A Life Between Us by Louise Walters

Tina's sister Meg died in a childhood accident, but for almost forty years Tina has secretly blamed herself for her twin's death. During a visit to her Uncle Edward and his sister Lucia, who both harbour dark secrets of their own, Tina makes a discovery that forces her to question her memories of the day Meg died. 

As Tina finds the courage to face the past, she unravels the mysteries of her estranged parents, her beautiful Aunt Simone, the fading, compassionate Uncle Edward, and above all, the cold, bitter Aunt Lucia, whose spectral presence casts a long shadow over them all. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was a mixture of all my favourite kinds of novels. It is a family saga, a domestic noir, a story about marriage and parenting, a story about siblings, a story about lies, deception, truth and revelations. It is part psychological thriller and part drama, partly the character's emotional journey towards realisation and acceptance and partly a chilling and gripping page turner. It felt like a long read but in the most delightful way because I didn't really want it to end. It was a treat to really immerse myself in the world of the characters and watch the stories unravel, twist themselves around each other into knots and then eventually weave themselves together into a very satisfying conclusion.

The story is told by two different narrators and two different time lines. We meet Tina whose story takes place in the present and then we have Lucia whose story takes place in the past. Interspersed between these chapters are letters written by a young Tina. The changing narratives are very easy to follow and to keep track of as not only are the voices very distinctive and clear, but the chapters are labelled with the dates and characters speaking. Although there are lots of characters in the novel who appear throughout both story lines, it is not at all confusing and actually hugely engaging as the reader sees how the two story lines begin to impact on each other and how they are all intrinsically linked.

I would describe this book as a thriller but Walters does not set out to shock, deceive or surprise us. The relationships and situations are clearly laid out at the beginning so the reader begins with a very firm understanding of the premise. But, even though this is not a book about hidden twists and shocks, it kind of still is! Walters still catches us unawares and still manages to create dramatic climaxes and maintain a great level of tension and suspense throughout the whole novel. At times it is a chilling read.

I really loved the characters of both Tina and Lucia. They are very different yet both flawed. They are believable. They are easy to feel sympathy and empathy towards but also sometimes fear, frustration and pity. Their journeys are dramatic and traumatic but it is not sensationalism or soap operatic in style, more a quiet build up, a steady accumulation of events and situations which push them to breaking point.

Walters is able to explore some universal themes like grief, love, isolation, deception, redemption, and forgiveness. Her representation of families under pressure, marriages under pressure, friendships under pressure is compelling and well expressed. I liked the dialogue between the characters, the dynamics and interaction between them all and I really liked the subtle suggestion of malevolence or threatening behaviour in some of the people.

The ending was unexpected and challenged my perception of the genre of this novel. I liked it a lot!

I think the thing I enjoyed the most (apart from the wonderful character of Lucia!) was the fact that even though the main twists were not hidden from the reader, there was still lots I was unsure about (in terms of plot and which characters to trust) and I still felt an immense amount of tension as I was reading. Tina is very open with the reader but it still feels like she is keeping a lot from us. She is reliable but she isn't. There are still secrets that need to be uncovered and revelations waiting to be made. This is a page turner because you want to hear more from the characters and see more of their story.

This is Louise Walters' second book but it is the first book of hers I have read. I was really impressed by it. I was impressed by the well managed plot which was multilayered and complicated but always controlled. Nothing was superfluous and nothing was distracting. It had a slightly epic feel to it in the way an engrossing family drama novel that spans decades should and I could happily have kept reading about Tina and Lucia for longer. They will stay with me as will their story and I am going to try to make sure I read Walters' first novel, Mrs Sinclair's Suitcase as soon as I can. It has been on my TBR pile for a long time when I first saw other bloggers recommending it. I'm sure it will be as enjoyable and satisfying as A Life Between Us.

I would recommend this book. It will make the perfect holiday read this Easter! I really enjoyed it a lot. If you liked "The Thirteenth Tale", "The Roanoke Girls" or any of Kate Roidan's novels, I think this will be the perfect read for you.

A Life Between Us is published on 28th March by Troubador.

