Second life is the story of julia, who has a perfect life with her husband hugh and their adopted son, until an incident changes everything. She gets the system login of the site that kate frequented and thus sinks. Her search for answers will jeopardize her marriage, her family and her life. A tense and unrelenting novel that explores the secret lives people leadand the dark places in which they can find themselves second life is a masterwork of suspense from the acclaimed s. The aptly titled and muchanticipated second life is the second novel from sj watson, the man who brought us before i go to sleep, an utterly original thriller based on the premise that its central. Second life is the followup from sj watson, author of before i go to sleep. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading second life. Advanced reader copy received from the publisher transworld via netgalley release date uk. In 2009 watson was accepted into the first faber academy writing a novel course, a rigorous and selective program that covers all aspects of the novelwriting process. Watson, including before i go to sleep, and second life, and more on thriftbooks. Watsons thriller novel second life 2015 concerns julia a young woman living out an unconvincingly idyllic life with her husband, hugh, and an adopted son.
While it occasionally tends to melodrama, the endings high stakes and build up of nicely woven telling details make it a rewarding book tif the reader trusts its author enough to make it through the first two thirds. Set in paris and london, second life is about the double lives people lead and the dark places they can end up in. The story ends in a shocking twist that is unexpected and horrifying. A tense and unrelenting novel that explores the secret lives people leadand the dark places in which they can find themselvessecond life is a masterwork of suspense from the acclaimed s. After all, watsons previous novel, before i go to sleep, left me with an uneasy feeling of impending doom that stayed with me for days. May 04, 2016 there is a lot to enjoy in second life. Thriftbooks sells millions of used books at the lowest everyday prices. A tense and unrelenting novel that explores the secret lives people lead and the dark places in which they can find themselves, second life is a masterwork of suspense from the acclaimed s.
Before i go to sleep was published in 40 languages. Second life by sj watson, february 2015, 432 pages, doubleday, isbn. I read an interview with val mcdermid in which she said that sj watson was a fresh new voice, but nothing about this book was fresh or new. Evening standard a gripping read deftly plotted, with convincing characters and an unsettling premise that builds to a truly disturbing conclusion. Watson s debut novel, before i go to sleep, has sold over four million copies and has been published in over 40 languages around the world. The sensational new psychological thriller from the bestselling auth. Bbc radio 4 open book, sj watson on his new novel second life. Extract from second life by sj watson good housekeeping. While resemblances to watsons previous book and to those of generic rivals seem justified, the narrative strand featuring julias internet dating. J download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Second life by sj watson published by random house uk transworld publishers will be available from 12 february 2015. Watson writes convincingly of the lure of an online affair. Well all i can say after reading s j watsons first book before i go to sleep which i thoroughly enjoyed i was expecting the same kind of calibre from second life. Watson s second book, second life, kate is murdered while in paris by a boyfriend she got in touch with through an online dating website.
I was stressed about some issues in my own life when i opened second life by s. Feb 12, 2015 open book news and features from the world of books, presented by mariella frostrup. Second life is ample proof that watson is no mere onehit wonder. But i did wonder if he could match the success of that first book. Watsons second book, second life, kate is murdered while in paris by a boyfriend she got in touch with through an online dating website. Second life is an excellent novel that is highly recommended to fans of psychological suspense. Open book news and features from the world of books, presented by mariella frostrup.
Watson, the new york times bestselling author of before i go to sleep, comes second life 6915, a sensational new psychological thriller about a woman with a secret identity that. This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, andor violence. What is unique is julias mind, not her physical environment. Its also a movie starring nicole kidman and colin firth when i heard watson had a new novel coming out, it immediately went on my must read list. Watsons smashhit debut before i go to sleep and, in many ways, it carries a lot of similar themes. Read a sneak peek from sj watsons next book, second life. Watsons second book was always going to be a problem and second life indeed proves so, although always gripping and. This book was lazy,predictable,boring and not one likeable believable character. Watsons second life is a mutedcover trade paper and ebook descendant of those stories. Jul 15, 2015 second life by sj watson, february 2015, 432 pages, doubleday, isbn. A tense and unrelenting novel that explores the secret lives people lead. Watson s debut novel was published in a cacophony of foreign languages, and second life is heavy with languageprimer lines ive made a chicken pie and it turned out well that seem calculated. When watson hits his stride, the ending of the book becomes compulsively readable. When her sister, kate is murdered in a paris alleyway, happily married london photographer, julia plummer is devastated.
