REVIEW: The Light Within Us by Charlotte Betts (ARC)

The Light Within Us (The Spindrift Trilogy #1) by Charlotte Betts

Genre: Historical fiction, Sagas

Read: 16th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 5th March 2020)

★★★★★ 5 stars

Historical fiction sagas are one of my favourite genres and Cornwall is one my favourite locales. The first of three books, THE LIGHT WITHIN US by Charlotte Betts has got the trilogy off to a fantastic start and I cannot wait for the next one "The Fading of the Light". The only problem is that I now have to wait till January 2021!

Beginning in 1891, Edith marries her beloved Benedict and the couple honeymoon in the South of France with a group of their artist friends from the Slade. An interesting way to spend one's honeymoon - though not unheard of in Victorian times - they meet Pascal, cousin to one of their friends Wilfred, staying at his beautiful villa in Provence. The group spend their time painting, sketching, eating and drinking and basically having a wonderful time.

Having not long graduated from the Slade, Edith begins sketching in an attempt to find her niche whilst her new husband Benedict spends his time laughing and drinking and pretty much anything but painting. When he does produce something, Edith feels it is lacking and somewhat wooden but when she verbally makes this observation, Benedict is enraged and mortified. He in turn decides to ignore his wife until she apologises, humiliating her at every turn. The honeymoon now over, Edith devotes all her energy to painting with some delightful results.

Then one afternoon, missing the closeness she shared with her husband, Edith goes in search of Benedict to try and put their differences aside and move forward in their marriage. What she didn't expect was to walk in on something so shocking, leaving her both humiliated and ashamed by the discovery that in her distress she finds herself in the comfort of another's arms. By the time the group return to Cornwall, Edith finds herself pregnant with his child.

Too ashamed to reveal her secret, Edith resolves to reconcile with Benedict in the hope he will accept the child as his own. By this time, Benedict has shown that he is not the man Edith had thought him to be and so she makes the best of things by devoting herself to her art and creating a community of artists at Spindrift House.

Soon after the friends arrive, they discover the truth behind Benedict's inheritance of Spindrift House and are soon ostracised by the locals, the source of which coming from the Penroses of Cliff House whose family had once owned Spindrift House. For once, Benedict is not to blame but that doesn't stop vicious gossip being spread about the artists living a depraved and bohemian lifestyle.

The story revolves primarily around Edith and Benedict and the difficulties in their marriage, along with their friends who live in the remote house just outside of Port Isaac. Each friend has their own unique talent and shine in their own particular way. Clarissa finds her niche in designing jewelery from sea glass, Dora becomes an illustrator of children's stories whilst Pascal, like Benedict and Edith, is a painter. Benedict, however, has always been jealous of his wife's talent as a better artist than he is.

Benedict is a volatile and disagreeable character who is both lazy and envious of Edith's greater talent. He spends more time drinking and cavorting at the local pub than painting and soon funds are fast depleting that the group must find a way to bring more income into Spindrift House. Edith decides to open the house to other artists, renting out rooms and outbuildings, and open a gallery for passing tourists. However life at Spindrift House was never going to be easy as the community of friends and artists find themselves facing eviction and poverty as well as being ostracised by a number of shopkeepers and residents in the village. But Edith is determined to find a way to keep them at Spindrift House and the threat of eviction far from reality.

THE LIGHT WITHIN US is well told tale that spans several years approaching the end of the 19th century. It is meticulously researched with a wonderful backdrop that brings life to both the story and the characters, each of whom are all carefully developed. Pascal, the French artist, is likable from the start who always seems to be there for Edith when her husband clearly is not. Dora, who did not grow up in the social circles of class as her friends, teaches them all to cook and how to keep house and who becomes one of the most dependable characters in the story. Clarissa, I did not like at the beginning, but her story unfolds we discover she is nursing a secret backstory that will break your heart. There are the other artists who also move into their community - Wilfred, Julian, Augustus and spinster sisters Mabel and Maude (I think?) - who band together when Edith needs them most. Tension is supplied by the vindictive neighbours, the Penroses, along with another secret that lingers on the edge of the story.

An absorbing and compelling tale, THE LIGHT WITHIN US is wonderful easy to read book, with the most difficult thing about it is not being able to put it down!

