Book Review: Wright’s compassion makes this book a compelling read

But she can’t shake the feeling she’s being watched. When her missing cat is returned by Anna, an unlikely friendship develops.

Despite not being the sort of person Emily would normally gravitate to, Anna gradually embeds herself in Emily’s life. It’s a friendship Emily is especially grateful for when her perfect world begins to disintegrate.

Of course, Anna’s entry into Emily’s life is no accident, and as the plot unfurls, we wonder what her connection to Emily really is and what Anna wants from her.

All You Ever Wanted is the fifth and most recent novel from Sheffield-based writer Susan Elliot Wright. In keeping with her other psychological thrillers, All You Ever Wanted explores secrets and lies and mental health.

We are drawn into the story by an intriguing prologue. In the chapters that follow, Wright’s accessible style creates a fast pace and plenty of suspense.

In addition to the main story between Emily and Anna, there’s tension-filled subplot between Emily and her husband that keeps us guessing and ensures we continue turning the pages towards the denouement – a satisfying but tantalizing epilogue.

It would be easy to cast Anna as the villain, but Wright allows our sympathies for Emily wax and wane as much as our sympathies for Anna.

While Emily is dealing with the consequence of her own life choices, Anna is dealing with the legacy of past trauma and the terrible hand life has dealt her.

Neither woman is entirely at fault; neither is entirely blameless; neither, in fact, has all they ever wanted. The complexity of the characters and Wright’s compassion for them makes this book a compelling read.

If All You Ever Wanted is your first introduction to Wright’s work, and you like what you read, seek out her other titles: The Things We Never Said, The Secrets We Left Behind, What She Lost, and the highly acclaimed The Flight of Cornelia Blackwood.