Lying in Wait

In Lying in Wait, author Liz Nugent takes sociopathy to a whole new, nightmare-inducing level. The story begins with the murder of a young woman and an explanation about that event: "My husband did not mean to kill Annie Doyle, but the lying tramp deserved it." Readers are introduced to Lydia Fitzsimons and her husband, a respected judge, parents to Laurence, a socially awkward, overweight boy. They reside in her beautiful family estate in Dublin and appear to have an idyllic life. However, Lydia’s son, Laurence, discovers a part of the secret Lydia and her husband, Andrew, have been keeping. And Lydia simply cannot have her plans derailed. She will do anything to achieve the goals she has set for herself and her son. Anything. Laurence is devoted to his mother and unable to break away from her psychological grip, often because of her histrionics and manipulations that he blindly fails to recognize. As he unwittingly furthers Lydia's diabolical schemes, he is pulled deeper and deeper into her twisted plot and unable to extricate himself. The action is nonstop, and Nugent throws in surprising plot twists that readers will not see coming, leading to a jaw-dropping, devastating conclusion that will shock even the most savvy readers of psychological thrillers.
Thanks to NetGalley for an Advance Reader's Copy of the book.