A poignant and engrossing read, THE LIGHT WITHIN US is a fascinating story that I strongly recommend for lovers of historical fiction. As the first in the trilogy, I cannot wait for the next one to see where Edith and her friend's stories lead.

My first read by Charlotte Betts and it won't be my last!

I would like to thank #CharlotteBetts, #NetGalley and #Piatkus for an ARC of #TheLightWithinUs in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Second Wife by Rebecca Fleet (ARC)

The Second Wife by Rebecca Fleet

Genre: Psychological thriller, domestic thriller

Read: 15th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 5th March 2020)

★★★★ 4 stars

Everyone brings baggage to a new relationship...but this is on a whole other level!

After the death of his first wife to cancer, Alex Carmichael finally met the woman of his dreams. Natalie is beautiful, smart and appears to be the perfect wife and stepmother to his daughter Jade. Their life in Brighton is perfect and Alex and Natalie couldn't be happier.

One evening, Alex stays late for drinks with a client and returns to find his house on fire. Natalie is unhurt though dazed but there is no sign of Jade. He bursts into the burning building to rescue his unconscious daughter before carrying her outside to safety, barely alive. When 14 year old Jade wakes from her coma she tells her father that she saw a man in the house that night although Natalie refutes this, denying any knowledge of an intruder.

Alex then finds himself faced with an impossible choice - to believe his wife or his daughter? He returns to the burnt remains of his house, surprised to find that it was as badly damaged as it at first seemed, and rummages through Natalie's wardrobe looking for answers. He comes across a box of items belonging to someone called Rachel and a photo in which the woman closely resembles his wife and the man beside her looking decidedly shifty. Now Alex has even more questions. Who is Rachel? Who are the people in the photo? What has this all have to do with his wife and what secrets is she keeping?

Natalie has always been controlled, keeping things close to her chest. She has a past that Alex doesn't know about and when he approaches her with questions and that wretched photo she should have thrown away, she has no alternative to tell him about her past and who she really is.

1999: Rachel lives in a London flat with her younger and free-spirited sister Sadie. Their parents are both dead and from early on Rachel took it upon herself to look after and look out for Sadie. The sisters had grown up inseparable but upon reaching her teens, Sadie morphed into someone different...staying out late, drinking and taking drugs.

One day, the sisters meet the charismatic Kaspar Kashani, who is promoting his new nightclub, and Sadie is instantly taken with him. Rachel knows there is something off about him but Sadie refuses to listen to her reservations and goes to the new club. There she falls in love with Kas and does everything she can to be with him, despite Rachel's warnings.

When things start to get messy and go incredibly wrong, Rachel is there to pick up the pieces of her sister's life once again. But in the process she alienates her even further when she becomes a witness in a trial that will change the course of her life forever. After which, she is given a new identity and a new home away from London to start her life all over again.

Compelling with plenty of twists, I love the way the story is told from several perspectives, including Alex and Natalie, in dual timelines from 1999 and 2017. It keeps you guessing as to exactly what is going on and just who is, or isn't, telling the truth. Although a did find there was a lull when the 1999 narratives began as I wasn't sure where they fit in, it soon picked up pace as the narratives switched back and forth to keep you guessing.

What is the link between Alex and Natalie, and Rachel and Sadie? And who was responsible for the house fire that very nearly claimed Jade's life? Alex is determined to uncover what happened, but is he prepared for the truth?

It is so hard to review THE SECOND WIFE without giving anything away. While at first I was puzzled, the plot soon became obvious and I predicted what was coming from about midway through. But that did not impact on my enjoyment because it is still a wonderfully twisty read that keeps you hooked until the very end.

THE SECOND WIFE is a dark tale of secrets, lies and a twisted obsession that is thrilling, intense, dangerous and addictive. It is like a car crash that you find yourself unable to look away, turning the pages to discover the truth and what Natalie has been hiding.

My first book by Rebecca Fleet, THE SECOND WIFE gripped me from the beginning and I found myself invested deeply in Alex and Natalie's story and wanting to uncover the truth. So many whispers of doubt alluded to things not adding up and I suspected the truth in part from early on, while the rest fell into place a little later. The clues were peppered subtly throughout which made uncovering them a little victory for me each time.

