Killing Me Softly: A Novel of Obsession

It was seeing the movie on cable that made me order this book. Typically, I expected the book to closely follow the film. However, without revealing details to those who have not yet read the book, or seen the movie, I won't go into detail about the differences.Suffice it to say that I had to separate book from movie, and rate each as a separate entity. This is a good book, psychologically gripping, and also very emotionally disturbing. It is a fascinating look into the gripping psychological experience a person may endure when they "fall in love" in a way that is all consuming. This is about a mind-altering love, magnetically intense, that overtakes the main character and leads her down a path of doubt, darkness, and even terror. In many ways it was heartbreaking. Yet, these sorts of relationships exist, as we all know, and I feel the writer wrote an excellent account of how a person can lose themselves so completely when their will is almost involuntarily surrendered to someone else. This type of "love" is for me proof that we do NOT choose who we love, and that certain kinds of love are most definitely not a choice.

While indeed not my favorite of the Nicci French novels, it was yet another impossible book to put down book. The authors always pull you right in from the beginning and you speed along to the end. Usually their novels feature smart, strong women. Smart women who usually do incredibly stupid things and get into trouble, but still strong and strong willed women. The problem I had with this book was Alice. She was weak and really not that smart. Since reading Tess of the D'Ubervilles in my youth I have abhorred weak women in novels. It is a prejudice of mine and may not ruin the story for many. Certainly a lot of women in the real world are taken in by men and their stories are just as important, but I don't enjoy that kind of character. So, a good read it you don't share my preferences.C

The movie is one of my favorite psychological dramas. I decided to read the book because we all know that the book is always better than the movie. Now I know that they are actually two different stories. Equally fantastic both have a wonderful intensity with rich characters and beautiful imagery. Both were completely heartbreaking but in the best way. If you want all the angst, the feels and a strong alpha male romance. Only you want something other than the same old cookie cutter romance. I highly recommend this book.

I waited 2 weeks after I read this book to review it.It's a story about obsession. A man and woman, meet by chance, feel an immediate attraction and become obsessed with each other. What would that feel like? According to this book, pretty great... at first. She leaves behind her live-in boyfriend and her friends. They slowly shut out the rest of the world. It gets creepy.For the first week after I read Killing Me Softly, I constantly rehashed each decision the main character Alice had made. Would I have done that? Would I have gone there? It kept me up at night. My point being the book sucked me in. It bothered me. It disturbed me.I still think about it daily - 2 weeks later.The writing is good. The characters are good. The story is disturbing. The ending feels like a cheat. However, you should read it.

I would give this 4-5 stars. It's a well-written story of sexual/psychological obsession. Gripping and taut -- hard to put down. I believe it to be one of Nicci French's best and so much better than the recent Frieda Klein series.

I am sorry but I really didn't like this book! It almost made me feel dirty reading it. I mean, how many women would make eye contact with a man whilst crossing the street and end up in bed with them shortly afterwards without knowing anything about them even their name. Also, I may be naive but surely Alice was aware of the undercurrent of violence before she married him; wouldn't that put her off? I did finish the book but I think I knew what the end would be long before Alice did so, unlike some other Nicci French books, I was not sorry that it had ended.

This was such a powerful, well constructed and confident thriller. Her use of language, characterisation and cunning control of the reader's expectations put her in the top echelon of thriller writers.

I purchased this book because I had recently watched the film version starring Joseph Fiennes and Heather Graham. Despite the film bring panned by critics, I thoroughly enjoyed it and wanted to read the book. Frankly I was very disappointed in the book. I didn't find the it that suspenseful or well written. My advice, save your money! There are much better reads on Amazon.

For someone who years ago was trapped in a marriage that happened too quickly and who nearly died as a result I found this book fascinating and very therapeutic. With the added drama of the mountains it was an incredible read. The friends who realised nothing, the high neck sweaters, the constant fear of which there was no escape. Your own prison. A compelling and honest read.

I have read several books by these authors and broadly they fell in to a similar pattern. The protagonist is a young woman who puts herself in danger by following hunches and clues in the pursuit of exposing a murderer.This book was different in the beginning, starting as a love story and went on to become an uncomfortable read as sexual violence and manipulation were graphically described. After that it reverted to the more psychological thriller I have enjoyed before.It was a bit too grim for me.

This read like the Hallmark psychological thrillers I used to enjoy watching while I skived off school and despite the immense advances in police procedure the domestic-noir element keeps it feeling up-to-date and the themes of domestic abuse and rape as relevant today as ever. I thoroughly enjoyed this title, far more so than The Memory Game (the first I'd read of this author couple). Although there was still a lot of padding, I felt confident the authors had a finer grasp on what they were doing with this one.

Alice is living with Jake, average life, until an earth-shattering chance meeting with a blue eyed man sweeps her off her feet and her life as she knows it is thrown into turmoil.Alice is seduced by Adam's obsession with her. To me it felt as if Alice was living in a fog, under a veil, like there is no clarity when she is with Adam. She knows that she will never be loved like this again, but is it enough, and at what price. Adam leads a haphazard life. Never putting down roots, or settling in one place. Perhaps that's a product of his upbringing. You never get to the bottom of his true history.The writing is "staccato-style" and takes a bit of getting used to. Also not sure if there was a problem with the kindle version, but sentences and chapters merged into one another without a break, and read a bit oddly.It was a gripping book, bordering on disturbing and I think the authors got the balance just about right. Read it in one evening.

I wish I could give this book to every Twihard. It's beautifully written in a good plain style. I found Alice very easy to believe, even though I didn't much like her. The plot demands that she gives up her whole life for Adam - it's erotic obsession - but then she suddenly starts getting curious about his past. I thought it might partly be the obsession itself - she literally seems to think of nothing else - but I also thought the book might have spent more time on this, more time explaining how her doubts arose. As for Adam, I've known a few alpha males... they do fill up a life and make it seem important. The drama, the possessiveness - all of it makes the person feel important, as if everything in their life has immense importance. Alice buys this, and then gives up on it. Apart from the violent sex, it's hard to see that Adam is a threat to Alice UNLESS she wants to leave, which she seemingly does. I felt quite annoyed with her yo-yoing. Having behaved crazily, she then can't commit to the craziness enough. I thought at times that the book might have been better without the genre elements, without the murders and intrigues. what if there was simply a book about obsessive love? Is that problem enough in itself? However, I did enjoy it very much, and will try some more of this author's work.