Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Enora is getting into trouble again!!

This is the 2nd book in the series that I have read. I missed out on 1 and 2 but have now read 3 and 4. Although I enjoyed the last book, I found it challenging to pick up on what had happened in the past.

I enjoyed this book far more as I now have learnt a bit about Enora’s chequered past and could appreciate how she manages to find trouble. We start as she is trying to take her long-time love, Pavel’s ashes, to Prague, a place he loved. She is turned back at the airport and decides to visit her best friend, Evelyn, who is now settled in Budleigh Salterton’s town in Devon. The previous book was set in Exmouth. A part of the country obviously loved by the author. Part of this book’s charm is the descriptions of many of the characters living in the area. It is almost as if they are a law unto themselves, which becomes apparent as the book unfolds.

Evelyn’s next-door neighbours are Andy McFaul and Christianne Beavearne, who have been together for 20 years working in Angola, where Andy dealt with landmines and Portugal. They are now settling down in Devon, and Enora feels an instant connection with Christianne mainly because of their shared French heritage. They have a few days together, including a walk where Christianne shows Enora her favourite place. When Enora must return to London, she says goodbye only to be told by Andy that Christianne is sleeping. Enora leaves an invitation with Andy for Christianne to visit her in London and departs.

She is horrified to then discover that Christianne is suffering from Motor Neurone Disease and has disappeared. The common consensus is that she has taken her own life before her illness completely overwhelms her. Unfortunately for Enora, Christianne has left her a note, which makes the local police convinced that she was involved in assisted euthanasia. To complicate matters further, Andy has fled, breaking his bail conditions, and it is discovered by the police that Enora has given him a mobile phone.

The story twists and turns and seems to involve so many local people who all adored Christianne. It makes you think about the concept of euthanasia in particular concerning someone suffering from this most horrific of diseases with only a horrendous death to look forward to.

The ending was satisfactory for me but may not be for everyone, but it certainly makes you think about ethics and what I would do if put into this situation either for myself or my loved ones. I really enjoyed this book and look forward to meeting Enora again, hopefully.

Dexter
Elite Reviewing Group received a copy of the book to review

Reading Limelight has been a breath of fresh air. A busy schedule has meant that I haven’t been reading as much lately – I’d even go so far as to say I had lost motivation. However, picking up Limelight has reminded me just why I love curling up with a good book. It’s a gem of a mystery novel that has been so easy to read because it has a lot of elements I love – a unique plotline, investment into character and world-building, and above all, an easy to read writing style that I couldn’t put down. In addition to all these, the book, particularly the setting, has a sense of familiarity to me.
I grew up in a seaside town much like Budleigh Salterton. Even now I live only a few minutes drive away, but the thing I really relate to in this novel is the sense of community that comes with small places such as this one. The concept of knowing everyone in town, even if just by sight, might seem strange to anyone living in large cities. Living in a place such as this myself though, I can say that the author has portrayed the town and the relationships of the characters within, perfectly.
Up until Christianne’s disappearance, Budleigh Salterton has the quiet, relaxed feel that I know and love. On the island here we have a phrase for it, ‘Traa dy Liooar’, meaning ‘time enough’. Equally, in places like this, any bit of news is a scandal. Christianne’s disappearance and the events that follow will inevitably dominate the headlines...
What also fits with this is the pace of the novel and the amount of characterisation shared with the reader. I enjoy novels with a lot of depth and time taken in bringing the main characters and the setting to life. Limelight in this regard is also right up my street! This also works well to draw the reader into the community. We really get to know each of the characters in their own right, as well as how they interact with each other.
Limelight is a mystery novel with a unique premise. Never before have I come across a mystery with a theme of euthanasia in it. It makes Limelight a unique novel within its genre and I’ve enjoyed reading the arguments and ethics around the debate that come up in the book. Despite the content matter, Limelight isn’t a heavy read at all. I have read this book over the course of a weekend and enjoyed every moment of it! I hadn’t realised it was part of a series when I signed up for the blog tour. Based on how much I enjoyed reading this book, I’m absolutely inclined to go back to the beginning and read the rest of the books!

This is the fourth book in the Enora Andressen series. It can easily be read as a standalone though.

