REVIEW: Finding Clara by Anika Scott (ARC)

Finding Clara by Anika Scott

Genre: Historical fiction

Read: 11th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 5th March 2020)

★ 1 star

I love my historical fiction but I just found FINDING CLARA too difficult to get into. I couldn't connect with the characters and I was thoroughly confused as what was supposed to be happening.

Clara Falkenburg is living under the assumed name of Marguerite Muller. Although she is being hunted for war crimes by Captain Fenshaw, I couldn't actually work out what Clara's crime was to have been. Or where she actually came from. In the opening chapter she is in a doctor's surgery, seemingly there for a complaint but is actually involved with Herr Doctor Blum. When he pops the question, I am not sure what Clara was up to. Did she want to marry this man or not? Her narrative was utterly confusing...and it wasn't until she discovered the truth about the doctor that she left the surgery with no intention of returning...ever!

Aside from that, Clara is searching for her friend Elisa and her son Willy whilst at the same time trying to elude capture. She fears the worst and returns to Essen to look for them. Travelling with fake credentials she is soon apprehended by Captain Thomas Renshaw before reaching Essen. But in her bravery, Clara makes a daring escape to continue searching for her friend.

Clara then meets a black marketeer named Jakob who then helps her in her search for Elisa. He works out who Clara really is but unbeknownst to her he also has some information about Elisa. Will he disclose this information to her? But when Renshaw catches up he tries persuading Jakob to betray Clara in exchange for much needed supplies for his own family. Will Jakob betray Clara?

FINDING CLARA may have been an exciting search for answers but I found it confusing and convoluted and I couldn't complete it.

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

REVIEW: Avenge the Dead by Jackie Baldwin (ARC)

Avenge the Dead (DI Frank Farrell) by Jackie Baldwin

Genre: Crime fiction, police procedural

Read: 8th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 28th February 2020)

★★★★ 4 stars

Firstly, let me say that AVENGE THE DEAD is the third installment of the DI Frank Farrell series and I suspect that readers would benefit from starting at the beginning before tackling this one. However, having said that, I did thoroughly enjoy the story...I just wish I knew more of what was going on with the backstory that readers are just drip-fed throughout.

When a prominent solicitor's wife is murdered, DI Frank Farrell, DS Mhairi McLeod and DC Dave Thomson head back to Dumfries from their new base in Glasgow to head up the investigation. The team had formerly lived and worked there but returning appears to stir up memories for them all, particularly for Frank. The team suspect Gina's husband Fergus but he had been playing poker with two other defence solicitors, Jack Kerr and Max Delaney, at the time. Then it soon comes to light that the murdered woman, Gina Campbell, was having an affair with another solicitor and was the daughter a Glasgow mob boss Mario Lombardo. Could her death have ties to her father's seedy business dealings?

However, when the son of another solicitor is murdered, the case becomes more complicated. Aaron Sullivan was in the process of being adopted by Jack and Sarah Kerr. So how does his death connect to that of Gina Campbell?

But when it is revealed that all three solicitors - Fergus Campbell, Jack Kerr and Max Delaney - share a history of having been present shortly before the tragic death of a colleague in a fire 10 years before, Farrell begins to wonder if the deaths are somehow linked to the past? If so, is Max Delaney's family next?

Then out of left field, the bullish sheriff presiding the bench these same  solicitors appear before daily winds up dead, found hanging in his courtroom one morning. How is Sheriff Granger's death connected to the first two? And does it also have something to do with that of Collette Currie ten years ago?

The third installment in the DI Frank Farrell series by Jackie Baldwin, I wish I had known that AVENGE THE DEAD was part of a series. Not for any other reason than it is irritating to feel like you have come into a story halfway through and seemingly spend half the time trying to pick up pieces that may hint to the backstory. In this case, it was mentioned throughout that Farrell was taking Lithium. There is no reason given why he does, so I can only assume major depression or Bipolar. That, and the subplot regarding their former boss, John Lind who has been laying in a coma for the past two years. No idea what happened there. Just that it is.

