REVIEW: The Accident by Gillian Jackson (ARC)

The Accident by Gillian Jackson

Genre: Suspense, Drama

Read: 10th April 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 27th January 2020)

★★★★ 4 stars

The premise sounded interesting but this book was nothing like I expected. Billed as a thriller, THE ACCIDENT really isn't a thriller. It's more like a suspenseful drama...but definitely NOT a thriller. As it was billed as such, I kept expecting something to jump out of nowhere with a shock surprise...but nothing like that happened. In fact, the story was a little predictable. But it was still a good quick read.

It's February 2018 and the UK is gripped by a deep winter freeze with snow and rain creating icy conditions on the road and making driving a real hazard. Navigating rush hour traffic is even worse with bumper to bumper traffic and snow, rain and black ice...it only takes a moment for an accident to occur.

Hannah Graham is on her way to a meeting and is on the on-ramp to the motorway. Joe Parker, also on his way to work, is driving his wife Alison to her mother's on the way. Alan Jones is driving his 15 year old son Timmy to his orthodontist appointment. All three families are about to have their lives changed forever in the blink of an eye.

Hannah is navigating the icy ramp when her car suddenly loses control and as she tries to correct it, the car turns swiftly into the rear end of a lorry. Facing back the way she came and in a daze, Hannah sees a Range Rover barrelling towards her, the shocked expressions of Joe and Alison Parker a mirror of her own as their car rams into hers. Hannah is knocked unconscious while Joe feels the thump, thump, thump of the cars behind him hitting his and each other.

The result...a multi-car pile up leaving three dead and Hannah in a coma.

Hannah wakes up in hospital three days later, her husband Mike by her side. She has no memory of the accident and her leg so badly damaged it had to be amputated. She is shocked to learn of the devastation of the accident and secretly wonders if she were at fault. After all, she can't remember what happened so who's to say she wasn't to blame? Then when her husband announces he wants a divorce to marry his pregnant girlfriend, Hannah is shocked and their teenage twin children angry at their father. With the help and support of her children and her good friend and neighbour Rosie, Hannah attempts to put the past behind her and move on with her life. But at the back of her mind she still wonders if she was to blame for the accident.

Joe Parker suffered minor injuries and a fracture collarbone but his wife Alison was killed instantly. He is devastated and cannot imagine a life without her. If not for the kindness and care of his neighbours, Phil and Helen, and the love of his dog Liffey, Joe may not have overcome the grief of losing his wife. Then life takes on a more complicated turn when his estranged brother David and his wife Pam turn up at Alison's funeral with a strange request, setting of a sequence of events so far out of his control.

Alan and Cassie Jones's son Timothy was the apple of their eye. Having been unsuccessful at falling pregnant in the past when Timmy came along he was like a gift to them. When early tests revealed he had Downs Syndrome early in her pregnancy, Alan and Cassie refused to terminate and the end result was a beautiful, loving and happy boy. Timmy had such a love for animals that after his death Alan and Cassie chose to honour their son's memory by creating an animal sanctuary for abandoned and abused animals called "Timmy's Farm".

It was at the open day for "Timmy's Farm" that Hannah and Joe meet again for the first time since they were both in hospital. They talk about the accident which changed both their lives dramatically and find an ease with each other as only those involved could understand.

Then comes the inquest which ultimately returns its verdict.

Told from two perspectives, Hannah and Joe's, THE ACCIDENT is a story of the aftermath of a life-changing trauma as the families wrestle with the emotional turmoil of putting their lives back together. There is a lot going on for all involved as the lives of each family come together and intertwine in the wake of their grief.

A short quick read, THE ACCIDENT is an addictive page turner with a steady pace about ordinary people in an extraordinary life changing situation. It is predictable and yet it is still enjoyable. It certainly wasn't what I was expecting!

It is not an action-packed thriller with unreliable narrators and shocking plot twists. It is a story about the lives of three families that are infinitely changed forever in the blink of an eye and its aftermath. There are a few twists but nothing shocking, some predictable and overall enjoyable. I liked pretty much everyone except for Mike and Joe's witch of a mother in law Ethel.

My second book by Gillian Jackson, THE ACCIDENT is definitely not what I expected. It is not a thriller...more of a suspenseful drama. The ending was wrapped up nicely in the Epilogue giving it that satisfying sense of closure.

