Julia lives a contented life in London as a photographer
married to a surgeon with a teenage son. When Julia's
sister Kate is viciously murdered in a Paris alleyway,
profound grief takes Julia to a dark place. She is looking
for any connection to Kate's life as a key to unlocking
what happened. In her search, Julia becomes close friends
with Anna, Kate's roommate, who tells her about Kate's
fixation with online dating and sex. Convinced she'll find
a clue on one of the sites Kate frequented, Julia delves
into that online world. However, the naïve concept of going
online to help solve Kate's murder soon spirals into
something else entirely.
As a recovering alcoholic, Julia has to be vigilant about
not taking a drink. It also means she's susceptible to
addiction in other forms. That is exactly what happens when
she surfs a website Kate frequented. What starts out as a
harmless strategy soon turns serious and out of control, as
Julia gets in deeper than she ever imagined. Starting with
her search for the truth about Kate's death, Julia
gradually develops a virtual relationship with a man
calling himself Lukas. It does not take long for her to
become hooked on their online chats, which eventually leads
to a very dangerous real-life affair. Julia thought she
could keep both of her lives separate, but she has no idea
what Lukas has planned for her. In the end, nothing is as
it seems, and Lukas is not the person he portrays. Julia is
in for the shock of her life when all truths are eventually
revealed.
SECOND LIFE by S. J. Watson is an extraordinary
psychological thriller. The suspense is brilliantly
sustained until the shocking conclusion providing an
exhilarating reading experience. Edgy and tightly
constructed, the clever plot is timely and innovative.
Impossible to put down, readers will eagerly anticipate
each new development in Julia's SECOND LIFE -- and just how
it will be resolved. After also reading and reviewing S.
J. Watson's first book, BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP, which was
fantastic, and now reading SECOND LIFE, I cannot wait for
his next novel.
Julia's life is comfortable, if unremarkable, until her
sister's brutal murder opens old wounds. She finds solace in
her sister's best friend, Sophie, but when Sophie reveals
the extent of her sister's online life, Julia becomes
convinced that the truth about her death lies deep in the
dark, sordid world of online chatrooms and internet sex.
What begins as Julia's search for the truth about her sister
quickly turns into an exploration of herself and her own
desires. After all, the internet is her playground, and why
be just one thing when you can be as many as you like? What
could possibly go wrong? After all, it's only cybersex,
isn't it? No one's going to get hurt.
But then she meets the dark and mysterious Lukas in an
online chat room, and things begin to get very dangerous
indeed.