Having come into the series partway through, I still enjoyed AVENGE THE DEAD and love the Scottish backdrop in rural Dumfries rather than the bustling and seedier Glasgow. I did find Farrell's battle with alcohol a little tiresome, but then for me that's a bit stereotypical of many police procedurals that I find a little too common for my taste. However, I do understand why he is in such a state...I just tire of the same old cliche of lonely detective seeking refuge in a pint glass.

Twisted and often dark, AVENGE THE DEAD is utterly engrossing where the action never stops and I found myself turning page after page, unable to put it down. I love love love the short snappy chapters which always keep the pace going and is my favourite kind. There is never a dull moment.

Despite the twists and the plethora of possible suspects, I guessed very early on who was behind the murders and why...although not all aspects, so happily there were some surprises to be had as they were revealed. But even so, this never spoilt my enjoyment of this fast paced action packed police procedural slash crime thriller. For me, I just thought it was obvious...with a mega clue staring readers right in the face.

AVENGE THE DEAD is thrilling read that I have no hesitation in recommending though I do suggest starting at the beginning of the series.

I would like to thank #JackieBaldwin, #NetGalley and #OneMoreChapter and #HarperCollinsUK for an ARC of #AvengeTheDead in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The Orphan House by Ann Bennett (ARC)

The Orphan House by Ann Bennett

Genre: Historical fiction, chick lit/women's fiction, Dual timeline

Read: 6th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 28th February 2020)

★★★★ 4 stars

Baby born 5th September 1934 approximately. Place of birth, unknown; father, unknown; mother unknown.

But all these unknowns add up to one thing that is perfectly clear...someone knows something.

It's 1934 and Connie Burroughs sees her father, the Reverend Ezra Burroughs, holding a bundle in his arms. Another abandoned baby left on the steps of Cedar Hall orphanage. But Connie knows that Father will see that the little mite is taken care of as he hands the bundle over to the housekeeper. He will take care of the paperwork and see that the child goes to a good home.

Present day: Sarah Jennings has just experienced the shock of her life. While her chef husband is overseas, police have knocked on her door wanting to go through the financial records of their restaurant business. During this process she discovers that not only was Alex mixed up with some questionable business partners but he appears to be having an affair as well. Packing her bags and leaving immediately, Sarah drives to the small Berkshire village where her father now lives.

But for some reason upon arrival in Weirfield-on-Thames, she stops outside a now derelict and seemingly abandoned Cedar Hall house that once stood adjacent to the foreboding orphanage for many years...until it was demolished to make way for a housing development. There is a For Sale sign hidden amidst the hedgerow and she wonders what secrets lay behind those doors. Sarah knows her father began his life at the orphanage for he made no secret of it and now, as she stands on the doorstep enjoying a cigarette out of the rain, she somehow feels drawn to it. When the real estate agent surprises her with his arrival and offers to show her around she finds she can't refuse. But as she walks through the rooms and its empty halls there is something haunting and sinister about the place. And yet, she is still drawn to it.

Connie Burroughs is the last remaining member of the Burroughs family of Cedar Hall. After sustaining a broken leg in a fall, she now finds herself in long term residential care and that she must sell Cedar Hall to cover her costs. But Connie is the gatekeeper to her father's secrets which lay hidden within the Hall and, according to her father's wishes, she must protect his memory at all costs. Her solicitor removes her belongings and paperwork to keep in trust until she is able to go through them but Connie fears that her father's secrets may come to light if she doesn't personally see to them herself. And yet, all too soon, her promise to her father becomes impossible to keep when, after the Hall is sold, some papers and belongings of his are uncovered.

Before moving into the care home, Connie had some of her most important possessions brought to her and buried deep within her sewing kit is one such thing. A diary, leather-bound and locked, which has remained unread for eight decades even by Connie herself. For in 1934, she found herself entrusted with it by a woman whose face has haunted her since. It is only now that Connie unlocks the diary and begins to read Anna's heartbreaking story.