Enjoyable short read that could be read in one sitting. Recommended.

I would like to thank #GillianJackson, #NetGalley and #SapereBooks for an ARC of #TheAccident in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Outcast Girls by Shirley Dickson (ARC)

The Outcast Girls by Shirley Dickson

Genre: Historical fiction, WW2

Read: 9th April 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 24th January 2020)

★★★★ 4.5 stars

THE OUTCAST GIRLS is the third book by Shirley Dickson I have read and I knew I was in for a treat. I loved "The Orphan Sisters" and "Our Last Goodbye" so when I saw another release by the author I knew I just had to have it. Dickson easily transports the reader back in time with her wonderful stories quickly absorbing us in life during World War 2. An enthralling page turner, we journey from Germany to England in this poignant tale of love, loss and friendship.

England 1939: After the death of their mother, Sandra Hudson and her younger brother Alf are sent to live at Blakely Hall by their father who is unable to cope. Soon after, their father also dies so the two children are left to grow up in the orphanage until the age of 15, when they must then leave to find a job. When the time came, Sandra is given a job as a housemaid in the Kirton household. But she soon discovers that life in the orphanage was a lot safer when the Kirton's eldest son Duncan comes home on leave. The only other servant is the cook, Olive Goodwin, who takes young Sandra under her wing and gives her a place to stay with her and her husband Tommy. Not wanting to be idle and yet not wanting to return to service, Sandra decides to join the Women's Land Army. A decision that is only cemented upon learning that her brother Alf has joined the RAF.

Germany 1938: Eleven year old Frieda Sternberg lives in the Jewish quarter in Berlin with her family. Tensions are rife and before the Nazis deport them to concentration camps, the Sternbergs learn of the "Movement  for the Care of Children from Germany"...where Jewish children are relocated and looked after by families in England. They decide at once that Frieda and her younger brother Kurt must be sent to safety. Their papa goes back to their apartment for the shop's weekly takings, a few precious possessions and photograph for the children to take with them for financial secrutiy...but he does not return, having been arrested as he left the Jewish quarter.

So Frieda and Kurt board a train, clutching their suitcases and identity cards, to Holland where they then board a ship that will take them to England. But at the last minute, Kurt jumps from the ship and escapes into the crowd leaving Frieda to travel to England alone where she doesn't speak a word of the language. Upon arrival in England, she travels by train to the north to Newcastle and ends up in a little village outside of Hexham called Leadburn, where she is given a home with Doris Leadbetter, the local postmistress. Over the months and years, Doris shows Frieda a kindness she didn't expect and teaches her the English language. She attends the local school but is bullied terribly by the other children for being German. Frieda grew to love the village and the kind widow who had given her a home, who she called Aunty Doris.

But at the back of her mind, Frieda could not stop thinking about her family back in Germany. Or her younger brother Kurt who jumped ship as they were about to embark on their new lives together. What had become of them? And would she ever see them again?

England 1943: Sandra is thrilled to be accepted into the WLA and is soon sent to the country to begin her work as a Land Girl in the village of Leadburn. The Land Girls reside in a hostel in the village and are tasked with their duties on various farms throughout the area. Sandra, never having ridden a bicycle before, soon learns its value when travelling to and from the farm she works on. But there is something else Sandra has never learnt to do...and that is read. So when letters from Alf and Olive arrive for her at the hostel, she secretes them for later when she can have someone read them to her...thereby keeping her illiteracy a secret from the others.

Upon arrival in Leadburn, one of the first things Sandra does is find the local church. She has made a bargain with God to keep her Alf safe and she will pray for him at church every Sunday. It is there she meets the young curate, Matthew Carlton. Sandra decides that as a man of the cloth she can trust him with her secrets, and so she asks Mr Carlton to teach her to read...as well as having him read her letters to her until she is able to read them herself.

One of her first jobs as a Land Girl was working on the Wilson farm milking cows, mucking out stalls and feeding the pigs. But as a townie, Sandra had never done such work before and the grumpy Mr Wilson - owner of the farm - had no time to teach her. It is there that Sandra meets shy German girl Frieda, who shows Sandra what to do. The two girls soon become friends and find that their childhoods, though different, were both difficult and they felt as if they were kindred spirits. Both girls worried for their younger brothers, miss their families and have low self confidence. While Sandra doesn't think very highly of herself being unable to read and thinks she is stupid, Frieda has been bullied throughout school for being German and has taken it upon herself to not eat for as long as her family is suffering. Both girls deal with their difficulties in secret until they find the strength to confide in each other and together they form a bond that changes them both for the better with their friendship.