Louise Walters 



Louise Walters has also written Mrs Sinclair's Suitcase.

Click on the link below to find some reading group questions written by Louise on her website:
Reading Group Questions: A Life Between Us

You can follow Louise on Twitter or Facebook or via her website:

@LouiseWalters12

Facebook - LouiseWaltersWriter/

www.louisewaltersbooks.co.uk

Louise also has a blog and at the moment she is interviewing Book Bloggers to find out more about their reading and their life as bloggers. You can click on the link below to visit her blogsite:

louisewalterswriter.blogspot.co.uk

You can follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk) for more recommendations and reviews.

The Idea of You by Amanda Prowse

With her fortieth birthday approaching, Lucy Carpenter dares to hope that she finally has it all: a wonderful new husband, Jonah, a successful career and the chance of a precious baby of her own. Life couldn’t be more perfect.

But the reality of becoming parents proves much harder than Lucy and Jonah imagined. Jonah’s love and support is unquestioning, but as Lucy struggles with work and her own failing dreams, the strain on their marriage increases. Suddenly it feels like Lucy is close to losing everything…

I have only read a couple of Amanda Prowse's books but she is clearly a writer who has won the hearts of thousands of readers so when I was offered the chance to read "The Idea of You" I took it.  I hadn't read the reviews of this book but it was impossible to avoid the words like heart wrenching, heart breaking, emotional and overwhelming which have sprung up all over Facebook and Twitter.

Prowse writes about domestic drama, about issues that affect real women and about women that have to find a huge inner strength they never knew they had in order to overcome their situations. This has got to be why so many women find her books so engaging and moving; she explores issues that have affected them or their friends.

"The Idea of You" is no different. For this novel Prowse has focussed on pregnancy and miscarriage. Miscarriage affects a huge proportion of women and the statistics available don't even include those that happen at home and are not recorded in hospital or GP notes. Despite the high numbers of women who suffer such loss, miscarriage still seems to be a subject that is not always easy to discuss openly or seek emotional support for. This sets Prowse a real challenge. She has chosen a subject that is incredibly personal, emotive, complicated and traumatic. Each and every experience will be different and each and every woman will find their own route through their grief. How do you create a story that can convey this journey sensitively, sympathetically and convincingly without over sentimentalising or without being too detached?

Well, I couldn't even begin to do it, but Prowse really can.

It was no surprise to me when I read in the acknowledgements that this novel was based on Prowse's own experiences - which in my opinion actually makes this novel even more brave.

Most of the novel focusses on Lucy and her desperation as each pregnancy ends in with an early miscarriage. Lucy's grief and despair is very well conveyed and it does make for hard reading at times. The chapters are broken up with letters written by Lucy in the first person which help to break some of the emotional tension as well as adding more depth to her character. The main chapters are written in third person; a few times I wondered if it might have worked better in first person but perhaps this would have made the writing too raw and too oppressive for the reader - or possibly the author as they try and maintain that line between memoir and fiction.

About a third or so in to the story we meet Camille, Lucy's husband's teenage daughter from a previous marriage. This is a welcomed character as although she in turn brings with her a different kind of emotional tension, it does allow the story to open up and explore parenting and marriage in a wider context. For the reader it also distracts us from the enormous sadness of Lucy's situation with the potential promise of a happy ending. Well, perhaps anyway - Camille is also a character on a journey and with her own issues and heartbreak. I was grateful for the introduction of more characters, relationships, dynamics, drama and insight into the domestic set up of the family. I also found the revelations from Lucy's childhood added a further complication to the novel and a further level of characterisation.

If I am being honest there were several moments when I thought I would have to put the book down and let the publisher know I was not in a position to review this title. But I didn't. And I'm glad I didn't. There were some sentences in Prowse's novel that literally knocked my breath out and threw me straight back into hospital rooms. Prowse has not fictionalised or over dramatised the brutally medical and factual language used by hospital staff and Lucy's reaction to this is vividly conveyed and upsettingly familiar.

