Owen Hanson packs a bag and leaves his past where it belongs–dead and buried in his small Connecticut hometown. His new life as a clothing inspector is boring and predictable and the perfect escape. He’s finally in control.Lydia March is unexpected, but he can’t avoid her even if he tries. She makes him feel things and throws the delicate balance of his orderly life off its axis.When Owen begins … axis.
When Owen begins receiving mysterious messages from an unknown admirer, it’s not long before his world begins to spiral and nothing is as it seems. Is Lydia writing the notes or is it someone else? Has his past finally caught up with him?
When reality starts to fray at the edges, it’s impossible not to pick at the loose threads and watch as everything unravels. Can Owen hold onto the control he so desperately clings to or will his life be reduced to nothing more than a tangled mass of chaos?
more
Wow! Well done! Layne Deemer’s 1st Novel is a mystery that builds up and leaves you wondering what is up with Owen and Lydia and all the baggage?!
You may think you figured it out but wait for it….
It’s a fun twisted story that makes you think and rethink what details are given but you won’t be disappointed!
Loved it!
***4.5 STARS***
”Never apologize for being real. It beats perfection any day.”
It’s hard to believe that this is Layne Deemer’s first novel. Her writing was effortless, the story was riveting, the characters were intriguing, and I was completely owned by this book and read it within 24 hours. (which I very rarely do) I could not put it down as it was filled with twists and turns and had my mind trying to conjure up all different ways this story would go.
“Everything has a weakness, and if you pick at it long enough, it’ll unravel.”
I highly recommend this page turner…things are not always as they seem! Owen’s story will keep you guessing and keep you glued to the pages of this fantastic debut novel. Looking forward to future novels from this very talented author.
“We all have secrets hidden away under our floorboards. Some of us are just better at hiding them.”
“Everything has a weakness and if you pick at it long enough, it’ll unravel. All it takes is a frayed edge.”
What a fantastic, twisty mind game this was! I loved every minute of it!
Review closer to release date.
Update 11/6/19:
I had the privilege of reading an early copy of Frayed back in June and although it’s November, I’ve not stopped thinking about this book. I read a lot so that’s an accomplishment in itself. Layne Deemer’s ability to immediately draw you in and then keep you hooked is remarkable! As a debut novel, I’m blown away by her writing and prose with a “what’s coming?” undercurrent keeping you riveted and turning page after page. It’s near impossible to put this book down. Owen and Lydia will keep you mesmerized!
If you are in the mood for a sharp psychological thriller with razor focused characters, do yourself a favor and read Frayed. You’ll be guessing until the very last page!
Congratulations on a phenomenal debut, Layne Deemer!
Great book. An absolute page-turner. I could put it down. I was at the edge of my seat the entire time.
Owen and Lydia take you on a wild ride full of twist and turns. My mind was blown by a couple of revelations that I NEVER saw coming.
If your looking for a book that will keep you guessing, I highly recommend Frayed!
The book is a bit of a slow burn but don’t let that deter you, it is done so well, and the writing is so great, we are given just enough information to keep us filled with suspense and wanting more. From the very first chapter I had an uneasy feeling I couldn’t explain, I just knew something wasn’t quite right! I I had so many questions! What characters can I even trust!? Is this narrator even reliable?! By the 50% mark I could not put it down and just had to know what was going on! I was kept in suspense till the very last page, and i loved it! u2063
u2063
If you like psychological thrillers that keep you guessing, and leave you staring into space mouth ajar, and shocked by the end, then this is the book for you! u2063
u2063
u2063This was such a great debut novel, and I can’t wait to read more from the author in the
u2063
“But that’s the thing about manipulation. When you’re the puppet, you can’t always see the strings that control you.”
Wow. I jumped into this one blind and I’m so glad I did. I was sucked in from the first page by Deemer’s sharp and subtly witty writing style. It kept me guessing all the way through, but ¾ in, my heart was in my throat. I was torn between not wanting to put it down and fear for what was coming. Curiosity prevailed and I finished just as the sun was coming up. Thank God, because I was a little freaked out trying to read it in the dark!
Frayed isn’t an in-your-face psychological thriller. Its suspense is gradual and addictive with fascinating characters you can’t help but root for. If you enjoyed You, I strongly recommend you give this riveting, mind-bending debut a shot. Absolutely loved!
“If you want to do something, do it. If you don’t, then don’t. But never waste time in the in between. Nothing happens, good or bad, if you’re standing still.”
So many mixed thoughts
I enjoyed this book in the beginning, personally inner monologues are not for me and yet this one held my attention till about half way through when Owen meet the love interest, some actions seem unnecessary as we’ll as the beginning of the ramblings that lost me almost all together.
I finished this book and it holds a confirmation of suspicion in the end, while for me this book didn’t keep me, it may not be the same for the next reader, my personal abhor for monologues may have been what ultimately turned it, if this isn’t an issue for you then it’s worth a look in.
The parts that intrigued me most about FRAYED by Layne Deemer was the narrative told in flashback, where we learn about Owen Hanson’s past and the events that led him to turn his back on his old life. Now there’s the story I would have loved to read more in depth about: how do you try and extricate yourself from a situation you’ve unwittingly become trapped in? How did you get there in the first place? What could you have done differently? Frustratingly, these good parts form a small portion of the overall book.
The back story is not, however, the focus of this book. Three years after leaving his home town, we end up spending a lot of time in Owen’s head as he lives his monastic life, works at an unskilled, repetitive job and where he meets and begins to fixate on a Lydia, a female work colleague. It was struggle to get past the first half of this book because I found very little about Owen or his story to be intriguing. I never fully connected with him as a character, nor did I believe in his relationship with Lydia. It rang false.
The latter part of the book peels back more of the story’s layers in a much faster fashion. I enjoyed this much more, especially, as I mentioned at the start, the revelations about Owen’s past life.