Beautifully written, THE OUTCAST GIRLS is a story about two lost and lonely young women who find friendship in the midst of war and a happiness neither thought they would. Raw, heartbreaking and heartwarming, Frieda and Sandra's strength simply shines through the pages as they grow from girls into women, finding love where they least expect it.

Captivating and compelling, THE OUTCAST GIRLS is so heartwarming I was absorbed from the very first page and found myself becoming invested in the beautiful friendship between the two girls. I also love the characters or Olive, Doris and Matthew Carlton which added a depth to the stories involving each of them.

I have just one complaint about this otherwise wonderful story, and that was the ending. I found it just came to such an abrupt end that I was left feeling...what just happened? And it is that which keeps it from a 5 star rating this time.

As with all of Dickson's novels, THE OUTCAST GIRLS is an enjoyable read that shines a light on a different perspective to war in the way that it affects those at home and how the women do their bit for the war effort and keeping things running until their lads are home. It is heartwarming, heartbreaking but beautifully written.

My third read by Shirley Dickson, I especially love how pieces of her previous two - "The Orphan Sisters" and "Our Last Goodbye" - were cleverly incorporated into THE OUTCAST GIRLS. Blakely Hall featured in the first book, along with the friends she made there Dorothy and Esther (Etty) which were briefly mentioned. A nod to her second book with the mention of May Robinson and her parent's boarding house also noted. Having said that, it is important to note that all books can be read as standalones and do not follow on from each other...although they do complement each other. I thoroughly recommend them all!

I have loved Shirley Dickson's books since I discovered "The Orphan Sisters" and I continually look forward to more by this wonderfully talented author. Can't wait to see what she has in store for us next.

I would like to thank #ShirleyDickson, #NetGalley and #Bookouture for an ARC of #TheOutcastGirls in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Haven't They Grown by Sophie Hannah (ARC)

Haven't They Grown by Sophie Hannah

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 6th April 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 23rd January 2020)

★★★★ 4 stars

This is my first Sophie Hannah book and what a ride! HAVEN'T THEY GROWN is one seriously crazy story. Sure, it may be a little unrealistic...but then, aren't most thrillers?! It's still a page turner that is incredibly addictive.

Have you ever wondered about a friend you've lost touch with over the years? And in the age of social media, you scour Facebook, Twitter, Instagram...but none of them have the answers you are seeking. What would you do? Would you drive by their house and park down the street for a glimpse to see what has become of them?

Beth and Flora used to be the closest of friends. They met at university, they got married and their children were roughly the same age. But when Flora's husband Lewis inherited some money from a long lost relative, the family moved away.

Now it has been 12 years since they lost contact...and Beth has been thinking about her once closest friend.

On a whim, after dropping her son at his soccer match, Beth decides to drive by the last address she had for Flora and parks up opposite taking in the house and the high walls surrounding it. When a silver Range Rover drives through the automatic gates, Beth cannot believe what she sees. Her once best friend Flora, looking a little older, but it is her. Then she coos to the passengers in the backseat and Beth is puzzled. Surely, you would not talk to teenagers, as Flora's children would now be, in the same baby voice reserved for toddlers? But then the passengers climb out...and Beth is shocked.

Flora's children, 5 year old Thomas and 3 year old Emily, look EXACTLY as they did the last time she saw them...twelve years ago. This can't be right. So why haven't they grown?

Beth is certain they are the same children. She heard Flora call to them - they have the same names - and they look exactly the same. Twelve years ago, Thomas and Emily were 5 and 3...and today, they are still 5 and 3. Beth is confused. And where is Georgina, who just 4 months old when she saw them? She would be 12 now.

When she confides in her husband Dom, he tells her that Lewis and Flora moved to America some years back...according to his LinkedIn account...for some big job offer. And sure enough, when Beth stalks their social media pages, they are very much living in Florida and the Thomas and Emily she knew are now 17 and 15. But why is there no mention of Flora? Or Georgina?