I admire Prowse for writing this novel. I think it is a novel that offers hope and it is ultimately about love and finding your way home. It's not a book I found easy to read or review but it has not deterred me from recommending it or from reading something else by this author. It might be a book that could be used by midwives and hospital staff, health visitors and friends. It is a book that offers solace and in some ways is reassuring to see how characters play out, resolve and guide themselves through their experiences. Have your tissues ready before you begin though, you'll need them.

"The Idea of You" was published on 21st March 2017.

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk)

A Review of #DazzlingDebuts #BibliomaniacsBookClub 22nd March

Bibliomaniac's Book Club: Dazzling Debuts:

An Evening with Alex Caan, GJ Minett, Chris Whitaker and Simon Booker 

Thank you so much to everyone who came along last night to my book event! It was such a lovely evening and again, a real dream for me to interview four fabulous authors who I have read, admired and stalked shamelessly on social media.

An absolutely enormous thanks to the four debuts themselves, Simon, Chris, Graham and Alex. Thank you all for travelling - some from a very long way away! - after a day's work to come Harpenden and chat to us all about your novels and your journey to becoming a published author.

There was a fantastic atmosphere and the authors certainly dazzled us with their stories about how they started writing, completing their first draft and that tricky second novel. There was a lot of light-hearted banter between the four authors and their friendship is not only clear, but obviously very strong. Alex, Graham, Chris and Simon are all published with Bonnier Zaffre and have got to know each other really well since beginning their novel writing careers there. Not only did this make it a really easy panel to interview but also created a very relaxed, informal and friendly atmosphere. It was a great evening!



A big shout out to The Harpenden Arms for providing such a perfect venue. The Pullman room (upstairs) is such an ideal setting - with views of Harpenden from all the windows, it is big enough to hold a room full of bibliomaniacs but small enough to feel informal and convivial. Essentially, there is a bar at the back of the room - it is thirsty work listening to people talk about books! I would like to give the staff at The Harpenden Arms a huge thanks for all their help with arranging the evening - especially Nick and Rob. The staff are so friendly, helpful, attentive and nothing is too much trouble. They take all the stress out of arranging an event like this and I would highly recommend that next time you're passing you pop in for a drink or a delicious meal!

harpenden-arms.co.uk

I would also like to thank Ines and Steph from Harpenden Books who so kindly gave up their evening to come along and sell the authors' books. There is nothing better than being able to buy a copy of the book you have just heard the author talking about  - and then get it signed by the real live author themselves! If you weren't able to get hold of the title you were after, then please pop into the shop this week or order online - they can usually get hold of books within a day or two. We are exceptionally lucky to have such a gorgeous, well stocked bookshop on our high street and even if it is responsible for the huge hole in my bank balance every month (ok, week....) it is a lovely to have a bookshop with such informed, well read, helpful and dedicated staff. Thanks so much ladies for all your help and support!

www.waterstones.com




But really the evening could not have happened without all you fabulous people who came along. I hope you enjoyed the evening as much as I did and please tweet / Facebook / email me with any feedback you might have or let me know your thoughts on the novels once you've read them all!

It was great to see so many of you chatting to the authors after the main interview and don't forget to look them up on social media and stalk, I mean follow, them. And remember - ratings and reviews are always always so appreciated and valued by writers - not only do they love to hear that you've read their book, but if you can leave a review (one or two words is fine!) on Goodreads or Amazon then it  makes a huge difference to all those tricky algorithm thingys.

grahamminett.com   @GJMinett

@simonbooker     simonbooker.com

@alexcaanwriter     alexcaanauthor.com

@WhittyAuthor    amzn.to/2cgKNVK





I hope you all enjoyed your goodie bag packed full of flyers about the next Bibliomaniac events and various other bookish events, bookmarks from various authors - including Helen Cox who is coming along in April, your very own Bibliomaniac pen so you always have something to jot down the title of that book someone's just mentioned or that you want to read or buy next, a packet of jelly bookworms and a criminal cupcake!



Finally thank you to my 'tribe' who helped out on the night  - thank you, you're fab! Not only did they help with the smooth running of last night's event, they have been a huge support in the lead up to the event. And to my husband too for, well, for everything!

