I Died On A Tuesday | Jane Corry
REVIEWED BY LINDA HILL
When 18-year-old Janie is catastrophically injured in a hit-and-run accident, the repercussions echo through the next twenty years and impact so many lives. As pop star Robbie Manning is finally arrested for the crime, truths and deceptions come spilling out in an enthralling plot.
I Died On A Tuesday: book review & synopsis
I Died On A Tuesday is excellent. It’s breathtakingly dramatic and twisty with a brilliant storyline. In fact, it’s really difficult to review because each strand of the narrative is so intricately woven that it’s impossible not to reveal spoilers. Let’s just say that Jane Corry leaves us unable to stop reading! It genuinely is not possible to guess what might happen next.
There’s quite a large cast of characters, but with the intertwining focus on Janie, Robbie, Vanessa and Judge, the plot still feels intimate. It’s a riveting example of how one split second can change the lives of many, many people.
Each character finds their carefully constructed life unraveling in unimaginable, but believable, ways. I found Robbie especially affecting because he is simultaneously guilty and innocent. He held my sympathy throughout, even as I condemned him. The more Vanessa’s experiences are revealed, the more heartbreaking they become, and yet she is by no means perfect.
“The divisions between morality, guilt, responsibility and innocence become blurred”
Themes of grief, identity, coercion and memory not only entertain, but make us think. The concept of choice is utterly fascinating. As the narrative unfolds and we discover what actually happened when Janie was run over, the divisions between morality, guilt, responsibility and innocence become blurred, making it impossible to know who to trust and who to blame.
Reading I Died On A Tuesday makes us question our own sense of what is right and how we might have behaved if we were Robbie, Judge or Vanessa. As a result, the psychological aspects of the story are both profound and entertaining, leaving an impact long after the book is finished.
This book has everything for the perfect summer read. There’s riveting drama, a sense of human frailty and fantastic entertainment. It’s part psychological thriller, part courtroom drama and part domestic noir, so there is something for every reader. It’s certainly not to be missed. Pack it in your suitcase!
I Died On A Tuesday by Jane Corry is out now (Penguin, PB, £8.99) and available from Amazon.
Read more fiction reviews by Linda Hill including Redemption by Jack Jordan, Our Holiday by Louise Candlish, The Unforgettable Loretta, Darling by Katherine Blake, My Favourite Mistake by Marian Keyes, The Intruders by Louise Jensen and A Lesson In Cruelty by Harriet Tyce.
