Home
/
Fiction
/
The People Opposite
The People Opposite
Oct 7, 2024 12:30 PM

Author:Georges Simenon,Siân Reynolds

The People Opposite

'You'll get used to things, you'll see. But you have to watch very carefully what you say and what you do.'

Adil Bey is an outsider. Newly arrived as Turkish consul at a run-down Soviet port on the Black Sea, he receives only suspicion and hostility from the locals. His one intimacy is a growing, wary relationship with his Russian secretary Sonia, who he watches silently in her room opposite his apartment. But this is Stalin's world before the war, and nothing is as it seems. Georges Simenon's most starkly political work, The People Opposite is a tour de force of slow-burn tension.

'Irresistible... read him at your peril, avoid him at your loss' Sunday Times

Reviews

A unique teller of tales ... What interested Simenon was the average man losing control of his own fate

—— Observer

Smart, moody, intense and tangled. I loved it

—— Gillian McAllister

Little Sister is a smart and devastatingly raw novel of revenge and manipulation. Brilliantly sharp, and wonderfully paced, it is a page-turner not to be missed

—— L.V. Matthews, Richard and Judy bestselling author of The Twins

From the pen of a skilled storyteller, this is perfectly paced, with twists and turns to keep you hooked, and beautifully written

—— Amanda Jennings

Nothing is as it seems in this latest brilliant instalment from the Detective Jonah Sheens series. Little Sister is a hugely affecting tale of innocence lost and revenge - the kind of book you'll want to read twice to see if you spot the clues the second time! Cleverly plotted, perfectly paced, and with the trademark warmth we've come to expect from this series

—— Caz Frear

Intriguing, unsettling and twisty as hell. A great cast of characters who are brilliantly drawn. Gytha is a classy storyteller

—— Neil Lancaster

Fresh, original and compulsive - I raced through it

—— Trevor Wood

Little Sister had me thoroughly hooked right the way through, with twists and turns I did not see coming. Vivid characterisation, and a masterly control of the rising tension. A fantastic crime novel

—— Katherine Webb

Little Sister gripped me from the very first page, Lodge is an absolute master at balancing character with fast-paced plot, unexpected twists and edge of your seat, I-have-to-know-what-happened-crime

—— Cate Quinn

Darkly fascinating, gripping and emotionally intriguing, with a conclusion I really didn't expect

—— Emma Haughton

A book to keep you on your toes and break your heart a bit too. Riddled with clues I guarantee you won't guess!

—— Victoria Selman

I was gripped by this story - so many twists and turns I was never quite sure who to believe and it kept me on the edge of my seat until I reached the last page.

—— Nikki Smith

Brilliant. Had me hooked from the word go - I loved it!

—— Rachael Blok

Intelligent, twisting and terrifying - Little Sister is a very fine crime novel

—— William Ryan

Little Sister does not disappoint. Gytha Lodge so brilliantly hones in on the nuances of human relationships, while so convincingly building a world and creating a nail-biting case that I was desperate to get to the bottom of. I knew Gytha Lodge was good, but she just got better - this is my favourite of the series yet!

—— Polly Phillips

A gripping psychological thriller. Complex, dark and very twisty

—— Kate London

A taught, gritty thriller

—— Sun

Little Sister was my first experience of Gytha Lodge's work, and it won't be my last. A perfect blend of psychological thriller and police procedural, Little Sister grabs you from the first page and drags you into a murky, unsettling and utterly immersive world where nothing is quite what it seems. A book that lingers long after the gut-punch ending, this is the calling card of a natural storyteller who's on her way to the very top

—— Neil Broadfoot

Praise for Gytha Lodge

—— :

A novel that literally makes you hold your breath then gasp out loud

—— Val McDermid

Supremely readable. Gripped me from the first page and kept me turning the pages long into the night. Gytha Lodge is a consummate storyteller

—— Erin Kelly , bestselling author of He Said/She Said

Full of corkscrew twists and subtle turns, this...novel confirms Lodge as a gifted writer

—— Daily Mail

Clever, pacy, well-written and utterly gripping

—— C.L. Taylor

Supple and urgent - another slab of Knox brilliance

—— Metro

Knox has produced something extraordinary ... post-modern playfulness [embedded] in a rich and compelling plot that twists and turns until the final pages

—— The Big Issue

Astonishing! So clever, so original! Highly recommended

—— Jane Fallon

This clever novel reads like a true crime story (at times you have to remind yourself it's fiction), which makes it all the more compelling

—— Independent

An ingenious thriller

—— Choice Magazine

A very stylish novel revealing not only the unreliability of witnesses, but also the voyeurism in much crime reporting, crime investigation, and yes, in those of us who enjoy crime fiction

—— The Tablet

Book of the year
True Crime Story by Joseph Knox, a provocative mix of real and fictional crime in which the author himself investigates the disappearance of a student named Zoe. But is she a real or fictional character? With a fragmentary narrative style, this is something new in the overcrowded crime genre

—— Barry Forshaw, i Paper

Joseph Knox cements his reputation as one of the best of the new guard of British crime writers with True Crime Story, in which one Joseph Knox - a deliciously unflattering self-portrait - becomes entangled in the investigation into the disappearance of a student. It's a meta-fictional trick that helps to create a genuine (and genuinely pleasurable) sense of unease.

