Great narration

Loved this book, kept me entertained until the last minute. Recommend reading this book looking forward to more of her books

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amazing

loved every minute of this book from start to finish, the narrator gave it drama,suspense and left me wanting more

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Absolutly superb read!

What I loved so much was the way the book took me from a start a middle and an end from the way the book was written from the first couple of chapters. HOWEVER you just don't know how this will end as it was written with so many twists that could take it in so many ways! I listened on audible in the car, but I also have the book and a few nights I had to read another few chapters as I could not wait to the next day of driving!
Another superb book by Diane Saxon who really does show what a fantastic author she is. Can't wait to see what is coming next.
Highly recommended on audible.

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Suspended better than a chandelier

I loved this story… how the characters timelines were described was fascinating. The way the actual truth was revealed was very clever and I didn’t see the ending coming … a nice touch. The little nod to Trench and Ketley Bank was appreciated (I have lived in both places over the years)

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Dodgy characters

I listened to this story from beginning to end, so it can't have been all bad. But I was very uncomfortable with the fact that the villain of the piece felt, to me, like the most sympathetic character! Lorraine's mother Sandra is particularly unlikeable, shown to be cold, self-centred and manipulative even before the bereavement she suffered as a younger woman had occurred, so her nastiness cannot be explained away or mitigated purely by that tragic event. Lorraine's father is irredeemably weak and gutless, his lack of backbone leading him to behave with an astoundingly callous degree of neglect - with tragic results. If only he'd grown a pair many years earlier, several disasters might have been averted...
The main character, Lorraine, does not do anything actively bad, but I was put off her fairly early on by her somewhat gleefully mean description of the well-meaning, elderly neighbour's physical 'flaws', which were actually no more than typical signs of ageing. This really jarred with me as gratuitous unkindness. Maybe Lorraine is more like her mother Sandra than she sets out to be.
In fact, the whole treatment of the elderly neighbour is inconsistent: she's regarded variously as a nosy, interfering old busybody whom Sandra had always disliked, and had always kept at arm's length; Lorraine also keeps her distance from the supposedly physically repulsive neighbour, claims to have always done so, and likes it that way. Other times, she's the wise, kindly, discreet old friend in whom Sandra confides, and by whom Lorraine has warm, fuzzy memories of being frequently hugged. Maybe an editor should have picked up on that?
Yes, the villain does some very bad things indeed, but I'd guess that very few people suffering the same torments, ordeals and rejections would emerge from those experiences smelling of roses...even when, as the novel nears its end and we learn the whole extent of their villainy, I still couldn't find it in my heart to deplore them to the extent I think the reader is supposed to. In fact, I found their inevitable comeuppance quite saddening; I was disappointed that Sandra's toxicity and meanness are never even challenged; ditto the father's weakness, and Lorraine's astonishing lack of curiosity. It's not often that I'd choose to be stuck in a lift with a murderer, as opposed to their would-be victims, but this is one of those times.

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Not as good as I thought

Was an ok story narrated well, thought might be more exciting but it wasn't heard it out hoping something would happen or maybe a plot twist after reading review about suspense but nothing suspenseful as far as I heard just a a story with no twist or excitement

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Jesus Christ!

Implausible and stupid story hard to say anything good about this book except I wish I could get a refund for it rather than suffer through the whole thing

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Awful narrator and story

Repetitive, boring, immature voice of narrator , just awful , dont have further words enough to descibe.

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Very disappointing

I don't take pleasure in giving negative reviews and I rarely give up on a book/audio, but I had to on 'The Stepson'. Apart from not having one likeable character (even minor players), it was because of the constant interruption of a scene to provide detailed, lengthy backstory, stopping the action however small (walking up a path) or urgent (believing mother in imminent danger). It is the first Diane Saxon book I have listened to or read and, with so many positive reviews, maybe I'll be missing out because it will also be my last.

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