When a friend of Enora disappears she endeavours to find out what has happened to the lady.

What she discovers throws her into the middle of a murder investigation. The book concentrates on several themes, euthanasia being one of them.

The book is extremely well written and I really enjoyed the character of Enora. I look forward to reading the others in the series.

An excellent mystery. multilayered and entertaining.
I love this series and I loved this installment.
It's a bit slow at the beginning but the mystery is solid and full of twists and turns.
Excellent character and plot development.
I liked how the author deals with sensitive topics like euthanasia
It's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

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Budleigh Salterton is a quiet and sophisticated town on the edge of the Jurassic Coastline, in East Devon. I visited once and remember the large-pebbled beach and tearooms. Fond memories. So that's the reason I plumped for this novel by a writer I have not read before.

In Limelight, a spur of the moment visit to this little town sees the budding friendship between two French women. The first quarter of the story show the development of this relationship along with their closest friends and neighbours (not forgetting their snake-hipped sons). It's quite slow here but the tranquillity of this lovely place sets the scene for the tragedy that unfolds. The new friend disappears, the assumption being that she is lost in the sea, as she is a eager daily swimmer. A missing person means the police become involved and intense questioning follows. The missing woman is extremely popular and the locals are not keen about telling the police anything that may be perceived as negative. The interviews at the police station at the end of the book are captivating.

A gentle, refined and well-written mystery, this book looks at the choices we have for the end of life, whether that is to spend it 'at the end of the line' in Budleigh Salterton, or in the sea. It also looks at friendship and whether it's defined by time, intimacy, disclosure. or keeping promises.

If you get the chance to visit Budleigh Salterton, I recommend a visit. They also hold a rather splendid literary festival, too. Limelight is a great read, which I recommend as well, and is part of a series.

EXCERPT: A news summary takes us to the coast of East Devon where, it seems, something rather bizarre has happened. The studio presenter throws to a reporter airborne in a helicopter. He bellows something I can't quite understand and then the camera pans to reveal a vast scar in the cliff face. This stretch of coast, the reporter tells us, is notorious for cliff falls and this one has happened overnight, thousands of tons of rock and soil deposited on the beach. I'm staring at the screen, at the shape of the cliffs. The colour is the giveaway, a rich ochre, pinking the waves that curl onto the beach. Budleigh Salterton, I think. Just where the coastal path runs beside the golf course.

But the cameraman hasn't finished. He's tightening the shot, until all I can see is a close-up of the rubble at the foot of the cliff. At first, I can't make sense of the object in the very middle of the picture. It's oblong, probably man-made. It looks like a long box, and as the cameraman tweaks the focus, I'm guessing it once had a lid. Then, as the shot tightens even further, I feel the blood in my veins begin to ice. It's not a box at all, it's a coffin. And the shrouded object inside, a grubby white, is a body.

ABOUT 'LIMELIGHT': Actress Enora Andressen is catching up with her ex-neighbour, Evelyn Warlock, who's recently retired to the comely East Devon seaside town of Budleigh Salterton. The peace, the friendship of strangers and the town's prestigious literary festival . . . Evelyn loves them all.

Until the September evening when her French neighbour, Christianne Beaucarne, disappears. Enora has met this woman. The two of them have bonded. But what Enora discovers over the anguished months to come will put sleepy Budleigh Salterton on the front page of every newspaper in the land . . .

MY THOUGHTS: I liked but didn't love this mystery with its strong characters and which addresses the topic of assisted death, or euthanasia. Please note: this is not a thriller. And anyone going into this book expecting a thriller will be disappointed.

Limelight is a slow burn, sort of mystery. It is one of those books that really doesn't fit into any particular category. It is topical, but I never became fully invested. It is a story that is told, rather than experienced, and I found some of the devices used in order to make this work a bit of a stretch to believe.

I liked the way both sides of the argument on assisted dying are aired, and also that we are provided with comprehensive information on MND.

This is #4 in a series and, while I haven't read any of the previous books, I don't think that this impacted on my enjoyment. Limelight is easily read as a standalone and, although some incidents in previous books are referred to, they don't impact on this story, and previous relationships are explained.

⭐⭐⭐.1

#Limelight #NetGalley

'Life is a loan.....it comes with strings attached, duties, obligations, responsibilities. One of them is not to waste it.'

