The Heights by Louise Candlish
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
**2.5-stars rounded up**
While working at a client’s condo, Ellen Saint, spots a man she knows across the way on a rooftop deck. She can’t believe her eyes.
Sure, he’s aged and other things about him seem different as well, but it’s definitely him. She would know him anywhere.
Ellen is shocked to see Kieran Watts that day because he is supposed to be dead. She knows this because she had him killed herself.
As you can imagine, this turn of events flips Ellen’s world upside down. She becomes obsessed with Kieran all over again. It takes over her every waking thought.
Through flashbacks we learn how this seemingly harmless suburban housewife could come to hate this young man, a close friend to her son, so much.
It’s clear Ellen believes Kieran is at fault in regards to a tragedy that changed their family forever. She will never forgive him and feels he got away with it when he should have been harshly punished. Vigilante justice comes to mind.
The Heights was a tough one for me. From the beginning, Ellen’s character put a bad taste in my mouth and it really never went away.
Normally I love a tale of obsession, but there was something about this one that just didn’t sit right for me.
I thought the end, like literally the last 10-15%, brought something interesting that I wasn’t expecting, but other than that I found this to be fairly boring and at times annoying.
I have really enjoyed three of Candlish’s previous novels, Our House, Those People and The Other Passenger, so just because this one missed the mark for me, I still consider her to be one of my favorite Domestic Thriller authors.
With all of this being said, I did like the way this story was formatted; the way Kieran’s relationship with Ellen’s family was revealed, the tragedy that changed everything and the revelations at the end.
Also, as I always say, just because this one didn’t work for me, doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. If you are intrigued by the premise, if you want to know what the heck Kieran did to become so vilified, you should definitely pick this one up and give it a try.
Thank you to the publisher, Atria Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity and look forward to picking up Candlish’s next book!