Anna is certainly a character that the reader will feel sorry for and her actions are clearly as a result of the trauma and rejection she has faced. This is a powerful book about a woman (Emily) slowly eroding through a drip-drip of poison both from outside forces and her own paranoia which may or may not be justified.

It was already so gripping; every event, no matter how small, had me hanging onto the author’s every word. The author gives the main character a sense of vulnerability as she has drifted away from her friends, so it makes sense that she instantly latches onto the helpful Anna. Anna's life has been one of struggle, rejection and loneliness whereas Emily seems to have a dream life and it does encourage you to question whether you should feel sympathy for her or whether she is ungrateful. She has an MA in writing from Sheffield Hallam University, where she is now an associate lecturer, and she lives in Sheffield with her husband.It frustrated me as much as Emily that she wasn’t being taken seriously when something goes terribly wrong. And all I can tell you, without spoilers, that at this point you will not be able to put All You Ever Wanted down. Though it doesn't detract from the plot, I found it fascinating to wonder exactly what her motivations were. looking after her 1 year old daughter Bonnie and living with a growing sense of paranoia regarding both her husband's fidelity and a sense of being watched. We’re introduced to Emily who is 5 foot 3 (my name is Emily and I’m also 5 foot 3, weird) and her husband, Simon.

I have not read any other books by her but I really enjoyed the way this was written, using different perspectives and shifts in chronology to show how the two women are connected. Now Anna went from foster home to foster home, her upbringing was the total opposite to Emily’s privileged background, why is she so keen to have all of Emily’s time? I read it in one sitting, desperate to know whether what any of the characters told me was true, and gripped as it came to its devastating and unpredictable climax.In the second part of the novel the narrative switches and the reader starts to realise exactly who Anna was and the lengths she was prepared to go to so she could get what she wanted.

I wasn’t convinced the surprises were over though, and as we revisited Anna’s perspective, I still had my doubts she’d leave things alone as she once again goes to extreme lengths to get her own way. Penny Hancock, author of The Choice'An unnerving, suspenseful study of what it truly means to mother and build family ties. Starting this part of the book from Anna’s point of view was very interesting indeed, and I was already thinking about so much. Emma Bamford, author of Deep Water'Dark and sinister, this creepy psychological thriller has it all.You can change your choices at any time by visiting Cookie preferences, as described in the Cookie notice. Both Emily and Anna are complicated women who elicit feelings of sympathy, frustration and anger from the reader.

I’m the author of five novels so far, and have alsio written a number of non-fiction, health-related books as well as hundreds of features for magazines. The paranoia and fear that Emily experiences is completely convincing and, at around the half-way point, the emphasis is brilliantly transferred. I personally felt quite a lot of sympathy for Emily as a character considering the difficulties she faces as a young mum and overworked teacher coupled with the relationship with her husband, who I felt was quite unlikeable. The first person is Emily we hear a lot about her how she met her husband and got married and now have a child. I enjoyed reading about the family dynamics and the character’s backstories which explained how they reached this point in the story.I loved getting to know more about her past, and I was finally able to make that vital connection between Emily and Anna. Each page helps us get to know this character so well, and even a couple of chapters in, I couldn’t stop reading! It's always a joy to delve into the latest offering from her and this one really doesn't disappoint. Everyone else is looking at me, the nutcase, the paranoid wife, getting it wrong again, seeing danger and malevolence where there is only kindness and support. Lisa Hall, author of The Woman in the Woods'Wonderfully tense from the very first page, I ripped through this in a few nights.