A book riddled with chameleon characters, secrets, lies and obsession made this fast paced domestic thriller a must read for any thriller fan.

I would like to thank #RebeccaFleet, #NetGalley and #RandomHouseUK and #TransworldDigital for an ARC of #TheSecondWife in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: One Dark, Two Light by Ruth Mancini (ARC)

One Dark, Two Light (Sarah Kellerman #2) by Ruth Mancini

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 14th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 5th March 2020)

★★★ 3 stars

While this is my first time reading Ruth Mancini, ONE DARK, TWO LIGHT is the second book to feature solicitor Sarah Kellerman. I wasn't aware this was a series but having read this book I will be interested to check out the first one "In the Blood".

It's New Year's Eve and a man walks drunkenly home from the Hope and Glory pub. But just a couple of minutes after midnight he becomes the victim of a vicious attack then brutally run over and left for dead. Barely alive, he is taken to the hospital but no one knows who he is as he has no ID. He is a mystery.

But one morning three months later solicitor Sarah Kellerman walks into the hospital to visit her boyfriend Nick, a barrister, and passes the mystery man's room. A flicker of a memory and she recognises him instantly. Mark Felding was a custody sergeant based at one of the police stations in London that she frequented for clients. But he suddenly disappeared and no one really knew what happened to him. So what happened to him? Why did no one know who he was? And why wasn't he reported missing?

Sarah begins to dig into the mystery behind Mark's disappearance in an effort to learn what truly happened to him and in the process one of her clients, a young Jamaican 15 year old boy Jerome, is brought in for questioning over the theft of a 4x4 not far from the estate on which he lives. Although Jerome's form is for stealing cars, Sarah believes him when he says he didn't steal this one. In his eyes, a black 4x4 with blacked out windows on an estate like his belongs to drug dealers and he steers clear of those. But the police who question him are adamant - a black teen wearing a hoodie was seen in the vicinity.

Then Sarah is approached by DCI John Sinclair at court one day who informs her that Mark has been working undercover for the past two years infiltrating a drug gang. But Mark had turned rogue and started dealing himself, his life thus spiraling. But none of this struck Sarah as being true. She believes she was being warned off. But she continues to look into Mark's attack. But when Jerome is picked up once again - this time for the attempted murder of a police officer - Sarah knows something deeper is going on.

Meanwhile, Sarah's personal life is somewhat in disarray. Her partner, Will, is in hospital with a life threatening condition that could result in the amputation of his leg. Will is somewhat cagey about what happened and is reluctant to discuss it that when Sarah pushes him she doesn't believe his explanation. And now her ex husband Andy, who walked out on her and her autistic son Ben two years before, has returned wanting to start again. Sarah doesn't have time to deal with Andy but he proves to be an eager babysitter as he learns to bond with his non-verbal son. Despite walking out on them two years ago because he couldn't deal with his son's disability, Andy steps up and proves to be an eager and competent carer for Ben in Sarah's absence.

A slow burn thriller, ONE DARK, TWO LIGHT is a cleverly written, complex and twist-filled read. As secret after secret is exposed, Sarah is determined to get to the truth about what happened to Mark. She lets nothing stand in her way, not even when the risk becomes greater and her client's life is at stake.

I'm not sure what I think about Sarah, although if I was ever in trouble I'd certainly want her in my corner. And I found it hard connecting with the story around her son. I know he is autistic and non-verbal but I didn't find him real because he didn't connect with anyone...though for someone like him I know that is completely normal. He just seemed like something on the edge of dream...it's hard to explain. But in Sarah's place, I don't know how she managed to hold down a full time legal career and be a full time carer to Ben. Andy's re-entrance couldn't have come at a better time, as he could start to share some of the responsibility with caring for him when Sarah is called away.

ONE DARK, TWO LIGHT is a solid and compelling read. Its story content is not normally something I am enamoured with - council estates, drug dealing - but this one was different. And with so many secrets to uncover, I was still able to figure out who was responsible...one on count...while still being surprised at the end.

An explosive read, ONE DARK, TWO LIGHT is thrilling and compelling with an incredibly complex plot. Recommended for thriller fans.

