With a tagline of ‘They say you can’t always get what you want. But you can take it.’, A Lesson in Cruelty is Harriet Tyce’s fourth novel due out on the 11th of April 2024 and sits superior in the psychological thriller genre. It’s a dark, twisty, compelling read. But I would expect no less from the author of Blood Orange, Tyce’s debut novel from 2019.

The Blurb: ‘Anna wants a fresh start. She doesn’t believe she deserves it, but after three years behind bars she has finally paid her dues. Most of them, anyway.

Lucy craves the attention of the only man she can’t have, her alluring Oxford professor. He’s married – not for the first time. Maybe she should be next in line?

Marie the recluse has been locked up for too long. She’s not ready to be free, but some rules are meant to be broken.

Everyone wants the perfect life. But not everyone is prepared to take it.

Unless someone decides to teach them a lesson’.

A Lesson in Cruelty centres around the lives of three women, Anna, Lucy and Marie who have lived very different lives but collide spectacularly through a mix of fate and puppetry. The Puppet Master is cruel and calculating, pulling the strings for their own gain and enjoyment. Even when you think you know what’s going on….you don’t!

Anna is on her last night in prison when something catastrophic happens, something that she can’t let rest once she’s released, otherwise, it will eat her up. Lucy is the shining star in her Oxford class on Criminology, she craves the attention of her college professor, whom she has admired from afar for years. Lucy’s true reason for being in Oxford is one of the heart rather than the head. Marie is living the life of a recluse with Janice, a housemate not of her choosing. This arrangement was the price she was willing to pay for the alternative life she wanted to live.

Three very different people, but one common element runs through them, which makes them an easy target for the person who controls their destiny.

The structure of the book is superb! It’s like being on a rollercoaster, momentum and suspense build on the incline, you reach the top and you wonder how it’s all going to wrap up and then you drop spectacularly, with lots of twists and turns and jump-scares.

What I liked about this book:

It’s so clever – It keeps you on your feet. You’re constantly trying to guess what’s going on and when you think you have some sense of footing, the rug is pulled out from under you again.
The characters – Are all excellently developed, very unique, with different backstories and distinct individual voices, making the characters come to life for the reader.
The structure – The book is layered so well, especially in the beginning which lays a strong foundation for all the twists and turns the reader experiences. Halfway through I was wondering how Tyce would tie the whole story together, but she does it magnificently.
The pace – It’s fast, there’s a hook with each chapter, and the reader is compelled to keep reading on. The chapters are short, and no words are wasted. Ideal for nighttime readers!

A Lesson in Cruelty is a five-star read. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone seeking a good, suspense-filled psychological thriller. This has sealed my fandom of Harriet Tyce. If you read this and love it, my next recommendation is Blood Orange, it’s a must-read!