I really hoped everyone had a great time and hope to see lots of you at Bibliomaniac's June event - Summer Scorchers. Tickets are now on sale! Details below:

Tickets: Summer Scorchers

Bibliomaniac Presents: Summer Scorchers

And if you have been inspired to have a go at writing your own book or fancy getting some top tips from two fabulous authors, then come along to Write Away in April - details below:

Bibliomaniac Presents: Write Away

Tickets: Write Away


Don't forget you can subscribe to my blog by leaving your email address in the "Follow" button and then you will receive my blog posts when they are published. Or you can follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 or Facebook katherine sunderland

If you would like to be added to my mailing list to be kept informed of any future events then you can email me directly bibliomainac2016@gmail.com

Happy Reading and thanks again to everyone who made this event such a successful and enjoyable evening! It really is appreciated! Can't wait for the next one!

Blood Tide by Claire McGowan

Oh wow what a lovely cover - definitely a #covercrush kind of book! Cliffs, sea and a lighthouse - it's like my perfect novel! Thanks so much @millieseaward from headline.co.uk @headlinepg for sending me a surprise copy of this. Here is my voluntary review of Blood Tide. 

What is it all about?

Called in to investigate the disappearance of a young couple during a violent storm, Paula Maguire, forensic psychologist, has mixed feelings about going back to Bone Island. Her last family holiday as a child was spent on its beautiful, remote beaches and returning brings back haunting memories of her long-lost mother.

It soon becomes clear that outsiders aren't welcome on the island, and with no choice but to investigate the local community, Paula soon suspects foul play, realising that the islanders are hiding secrets from her, and each other.

With another storm fast approaching, Paula is faced with a choice. Leave alive or risk being trapped with a killer on an inescapable island, as the blood tide rushes in...

Who is it all about?

Forensic psychologist Paula Maguire  - this is the fifth novel in Claire McGowan's acclaimed series. How do I keep missing all these crime series? How do they keep passing me by? It is not good for my reputation as a bibliomaniac to realise I am four books late to the party! And it is just getting embarrassing to have to keep admitting that I am discovering these great writers for the first time! 

Did it matter that I'm joining Paula at book 4?

No. McGowan briefs you with any information you may need and her writing style is so easy and engaging I was absorbed in to the story very quickly and with real ease. I guess the beauty of any long running series is that readers will pick them up at any point and will discover them in the wrong order so there must always be provision for this. But not all authors are able to welcome you so deftly to the party and make sure you're not constantly feeling as if you've missed one piece of the jigsaw. 

What did I think of Paula?

As with all multi layered, compelling crime thrillers, it's essential to have a troubled protagonist whose personal life somehow affects the current situation they are dealing with and McGowan manages this effortlessly. I was really intrigued by Paula's back story and the dual plot line about the disappearance of her mother. I haven't read any of McGowan's other books but here she has tackled an emotive and complex theme which I haven't read about in a contemporary novel for a while. At first it seemed very ambitious - a story about disappearances, the IRA and Ireland's troubled history- but again, I was in safe hands. It felt fresh and engaging.  

And the other characters?

All as convincing, intriguing, three dimensional and authentic as you could hope for! 

Where is the book set and what's with the lighthouse?

Ah, well, I can't give too much away obviously, but any readers of my blog will know my love for SK Tremayne, Du Maurier and all things gothic. You can't beat an island for a chilling story and Bone Island ticked all the boxes and lit all the stars for me!! Set off the wild coast of West Ireland, McGowan shows great skill in conjuring up the setting of a remote island and the characters who decided to move there. Hugely well evoked and very atmospheric! 

So, you'd recommend?

Yes I would. There are lots of voices, short chapters, dual story lines and police procedural to keep track of but what I enjoyed most is that it was a really easy book to pick up and get stuck into. I enjoyed the style and I enjoyed the structure. This is an accessible, readable crime thriller. 

Will I read the four books I've somehow missed?