Beth sets out to uncover the truth of what has become of her friend and why their children haven't appeared to have aged. But she comes up against some resistance when she returns to the house to speak to the neighbours, only to discover that a couple by the time of Kevin and Jeanette Cater live there now with their two young children. But Beth is certain it was Flora she had seen...and she definitely appeared to live there.

Then she sees Flora in the street near the school. Flora freezes...before turning around and running away. Beth can't understand her behaviour. She ascertains that Flora had to have parked her car somewhere nearby so Beth went in search of the silver Range Rover she had seen her friend alight from just days before. When she does, it is open so she waits inside for Flora to return. Only the owner isn't Flora. She claims to be Jeanette Cater and it was her car. But this woman was foreign...Ukranian? Russian?
Something isn't right and Beth begins to feel concerned for her former friend and the young children that are so obviously hers.

From Cambridgeshire to Florida to Corfu, HAVEN'T THEY GROWN is a twisty than twistier thriller that will have you questioning the sanity of those involved. Is Beth delusional? Did she really see Flora, Thomas and Emily? Or is the woman Beth believes to be Flora all that she seems? And what about Lewis? He seems jovial enough when Beth spoke to him but what is he hiding beneath that charismatic veneer? And what about the children? Surely Thomas and Emily are teenagers now...so who are these 3 and 5 year olds living on that quiet lane? So many questions and yet Beth cannot seem to get any answers.

I liked Beth, though she was a tad obsessive and who would really go to the lengths she went to just to find out what had happened to Flora? But still, she is very likable and her relationship with Dom is a good one. So often in thrillers, the husband just doesn't "get" the wife's obsession and arguments are rife as they disagree over the slightest thing. But not here. Dom is incredibly supportive even when he urges her to stop. He listens to her and he hears her and still he supports her. They are both likable characters. But the standout one for me is their 15 year old daughter Zannah (Suzannah). I adored her! And I don't generally enjoy teenage characters...but Zan is something else. She is funny, perceptive, intuitive and incredibly smart. She should have been revising and studying for her GCSEs but she was soon drawn into Beth's obsession and was a great support to her mother's investigations. I felt sorry for Flora as she is so obviously afraid of something. Lewis is a narcissistic self absorbed character that you will love to hate.

Suspenseful and peppered with humour, HAVEN'T THEY GROWN is a rollercoaster ride with so many twists and a little wit thrown in here and there right up to the dramatic conclusion. There are so many twists it seems somewhat convoluted in parts and maybe a little implausible but it is still one hell of a ride.

It may be far-fetched, it may be ridiculously convoluted and it may be unbelievable...but HAVEN'T THEY GROWN is extremely fast paced and ends up being an addictive page turner, as you find yourself questioning just exactly what is going on. You are guaranteed to devour this one in record time!

Unique, original and brilliantly clever, I thoroughly enjoyed HAVEN'T THE GROWN that left me thinking "What the...?" by the the end.

My first by Sophie Hannah but not my last!

I would like to thank #SophieHannah, #NetGalley and #HodderAndStoughton for an ARC of #HaventTheyGrown in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Mrs Boots by Deborah Carr (ARC)

Mrs Boots (Mrs Boots #1) by Deborah Carr

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 4th April 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 27th March 2020)

★★★★★ 5 stars

The first book in a wonderful new series, MRS BOOTS by Deborah Carr is inspired by the life of Florence Boot, the woman behind the UK's favourite chemist. It's not a history of the Boots empire but rather the beginning of a promising story.

Jersey, 1885: Florence Rowe is 23 and lives on the channel island of Jersey with her family. The daughter of a successful shop W.H. Rowe Stationers, she and her sister Amy are assistants in the family run business. A self-confident independent young woman, Florence has no intentions of ever marrying and being under the dictatorship of a man. She intends to make her own mark on the world with ambitions of owning her own shop one day.

But then she meets Jesse Boot.

Jesse is on holiday on the island of Jersey when he is invited to tea one afternoon with the Rowes in their flat above the shop. A successful man in his own right, Jesse owns and runs a string of shops on the mainland in Nottingham and has only recently branched out and employed a chemist. He had shared the responsibility with his mother until her recent death, selling herbs for various ailments which she had procured and dried herself. His sister Jane, having visited the island previously, recommended he visit to take in its sheer beauty and to call on the Rowe's who had made her stay a pleasant one.

