This is more than a very good thriller! This is a thriller with a story, a story about home and how to make it work with a child whose both parents work as journalists! What makes home and where is home? Along a complex and enthralling plot, the writer shows us beautiful pictures of Shropshire which should become home for Dylan ( that was his childhood home) and his American wife, Rose whom he met in Africa.  The characters feel real and not cliché! I have enjoyed it very much and look forward to reading more by Jo Furniss!
Thank you NetGalley and Jo for letting me read this book!

When I saw this book and recognized this author's name, I looked back to see which book of hers I had previously read, and then it hit me.  It was 'the simile author.'  There are more similes PER PAGE than an entire creative writing student's essay.  See what I did there?  I cannot express enough how frustrating it is to constantly be taken out of a story because of the overly flowery language. I had to highlight this one as a good example of what I mean: 

"...two spaniels appeared, white apparitions that squirmed around his legs like fish fertilizing his shoes."  

I just...can't.  Anyway, if that appeals to you, by all means, read this book, as you will be in heaven.

Now that that is out of the way, the actual plot is intriguing.  Rose is an American journalist who moves with her husband, Dylan, and their son, Aled, back to his hometown in England.  His mother still lives in his childhood home, an old mansion on what's known as Grim's Holm, a large flattened piece of land built on the plateau of a man made hill created centuries ago.  The location is known locally as a haunted, even cursed land which David's mother Gwendolyn has a hard time maintaining due to her developing dementia.  Rose does her best to get accustomed to this new home and lifestyle, but it's certainly not easy.  

Almost immediately, she witnesses the hostility of the townspeople toward her husband's family, even their name, Kynaston, draws whispers and glares.  She finally gets the whole story out of David - how his father privately coached skilled young soccer players until one tragically died.  Because of what was found in the boy's journal, everyone blamed his father, but since he also died shortly after, it was never proven.  Rose becomes determined to find out what really happened so she can clear her husband's family of suspicion once and for all.  But will she find the answers she's looking for or will the truth reveal something darker than anyone expected?

There are some surprises and a satisfying ending, but it sure took awhile to reach it.  Trim the story down, get rid of the excessive similes and it would provide a more pleasant reading experience.

This book was, overall, a good read. I felt like the plot could have been more developed. It took me a bit to get into the book. So much potential to be a thriller and keep you on the edge of your seat, however, it didn’t. It was good enough for me to keep reading and finish, but still I feel like it was lacking something.

It’s a culture shock when American Rose Kynaston moves to her husband’s home in a small English village. Her husband’s ancestral home, Hurtwood is in a state of disrepair and his mother is far from friendly and welcoming. The locals are not fond of Hurtwood or its inhabitants, particularly Rose’s husband Dylan and when an archaeological dig turns up recent remains, it looks as though Rose may not know her husband at all

A good read, chapters alternate from the first person perspective of an American journalist who has relocated to a small town in England along with her husband and son and is wrapped up in old family lies and mysteries, to the third person perspective of a police officer in the town that is investigating the mysteries. There are many intertwined plot lines, some could have used more development, and the ending seemed a bit rushed, but a good story overall.

This story is told from the perspective of two women.

One woman is a Police Officer in a small town within England. Will she be able to solve the one big case that seemingly went cold before she's forced into retirement?

The other woman is the American wife of a man with a deep history in the town. Is her husband everything that she thought, or will this new and strange town bring secrets out that she can't forgive?

There are multiple plot-lines throughout the book that don't seem to fit together at first. You're told some of the same story twice from each woman's perspective and research, leaving the reader to put the pieces together. To me it was amazing that the author was able to keep track of everything they put together and not get story lines mixed up. Almost every tiny detail comes back to complete the puzzle. There is a little bit of everything in this book to satisfy any thriller/mystery reader. Paranormal, police investigation, lies, violence, unreliable characters, potential affairs and alternating perspectives and timelines.



The only reason I decided to knock a star off was because the twists weren't as grand as they could be. The story line and characters kept me reading and needing to know what happened next. There was one plot-line that didn't get completely resolved for me, but I don't want to spoil anything. I'll keep my eye out for future reviews in case I just missed something!