1934: Anna finds herself in India after a scandal surrounding her father and married off to Lt Col Donald Foster, a man with his own demons. Trapped in a loveless marriage, Anna finds herself largely alone and left to her own devices. She spends days travelling by rickshaw to various places throughout the area to explore and sketch. But one day, she makes a mistake that sends her back to England where she crosses paths with young Connie Burroughs, entrusting her with a secret.

Meanwhile Connie's present dreams take her back to the past as she recalls secrets locked behind closed doors and her desire to know what lay beyond them. But eighty years of secrets has taken its toll on Connie and she wonders how much longer she can protect the truth from being revealed.

Three women whose lives intersect as the past meets the present in tragic circumstances with overwhelming results.

My first book by Ann Bennett, THE ORPHAN HOUSE is a delightful read filled with suspense,  mystery and intrigue as Sarah tries to uncover the truth. It is a historical book with a difference in that the only historical timeline is seen through Connie's eyes as she remembers the past and in reading Anna's diary. It was different and yet still enjoyable.

Although I found THE ORPHAN HOUSE a relatively easy read, I thought some of it to be a little convoluted in presentation. For example, when Connie is reliving moments from her past these could have been placed as new chapters and titled "Connie, 1934" to make the past and the present easier to distinguish, rather than throw her memories into the present day chapter. Also with Anna's diary entries, I felt the chapter should also have been given over to Anna completely and titled "Anna, 1934" and kept in italics so the reader knows it is from her diary. Separating chapters into past and present makes for much easy reading and the story flows with greater ease.

While the story is probably somewhat predictable, THE ORPHAN HOUSE is still an enjoyable read taking place in both British India in the 1930s and England both in the past and present day. The ending is a heartfelt and somewhat heartbreaking touch that had me in tears.

Haunted with secrets and regrets, THE ORPHAN HOUSE weaves a tale that spans across oceans and generations that comes full circle by the story's end.

Recommended for a light and yet fulfilling read.

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

REVIEW: When We Were Brave by Suzanne Kelman (ARC)

When We Were Brave by Suzanne Kelman

Genre: Historical fiction, WW2, Dual timeline

Read: 4th June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 24th February 2020)

★★★★★ 5 stars

Having enjoyed Suzanne Kelman's historical debut "A View Across the Rooftops", I was excited to read WHEN WE WERE BRAVE. I wasn't sure what to expect as I am not a fan of espionage or spy stories but this was so much more than that...and I loved it! By the end, I had tears streaming down my face thinking how sad it was and yet how wonderful. Recommended for fans of "My Name is Eva", it is similar in part but also very different.

Present day, London: Sophie Hamilton attends the opening of a WW2 exhibition that she helped put together when she comes across a photo that she had seen many times before. But now as it stands on display in a life-size format, she is drawn to a woman in the background exiting a building beside one that had been decimated in a raid. The woman bears a striking resemblance to both herself and her late mother Alice...but who could she be? Taking a quick snap on her phone, Sophie visits her grandmother and shows her the photo, asking her what she makes of it. Her grandmother pales...and reluctantly tells her the story of her great-aunt Vivi who shamed the family when she escaped with a German POW, therefore branding her a traitor.

Sophie decides the only way to solve the mystery is to visit the family estate in Cornwall where her great uncle Tom still lives with his daughter Jean. However, her uncle has dementia and while some days are lucid others are not. So when Jean tells Sophie about Vivienne Hamilton, her uncle's memories of his traitorous sister reach the surface for but a moment as he relives the shame. As Sophie explores the village and its museum, she comes to see how they too view the name Vivienne Hamilton with contempt.

Cornwall, 1944: With many large country houses used as hospitals or convalescent homes during WW2, the Hamilton family estate opened its doors to wounded soldiers in much need of medical treatment. Vivienne Hamilton worked as a nurse in her family home while her father and younger brothers, Tom and John, lived upstairs. Her older sister Caroline had already emigrated to Canada, so it was up to Vivienne to serve her country in the best way that she could.

