The Heights

                                               "Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future"

                                                                                                                   -Oscar Wilde

Ellen Saint is a victim and her son’s best friend, Kieran Watts, is the villain … at least, that’s how she sees it, and she’s not having any of it. She clearly believes the villain must pay. Where do those thoughts take her? Luckily her book within a book, Saint or Sinner, spells it out.

I won’t detail the plot points, as so many reviews have been written for this already, but at its core, this is a story of what happens when someone’s pain blinds them to reason, and when the line between victim and villain gets blurred.  

Candlish once again writes a compelling story that encompasses themes of family, parenting, love, grief, obsession and revenge, among others.  Ellen isn’t a sympathetic character - while I understood her motivations, I found her dogged stubbornness and refusal to listen to anyone off-putting, even if I might’ve felt the same way if I’d been in her shoes. Her ex, Vic, wasn’t perfect, but I could at least partially sympathize with him.

On the surface, this is a tale of hate and revenge.  Dig deeper and you’ll find a story that explores how anyone could be a saint or sinner under the right circumstances.

A bit of warning: it’s a slow-burn, so those looking for ‘thrills’ won’t find them.  What you will find is a well-written book with fascinating, flawed characters and a book that just might make you think!

★★★ ½ (rounded up to 4)

Thanks to Atria Books, NetGalley and author Louise Candlish for this ARC. I’ve given my opinions freely and honestly.  This is due for publication on March 1, 2022.