I would like to thank #RuthMancini, #NetGalley and #HeadOfZeus for an ARC of #OneDarkTwoLight in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron (ARC)

The Light in Hidden Places by Sharon Cameron

Genre: Historical fiction, Historical

Read: 13th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 5th March 2020)

★★★ 3 stars

DEATH PENALTY FOR ALL WHO GIVE AID TO A JEW.
DEATH TO ALL WHO HARBOUR A JEW.
DEATH TO ALL WHO FEED A JEW.
DEATH TO ALL WHO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION TO A JEW.

I have read a number of historical fiction books surrounding the Holocaust in various settings - Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Russia, Corfu, Italy - and all are of a similar vein. And yet they are each different.

Incorporating true life with fictional, THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES is the true story of Stefania Podgorska who successfully hid 13 Jews in her attic during Nazi occupation in Poland during World War 2. Using Stefania's own unpublished memoir, Sharon Cameron retells Stefani's story in this inspiring yet heartbreaking book. Stefania, or Fusia as she was known, showed true bravery through one of the toughest times in history that was enough to break anyone. Her story, though one of many, is one that inspires through heartache.

In Poland, the second world war is on the horizon and a young girl called Stefania has left home at the age of 13, taking a job in the Diamant family's shop. The family is Jewish, which means little to her as she is Catholic, but she grows close to the family particularly the mother Leah, calling her "babcia" (meaning grandmother), and two of her sons Izio and Max. But there is unrest with the invasion of Poland as Hitler begins to deporting Jews, first to the Jewish ghetto and then to concentration camps.

When Izio disappears, Fusia works harder to protect the Diamant family, from slipping them food in the ghetto to hiding them. But Fusia must find Izio and she does everything in her power to do so...and when she does, Izio is a shadow of his former self, head shaven and emaciated. Izio begs Fusia to help him escape...and so the two make a plan. But as the day arrives, with everything in place, Fusia arrives at the camp to find it deserted and locked up. She is too late.

Returning to Przemsyl, Fusia makes a decision. She returns to her family's farm to find it empty...except for her little sister Helena. Her family have been taken away and with only Helena left, Fusia will do everything within her power to protect them all...even if it means death for helping the Jews.

It is easy to like Fusia and root for her. She is putting herself at risk to help those shunned by the new regime and who otherwise have no one. And yet, even when her plans are thwarted and it all goes horribly wrong, she remains positive that she is doing the right thing...and never doubts the her purpose and why she is doing it. Stefania Podgorska may be a lesser known heroine from the Holocaust but through THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES she has been given a voice. To know what she went through at such a terrifying time and that she survived, is both incredible and inspiring.

The Author's Note at the end, continues Stefania's story in a condensed format, including some photos of during and after the war. It is eye opening and yet it is heartbreaking. I found THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES incredibly sad, though inspiring, and it left me feeling such depression for all they endured.

While today we witness lesser issues of black versus white and rioting over the colour of one's skin, these people were fighting for their lives every day. They risked their lives to save others, not just themselves in a war that they didn't ask for but was thrust upon them. It kind of puts things into perspective. Most people today have never lived through a World War, so cannot appreciate what we have now as opposed to the segregation, degradation and death of Jews for no other reason than that was issued by a dictator.

I may have found THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES depressing but at the same time it was also inspiring. Stefania Podgorska did something incredible for others despite the huge risk to herself. She did it anyway because it is what was right.

Stefania lived well beyond another 70 years after the war's end, passing away in 2018. This story is her legacy. I may not have heard of Stefania Podgorska before but now she is someone I will never forget.

THE LIGHT IN HIDDEN PLACES is a heartbreaking yet inspiring read for lovers of historical fiction or historical memoirs, particularly of the Holocaust.

I would like to thank #SharonCameron, #NetGalley and #PenguinUK for an ARC of #TheLightInHiddenPlaces in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: A Village Scandal by Dilly Court (ARC)

A Village Scandal (Village Secrets #2) by Dilly Court

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 13th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 5th March 2020)

★★★★ 4 stars

The second book in the Village Secrets Trilogy by Dilly Court, A VILLAGE SCANDAL picks up from where "A Christmas Wedding" left off, as Daisy and Jay marry.