Florence's father had spoken of Jesse to his family but she hadn't taken much notice, having no interest in marriage but rather the important matters of running the shop instead. So when introduced to Jesse, she didn't expect to feel the reaction she did. The flutter in her stomach, the twinkle in his eyes, the flush of her face.

Over the coming days, Florence is tasked with showing Jesse the marvels of their island and in doing so the two find themselves sharing a camaraderie unfamiliar to them. Despite being a small island, the vast differences between the town and the coast is striking. Jesse finds himself drawn to its wonder and enamoured with his guide.

Florence has never experienced the feelings she now does but finds herself looking forward to her outings with Jesse and being in his company again. He is not like any man she has encountered before. He listens to her, encourages her and sees her as an equal rather than someone to kowtow to his whims. Together they enjoy a friendly banter and discussions about important matters, rather than trivialities.

Suddenly Florence, who never saw a need to marry, finds herself falling in love with Jesse and he with her, despite their twelve year age difference. Then when Jesse seeks her father to ask for her hand, the couple are overjoyed that permission is granted. However, neither of them foresaw Florence's mother's reaction, who flatly refuses the union and convinces her father to rescind his permission.

Instead, Jesse is to return to Nottingham and the two are permitted to continue their courtship via letter for a further ten months until the following summer in the hope that they would both reconsider their decision. But Florence and Jesse know their own minds and their hearts and the woman who vowed never to marry, now longs to marry the man she so truly loves.

However, they are restricted to writing and with every letter they confide in each other, growing closer and develop a love and respect that only deepened. Florence sought Jesse's advice with her ideas in implementing changes in the shop to helping those less fortunate. It's then that she soon discovers that she values Jesse's thoughts when seeking his opinion on things that trouble her. Just as he values hers.

It's then one day when a bedraggled young girl comes running into the open door of their shop to escape the angry man pursuing her, that Florence sees something in her frightened eyes. Lily Buttons comes from the poorer side of town, living hand to mouth with a father often in the local jail. But Florence soon learns that Lily has dreams...and potential. It just needs nurturing. Realising she has opportunity where others have none, Florence desires to make a difference in the life of others. An attribute Jesse admires in her.

Their love story and courtship is a sweet and hopeful story. And despite a year of separation when their love is tested, it is clear that their love will survive and all will end happily. Or will it? Will Florence's father grant his permission after the year has passed? Will her mother finally accept Jesse as her choice in husband and give her blessing?

Set in the Victorian era of the late 1800s, a time when the opinion of a woman wasn't permitted, where parent's wishes were obeyed and respected and social expectations were strictly adhered to, MRS BOOTS is like a breath of fresh air. It is captivating and romantic and I devoured it long into the night.

A gentle romance, MRS BOOTS is an easy read with an upbeat feel that is engaging and delightful. Some reviewers have said that they found the pace slow but not me. I was enthralled from beginning to end and couldn't put it down. For me, the pace was perfect. It was like a gentle stroll in the park with that feel of anticipation building fit to burst at times. It was the excitement felt in a courtship that just leaves you wanting more. It was perfect.

With the fabulous setting, the background, the supporting characters and the gentle romance between Florence and Jesse, MRS BOOTS is a beautiful captivating story I thoroughly enjoyed from start to finish.

I have no hesitation in recommending it to lovers of historical fiction and I cannot wait for the second in this wonderful series "Mrs Boots of Pelham Street" released in May 2020.

I would like to thank #DeborahCarr, #NetGalley and #HarperCollins and #OneMoreChapter for an ARC of #MrsBoots in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Miss Austen by Gil Hornby (ARC)

Miss Austen by Gil Hornby

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 4th April 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 23rd January 2020)

★★ 2.5 stars

When one hears the term MISS AUSTEN one immediately thinks of Jane Austen, the author of "Pride and Prejudice", "Sense and Sensibility" and "Emma" to name a few. But in actuality, the title of Miss Austen belonged to Jane's eldest sister Cassandra, of whom this story is about.

Cassandra (Cassy) was the most significant person in Jane's life as her confidante, closest friend and companion. And after her death, Cassandra became her censor in destroying so much of Jane's letters, protecting her sister's memory and shaping the narrative of what was her life.

