Unraveling Oliver

A Novel

By: Liz Nugent

Narrated by: Sam O'Mahony

Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

Wow!!!!

I'll try to be brief and refrain from writing a soliloquy. I enjoyed this story, immensely. And I must say that, Oliver was the most complex and disturbed character that I've read about in quite some time. The unraveling of his troubled life was sad, and horrific; to say the least. Which prompts me to wonder - are sociopaths born, or created by circumstances? I enjoyed the narration, and the story was slow in unfolding, but it kept my interest. Just when I thought I can't bear this insensitive jerk anymore, something is revealed about his past; that stops you cold. Oliver is cold, calculating and completely, self-absorbed. Everyone around him is easily manipulated, especially the women. Their either so in love with him him, that their completely docile and submissive, enduring years of misery; or talking themselves into a sexual fantasy world; hoping that one day he'll come around. He won't! His life has so many twist and turns, that its hard to keep up. And in the very end, do you feel sorry for him; or come away thinking; perhaps he has some redeemable qualities after all. Well, written lots of mystery and shocking revelations. well worth the credit.

this book was amazing !!!!!!!!

I am so glad I bought the audible version of this book. Excellent narrators with different accents really brought this book to life. The story is so well developed and I did not want it to be over when I finished it.

Excellent Book!!!

What an original story, it kept me mesmerized! The narration was amazing and I did not want it to stop!

Excellent story, love the way it was delivered!

I couldn't get enough of these characters... which rarely happens. The various narrators were perfect for telling this story.

Babyblkcat

Very interesting book, no spoilers here. A character who you can have such empathy for and abhor at same time. It grabs you from the beginning and keeps you interested the whole way through with the presentation of various character’s point of view using different actors to bring the story together. EXCELLENT BOOK