THE AUTHOR: Graham Hurley was born November, 1946 in Clacton-on-Sea, Essex. His seaside childhood was punctuated by football, swimming, afternoons on the dodgems, run-ins with the police, multiple raids on the local library - plus near-total immersion in English post-war movies.

He is married to the delectable Lin, has three grown-up sons (Tom, Jack and Woody), plus a corking grandson Dylan.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Severn House via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Limelight by Graham Hurley for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage

This is not your usual police procedural, nor is it a crime book as such, however there is a mystery in it. I found the first half of the book slow and heavy going, not what I would normally read, but I persevered with it eventually enjoying it more as the story progressed. The storyline covers some sensitive topics; MS and euthanasia, which isn’t for everyone, but they were written about in a very clear and non-distressing manner. The cast of characters are very well described so you get a good picture of their personalities and lives, linked with an intriguing plot makes the reader suspect a few of the characters of wrongdoing.

Enora Andessen is half French, an actress living in London. Her lover Pavel has died. He was blind and paralysed for the last part of his life. His last wish is for his ashes to be scattered in the last place he saw before his sight went - Prague. We then have a very amusing episode with Enora refused boarding a flight from Gatwick with Pavel's ashes.
Back home with the ashes, she gets an invitation from an old friend - Evelyn Warlock who has moved to Budleigh Salterton in Devon. Enora spends a wonderful weekend with Evelyn and meets her next door neighbours. The taciturn Andy and the delightful Christiane, who is French. Enora and Christiane get on very well. Enora returns to London, her son Malo is staying with her.
However Enora's life is about to be turned upside down. Evelyn phones her to tell her that Christiane has gone missing. Enora returns to Devon to find that she, Andy and some friends are accused of murdering Christiane! The local detective inspector, who is about to retire, wants to go out with a significant arrest, and a well known actress fits that part!
This is one of those books which keeps you reading, not wanting to put it down. You enjoy Enora's company. This is the author's fourth book in this series. He has a police series "Faraday & Winter" as well as two other series. I've now downloaded the first book in both Enora and Faraday series to catch up. Very well recommended, an excellent read. I look forward to the next one.

I am afraid that I found the subject content of Motor Neurone Disease too hard to read about. Such a distressing disease that to read about it for relaxation was impossible.
I enjoyed the parts that Idid read, but could not finish it.

This is book 4 in this series and, as for all series, I do recommend you start from the beginning and read in order. Sometime this is not wholly necessary as main stories are usually self-contained, but in this case, the characters are a bit complex and also there's quite a backstory that, although filled in here, is really best read about in its entirety in previous books.
OK so... Enora is visiting ex-neighbour Evelyn down in Budleigh Salterton (lovely place btw). There she meets Evelyn's closest neighbours and hits it off with the wife, Christianne. They go on a long walk together chewing the fat, connected by them both being of French origin. Next day, Enora is due to depart so she tries to say goodbye only to be told by her husband that she is poorly and asleep. A few days later and her husband has reported her missing, presumed dead and, as the police start to investigate, a whole bunch of secrets and lies start to pour out, sending the finger of suspicion of foul play spinning round many of the other neighbours and also Enora too.
I have been a fan of this author for many years - specifically his Faraday and Winter series which is set in the area where I live. That sadly came to an end at around the time he also moved away from Portsmouth. It spurned a spin off starring Jimmy Suttle but I never really gelled with that so I am delighted to have found this series which I absolutely love. Mostly for its larger than life characters - Enora being one! We start when she is trying to take Pavel's ashes to Prague and gets stopped at customs - kinda comedy gold in a really sad sort of a way but it sets the book up nicely. We also have her son Malo and his shenanigans - thankfully for Enora he is a bit better behaved in this book. There is mention of his father H but sadly only in passing.
Anyhow... The mystery in this book - what happened to Christianne was interesting and intriguing and, at the end of the day, extremely well plotted. There were clues along the way, some of which I totally missed, others I invented myself and which came to nothing! Secrets, Lies, Duplicitous Behaviour, Red Herrings, all the stuff you need for this genre book and all delivered in the author's own inimitable way. Through Enora, as the book is told by her in the first person.
Pacing is good. We start off a little slower as the layers are built up, but there is little to no superfluous waffle - description sets scenes rather than being distracting. The action ramps up towards the end, culminating in a conclusion that wholly satisfied.
All in all, a good solid addition to what is now a well established series. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Graham Hurley can generally be relied upon for a great police procedural, particularly if - like me - you know the Exmouth and South Devon well. Hurley is a fine writer with real skill at drawing the reader in. However, this particular book - the fourth in the Enora Andressen series - fails in that respect. This is partly my fault, I have jumped into the series at book four with no background knowledge, and I have a real problem with books written in the present tense, as this is, Also, I was expecting a police procedural, which I didn't get. However, I don't think it's entirely me. The protagonist is not a particularly empathetic character and although the characters are well drawn, I didn't find any of them particularly likeable. I will continue to read Graham Hurley but will stay away from this particular series.