Yes! Although I can't promise when.......! But I would highly recommend them to any and all crime fiction fans, even with only having read one- I can tell they have huge appeal and will make a great series to become addicted to! 

If you like.......

Reviews of Blood Tide come from Peter James, Lee Child and SJ Bolton. If you like their books, you will love this as much as they do! I'd recommend it to anyone who enjoys crime series. 

Blood Tide publishes on the 23rd March 2017 with Headline Books. 

Claire McGowan 

Claire McGowan grew up in a small village in Northern Ireland. After a degree in English and French from Oxford University she moved to London and worked in the charity sector. THE FALL is her first novel, which is followed by a series starring forensic psychologist Paula Maguire. She also writes as Eva Woods.

@inkstainsclaire

http://www.ink-stains.co.uk

For more recommendations and reviews you can follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk) 

Summer Scorchers

Bibliomaniac Presents:

SUMMER SCORCHERS 

What are the hottest books this summer?

Come along and find your perfect holiday read with the help of authors Jane Lythell, 

TA Cotterill, Helen Cox, Sue Moorcroft & Eva Jordan

Wednesday June 14th 

Harpenden Arms

8-10pm 

£10 (+VAT) 

Book your ticket at:

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/summer-scorchers-tickets-32980992035

  

Ticket price includes one free drink and entry to a raffle to win signed copies of the authors' books. 

For more information check out bibliomaniacuk.blogspot.com or follow @katherinesunde3 (bibliomaniacuk) on Twitter. 

The Escape by C L Taylor

Rarely do I finish the last page of a book and start to write my review straight away but today I am because today I know exactly what I want to say about this book.

It's fantastic.

So there you have it, that's my review. That's all you need to know.

Oh, a bit more? Ok, I'll say a bit more....... but be warned......I'm an all or nothing kind of gal, so be prepared.....and remember you did ask......

This is definitely CL Taylor's best book so far.

I was completely hooked from the first page - no that's a lie, I was completely hooked from the moment I saw the front cover on Instagram. The cover for The Escape has few graphics, colour and images on it yet says so much - it's very eerie. Taylor's brand is developing exceptionally well that now her front covers are immediately recognisable. They are all intriguing and hold the promise of a high quality psychological thriller - a promise that is always delivered.

The Escape has been described as nail shredding rather than nail biting and I would have to agree. This is not for the those of a nervous disposition. Just as Elizabeth Haynes ("Into the Darkness"), Alice Feeney ("Sometimes I Lie") and Mary Torjussen ("Gone Without A Trace") were all able to do in their novels, Taylor manages to immerse you so deeply into the mindset of the main character, Jo, that I'm in half a mind to visit the doctor today seeking something to calm my nerves. Copious cups of tea are not quite doing it for me yet!

The opening is immediately engrossing with a hook that you cannot feel anything but caught by.

"Someone is walking directly behind me, matching me pace for pace. Her perfume catches in the back of my throat: a strong, heady mix of musk and something floral." 

Jo is already late to pick up Elise from nursery and already stressed, sweaty, on edge. The footsteps behind her are gaining and her car seems further and further away. The level of detail was so effectively placed and so compelling in the opening pages that I was right there with Jo, fumbling through my pockets for the car keys and jumping out of my skin when a hand clamped down on Jo's shoulder. And then Jo lets this person in her car? No, don't you'll regret it I screamed (in that internal voice which seems to keep making itself external and causing me more and more strange looks wherever I am reading) and yes, she does regret it- boy, does she regret it.

The opening section of Taylor's novel is a perfect example of how to write a killer thriller. The first third of this book flaunts the perfect employment of every device necessary for a psychological thriller. Every word, phrase, action and line of dialogue has been so considered and skilfully written that this book is utterly gripping.

Jo, the main character, is a mess. She has a complicated relationship with her husband Max. She is dangerously obsessive about how she parents her daughter and she has issues. Taylor's writing conveys Jo's insecurities, jitters, fears and anxieties with conviction and with impressive authenticity. Jo's character creates tension, suspense and a nervous pace to the novel which chases us right until the last page. But it is never overwhelming and my empathy never wavered. At times I questioned her reliability but isn't that part of the thrill of this kind of novel?!

