Magpie

by Elizabeth Day

'Terrifyingly BRILLIANT’
MARIAN KEYES, AUTHOR OF GROWN UPS

'A book that needed to exist in the world. It is the book that was missing’
LISA TADDEO, AUTHOR OF THREE WOMEN AND ANIMAL

‘Magnificent: I read it one sitting’
KATE MOSSE, AUTHOR OF THE CITY OF TEARS

Sometimes Marisa gets the fanciful notion that Kate has visited the house before. She makes herself at home without any self-consciousness. She puts her toothbrush right there in the master bathroom, on the shelf next to theirs.

In Jake, Marisa has found everything she’s ever wanted. Then their new lodger Kate arrives.
 
Something about Kate isn’t right. Is it the way she looks at Marisa’s boyfriend? Sits too close on the sofa? Constantly asks about the baby they are trying for? Or is it all just in Marisa’s head?
 
After all, that’s what her Jake keeps telling her. And she trusts him – doesn’t she?
 
But Marisa knows something is wrong. That the woman sleeping in their house will stop at nothing to get what she wants.
 
Marisa just doesn’t know why.
  
How far will she go to find the answer – and how much is she willing to lose?

‘A pacy, stylish thriller in which suspense is accompanied by fist-pumping feminism and, perhaps toughest of all, hope.’
THE OBSERVER

‘Pulse-quickening-tale’
STYLIST

‘Scintillating’
THE SUNDAY TIMES, THRILLER OF THE MONTH

‘A compassionately crafted psychological drama’
HARPERS BAZAAR

‘I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough’
PRIMA MAGAZINE

‘A genius twist that left me reeling’
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING

‘Be prepared for a sleight-of-hand-twist that will leave you gasping’
RED MAGAZINE

‘Utterly engrossing’
REFINERY 29

‘Sharp and sinister’
MAIL ON SUNDAY

‘Impossible to put down’
DAILY MAIL

‘A rich plot that also delves into meaty topics’
GRAZIA

Sunday Times bestseller 06/09/2021

• ISBN13: 9780008374945
• Publish Date: 2 September 2021
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 8 February 2023
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Fourth Estate Ltd
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 336
• Language: English
• URL: http://harpercollins.co.uk

Reviews

[Quirky Cat]

Magpie is a reminder that not everything is as it seems – and we should never take what we have for granted. Written by Elizabeth Day, this thriller was an exciting read with a few twists.

Marisa and Jake give off that classic appearance of being the perfect couple. With the ideal house and now the ideal lodger. But we all know how it goes – behind closed doors, they are very different people.

Just a little bit of strife is all it takes to rip off the veneer of any relationship, especially one founded on appearances. A lesson that Marisa and Jake are about to learn the hard way.

'One for sorrow, two for joy ..'

Magpie is one of those thrillers that is difficult to describe. It feels like any attempt I make will venture too close to spoilers for my liking. So, forgive me if this review ends up being on the shorter side.

You've got to pick up Magpie for those looking for a thriller with a genuinely shocking twist. It literally had me gasping – and that is all I will say on that matter. Okay, almost all – you don't want to miss it!

Part of the reason this book works so well is that the multiple perspectives help to obfuscate the truth. I adore it when that happens. Likewise, Magpie weaves in subjects such as motherhood, marital issues, and much more. It makes for a complex read worth checking out.

Thanks to Fourth Estate and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks