06/05/2023
This entertaining psychological thriller from Durant (Finders, Keepers) deploys a delicious arsenal of unexpected plot twists. Ali and Sean have made their way across India, posing as siblings and honing their skills as con artists. Now they’ve landed in the South of France for the busy summer season. It doesn’t take them long to spot Lulu Fletcher Davies, with her first-day-of-holiday sunburn and her “sub-schoolgirl French.” Lulu’s dual surname makes it easy to track her down on Facebook, which provides all the information Sean and Ali need to scam the wealthy young Brit. Their plan goes terribly wrong, however, and after Lulu dies, Ali hastily packs up and runs away to Provence, fearing Sean’s retaliation even more than the police’s. She takes a job and a assumes a new identity in hopes of slipping under the radar, but the longer she’s away, the more she begins to wonder about her former accomplice. Ali’s keenly observant narration (“It’s not true you can’t con an honest person, but it’s easier emotionally when they’re not”) keeps the plot moving briskly along its circuitous route, and Durrant takes witty jabs at the behavior of wealthy vacationers. This is good, Patricia Highsmith–style fun. Agent: Grainne Fox, Fletcher & Co. (Aug.)
"Sabine Durrant is one of the greatest thriller writers of our generation and this is her at her scorching, gripping, unputdownable best. Sun Damage is brilliantly plotted, but it is Durrant's graceful yet probing descriptions of place and class, her insight into families and couples and what lies beneath, and her painting of settings so exquisite that you feel you're really there that make this book so incredibly satisfying and enjoyable." — Lisa Jewell
“Sabine Durrant finely evokes Riviera beaches and provincial France, and gives us a character who grows more sympathetic as we admire the ingenuity with which she overcomes her perils. The climax is sheer genius . . . Ideal for a sun lounger at home or abroad.” — The Times (London)
"Claustrophobic and suspenseful, with an engaging narrator and a satisfying twist: perfect poolside reading." — The Guardian UK
“This entertaining psychological thriller from Durant deploys a delicious arsenal of unexpected plot twists . . . . Ali’s keenly observant narration . . . keeps the plot moving briskly along . . . . Good, Patricia Highsmith–style fun.” — Publishers Weekly
"Sabine Durrant finely evokes Riviera beaches and provincial France, and gives us a character who grows more sympathetic as we admire the ingenuity with which she overcomes her perils. The climax is sheer genius . . . Ideal for a sun lounger at home or abroad.” — Audiobook of the Week, The Times
“A merciless portrayal of privileged English abroad leavens a tense and fiendish thriller. Yikes!” — Saga Magazine
"The premise is so interesting and the characters so divisive that you'll want to keep reading." — Belfast Telegraph
"A sizzling thriller." — Bella Magazine
"Escapist." — Hello Magazine
"Essential holiday reading material." — Closer Magazine
"Durrant is relentless with the suspense, presenting Ali's unreliable narrator status beautifully. . . It's superbly controlled, a novel that's obsidian dark under the blazing French sun." — Irish Independent
08/11/2023
In the latest novel from Durrant (Finders, Keepers; Lie with Me), Ali, a professional con artist, teams up with a fellow hustler, Sean. Ali spots Lulu Fletcher Davies, a girl with similar features to herself, at a beach in Sainte-Cecile-Sur-Mer, France. She decides that Lulu would be an excellent target for their next scam and Sean agrees. The con takes a dangerous turn and Ali watches Lulu die at Sean's hands. Traumatized by the events, she flees with Sean's money and all of Lulu's things to go into hiding. She even assumes Lulu's identity and takes over the chef job that Lulu had intended to turn down. Now it is only a matter of time before Sean finds her. This novel has a slow-moving plot with little suspense, but it does portray realistic people, who have flaws and problems in their lives. The main character is relatable, though not exactly likable. VERDICT With a con artist pretending to be someone else, this title has a similar feel to Catch Me If You Can by Frank Abagnale. It's also reminiscent of Maybe in Another Life by Taylor Jenkins Reid, in which a single decision can alter one's life.—Victoria Kollar