Graham Hurley is a great writer. I've been reading his books for over a quarter of a century. His Pompey crime thrillers are now surely classics of the genre. Now, he's moved on to other themes and writes with just as much confidence and mastery.
Enora Andersson is a powerful narrative voice guiding one through a story that couldn't be more timely. It's engaging and endearing and has a beautiful cast of well-written characters.
This year we need no reminders that the Domesday Clock is ticking but this novel reminds us to celebrate our longevity.

Revelations In Seemingly Somnolent Devon Town......
The fourth in the Enora Andressen series of thrillers. Revelations in a seemingly somnolent Devon town give cause for concern. A compelling suspense with excellent character development, taut plotting and a solid cast. Sensitive issues are covered well and in empathetic manner. Although this can be read a standalone, reading from the beginning of the series would be beneficial in terms of character timelines.

I was drawn to this book by the cover image, which depicts a rugged and isolated coastline. I was further intrigued by the blurb, which describes it as a ‘completely gripping and fascinating thriller.’

Of course, lots of blurbs will claim such things of a book, but I really feel this is true of Limelight. It is book 4 in a series, but it was easily enjoyed as a standalone book.

It covers many controversial and interesting topics, such as that of a missing person, euthanasia and politics. Graham develops the main characters well and it is clear that he is a sophisticated story teller.

This was an enjoyable read which really got me thinking. Also, I am tempted to go back and read the first three books in the series.

An absorbing crime novel, dealing sensitively with the topic of euthanasia. The characters are well drawn and engaging, and the setting is appealing. Recommended.

Limelight by Graham Hurley is the fourth book in the Enora Andressen series. I must be truthful and say I never realised this when I accepted the blog tour. I needn't have worried, after the blurb enticing me in, I was prepared to throw myself in head first! The book works well as a standalone, which I was happy with.
Actress Enora loves her home town, the people, the peace and the literary festival that happens as well.She enjoys chatting to her neighbours and making friends with them all.Then one of them disappears, Christianne Beaucarne, a French lady who is one of Enora's friends as well as neighbour. She decides she is going to find Christianne and nothing will stop her, maybe Enora, isn't prepared for what will happen as she investigates this missing friend.
A book that you think is a straight forward mystery story, until you realise it is beginning to become more complicated by the chapter.Before you know it you are on the edge of your seat, reading an intriguing mystery that is becoming more of a conspiracy with the twists and turns in the story.
I enjoyed the characters and feel this is a very character driven plot and they all play their own parts in making this as suspenseful as I found it. I have definitely been missing out on an excellent mystery/suspense series and that, I feel, needs rectifying!
Thanks to Rachel's Random Resources and Graham Hurley for my copy of the book today for this review.

This just wasn’t for me. It’s a decent friendship story with a character, Enora who is stopped at customs whilst transporting her dead partner’s ashes and so goes to stay with a friend whose neighbour subsequently disappears. It’s a book in a series that I’ve not followed and this may go some way to explain why I just couldn’t get into the book.
It’s got some interesting elements, not least a philosophical view on euthanasia and it’s well written. Unfortunately, it just didn’t capture me sufficiently and I found it a bit difficult to finish.

Overall though, it’s a 3* good read and thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have not read anything from this author for a while, shame on me. Fast paced, great characters and more importantly a great storyline. I loved it.