The book begins in 1840 with the now older Miss Austen arriving at the home of her long dead fiance's family, the Fowles. The Reverend Fowle has recently passed and it falls to his youngest unmarried daughter Isabella to pack up the family's possessions to make way for the new vicar. It's an inconvenient time but Cassandra has a purpose in tracking down all of her Jane's letters and to destroy them. Although she is unwelcome, Cassandra is nothing if not loyal as she endeavours to protect her sister's memory. When the letters are found, she then pieces together alternate versions of events from various parties as the letters recount the story of both Cassandra and her more famous sister.

The narrative moves between the past 1795 and the present 1840 with Cassandra as both a young woman and an elderly one much later in life. She reminisces on Tom Fowle's proposal and her acceptance followed by the excitement of her first visit to Kintbury as a prospective bride which then is in contrast with her now unwelcome arrival as an elderly spinster. This is the tragedy for which Cassandra is known. The girl who loved Tom Fowle, who died before he would marry her and she was consumed by her silent grief for his memory for the rest of her life.

The revelation of Jane's letters recounting Cassandra's relationship with Tom gave a shadow of hope in that the story would become a little more compelling but it did not. I liked the story, but I found it difficult to connect with it. I didn't find it as easy read as I had thought I would...but then I have never read any of Jane Austen's books either. I've only seen the TV adaptions and thoroughly enjoyed them.

While the plot is simple enough the story is slow to progress and I guess that's what I found difficult to connect with. I don't like slow stories as a rule, but prefer a much faster pace. I'm not sure what I expected but I was somewhat disappointed. However, there are those who may appreciate it's slow detailed stroll through MISS AUSTEN and her memories.

MISS AUSTEN is not a bad book. It just failed to enthrall me as much as I'd hoped. In my opinion, I believe you may well need to be an Austen fan to fully appreciate this book...or it won't be as enjoyable. As I have never read any Austen, this may be why I didn't.

I found it incredibly difficult to follow the unformatted copy (moreso than others) so I may go back an re-read it at a later date so I can fully appreciate it more. That being said, fans of Austen will enjoy MISS AUSTEN.

Can I just say how much I love the embroidered cover? It is soooo delighful and very fitting for the time period of this book.

I would like to thank #GilHornby, #NetGalley and #RandomHouseUK for an ARC of #MissAusten in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Liar's Daughter by Claire Allan (ARC)

The Liar's Daughter by Claire Allan

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 3rd April 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 23rd January 2020)

★★★★★ 5 stars

Wow! THE LIAR'S DAUGHTER is my second book by Claire Allan and what a page-turner it is! The premise was intriguing, the story even better and the ending was brilliant. It was such a dark, disturbing and twisted story filled with an atmosphere that left the reader questioning the sanity of the narrative.

Joe McKee is dying of lung cancer and has been taken home for his final months. The doctors have given him three to six months at most, but Joe doubts he will be around by Spring. When his time does come, grief is the last thing his daughter Ciara and step daughter Heidi feel. You see, they know what Joe was really like. He was not a good man as everyone seems to believe. He was rotten to the very core.

Twenty years ago, Joe left his wife Marie and their daughter Ciara for another woman - Natalie and her daughter Heidi. Whilst Marie has always loved her husband, Ciara has never forgiven him for leaving them. Then when Natalie becomes ill and dies of cancer, Ciara is horrified that Joe chooses to remain and raise Heidi rather than return to her and her mother. She had always been a daddy's girl but now he has chosen someone else's daughter over his own. Her anger and bitterness grow over the years and is reflected in her cruel behaviour towards Heidi, who was still grieving over the loss of her mother. As for her father, she hated him.

Heidi Lewis is now twenty eight years old, married to Alex and has 5 month old baby daughter, Lily. The house in which she had been happy with her mother before Joe had moved in is still occupied by her stepfather today. It is no longer a happy house. For while she has happy memories with her mother there, there are also those that came after that still haunt her and make her blood run cold.

Now, she has brought Joe home to live out his remaining days. And although she has nothing but hate for the man, she feels it is her duty to look after him until his dying breath. But she cannot do it alone. She must call Ciara and hope that she may share the load with her. The problem is, she and Ciara have never gotten along and despite her many efforts to do so, Ciara has never forgiven her for Joe leaving them for her mother and her.