April 1869: It's been four months since Daisy and Jay Tattersall's disastrous Christmas wedding where only the couple, the vicar and witnesses showed up with no guests in attendance due to bad weather. Now, for the benefit of the village, Daisy and Jay remarry in a lavish ceremony and wedding breakfast held at Creek Manor, that Jay inherited from his philanderous father, and in which they now live with Jay's mother Mary, Daisy's friend Hilda and her children. The couple have lived a harmonious life together since their first wedding and Daisy could not be happier.

But their happiness is short-lived when, at the wedding reception, Jay is urgently called away to attend to trouble aboard his ship, the Lazy Jane. Leaving his bride, Jay dashes off into the night with promises to return, never to be seen again. His crew, Guppy and Lewis and Ramsden, are picked up by a passing vessel with reports of what took place but Jay could not be found. Believed to be lost at sea, Daisy refuses to give up hope that her husband is alive.

In Jay's absence, Daisy must take over the running of the estate and oversee the renovations to the tenant cottages but is soon met with the obstacle of finances when the bank refuses to let her draw on the estate funds. Jay had not made provision for this should anything happen, and so Daisy is left to make ends meet herself. With no money to pay the servants' wages for the last quarter or cover the costs of the cottage renovations, she finds herself in a quandary. She is then approached by Marjorie Harker with a business proposition which she declares will benefit them both. Marjorie, whose husband is with his regiment in India, seeks a promotion for him and ideal husbands for her daughters and to do that she wishes to rent Creek Manor for a year, which will suffice for the dignitaries she wishes to entertain. In return she will pay all Daisy's servants wages and cover the current estate costs. But what Daisy doesn't know is that she has just made a deal with the devil who upon moving into Creek Manor, treats Daisy as a mere servant in her own home. Will Marjorie Harker be content with giving up Creek Manor at the end of her stay? Or will Daisy have to fight for her place as lady of the manor?

Despite the many challenges she currently faces, Daisy continues to live in hope that Jay will soon return home and take up his rightful place as lord of Creek Manor. In the meantime, she meets Marius Walters and strikes up a business deal with him as a shipping agent for the Lazy Jane, reaping a tidy profit for herself.

Then just when the village had accepted his fate, Jay turns up in a London hospital, where Daisy's brother Toby works as a doctor, a shadow of his former self and no memory at all of who he is. She rushes to his side but is soon despairing of his condition and that he fails to recognises her. Daisy decides take him back to Creek Manor amongst familiar surroundings which may help spur his memory but upon arrival in Little Creek is disappointed to find that nothing is familiar to him. When Marius suggests a walk one evening with Jay to where the Lazy Jane is moored, Daisy is excited at the prospect that her husband will recognise his vessel which she hopes will spur on the rest of his lost memories. When Jay sees the Lady Jane, his face lights up and at once he recalls her but Daisy's excitement is soon dispelled when that is all Jay recognises.

Then the following morning, she is even more shocked to learn that Jay has decided to sail with the Lady Jane as seafaring is what he knows...not life in a manor he has no recollection of. Before she knows it, Jay has left Creek Manor with her in charge, sailing off to who knows where.

But a scandal is in the midst which will not only set tongues wagging, but send Daisy's life into even greater turmoil than before. How will she face this new challenge? How will she get through it? And what does it mean for her?

In a return to Little Creek, A VILLAGE SCANDAL is filled with twists, turns and a few secrets that will have you turning the pages into the night. Following the theme of the first book, we revisit the characters we met the first time round as well as places old and new. I did find myself disappointed with the first part of the book with Marjorie Harker continually lording it over Daisy, despite her saving her pinched face from disaster. Any enjoyment I had in the story dissipated with the introduction of that particular plotline. However, it soon picked up with Jay's return as new mysteries evolved and was enamoured once again.

A VILLAGE SCANDAL certainly keeps you on the edge of your seat and, despite a momentary lull, I found myself enjoying the ride. Readers will be captivated from the beginning and, in true Dilly style, will fall in love with the characters.

I look forward to the third installment "A Country Bride" to learn what becomes of Daisy and the village of Little Creek.