A tense and unrelenting novel that explores the secret lives people lead and the dark places in which they can find themselves second life is a masterwork of suspense from the acclaimed s. The movie of before i go to sleep, starrring nicole kidman, colin firth and mark strong, is due for worldwide release in autumn 2014. Julias life changes dramatically when her sister, kate, is killed in. Although the book is set in london, it could just as easily be any large city. I found the ending rushed and poor in the sense a cop out. Feb 12, 2015 well all i can say after reading s j watson s first book before i go to sleep which i thoroughly enjoyed i was expecting the same kind of calibre from second life. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures. In fact the book simply ended as if even watson grew tired of the chaotic mess and gave up. Second life, watsons second book, is out now, and has already been a top ten bestseller. If, as seems likely, second life is turned into a film, it is hard to imagine it.
See the newest novels, discuss with other book lovers, buy romance books online. She feels acutely that she has let her sister down, and is determined to uncover the facts. The aptly titled and muchanticipated second life is the second novel from sj watson, the man who brought us before i go to sleep, an utterly original thriller based on the premise that its. Ultimately i had to decide to once again just write the book i wanted to write and would want to read, and hope that other people would connect with it. With second life there are obviously many more people interested, it was hard not to try to second guess what the readers would want. Second life is the second novel by the acclaimed author of before i go to sleep, s. Watson s first novel, before i go to sleep, was a very popular example of the form and.
Watson lives in london and worked in the national health service for a number of years. Watson chronicles the life of a woman whose life unravels in an unexpected and harrowing fashion. When her sister, kate is murdered in a paris alleyway, happily married london i realize with sudden clarity that were wearing masks, all of us, all the time. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Julia is a photographer, married to hugh, a hospital consultant, and with a teenage son connor. Rights to publish the book have been sold in 42 different countries around the world and it has gone on to be an international bestseller. J watsons first novel before i go to sleep announced the arrival of a strong, new voice in psychological thriller writing, so his second novel, released this week, is much anticipated like his first novel, this new book is narrated by a woman desperately trying to fill the gaps in the her life story.
Second life, watson s second book, is out now, and has already been a top ten bestseller. Just send us an email and well put the best up on the site. A fatal attraction for the digital age, but with a crucial twist. Okay, here it is the book ill be recommending as required summer reading this yearsecond life by s. I download on average 23 books a week and have never before left a. Well all i can say after reading s j watson s first book before i go to sleep which i thoroughly enjoyed i was expecting the same kind of calibre from second life.
Sj watson, bestselling author of before i go to sleep, discusses his new novel second life. We personally assess every books quality and offer rare, outofprint. Secrets, lies and the murderous truth once again, sj watson spins an intricate web for a heroine haunted by the past. Watson 2015, hardcover at the best online prices at ebay. Watson debut novel, before i go to sleep, was a runaway success. A real page turner of a psychological suspense, second life by s. Watson 2015, harper 416 pages harper amazon i was stressed about some issues in my own life when i opened second life by s. Tense and unrelenting, it is another brilliant novel from s. The menaced woman, the shapeshifting antagonist and the twisty credulitystretching plot are still. In summary second life is a good read though unfortunately will probably suffer in comparison to watsons awardwinning debut novel. Before i go to sleep, s j watsons debut novel from 2011, won highprofile awards, was translated into more than 40 languages, sold more.
He debuted in 2011 with the thriller novel before i go to sleep. Her search for answers will jeopardize her marriage, her family, and her life. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of second life by s. His first novel was the awardwinning before i go to sleep, which has sold more than four million copies in over forty languages, followed by the critically acclaimed novel second life. Watsons thriller novel second life 2015 concerns julia a. Bbc radio 4 open book, sj watson on his new novel second. Her sister kate is murdered in an apparently random attack in paris and the police seems to be stuck in their investigations. This standalone novel is shelved under the psychological thriller and mystery genres. Watsons debut novel, before i go to sleep, has sold over four million copies and has been published in over 40 languages around the world. Julia is a photographer, married to hugh, a hospital consultant, and with a. Watson, the new york times bestselling author of before i go to sleep, comes second life 6915, a sensational new. Watson the sensational new psychological thriller from the bestselling author of before i go to sleep.
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