Synopsis
By the end of that summer, two people would be dead... Fans of In A Dark Dark Wood and The Couple Next Door will love this twisty thriller.
I have given up so much and done so many terrible things already for the sake of my family that I can only keep going.
I do not know what is going to happen to us.
I am frightened, but I feel strong.
I have the strength of a woman who has everything to lose.
In the sweltering summer of 1997, strait-laced, straight-A student Karen met Biba - a bohemian and impossibly glamorous aspiring actress.
She was quickly drawn into Biba's world, and for a while life was one long summer of love.
But every summer must end. By the end of theirs, two people were dead - and now Karen's past has come back to haunt her . . .
Publisher information
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
- ISBN: 9781444701050
- Number of pages: 368
- Dimensions: 196 x 128 x 30 mm
- Weight: 260g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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Well plotted story
Erin Kelly's debut novel is superbly plotted - with just enough information being dripped to the reader to keep your interest and to carry the story along.... READ MORE
Not a literary classic but well worth a read
The first thing I would say about this book is that the first chapters are overworked with many superfluous adjectives which annoy rather than add to the s... READ MORE
Amazing first book
Not quite sure about The poison Tree when I first got it. The cover is a little dark and sinister. I half imagined a thriller/horror novel lay within. Boy,... READ MORE
The Poison Tree
A good read...
The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly is a mystery novel in which you become engrossed from page 1. It tells the story of Karen (a university student), and her fri... READ MORE
A True Page Turner
A True Page Turner
The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly
I must admit that I am a bit of a coward when it comes to trying new authors. Unless a writer or book is... READ MORE
A surprising read
This is not the usual type of book I would read, but I throughly enjoyed it.
Straight A student Karen becomes obsessed with a bohemian called Biba and soo... READ MORE
The Poison Tree
Interesting story especially after the second half of the book and towards the end,a bit boring in the beginning.
Left me feeling underwhelmed
With its comparisons to 'Rebecca' (one of my favourite novels) I was intrigued by 'The Poison Tree' and had high expectations. Unfortunately it didn't real... READ MORE
Not really that sure...
The way the book has been described both on the Waterstones website and on the back of the book, led me to believe this was going to be a thriller/crime no... READ MORE
Cracking thriller!
Karen Clarke, an unremarkable girl from Birmingham, has been living in London for the past four years while at University and living in a house with three ... READ MORE
engaging and enjoyable read
The Poison Tree quickly engages the reader, drawing them into a world where student life seems like an ideal, endless summer of freedom and new experiences... READ MORE
Good Holiday Read
The Poison Tree - debut novel from Erin Kelly. London 1997 becomes the primary setting, when the eponymous heroine, Karen, meets aspring actress Biba and h... READ MORE
The Poison Tree
This authors first novel, which I found to be less absorbing than I had hoped. The plot itself had the potential to be excellent, the charecters were well ... READ MORE
Gripping thriller
I liked this a lot; interesting characters, well written, intriguing plot and some great twists. Would recommend, and would read any future offerings from ... READ MORE
Enjoyable debut novel
I didn’t really know what to expect from this book but I really enjoyed it. I thought it was very well written, the characters were believable (although no... READ MORE
The Poison Tree
The Poison Tree is a good read but not a great read. It took a while to get into but once I had it was quite intriguing - not exactly the kind of book you ... READ MORE
Brilliantly written.
This story twists and turns all the way to the very end. Just when you think you have figured where the story is heading Erin Kelly adds in a detail that c... READ MORE
The poison tree
The cover drew me in the story whirled me round, from the outset exciting and captivating. The main characters very well established and the setting beauti... READ MORE
Gripping mystery
Starting with Karen Clarke and her nine year old daughter Alice picking up Rex Capel from his ten-year spell in prison for murder, we flashback to when Kar... READ MORE
An interesting read
I enjoyed reading this book, but it took me a while to get into it. The characters were quite difficult for me to relate to. The main character, Karen, is ... READ MORE
Excellent tense thriller
I was delighted to be able to read "The Poison Tree" by Erin Kelly ever since I had read "The House of Mirrors" and discovered that was a sequel of "The Po... READ MORE
A powerful read
The Poison Tree is a story about friendship and family, and the lengths you will go to for them.
Karen meets Biba when she is studying language at coll... READ MORE
An uncomfortable book to read in some ways
An uncomfortable book to read in some ways with often flawed or unlikeable characters. But each has a backstory that goes some way to explaining how it is ... READ MORE
Four stars!
The Poison Tree by Erin Kelly is a gripping psychological thriller set against the backdrop of a sweltering summer in 1997. The story follows Karen, a dili... READ MORE
Addictive
An addictive thriller, Karen meets Biba and her brother Rex, she is drawn into their lifestyle. Told in two timelines which underlines the danger coming th... READ MORE
Not for me, sorry
Sorry, but I didn’t enjoy this book at all. I didn’t find it interesting or exciting and it seemed to take forever to get to the end. Not my cup of tea a... READ MORE