I would like to thank #DillyCourt, #NetGalley and #HarperCollinsUK for an ARC of #AVillageScandal in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Silent House by Nell Pattison (ARC)

The Silent House by Nell Pattison

Genre: Psychological thriller, domestic thriller, crime fiction

Read: 10th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 1st March 2020)

★★★★★ 5 stars

As soon as I read the premise for THE SILENT HOUSE, I was excited by the concept because I am no stranger to the deaf. My uncle was profoundly deaf and while I never learnt sign language (in Australia it is known as Auslan), I knew a few basic signs and finger spelling. I am familiar with the deaf community being such a small one that they see even getting cochlear implants (so they can hear) as traitorous to the world they know and are comfortable in. The hearing world is so much more different to that of the deaf, to the point the deaf are actually quite comfortable with being deaf. Particularly those who have been deaf all or most of their lives that the hearing world is a strange concept to them and being deaf is normal and comfortable.

Different and somewhat unique, THE SILENT HOUSE by Nell Pattison is her debut and takes the reader into the world of the deaf. Most of the characters are deaf and we are given plenty of background into everyone from signing and deaf clubs and how the deaf community is a small and tight-knit one.

This makes it difficult for Paige Northwood, a BSL (British Sign Language) interpreter, who is part of that community being the only hearing member of her family. In the way that it is not always easy to separate yourself from the situation she finds herself in as an interpreter and the deaf community...because she already knows most of those embroiled within the case.

The story begins with an atmospheric and somewhat chilling prologue in which six year old Jaxon wakes in the night to see a shadow in the bedroom doorway and something wet and sticky on his sister Lexi's bed. Being from Jaxon's perspective, we see the spooky scene through his eyes and it is chilling.

The following morning sees Paige called to the Hunter house by police with no information bar that she is needed to interpret for a deaf family at a crime scene. She arrives to discover she knows this house and the people in it. What has happened? Elisha Barron is in tears, covered in blood and is in the arms of her partner Alan Hunter. Her thoughts goes straight to the children. The couple have an 18 month old girl Kasey and Alan has two children with his previous girlfriend Laura - Jaxon and Lexi. She attempts to find out what happened but no one will tell her anything. She is informed that she is there purely to inform Elisha that she needs to hand over the clothing she is wearing to police as she has refused so far. When she accompanies Elisha upstairs to change, Paige catches a glimpse of the children's bedroom and is horrified by what she sees. Little Lexi Hunter, the same age as Kasey, laying in a pool of blood her head bashed in.

Paige is haunted by the image of Lexi's bloodied body and wonders how she will break the news to her sister Anna, who is Lexi's godmother. Laura, Jaxon and Lexi's mother, is Anna's best friend and she knows that as soon as her sister hears of the tragedy she will want to return to Scunthorpe. Which is exactly what Anna does...after finding out on Facebook.

But Paige doesn't disclose to the police her connection to the families involved, which could possibly be a conflict of interest, as she wants to remain privy to as much information as she can in the hope that she will find out who ended Lexi's life in such a tragic way. With the deaf community being such a small one, there are bound to be crossovers as an interpreter which is how she justifies her continued involvement. To find another BSL interpreter would require the police to look further afield and it could be weeks before they could be allocated one. And in the case of a child's murder they need to act now.

As an interpreter, Paige is indeed privy to the interviews conducted on the deaf families and suspects. Using the knowledge she has gleaned from them, she endeavours to conduct her own investigation when the police seem intent on focusing in the wrong place. But then Paige finds herself the target of sinister threats - first as notes or texts sent from untraceable mobile numbers to setting her flat on fire. It seems someone is afraid that Paige knows more that she actually does about Lexi's murder.

But one thing is clear. There was no sign of a break in and as the whole family is deaf, no one heard a thing. So who walked into the Hunter home and brutally murdered little Lexi? How did they gain access? Or is it someone in the house? Someone closer to home, maybe?

THE SILENT HOUSE is in the third person primarily from Paige's perspective with every third chapter providing a narrative of one of the other characters - Alan, Laura, Elisha, Max, even Jaxon (to name a few). It is very cleverly done, giving the reader an insight to the various aspects of the story yet without giving too much away. It made for highly addictive reading, despite the slow pace at times.

