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.

Book Summary

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.