One night whilst walking the grounds, she saw a plane fall from the sky in to the sea. She rang the local constables and ran to the beach to assist. An unconscious man was pulled from the water and taken straight up to the house. When he woke, he spoke French, a language Vivi was fluent in and learnt that he was part of the Resistance movement she had worked with the previous year. But when his suitcase is later recovered, it is revealed that he is actually a Nazi in High Command - a Major Marcus Vonstein. Immediately taken into custody, Vonstein is handcuffed and a guard posted outside his door. But one night, Vivi not only helps Vonstein escape but she flees with him by boat to France, her family never seeing her again.

After visiting her family estate, Sophie begins to question what really happened 75 years ago...because the photograph that began her quest for the truth doesn't fit with the story as it is known. The building that Vivi is seen leaving in that old photo was the address associated with the SOE, a secret spy network set up by Churchill. A place she had no reason to be taken at a time right before she disappeared. But as Sophie delved deeper she discovered that Vivi had trained and worked as a spy for the SOE in France for a month but upon immediate retrieval her first mission was deemed a disaster and she was signed off as being unsuitable as a spy. Vivi then returned home to Cornwall where she put herself to use as a nurse in the hospital. So what happened to make her flee with a German Nazi officer?

Her own personal life a disaster after the death of her mother and baby daughter then the collapse of her relationship with her partner Matt, Sophie focuses on uncovering the truth about her great aunt Vivi - whether it be to exonerate her or confirm what is already known to be true. Travelling from Cornwall to France and then Germany, nothing can prepare Sophie for what she is about to uncover.

A dual timeline story from both Sophie and Vivi's perspectives, WHEN WE WERE BRAVE is a heartbreaking tale of love, betrayal, bravery and sacrifice. As secrets are revealed bit by bit through both women's stories, I was mesmerised and found myself holding my breath in anticipation of what will be uncovered. The piece de resistance is the Epilogue which had me literally in tears.

WHEN WE WERE BRAVE had me captivated from beginning to end with every turn of the page. Whether it was Sophie's or Vivi's narrative, I was completely mesmerised and found each journey equally heartbreaking. I cannot imagine what it was like to put one's life at risk in such a way for the greater good to save others. It does not bear thinking about what life was truly like during wartime. There is still so much we don't know from WW2 that we are still learning and WHEN WE WERE BRAVE simply reveals another facet of one of history's darkest times.

A heartbreaking yet compelling story, WHEN WE WERE BRAVE is an absorbing and well researched story into the real events of the spy network that operated in France during WW2 and the days leading up to D-Day, which I ironically write this on its 76th anniversary. While it is essentially a fictional story, the events behind it are real inspiring us to remember the bravery and courage of all those people who, during WW2, upon which this is based.

Just as the author's previous book "A View Across the Rooftops" was certainly one I will never forget, WHEN WE WERE BRAVE is one I will not forget either. Both are incredibly powerful heartbreaking stories that will remain with you long after you left them behind. If you haven't read either, then I recommend getting yourself a copy. You will not be disappointed.

An outstanding 5+ star read I have no hesitation recommending to historical fiction fans!!

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

REVIEW: Under a Wartime Sky by Liz Trenow (ARC)

Under a Wartime Sky by Liz Trenow

Genre: Historical fiction, WW2 

Read: 3rd June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 20th February 2020)

★★★ 3.5 stars

I'm not sure what I expected from this book, given that it was based somewhat on fact, as I didn't want to be bogged down with a history lesson and a load of text that just went over my head. However, I was pleasantly surprised. UNDER A WARTIME SKY (also published as "Our Last Letter") by Liz Trenow is complex tale of wartime romance and duty with a bit of mathematical science thrown in - which did somewhat go over my head a little - with the development of radar and IFF instrumentation.

1936: Kathleen Motts has just turned 16 and dreams of more than just marriage, kids and happily ever afters. With the unrest in Europe and war on the horizon, news is buzzing around Felixstowe about the top secret business going on over the river at the old Bawdsey Manor. Kath decides to get a closer look and under the guise of bird-watching, armed with her father's binoculars, takes the ferry across and attempts to catch a glimpse of whatever may be going on. But she is caught red-handed spying through the fence along the outer perimeter that not even her birdwatching excuse suffices to the powers-that-be. She is suitably chastised and sent off with a stern warning...and still none the wiser.

