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Sarah Stovell
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Exquisite Kindle Edition

by Sarah Stovell (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.1 out of 5 stars 1,098 ratings
When two writers meet at a retreat, the chemistry is instant, and they begin a sinister relationship ... or do they? An exquisitely tense, twisty She Said/She Said psychological thriller from number one bestselling author Sarah Stovell...

***The Times BOOK OF THE MONTH***
***Telegraph BOOK OF THE YEAR***

'Slickly claustrophobic, this arch story of obsessive, forbidden love taken to the extreme will have you squirming in your seat' Sarah Pinborough

'Whip-smart, lushly written and truly page-turning ... Sarah Stovell is a thrilling talent' Holly Seddon

'A moving, gripping story ... twists keep coming till the very last page. I loved it' Erin Kelly

____________________

Bo Luxton has it all – a loving family, a beautiful home in the Lake District, and a clutch of bestselling books to her name.

Enter Alice Dark, an aspiring writer who is drifting through life, with a series of dead-end jobs and a freeloading boyfriend.

When they meet at a writers' retreat, the chemistry is instant, and a sinister relationship develops...

Or does it?

Breathlessly pacey, taut and terrifying, Exquisite is a startlingly original and unbalancing psychological thriller that will keep you guessing until the very last page.

____________________

'The characters are so untrustworthy you wont know what to believe, but you won't put it down till you've found out. A superb debut' Sunday Mirror

'Cunningly constructed and gorgeously written, this is outstanding' Express

'It's a remarkable debut in the crowded psychological thriller field, written with great sureness of touch and tone' The Times

'Addictive, terrifying and beautifully written, Exquisite is up there with the best psychological thrillers I've ever read. Fucking awesome' Chris Whittaker

'Sarah Stovell writes beautifully' Essie Fox

'Beautifully written and perfectly twisted, I was sucked deeply into the intertwined worlds of Alice and Bo and found myself reading through my fingers, compelled yet terrified at what the outcome might be...' Susi Holliday

'I bloody loved it. So clever, so beautifully written, such brilliant characterisation and THAT ENDING!' Lisa Hall

'Beautifully written, atmospheric and sexy' Cass Green

'A dark, sensual and twisted character study, rife with murky motivations and sinister revelations ... hard to put down' Foreword Reviews

'Kept me reading long into the night ... a majestic debut and utterly compelling' James MacManus, TLS

'The characters are untrustworthy so you won't know what to believe. But you won't be able to put the book down until you find out' Sunday People

'An alarming novel: infuriating at times, appalling, even frightening, and always a page-turner' Shots Mag

'Beautifully written, gripping and utterly believable' Crime Review

'A psychological thriller that will simply blow your mind' New Books Magazine

'If you're looking for a new and exciting psychological thriller that's packed with unexpected twists, Exquisite won't disappoint' CultureFly
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  1. Print length
    325 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Orenda Books
  4. Accessibility
    Learn more
  5. Publication date
    June 1, 2017
  6. File size
    1.2 MB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Exquisite is a powerful and assured debut thriller. Slickly claustrophobic and delicately wrought this arch story of obsessive forbidden love taken to the extreme will have you squirming in your seat even as you're driven to turn the next page. A must-read for 2017." —Sarah Pinborough, author, Behind Her Eyes

“Those expecting an unhappy ending won’t be disappointed.” —Publishers Weekly

"Whip-smart, lushly written and truly page-turning. I loved Exquisite, from the misleading simplicity of the premise and right down through all the dark depths of the she said/she said narrative. Sarah Stovell is a thrilling talent." —Holly Seddon. author, Try Not to Breathe

"A perfect literary thriller. A moving, gripping story told in beautiful prose. The twists keep coming until the very last page. I loved this book." —Erin Kelly, author, The Poison Tree

About the Author

Sarah Stovell was born in 1977 and spent most of her life in the Home Counties before a season working in a remote North Yorkshire youth hostel made her realise she was a northerner at heart. She now lives in Northumberland with her partner and two children and is a lecturer in Creative Writing at Lincoln University. Her debut psychological thriller, Exquisite, was called ‘the book of the summer’ by Sunday Times.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B06XRM9SCT
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Orenda Books
  • Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ June 1, 2017
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.2 MB
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 325 pages
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1495627927
  • Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 out of 5 stars 1,098 ratings

About the author

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Sarah Stovell

Sarah Stovell

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Sarah lives in Northumberland, England, with her family. She teaches creative writing at Lincoln University. During the Covid pandemic, she was unable to write because her children kept interrupting her, so she started baking instead. She now spends her time writing, teaching, hanging out with her kids, baking fine patisserie and trying to believe her luck.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
1,098 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoy this psychological suspense novel for its twists and turns, with one review noting how it perfectly balances a page-turning plot. Moreover, the book receives praise for its beautiful writing and interesting characters. However, customers disagree on the pacing, with some finding it very hard to put down while others describe it as unexciting.