Joe's death is expected so when it does come no one is surprised. In fact, everyone appears to be relieved. So when the family begin to prepare the house for the tradition Irish wake, the phone call they least expect is one of the police. It seems there are some "questions" surrounding Joe's death. Bruising on his chest, marks on his body and the telltale petechiae of suffocation. Suddenly, everyone is looking at the other wondering which of them is a murderer.

The tensions in that house with Ciara, Heidi and Joe's sister Kathleen are palpable. It doesn't take a genius to figure out the cause of all the tension and hate. But how far does it go back? It leaves the reader wondering what would we do given that situation? Could I care for a man that had failed to protect me? Or would I walk away and leave him to die a lonely death? It really has us questioning the very core of the moral ethics that we have been raised to respect.

I really felt for Heidi. I think because I identified a little with her, having been bullied as a child and teenager, and her quiet almost shy disposition. She understood and respected duty even though she was loathe to undertake it. She didn't want to have to care for Joe but knew she had to. And then to receive insult after insult from Ciara, who seriously was old enough to know better, just emphasised her fragility. Which then, of course, was enough for Ciara and Kathleen to call on her past behaviour as proof of her vulnerability and instability. Even I had to admit, Heidi sounded paranoid, though I know she wasn't.

And Joe. Upstanding pillar of the Derry community. He was especially unlikable. He was crafy, devious and manipulative...and only Heidi and Ciara knew the "real" him. As readers, we caught a glimpse of him before his demise...and that only served to make me hate him even more.

A dual narrative that switches between the dark past and Joe's imminent death in the present, the story weaves Heidi's and Ciara's perspectives in the "then" and "now" uncovering the dark secret at the core. The girls are so different in personality with the depth of their pain etched in their behaviour. Heidi turns her pain in on herself and into something she can control whereas Ciara's is reflected in her anger and hate. It's not until Ciara's partner, Stella, poses a question to her that Ciara begins to see things differently.

A compelling and uputdownable thriller, THE LIAR'S DAUGHTER is woven with malice, deviousness and deep-rooted secrecy and is, at times, not an easy story to read. The theme of child abuse, rape and paedophilia shines a light on how the lives and relationships of those involved are affected. It is dark and disturbing but is handled with sensitivity and is incredibly well written.

THE LIAR'S DAUGHTER is a dark an psychological read filled with secrets, hate, anger, paranoia and loaded with suspense. The tension in the penultimate chapters leading to its climatic end built to an almost unbearable level but has you turning the pages at the speed of knots.

Claire Allan delivers us a story that is expertly and cleverly written making her an author to watch out for. As uncomfortable as the subject matter is, the writing is addictive, the chapters are short and snappy (my favourite kind) and the story completely compelling. THE LIAR'S DAUGHTER is emotive, powerful and extremely evocative. But above all, it is brilliant!

My second by Claire Allan and definitely NOT my last, I highly recommend THE LIAR'S DAUGHTER to all psychological thriller fans who are not afraid of a dark and disturbing storyline.

I would like to thank #ClaireAllan, #NetGalley and #AvonBooksUK for an ARC of #TheLiarsDaughter in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The House at Silvermoor by Tracy Rees (ARC)

The House at Silvermoor by Tracy Rees

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 1st April 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 2nd April 2020)

★★★★★ 5 stars

I am taking part in the blog tour for THE HOUSE AT SILVERMOOR by Tracy Rees and published by Quercus on 2nd April 2020.

A rags to riches story in the vein of Catherine Cookson, THE HOUSE AT SILVERMOOR is my first book by Tracy Rees and having devoured this one I am eager to read more.

Set in Yorkshire at the turn of the 20th century, Tommy and Josie are little more than children when they meet. Both are from mining communities in neighbouring villages that rival the other with nothing more than the knowledge that their paths had already been mapped out for them by generations of tradition. For Tommy, it's to go underground as a miner - for Josie, it's to be the wife and mother of a miner. Together they form an unlikely friendship, chasing dreams, asking questions and sharing secrets...as we follow their journey from children into young adults.