Vikram Mackensie is half Indian, half Scottish and has lived in Britain since the age of 10 when he was sent to boarding school, having been born and raised in India on a tea plantation. It was soon discovered that he had a special aptitude for mathematics and science but not so much with people, lacking social skills and confidence. He then received a scholarship to Cambridge where his talents were soon noticed by a team of scientists who were looking for people with Vikram's particular skill set for a top secret project. His doctorate abandoned, Vic was sent to Bawdsey Manor in a place called Felixstowe on the Suffolk coast. It was here that his brilliant mind was put to work on developing radar, a tool kept secret which was to used to track incoming aircraft...and whether they were "friend or foe".

Kath had been working at a restaurant for a couple of years when she left after a disagreement with a colleague regarding her brother. Unable to find any work with the war looming closer, she learnt of a position in the kitchen of Bawdsey Manor, where she began as assistant cook and rose to the rank of pastry chef. After a test flight for the radar Vic had been developing went wrong, Kath met Vic along the cliff walk, overlooking the North Sea. He couldn't tell her much due to the nature of the work being top secret but she listened to what he could say...and the two became friends. They took to meeting on the cliff walk as often as they could to talk, and she would often bring him pieces of her carrot cake which was his favourite.

It was during one of these times that Kath expressed an interest in doing something worthwhile should the country go to war. Her brother Mark had already signed up for RAF and was training to be a pilot and she felt maybe she could something that would help. Mac suggested the WAAF (Women's Auxiliary Air Force) or maybe an RDF operator. When all civilians were evacuated from Bawdsey with the threat of war looming ever closer, Kath and Vic went their separate ways but continued their friendship by way of letters.

Kath soon joined the WAAF, underwent initial training and was given the opportunity to express her interest as an RDF operator. Given her mathematical ability, she was suitably granted her wish and trained in her chosen field. All throughout, she kept Vic up to date with her progress via letter. He too was soon evacuated from Bawdsey with only RAF personnel remaining. After qualifying as an RDF operator, Kath was sent to Fighter Command for specialist training before being posted at Bawsdey Manor. By this time, Vic was moving about where his knowledge and abilities were needed. But the two maintained their relationship through letters, and the odd shared leave whenever able. The two were planning a future together when Vic was sent to the US to expand his knowledge in radars and teach the Americans on what was to be another top secret project. But then...the letters stopped.

What happened to them? Do they find one another again after the war ends? Or are they lost to one another forever?

The Epilogue fast forwards to 1973, where the Prologue to the book began, and Vic has returned to the little Suffolk seaside village to pay his respects to his former Commanding Officer from Bawdsey Manor - the man who began his career in radio wave technology. Will his visit lay old ghosts to rest? Or will he rekindle a lost love that he never forgot?

UNDER A WARTIME SKY is a wonderful story of love and war, of promise and hope, of loss as well as acceptance and diversity. But it's also the birth of radar technology which proved to be an asset to the allied forces in the air.

Although it was a little slow to start and I wasn't sure of the direction it was taking at first, but once it found its footing UNDER THE WARTIME SKY was an engaging story narrated alternately by both Kath and Vic in the third person.

A wonderful historical tale of romance during wartime against the backdrop of the invention of radar technology, UNDER A WARTIME SKY is a compelling read that will delight lovers of historical fiction...particularly those who enjoy the World War 2 era.

I would like to thank #LizTrenow, #NetGalley and #PanMacmillanUK for an ARC of #UnderAWartimeSky in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: The House on the Lake by Nuala Ellwood (ARC)

The House on the Lake by Nuala Ellwood

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 2nd June 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 20th February 2020)

★★★ 3.5 stars

Imagine driving several hours far from the comforts of home to the cold, draughty and remote Rowan Isle House in Yorkshire. That's exactly what Lisa did to escape the constant criticisms of her controlling husband Mark...taking with her her 3 year old son, Joe, who did nothing but cry and scream for his daddy for every one of his waking hours. But escaping Mark meant staying under the radar, which is exactly what Rowan Isle House provided. But Lisa wasn't prepared for what awaited her.