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SuspenseReadabilityWriting qualityCharacter developmentPacing
25 customers mention "Suspense"25 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the suspenseful plot of the book, describing it as a well-written psychological thriller with unexpected twists and turns.

"...This is a psychological suspense novel that you won’t want to miss! I’m going to be upfront with you – this review will not be long!..." Read more

"...an age-old plot, but this author did it very well — the tension, the twists, the characters, the settings, the suspense, the constant wondering, “..." Read more

"it dragged on--plot was good, a stalker kind of story. it was interesting to find out who stalked who!!" Read more

"...See this is the type of books I love to read. All the twisted, thrillers, Suspense, and the guessing that keeps you going through every page and..." Read more

23 customers mention "Readability"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book truly amazing and enjoyable, with one describing it as a fantastic page-turner.

"...And as the story moves ahead, the reader is treated to many surprises...." Read more

"...I read it in just a few hours. Exquisite is engrossing, and sucked me in from the very first page and kept me there long after the book ended...." Read more

"...All very entertaining, but not in a sensationalistic way ... you really get to know the characters and their base motivations as the story progresses..." Read more

"...You need a great read---with beautiful, descriptive phrasing and wonderfully intriguing characters, read this fabulous book!!!!" Read more

11 customers mention "Writing quality"11 positive0 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book, finding it beautifully crafted, with one customer noting its descriptive phrasing and another appreciating its structure.

"...It is absolutely masterful!" Read more

"...The book was beautifully written, and Sarah Stovell will be an author I’ll absolutely have to keep my eye on!..." Read more

"I really enjoyed this book. It’s an age-old plot, but this author did it very well — the tension, the twists, the characters, the settings, the..." Read more

"...You need a great read---with beautiful, descriptive phrasing and wonderfully intriguing characters, read this fabulous book!!!!" Read more

7 customers mention "Character development"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the characters in the book, with one mentioning it's a character-driven mystery about relationships.

"...but this author did it very well — the tension, the twists, the characters, the settings, the suspense, the constant wondering, “Who is telling..." Read more

"...a great read---with beautiful, descriptive phrasing and wonderfully intriguing characters, read this fabulous book!!!!" Read more

"...Incredible writing, believable characters, and such twists and turns--I couldn't stop reading...." Read more

"...The characters were vivid and believable, and the plot moved along at an inexorable pace that really got a grip on me...." Read more

5 customers mention "Pacing"3 positive2 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the pacing of the book, with some finding it very hard to put down while others describe it as unexciting.

"I absolutely loved this book, very hard to put down. stayed up till after 3 am cause I had to finish it or at least know more...." Read more

"...bit of history and flashback that is a bit interesting, but not anything really great. Then there's the break-up...." Read more

"...It didn’t require any thinking so it might be good for the beach too. The most interesting part about it was it took place in the Lake District." Read more

"Boring. Slow and unexciting. A forced read." Read more

Amazing Book!!
5 out of 5 stars
Amazing Book!!
This was one twisted read. This read was for a book club on Instagram I join. November month book picked. See this is the type of books I love to read. All the twisted, thrillers, Suspense, and the guessing that keeps you going through every page and every chapter. It was a Rollercoaster. This is about successful author, Bo Luxton, who decides to host a writers workshop where she meets Alice Dark, a young aspiring writer who hasn't been able to get her life together. The book goes back and forth between Alice view of relationship and Bo view of relationship. The view are different. You won't now who lying and who telling the truth. Who telling the truth? I highly recommend everybody get this book. This book will have you hooked from the very beginning til the end.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Helene Stephens
    5.0 out of 5 stars Like Plot Suprises? How about Plot SHOCKS!?? This one has them!
    Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Who is Sarah Stovell? I just found out yesterday that she is one of my favorite writers. Who are Bo Luxton and Alice Dark? These are two characters in Ms. Stovell's book, Exquisite. When the life paths of these two cross, the results are explosive.

    Bo Luxton is a famous author in her 40's, and her most important personal goal is, she tells us, to be normal. Despite her fame, Bo is trying for the "normalness" that eluded her childhood. Toward this goal, she marries an ordinary older retiree, has two girls on whom she dotes, and one old cat that has been with her for ages. As we meet Bo, she is reading short stories -- her method of sorting students for her upcoming workshop. With her fame, there are more applicants than slots, and she feels saddened by those she must refuse. But she is impressed with the writing of Alice Dark, and places her story on the "accepted" pile.

