Book Review: The Accident by C L Taylor

Forty-three year old Susan Jackson, a domestic abuse survivor, is the wife of an MP and has a fifteen year old daughter, Charlotte, in a coma. The eyewitness accounts suggest that Charlotte deliberately stepped out in front of a bus. Susan reads Charlotte’s diary, which raises more questions about her daughter’s state of mind rather than provide answers to what Charlotte was thinking. Susan soon realises that she knows very little about what was going on in Charlotte’s life and is determined to get to the bottom of what actually took place on the day of the accident.

This book was recommended to me by the Facebook TV Book Club, which is a wonderful place for book addicts, with many very good recommendations. I really enjoyed this suspense mystery thriller, it was easy to read and hard to put down as each chapter unravelled Susan’s discoveries about her daughter and the horrors she experienced in her past alternately. This alternation kept me at the edge if my seat in both scenarios, each chapter ending on a cliff-hanger. It also suggested that past and present were somehow going to collide in the book. The characterisations were compelling and I really did like Susan despite her flaws.

The only minor issues that bugged me was some of the primary and secondary care medicine. I’m not sure what Susan’s GP prescribed her but whatever it was a follow up in 6 weeks under the circumstances was negligent in my opinion. Also a monitored patient in a side room with an out of working order call button for days? I know the NHS has it’s faults but I pray this never happens but I appreciate the old adage of never say never.

Overall a very readable and enjoyable suspense and mystery thriller from a new author, I do recommend this read very much.