Halfway House

Halfway House is the first book by Helen Fitzgerald that I have read to date, and I think it was a good choice. The premise certainly appealed to me, and the dark humour satisfied my dark side.

With the possible exception of the protagonist's mother, there aren't many likeable characters. Our protagonist, Lou, is 23 years old and unbelievably selfish. She treats her family and friends abominably, casting them aside when they are no longer of use to her. She makes endless bad decisions, and then wonders how it all went so wrong. I really wanted to shake some sense into her, as she bumbled along from one disaster to another. I just knew things weren't going to end well for her.
I genuinely liked Tim, even when I realised all was not as it seemed with him, and he wasn't as innocent as he purported.
The fact that I wanted to shake (and slap) Lou, and mother Tim, shows how engaging this book was. The tension towards the end had me on the edge of my seat.

Despite the despicable characters, I enjoyed this book immensely.
Thanks to Orenda Books and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.