    Alice Dark is a young woman of 26, and she is overwhelmed at being accepted into Bo's workshop. At present, Alice is without direction; she sleeps a shared mattress on the floor of her boyfriend's apartment. She hopes that this workshop will help her change her life, will give her the opportunity to move ahead in her life.

    When Alice and Bo meet at the workshop, a strong bond is forged. And as the story moves ahead, the reader is treated to many surprises. But the biggest surprise is rather a SHOCK ... it brings with it a feeling of disbelief! The plot went into a channel that made me blink as I thought: "Wait! I must have misread something. THIS can't be....." But it be. It certainly does!

    I am not sure what lead me to read "Exquisite." I can't recall who recommended it to me. But I am certainly glad I did not miss it! This book was a one-of-a-kind experience. For those of you who enjoy psychological fiction, get this one and get it TODAY! It is absolutely masterful!
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Finds and Faves
    4.0 out of 5 stars A dark, character driven mystery about relationships and obsession
    Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Bo Luxton is a successful best selling author, who leaves her husband and two children for a week so she can teach a writing class to inspiring author. It’s there that Bo meets Alice Dark, a promising young author who reminds Bo of herself when she was in her twenties.

    Bo and Alice have an instant chemistry, that quickly turns into something dark and obsessive that threatens to consume them both. This is a psychological suspense novel that you won’t want to miss!

    I’m going to be upfront with you – this review will not be long! The reason for that is because I really think that the less you know going into the book, the better. I know what a frustrating feeling that is, but you’ll have to trust me on this one!

    Exquisite is a dark, sexy, obsessive thriller that reads like a domestic suspense novel and a psychological thriller at the same time. The chapters alternate between Bo and Alice’s point of view, which I loved. Eventually both story lines come to a climax, and things take a turn for the worst, and Bo and Alice’s account of events start to differ. I flipped back and forth between who I believed was telling the truth, and the end of the book left me thinking about it for days after I’d finished it!

    That’s all I’ll say about the plot, but I will say that I loved the book. I read it in just a few hours. Exquisite is engrossing, and sucked me in from the very first page and kept me there long after the book ended. The book was beautifully written, and Sarah Stovell will be an author I’ll absolutely have to keep my eye on! If you’ve read this one and want to chat about it, feel free to message me privately on Goodreads, Twitter, or Bookstagram – I’d love to talk about it but I really don’t want to spoil it for anyone who plans to read it!!

    I definitely recommend this one for fans of the suspense genre, especially if you love character driven books – this wasn’t super action packed, and primarily centered around relationships and the obsession that can consume you during a new relationship. This was more psychological than thriller in the best possible way, and you won’t want to miss this one!
    5 people found this helpful
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  • Tabby2018
    5.0 out of 5 stars Great read
    Reviewed in the United States on August 13, 2020
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    I really enjoyed this book. It’s an age-old plot, but this author did it very well — the tension, the twists, the characters, the settings, the suspense, the constant wondering, “Who is telling the truth here?”. All very entertaining, but not in a sensationalistic way ... you really get to know the characters and their base motivations as the story progresses. I love when an author is able to make me feel some measure of sympathy for the worst characters. It also flows at a nice pace; I never felt the story was dragging.

    The ending is a bit of a cliff-hanger, so I’d love a Part 2.

    I highly recommend this book.
    Helpful
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  • Chris
    3.0 out of 5 stars ok read
    Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2018
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    it dragged on--plot was good, a stalker kind of story. it was interesting to find out who stalked who!!
    Helpful
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  • stout25
    4.0 out of 5 stars WOW!!!!! A Plot to Die For
    Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    Couldn't stop reading this book. You simply can't guess where the story is going. And when you begin to understand the direction author leading you , you're thinking, "this can't be!!!"
    I'm not sure about ending. A little let down, but maybe there's to be a follow up book.
    You need a great read---with beautiful, descriptive phrasing and wonderfully intriguing characters, read this fabulous book!!!!
    One person found this helpful
    Helpful
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  • Abdulia
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Book!!
    Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    This was one twisted read. This read was for a book club on Instagram I join. November month book picked. See this is the type of books I love to read. All the twisted, thrillers, Suspense, and the guessing that keeps you going through every page and every chapter. It was a Rollercoaster.
    This is about successful author, Bo Luxton, who decides to host a writers workshop where she meets Alice Dark, a young aspiring writer who hasn't been able to get her life together. The book goes back and forth between Alice view of relationship and Bo view of relationship. The view are different. You won't now who lying and who telling the truth.
    Who telling the truth?
    I highly recommend everybody get this book. This book will have you hooked from the very beginning til the end.
    Customer image
    Abdulia
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Amazing Book!!