Rowan Isle House was smelly and filthy with no electricity, no heating and no plumbing. How were they to shower? Bath? Cook their meals? Or stay warm amidst the frigid conditions of Yorkshire? And Joe was having none of it. No matter what Lisa said or did to placate him, the child just screamed incessantly for his daddy. He was even doing MY head in! But Lisa did what she could, found some old cushions and blankets for them to sleep with and bought junk food from the shop in the village since she had no way of cooking anything. The house, which is decidedly creepy, sits on the edge of the village with the lake as their only water source and candles for lighting.

And then Isobel came knocking.

Isobel got the fire going in the ancient stove so Lisa could at least cook them something. She also provided them with some clean blankets, brought some groceries and soon the warmth from the stove heated the old house. Maybe it wasn't going to be so bad after all. But just who is Isobel? And why is she being so helpful? Who is she to this somewhat creepy house? And is she safe from Mark here?

One night Isobel took them to the village pub for a drink and a bite when the landlord befriended Lisa and began to regale her with the house's sordid history. But it wasn't until she came across an old leather bound diary that Lisa discovered the truth about Rowan Isle House.

In a parallel story running alongside Lisa's, beginning in 2003, we meet a young 11 year old girl known only as Soldier Number 1, as named by her father who is referred to solely as "Sarge". We don't know his name, only that he was a former soldier that had served in the Gulf war in Iraq. It obvious from the beginning that he is suffering from PTSD as he trains his daughter up to be a soldier. But the life they lead in the remote house on the lake, was anything but normal. And when the young girl, whose name we learn is Grace, meets a pretty blonde girl named Isobel when she comes to buy eggs from their stall, she catches a glimpse of life beyond the only one she has ever known.

Soon Isobel becomes her only link to the world outside of the one "Sarge" has built for them and Grace discovers what it is like to have a real friend. But what if that friendship was threatened? Then when she discovers all that her father had ever told her was a lie, Grace draws on all he had taught her to survive.

Narrated by Lisa and Soldier Number 1, with a fifteen year gap, THE HOUSE ON THE LAKE is a slow building tense thriller in which these two stories unfold until they finally are woven together with a deft hand that finally links Lisa, Soldier Number 1 and Isobel. I'm not usually one for slow builds, but this one I actually quite enjoyed.

Filled with plenty of twists, the tension is palpable as the secrets of the past that haunt the creepy house slowly come to light as those that Lisa is also hiding are gradually revealed.

An addictive and creepy thriller, THE HOUSE ON THE LAKE will soon pull you in and have you turning the pages until the very end.

Recommended for psychological thriller fans, particularly those who love a slow build.

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

REVIEW: The Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd (ARC)

The Memory Wood by Sam Lloyd

Genre: Psychological thriller

Read: 31st May 2020

Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

(publication date: 20th February 2020)

★ 1 star

I was really looking forward to reading THE MEMORY WOOD, but when it came down to it, it really wasn't anything all that exciting...not in my opinion anyway. But maybe I gave up before it did get exciting. Still, for me, if a book doesn't have you hooked from the first few pages or so then it's just not for me. Am I impatient? Maybe. But for me, life is too short to waste time on books that take too long to get interesting. And I have so many other books awaiting my attention.

I can't even tell you much about the book because I tossed it after about 10% when Elissa was abducted. I felt disconnected from both children in the story. Elijah was just so standoffish and Elissa was just too wrapped up in her own world that even getting dressed required too many brain cells. I didn't like either of them and therefore I just couldn't continue following their story.

I see I am in the minority here, as so many others loved this debut thriller from Sam Lloyd, but slow burners just don't do it for me. And there seem to be so many slow burners coming out just now. But if it's too slow and I get the feeling that I'm not going to enjoy it, I give up. I may have missed out on a great read, but like I said, if a book takes too long to get my attention then for me it isn't worth it.

But don't take my word for it...give it a go yourself. You might love it, or you may be like me and think it is taking too long to get anywhere.

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