Blurb

TWO COUPLES

Elena and Adam are housesitting in Wimbledon and are instantly seduced by their new upscale surroundings.

Sophia and Finn are their beautiful, enigmatic neighbours who invite them into their world.

ONE TWISTED GAME

When Sophia proposes a wicked game to Elena whereby they will swap partners in secret, it’s not long before Elena starts to experience a sexual awakening that blossoms into an illicit love affair.

But Sophia’s plans are far more complex and dangerous than Elena could ever have imagined…

WHO WILL SURVIVE?

Review

I don’t read that many thrillers, but every now and then, I do like to remind myself what I’m missing out on with this genre, and I always enjoy dipping my toe in. I was delighted to be sent a copy of The Switch in exchange for an honest review – many thanks to the author.

The premise of this book does require an initial suspension of disbelief, as it’s based on the Roald Dahl short story (for adults!) in which two men devise a plan to sleep with each others’ wives without the women knowing. In Samson’s novel, the gender roles are ‘switched’ and it’s the women who decide to deceive their husbands, with an elaborate plan that relies on the proximity of their houses and the strategic removal of lightbulbs from bedside lamps. As far-fetched as this might sound, Lily Samson pulls it off, and more, in this deeply compelling novel that I absolutely raced through.

The switch itself is only the beginning of a gorgeously tangled web of deceit, whose silky strands come undone one by one in intelligent, sharp, beautiful prose. It’s utterly addictive, with all four of the main characters offering a nuanced and tantalising selection of secrets and desire, and there’s a delicious sense of glamour and luxury that infuses the text like a perfume. This is a sexy book, and it’s one to be devoured in a gleeful reading spree.

The many twists and turns are handled with consummate skill, and I think readers will be surprised that this is the author’s debut. As I mentioned above, I’m not an expert on this genre, but it certainly seems as if Lily Samson is! The withholding and revealing of information is meted out perfectly, designed to keep you turning the pages while also forming your own wild theories – it really keeps you guessing, but when all the pieces finally slot into place, it works brilliantly. The pace doesn’t let up throughout – it’s fabulously relentless in maintaining the tension, and very, very hard to put down once you’ve started!

I think this will appeal to fans of writers such as Laure Van Rensburg, whose books Nobody But Us and The Good Daughter share Samson’s mix of dark psychological insight and stunning prose, but anyone who is looking for a cracking read this summer should check The Switch out. I will be waiting excitedly to see what’s next from this author!

The Switch by Lily Samson is published by Century and is available to purchase here.