    Reviewed in the United States on November 29, 2017
    This was one twisted read. This read was for a book club on Instagram I join. November month book picked. See this is the type of books I love to read. All the twisted, thrillers, Suspense, and the guessing that keeps you going through every page and every chapter. It was a Rollercoaster.
    This is about successful author, Bo Luxton, who decides to host a writers workshop where she meets Alice Dark, a young aspiring writer who hasn't been able to get her life together. The book goes back and forth between Alice view of relationship and Bo view of relationship. The view are different. You won't now who lying and who telling the truth.
    Who telling the truth?
    I highly recommend everybody get this book. This book will have you hooked from the very beginning til the end.
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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  • Dric
    5.0 out of 5 stars Good it is quite short
    Reviewed in France on November 12, 2017
    Verified Purchase
    It is very good that this book is quite short (4-5 hours) as I could not stop it until it was finished...
    Report
  • Amazon Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Material quality not the best
    Reviewed in India on July 20, 2019
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Just received this product. Not thrilled about the condition of the book, seems slightly low quality, the back cover was slightly torn, some pages seemed a bit dirty, and in fact one page inside book was even dog eared which made me wonder if this was a new or used item. But overall general condition of the book is decent enough, just seems slightly low quality. May be the cheaper prints available in India cost less due to this reason, I don't know.
    Haven't read the book yet - will update the review when I'm done. Will add a star if I enjoy the story!
    Report
  • sandra
    5.0 out of 5 stars Spannung bis zur letzten Seite
    Reviewed in Germany on January 18, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Tolles Buch, es bleibt wirklich bis zum Schluss -oder zumindestens fast- spannend. Sehr schön geschrieben! Es war ein richtiger Genuss es zu lesen.
    Report
  • AngieDW
    5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome thriller
    Reviewed in Canada on October 10, 2017
    Format: KindleVerified Purchase
    This is such a good book - very, very difficult to put down.

    Bo is a successful, married author and the dedicated mother of two young girls. She has been asked to host a writing retreat for talented beginner authors, and there she meets Alice Dark, a struggling young writer with mother issues.

    From this meeting forward, the intensity just keeps building. The alternating chapters from Bo and Alice’s points of view are extremely well done. You are never quite sure who the unreliable narrator really is...all you know is that someone is in prison, and they are still quite obsessed.

    I loved Exquisite...the author would drop little details so inconspicuously that you had to read it twice to realize what was going on. Combine that with a gorgeous Lake District setting, and it was for me, perfection.

    Fantastic, loved it.
    Report
  • neverimitate
    5.0 out of 5 stars Deliciously disturbing thriller
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 15, 2017
    Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase
    Exquisite, by Sarah Stovell, is a deliciously disturbing psychological thriller centring around two women. It employs familiar tropes such as troubled childhoods, the unreliable narrator, and an ill advised affair. Yet it rises, indeed it soars, with a use of language that matches the title. Beneath the beauty of the descriptions, the subtlety of the prose, an undercurrent of menace pervades every twist in the tale.

    Bo Luxton is an established author of best selling books. She is married to Gus, twenty-two years her senior and retired from his successful city career. They have two young daughters and live in a beautiful house near Grasmere in the Lake District. Bo has worked diligently to achieve this settled life after a difficult childhood from which she ran away when she was fifteen years old.

    Alice Dark is a twenty-five year old English graduate whose life has stalled. She is living in a damp and dreary bedsit, or at her boyfriend’s equally squalid shared house, in Brighton. When she is accepted onto a residential creative writing course in Northumberland, to be run by the famous author Bo Luxton, she is inspired to seek change.

    Bo likes to take waifs and strays under her wing. She sees something of her younger self in Alice who spent part of her childhood in care and whose latent talent Bo now wishes to nurture. With the older woman’s encouragement, Alice starts to believe she could write the book she has dreamed of creating.

    Bo and Alice form a connection on the writing course which they continue to develop via email when they return to their respective homes. Then Bo invites Alice to visit her in Grasmere. Gus is wary of their burgeoning friendship and voices his concerns but to no avail. Bo tells Alice he becomes jealous when she offers her loving care to anyone but him.

    Each section of the book opens with an update from a woman serving time in prison. The reader knows that the story being told is leading to this. The subsequent short chapters are written from either Alice or Bo’s point of view. Overlaps create doubt as to whose version may be complete and true.

    The tension builds as the protagonists find themselves backed into corners. The final page provides a memorable end to what is a satisfying, chilling denouement.

    A tightly constructed, beautifully written, impressively unsettling psychological thriller. For fans of the genre this is a must read.

    My copy of this book was provided gratis by the publisher.
    Report

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