The middle section of the story did appear to be somewhat slow with seemingly little progress on the case but then the reader has to remember that the story is from Paige's perspective, not the police, so she only knows the aspects to which she was privy and not the bigger picture. That being said, there were times it did feel there was little progress and not a lot happening but yet there was also a lot of to and froing with interpreting. It certainly made for interesting reading to get a glimpse into the lives of those live in a world of silence. The pace most definitely picks up with a race to the end to uncover the truth behind the unjust murder of a child.

What makes THE SILENT HOUSE so chilling is that everyone in the house is deaf so no one could hear a possible intruder enter and brutally murder a child. People assume that you would just know but in reality you wouldn't...particularly if you cannot hear. It highlighted the vulnerabilities the deaf can face in such situations. And when it comes to interpreting between the deaf and the hearing, it shows us how much the deaf rely on the hearing to translate for them accurately.

Take Laura's mum, Bridget. She is hearing and appears to have her own agenda and proceeds to converse with doctors, solicitors, teachers etc. about Laura or her children without interpreting a single word for her daughter who is profoundly deaf. Laura is completely confused and has no idea what is going on. This angered me when I read these instances as Laura had every right to know. I don't blame her for engaging an interpreter instead of relying on her mother.

I did think it was a brilliant idea to include conversations that are in sign as italicised text so that the reader can separate the signed with the spoken conversations.

I thoroughly enjoyed THE SILENT HOUSE and am eagerly awaiting Nell Pattison's second book featuring Paige Northwood once again in "Silent Night" which set for publication in November. This debut thriller is addictive, thrilling and chilling despite its slow pace at times and I devoured the story in record time.

A unique concept featuring the deaf community, THE SILENT HOUSE is a must read for fans of psychological/domestic thriller and crime fiction...particularly those looking for something different.

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

REVIEW: Love and Marriage at Harper's by Rosie Clarke (ARC)

Love and Marriage at Harper's (Welcome To Harpers Emporium #2) by Rosie Clarke

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 12th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 3rd March 2020)

★★ 2 stars

The girls at Harper's Emporium are back with joys, challenges and other changes in this second novel LOVE AND MARRIAGE AT HARPER'S by Rosie Clarke. I haven't read the first book but despite this I don't think I missed out on a whole lot as this one begins with what appears to be a whole new story.

However, having said that, I may have enjoyed it far more had I read the first one and was introduced to the characters and watched them come into themselves.  As it was, I felt a little complacent about this one and couldn't connect to the girls, who I felt were a gossipy bunch where nothing much happened except go to work, catch the bus home and sit around the table chatting. The only character I felt more of a connection with was Aunt Helen - I can't remember whose aunt she was - and her dire marriage to gold digger, Gerald. In my opinion, not much took place but the women's suffragette movement, which is not really a topic that interests me.

The girls - Rachel, Beth, Sally and Maggie - enjoy their work at Harper's Emporium on Oxford Street which is busier than ever and each of them are kept bustling all day long. The girls now share a flat together though each has their own life outside of each other. The suffragette movement is in full swing with the imprisonment of Emmeline Pankhurst as the girls discuss and decide if they support the Women's Social and Political Union or just remain with the Women's Rights Movement.

Meanwhile, store owners Ben Harper and his sister Jenni are in New York leaving Mr Stockbridge in charge, and Sally managing the buying of new stock for the store. Sally had harboured a secret crush for Ben Harper but as he has not contacted her since being away, leaving that to his sister Jenni, Sally believes the interest he had shown her previously has now waned.

There is love and romance for each girl in one way or another and yet it just didn't hold my interest as I thought it might. The premise sounded promising but the story just failed to deliver for me. It's a shame as Rosie Clarke's Mulberry Lane series is a delight to read. I guess maybe it's just this series that I just can't connect with. Maybe I will go back at a later date and try again...and find then that I may be pleasantly surprised.

LOVE AND MARRIAGE AT HARPER'S is a light read that one may may or may not find addictive, depending on the individual. Having said that, I do recommend for fans of historical fiction and sagas.

I would like to thank #RosieClarke, #NetGalley and #BoldwoodBooks for an ARC of #LoveAndMarriageAtHarpers in exchange for an honest review.