What Came Before in Aussie Readers

Apr 09, 2014 Brenda rated it liked it

Shelves: aussie-authors, 2014-release, uncorrected-proof, own-read, arc, thriller, sent-by-publisher

When David Forrester met Elle Nolan, they were both outside the Sun Theatre in Melbourne. Elle was a script writer and had one film to her credit; she was currently working on her second script. The attraction between them both, especially on David’s side, was instant – after the film and drinks at the bar, they ended up at Elle’s place – he admired the décor of her apartment, then they moved on to each other…

As their relationship intensified Elle found herself pulling back – David’s moods were ...more

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Apr 14, 2014 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it really liked it

Shelves: provided-by-publisher, aussie-author, arc-are

“My name is David James Forrester. I’m a solicitor. Tonight, at 6.10, I killed my wife.
This is my statement.”

In her remarkable debut novel, Anna George begins with the end in order to explore what came before. As David Forrester sits slumped in his car, and Elle Nolan floats over her broken body, George takes us back to the beginning of their relationship, witness first to the heady rush of attraction and then the slow, painful corruption of love.

With keen insight and deft characterisation, Ge ...more

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Jun 18, 2014 Bree T rated it really liked it

Shelves: arc, australian, aww2014

“My name is David James Forrester. I’m a solicitor. Tonight, at 6.10, I killed my wife.

This is my statement.”

David is making a recording into a dictaphone, sitting in his car in Melbourne’s inner-west. He’s just done a horrible thing but he’s determined to get his story down, record what happened from his point of view. He knows that he needs advice, he needs someone to help him. As he wonders what to do, sick by what has just happened, David thinks back on his and Elle’s tumultuous two year re ...more

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Nov 23, 2014 Michael Livingston rated it liked it

This is a difficult, ugly story. A story of an angry, charming monster and the woman who falls in love with him, it spirals into darker and more unpleasant territory as it goes and by the end I wasn't really sure why I was reading it. It's trying to paint a compelling portrait of partner violence and does a good job of working through the motivations of the woman involved, who finds herself unable to escape from a clearly damaged relationship. There were notes that didn't quite ring true to me a ...more

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Sep 27, 2014 Jenny rated it really liked it

It took me awhile to engage with this. Not sure why as it's beautifully written. Once the story hooked me, all was well. I loved the Melbourne setting and landmarks. The story is a cautionary one that sadly, too many will relate to. ...more

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