—— Best Books of 2021, The Telegraph

Brilliantly original, so tense and so moving

—— Lucy Clarke, bestselling author of The Castaways

Ingenious. Criminal mastermind. Twists and misdirections are embedded in Wrong Place Wrong Time's clever narrative

—— Writing Magazine

McAllister has always been a plot master, but with Wrong Place, Wrong Time she's surpassed herself. So riveting you'll pull a sickie and ignore all family and friends until the breath-taking final page

—— Celia Walden

A tightly crafted plot from a great thriller writer

—— Prima

A genre-defining masterpiece that turns everything you think you know about crime, family and memory on its head. I'm so jealous of everybody who gets to read this for the first time. An instant classic

—— Holly Seddon

An extraordinary novel. Intricately plotted, beautifully written and impossible to put down. This is a Groundhog Day thriller lived and told backwards, which is such an incredibly smart concept - but Wrong Place, Wrong Time is not just clever, it's heart-wrenching and full of emotion too. McAllister is a writer at the absolute top of her game

—— Beth O'Leary

Unquestionably her best book yet. Mind bending and extraordinary. What an amazing achievement. All the stars!

—— Jill Mansell

A genuine premise, compelling characters, and an absolute masterclass in plotting

—— Lucy Clarke, bestselling author of The Castaways

The latest novel from Gillian McAllister is perfect in every way. Pretty sure she's going to take over the world with that book

—— Imran Mahmood

McAllister is . . . at the top of her game. Revelations come at a satisfying pace in this smart, compelling thriller . . . It's the book we'll all be talking about this summer, so you might as well get ahead of the game and read it now

—— S.J. Watson , Perspective Magazine, 'Thriller of the Month'

Mindblowingly brilliant, it's a cracker - everyone should preorder IMMEDIATELY

—— Lisa Hall

Wrong Place Wrong Time is an astonishingly accomplished psychological thriller that pinpoints the ferocious love between mother and son, and the lengths we go to for that love. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I was entertained, but more than that: I was moved

—— Laura Jane Williams

Wrong Place, Wrong Time is an intricately plotted, highly original thriller full of heart, layers and jaw-dropping twists. Gillian McAllister is one of the finest suspense writers in the market today and this outstanding novel deserves every success

—— Phoebe Morgan

The most inventive thriller of the year

—— Daily Express

The next I Let You Go, the next Gone Girl, the next Girl on the Train . . . Wrong Place, Wrong Time will be a huge hit, deservedly so

—— Sarah Turner, Costa Book Awards Judge

Ambitious, menacing and shocking - a brilliant concept and her best book yet

—— Woman & Home, 'BOOK CLUB AWARDS'

McAllister pulls off this adventure with aplomb. Tightly plotted. Couldn't put it down . . . Don't miss it

—— Guardian

Wrong Place Wrong Time contains layers of intrigue and secrecy . . . You'll turn each page of Jen's story, eager to find out - as she did - what secrets have been hiding in plain sight all along. You'll recommend this book to everyone you know

—— Herald

Masterfully crafted in every way, this novel races along-backward-for a reading experience so intriguing and immersive that you'll only pause to wonder how McAllister has done it. An original and emotional thriller that nails the tender moments of a mother's love as much as the big, impressive twists. A total stand-out and great fun to read-I loved it

—— Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of THE PUSH

WRONG PLACE, WRONG TIME is the spellbinding story of a mother going back in time to try to prevent her son from committing a murder. Masterfully plotted and wholly original, McAllister keeps the surprises coming until the very last page, with an ending as satisfying as it is haunting.

—— Stephanie Wrobel

Page-turning time-loop thriller . . . An intelligent puzzle full of heart and good sense

—— Guardian, '50 hottest new books for a great escape'

It's extraordinary, just One of Those Books. She's carved through time, and created something three dimensional. It's like peering into the interior of a beautiful twisty shell. I absolutely loved it.

—— Eve Chase

Clever, original, and so addictive it should come with a warning. I loved it!

—— Alice Feeney

Gillian McAllister takes detective fiction in a new direction with this novel. Convincingly portrayed, and the criminal plot is cleverly designed

—— Literary Review

Tense . . . an affecting portrayal of a family careening toward crisis. [A] twisty book by a writer with a fine grasp of the subtleties of familial dysfunction. Unexpectedly tender

—— New York Times

This book is clever, clever, clever. Tightly plotted with a great cast of characters and tension in every line, I lived it and loved it

—— Fiona Barton

A super-clever, belter of a book that will stay with you long after you finish it

—— Sun

Wrong Place, Wrong Time is a mind-bending, time-twisting knockout of a book. Genius plotting and pacing easily make this one of my favourite reads this year. Gillian McAllister is a rare talent

—— Samantha Downing

Once I started reading I whizzed through the book in a couple of sittings. Such deft crafting! It would make great TV

—— Clare Chambers

This unique, riveting novel is best described as Groundhog Day meets crime drama

—— Yours Magazine

A game-changer. What an amazing book

—— Phil Williams , Times Radio

Brilliant. A genre defining book. So clever. It's going to be huge

—— Hannah Beckerman , Times Radio

Channels Groundhog Day with an endlessly replayed murder, as a woman's unassuming son kills a stranger - over and over again. The familiar plot motif is given an unguessable reset, and McAllister ensures that characterisation is as central to the novel's success as the plotting

—— Financial Times

It's terrific. It's ingenious. A GREAT concept

—— David Koepp

Full of originality, this is a memorable thriller that will stay with readers long after the last page

—— The Upcoming
Comments
Welcome to zzdbook comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Copyright 2023-2024 - www.zzdbook.com All Rights Reserved