Taylor also writes from Max's point of view which she does with equal conviction. This helps to construct another layer to the plot; a plot which rapidly becomes more and more complicated as more and more is revealed about Jo, Jo and Max, Elise, Jo's parents and Jo's mother. Amazing. I was a little worried that I couldn't quite take any more tension when Taylor introduced further twists and revelations about the couple's life but fear not, this is an experienced author who can build a web of story lines and lead you through it expertly. It's hugely satisfying to watch the plot play out and see all the links, relationships and different threads come together so faultlessly. Hold on tight to Taylor's hand and she will ensure you come through the roller coaster of one highly dramatic and climatic denouement unscarred - well relatively anyway!

And look out for those extra chapters in italics. Yes, indeed, an anonymous voice. My favourite device for chilling me to the bone and confusing me even further. Who do I believe? Who is telling me the truth? What is going on? It's just fabulous.

This book has been meticulously researched. There are several illnesses, legal procedures, police procedures and situations that need to be completely realistic to ensure the reader completely buys in to the decisions and actions of the characters. I am impressed with Taylor's ability to convey and integrate this information with such a deft and subtle touch. She doesn't drop the ball once.

This is a one sitting read. I defy you to be able to put it down. Yes, I did like it. A lot. Yes, you should read it. Yes, I absolutely do recommend it. Now.

Oh, yes..... one more thing.....I may have developed an #authorcrush alongside my #covercrush as once more I begin to stalk an author and track down every podcast ( worriedwriter4 since you ask) or You Tube video they've appeared in. Ask Holly Seddon and Gillian McAllister, they're are very polite about my constant #authorlove / social media stalking..... But I do want to recommend Taylor's video on the top tips for writing a gripping novel ( BBC RADIO BRISTOL: (Video) Five tips for writing a gripping novel). She sure knows her stuff. The Escape is an example of these top tips in action and what a brilliant thriller should look like.

I think you get the message now. Just in case, I'll end by saying: buy it, read it, love it!

The Escape by CL Taylor publishes on 23rd March 2017 by Avon Books. You can find out more at cltaylorauthor.com
@callytaylor
@AvonBooksUK

If you like the sound of this book you might also want to try Gillian McAllister's Everything But the Truth, Gone Without A Trace by Mary Torjussen, Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes and In Too Deep by Sam Hayes. And The Lie, The Accident and The Missing by CL Taylor, obvs.

For more recommendations and review follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3

#BibliomaniacsBookEvent #DazzlingDebuts The story so far......

So tonight, Bibliomaniac Presents "Dazzling Debuts" - four authors and four books. 

Chris Whitaker, Alex Caan, Graham Minett and Simon Booker are all coming along to chat about their debut novels and the journey to becoming a published author. All four writers are published with Twenty 7 which is an imprint of Bonnier Zaffre. 

Further information about their books and previous interviews that I did with them when their debuts first published can be found by clicking on the link below: 

Dazzling Debuts

In preparation for this evening, Chris and Alex have written guest posts for my blog which can be found here:

Guestpost Chris Whitaker

Guestpost Alex Caan

Graham has been involved in a blog tour for his second novel "Lie In Wait" which was published on the 9th March 2017 so here is the q&a he took part in for me as part of the blog tour:

Blogtour Lie In Wait Q&A

Reviews for their books can be found on the following links:

Bibliomaniac's review of Tall Oaks
Bibliomaniac Review Lie In Wait
Bibliomaniac's Review of Cut to the Bone
Bibliomaniac's review of The Hidden Legacy
Bibliomaniac's review of Without Trace

So look out tomorrow for some photos of the evening and to hear more about the event - and look out too for information about the next two events coming up on the Bibliomaniac's Presents calendar! 

Thanks so much to Chris, Alex, Simon and Graham for all their support and guest posts! Can't wait to talk more tonight! 

For more recommendations and reviews please follow me on Twitter @katherinesunde3 or email me on bibliomaniac2016@gmail.com