At the age of 12, Tommy Green leaves school to begin work at the mine where his father and brothers work, and where his brother had died before him. But Tommy yearns for an education, to learn more than just what's expected of him. On his final day of school, he asks the schoolmaster what he may do to further his education, but the schoolmaster just shrugs his queries off as shirking his responsibilities to his family of miners. And so down the mine Tommy goes. But surely there is something more than this life? What's wrong with wanting to better yourself? What's wrong with wanting something different rather than what's expected? 

Tommy found himself fascinated with the Sedgewick family who lived at Silvermoor, and who owned the mines in which the village worked. Ever since his 5th birthday when the villagers were invited to attend the christening party of their newest addition Lord Walter, Tommy has felt an affinity to the family. He even secretly imagined that he was the long lost son of the Earl who would take him under his wing and that he would live at Silvermoor. But it was just a dream.

It was on one Sunday afternoon when Tommy was out walking, instead of attending church with his family, that he found himself near the village of Arden and the silent halls of Heston Manor, where the feared Barridges had once lived before the death of their heir. Winthrop Barridge, a cruel and hateful man many feared, owned the mines of Arden and ran them with a brutal hand. He was in a daydream when he came across a pretty young slip of a girl with the blackest eyes and the reddest hair he had ever seen picking bluebells and violets for her sister's wedding. Her name was Josie.

At 11 years old, Josie Westgate knows she is nothing special. Her ma reminds her of that fact daily, should she ever get any ideas above her station. She is one of four daughters and one son, the second youngest with little Tansy the last of them all. On the day she meets Tommy, her ma sent her out to pick violets for her older sister Alice's hair for her wedding. At this time of year there was only one place she knew to find them...and that was in Heston Manor grounds. After collecting the violets she gathered some bluebells for herself until a surprise appearance by the gamekeeper in which he bullies her and tramples on those she held in her shaking hands. 

In Tommy, Josie finds a kindred spirit. He comes to her rescue and warns her to steer clear of Heston grounds, for even in the village of Grindley folk knew not to cross paths with the Barridge's gamekeeper. Every Sunday, the two meet in the lanes between their villages to walk, talk and dream of a better life beyond that which is expected of them.

For both Tommy and Josie, life couldn't be more different and yet still be the same. Both are from mining families in mining communities living hand to mouth. And yet that is where the similarities end. Tommy is from a loving family with thirteen mouths to feed but they are happy. Josie is from a bitter and disparate family who have mainly daughters that cannot earn a living down the mines to keep food on their table...and a secret that threatens to destroy everything she has ever known.

One night, Josie is shocked to discover that her parents intend to send her down the mines and her dear friend Miss Embry knocks on Tommy's door in the middle of the night, begging for his help. After her father locks her in the coal shed and the house soon goes off to sleep, Tommy deftly opens the shed to rescue Josie and they run off into the night.

As fate intervenes and a chance encounter with a stranger at Heston Manor, Tommy and Josie find themselves at Silvermoor on a promise from one of the family. They are welcomed with open arms, given food and warmth and a place to sleep as both their stories take on different turns. Although Tommy remains down the pits, Josie is taken into service in York but spends many weeks and months back at Silvermoor with Lady Coralie, for whom she is now a lady's maid. 

And all the while, both Tommy and Josie await for his chance at a different life... Will it come? Or will Tommy be destined to remain down the pits forever? And die the same death as his brother before him?

Told solely from Tommy and Josie's perspectives, THE HOUSE AT SILVERMOOR is a beautifully written tale weaves both their stories together with an expert hand. As readers we watch those stories unfold as Tommy and Josie overcome heartache, tragedy and loss to find love, happiness and contentment. From Grindley and Arden to Silvermoor, York...and beyond!

Beginning in 1897 through to 1905, THE HOUSE AT SILVERMOOR is a captivating journey at the turn of the century surrounding the South Yorkshire mining community and the house at the centre of it all - Silvermoor. It is a sweeping tale of love, loss and family that is both heartbreaking and heartwarming.

There is so much to just love about this book with plenty you'll love to hate and even more you'll love to love. A novel to get swept away in, to lose yourself for a day, to just enjoy the journey and to savour it once it's over. THE HOUSE AT SILVERMOOR is everything and more. It is a must for fans of historical fiction. It is Catherine Cookson of the 21st century.

I would like to thank #TracyRees, #NetGalley and #Quercus for an ARC of #TheHouseAtSilvermoor in exchange for an honest review.