can change the course of your life forever. Stylist Apple Tree Yardis a chilling novel, in part because of the unsparing light it shines on our ability to deceive ourselves. Doughty has a particular gift for unsettling stories, for making us ask difficult questions of ourselves, our own relationships and choices, and this is her strongest book yet. It's not a comfortable read, but it is entirely compelling. -- Stephanie Merritt Observer Taut and psychologically persuasive ... A disquieting, perceptive and gripping read. Daily Mail Guaranteed to have you on the edge of your sun-lounger. Hilary Mantel, Observer Best Summer Reads Gripping. The Sunday Times Welcome to Louise Doughty's world in which individuals are complex and fallible ... Doughty drops sharp, shiver-inducing insights, like winter raindrops, on every page ... The story is compelling but Doughty makes sure that we're enthralled by teasing us with tantalising glimpses of future events ... Her writing is piercing and potent, overpowering emotions captured in sharp, pithy phrases ... The court scene is one fo the best I've ever read, the suspense and tension building to a taut peak ... Riveting. Independent on Sunday If a prologue to a novel is to whet the reader's appetite, Louise Doughty provides irresistible temptation with the opening of Apple Tree Yard... A compelling read ... Recollection, interspersed with the growing tension as the trial plays out in the Old Bailey, provides a perfectly dovetailed structure. But within the thriller framework lies a wealth of acutely observed detail, a dissection of social attitudes and an examination of lust, trust, predatory sex, risky behaviour and responsibility ... there is considerably more to Apple Tree Yard than thrilling narrative alone. Herald Doughty's daringly constructed psychological-cum-courtroom thriller is compelling. Daily Mail Best Summer Reads Certainly not typical thriller territory, but all the more appealing and unexpected for it. I loved this slow burner of a story which ignites into a nail-biting finale ... Full of sharp, yet almost throwaway observations about women and careers, the differences between men and women, about love and long-term relationships, this book was nothing like what I expected. This was a fascinating read, reminiscent of Nicci French in top form, yet with an added twinge of melancholy. crimefictionlover.com Tense, unnerving and gripping. Woman and Home A brilliant drama highlighting disquieting questions of consent and moral judgement. Sainsbury's Magazine Read until 2am to finish it. Once you start, you just have to keep reading to find out. Emma Brockes, author of She Left Me the Gun Nobody who reads Apple Tree Yard is likely to complain about feeling short-changed ... Here the sharp domestic details are powerfully combined with (among other things) a dark crime thriller, a gripping courtroom drama and an unforced meditation on the pleasures and dangers of self-deception ... Superbly teasing. Readers Digest
