I saw Unravelling Oliver described as a ‘whydunnit’ and that’s just the perfect way to capture what this brilliant story is all about. The title is also pretty on the nose; this book is a breakdown of why Oliver commits a terrible act – as explained in the opening sentence…
Opening sentence: I expected more of a reaction the first time I hit her.
Who is Oliver Ryan?
Our protagonist opens the story by committing an act of violence against his wife, Alice O’Reilly. The book then delves into Oliver’s background, the people he has crossed paths with, everything that happened to him to bring him to this point.
I should point out it’s not a story that justifies his actions, it’s one that looks at all the strands of his life and is more of a character study of a person we’re not meant to like. Unravelling Oliver plays on the draw of the dark, the broken, the corrupt side of people. The narrator with secrets and deception at their core.
My reputation was one of a mysterious loner, and women, being naturally nosey, all thought they could get to the bottom of it.
Engaging plot strands
While discovering Oliver’s story, there are a few different plot points that come into play to give an emotional depth to the book. From the heart-breaking story of Veronique and her family in France, to Alice’s neighbour and first boyfriend, Barney and his tale of unrequited love, Unravelling Oliver is a nuanced, layered story that really had me engaged.
If only we hadn’t gone to France that summer of 1973.
I devoured Unravelling Oliver in a few hours – it’s just superbly written and has everything I love in a book! I’m a huge fan of Irish author Liz Nugent (Strange Sally Diamond was one of my books of 2023 and Our Little Cruelties was really good too) and Unravelling Oliver has all her trademark devilish wit and pulsing plot.
If you’re a fan of psychological thrillers with a focus on what makes the dark side of human nature tick, then I highly recommend giving her a read.
- Get your copy of Unravelling Oliver here;
- Published by Simon & Schuster 2018;
- 260 pages;
- My rating:
Books on the 7:47 
Honestly, when I hear someone saying not liking this book (or any from Liz Nugent) I need a moment to scream. How can you not simply love these masterpieces!
The reason which is often mentioned is that there are unlikeable characters. And of course we can’t defend Oliver’s actions, but that can be the result of trauma to a person.
I love how she brings storylines together. In the end, every single storyline makes so much sense. I wish I could go back to the day where I read her books for the time 😄
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