I thoroughly enjoyed this book, Ruby is a great protagonist. The most jarring part of it was honestly for me the easy and casual racism of the time which in a time of BLM and more awareness of racial injustice is hard to read. The story wasweld written, the detective was definitely ahead of his time in his attitudes towards black people and his relationship with Ruby is encouraging if nothing else.

A decent little whodunit with much to enjoy. I particularly liked the sense of time and place, 1959 Santa Monica came alive, the oppressive heat of summer and the oppressive feeling of living in an age when the middle class white male was all powerful, with the women trapped in their domestic roles, their homes feeling like beautiful cages. The plight of black folks, completely powerless, trying to eke out a life while subservient to whites makes for suitably uncomfortable reading, all these things were very well portrayed. On the down side, some of the characters were a bit flat, particularly the detective, and some of their actions were somewhat random and didn't ring true, just used as a convenient way to move the plot forward. I also feel the ending dragged on too long and felt almost farcical, though ultimately satisfying. 3 stars and I would definitely read more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the ARC.

A murder mystery and a psychological thriller. Joyce seems to have it all. However her life is not what it seems. The characters are all battling their own demons but the story kept me gripped to the end.

What a place - 1959 Sunnylakes California sounds lovely right? But all gets dark when housewife Joyce Haney is found by the help Ruby Wright, who is black, the police look into Joyce's disappearance and of course, Ruby is a key character whose life is examined more closely than most as she is black and a suspect.

What I enjoyed in particular was the fact that Joyce was a slightly unreliable narrator as you find out what happened when she disappeared.

Vesper captures 1959 California very well - very Stepford Wives and 'The Help' as it reveals and looks into the social and racial divides of the time.

Love that cover!

This a was a lovely story and easy going to read which was set in the 1950s. On a hot summers day, a housewife goes missing and Detective Blanke and Ruby the maid are determined to solve the mystery. The book kept me guessing to the end and I felt the racist divide was well portrayed. The characters were well defined.

This debut novel is set in 1959 Sunnylakes California, starting with the disappearance of housewife Joyce Haney who is found by the help Ruby Wright, a young black woman. The plot centres around Joyce's disappearance and Mick, the detective trying to solve the case.

I enjoyed reading this book and Vesper definitely kept me guessing and suspecting many of the characters. Vesper writes chapters from multiple characters points of view, including the detective, Ruby and Joyce giving more of an insight into each of their lives. I would say I found Joyce a slightly unreliable narrator which added to the mystery around her disappearance. I liked the ending and raced through the last part of the book however, I did find some parts slightly rushed.

Vesper captures 1959 California very well and I felt transported into this time period almost immediately. Vesper incorporates the injustice and contrasts between the white middle class and the struggles of black people which is both prominent and important to the plot.

This is a good crime thriller that is pretty easy to follow and I would recommend people to give this book a read. A huge thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Books UK for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest, unedited review.

Wow!!! Utterly captivating and just brilliantly sharp. I loved all the characters for how complex they are written. It’s filled with that particular 1950s world view of misogynistic views and that awakening of racial disturbances that threatened the peace of some American “ideal small town views”. I loved Ruby, a snippy and gutsy girl trying to make her own way and to make her mark in the world. I also had sympathy for both Joyce (the victim?) and other characters you come across. Mrs Crane is just fabulous. This is one to watch out for next year.. an absolute cracker. I am so buying this book loved it.

A wonderful page turner. I couldn’t put this book down. I had so many questions I needed answering I just had to keep reading. Realistic, yet mind blowing, I didn’t guess how this story would pan out.

Its the summer of 1959. A hot afternoon when Ruby turns up at her cleaning job to find two distraught children and a kitchen full of blood. Where is their mother, Joyce Haney. What has happened to her. The police arrest Ruby just because she is black. But the detective in charge isn't convinced and soon they are working together.
But how does that affect Ruby and her family and will they find out what happened to Joyce.

This book was a real treat. The atmosphere and period were set beautifully, and I was transported to the 50’s America of the old Hollywood movies. Although the suspect was a little obvious from about halfway through, the storytelling stole the show. The protagonist, Ruby, was a feisty young woman of her time, desperate to better herself and not be the dogsbody of the rich, white folk. The police were obnoxious if a little stereotypical of the era, and the Mick Blanke character was described perfectly; a good cop, but weak around women. A real page turner, a great read. Thank you NetGalley for the arc

Sublime!
A triumph!
I adored this novel from the very first page. The setting screamed from the pages and I could see, smell and taste all the nostalgia. It had me hooked from the get go and I loved rooting for Ruby and Detective Blanke. It was the perfect ode to the time, with everything you could wish for from a domestic, atmospheric mystery. Secrets, lies and dirty charm await. Highly recommended.

I found the crime was quite easy to solve from about half way through the book but I really enjoyed the immersion into 1950s housewives, segregation and the way life was lived. I thought Ruby was a fantastic character and really brought the novel to life. I didn’t much like her partner but I could ignore him!!!

A great novel a not what I normally read but I really enjoyed it

So good she named it twice, I found it difficult to remember this was a debut novel it was so accomplished. Set in a hot, steamy America in the late 50’s, the period was brilliantly depicted — suburbia with all its secrets and overt racism. The characters tears are well drawn in their hopes, fears and everyday lives, particularly Ruby the ‘hired help’. Ruby is colored, intelligent and wants to better herself. There are echoes of ‘The Help’ but this is also an excellent mystery with plenty of twists and turns. There is a fallible detective, aided by Ruby towards the unexpected conclusion. I shall definitely be recommending this and I hope it has the success it deserves. Thanks to Bonnier Books and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

The Long, Long Afternoon is set in 1950's American suburbia, where the wives are compliant, the husbands work hard, and the help are tolerated.
The afternoon in question is the afternoon in Sunnylakes when Joyce Haney, housewife, wife, mother, goes missing leaving nothing but a pool of blood on the kitchen floor. Though, as it happens, she leaves rather a lot more, a trail of clues that are followed by a disgraced detective, who needs to prove his mettle and Ruby, the Haney's help.
I am not aficionado of crime or mystery novels, but I found this one compelling and raced through, keen to unravel the masterful plotting and find the truth behind Joyce's disappearance.
Having the story told from three perspectives really helped to build a 3-D world of 1950's America and made this more than a crime/mystery novel but a social commentary that reflects on issues still relevant now, and really echoed Black Lives Matter issues as well as themes central to feminist debate.
I so enjoyed it and will be recommending people pre-order.

This book moved me in.a way I wasn't expecting. It had so much: a mystery; romance; apartheid; segregation; detective; hope. I was utterly enthralled.in the Long Long.afternoon and would recommend it highly.

The power of this novel comes within the exploration of a woman’s place in a world where attitudes are still informed by racism and sexism- and whilst weaving a compelling and intriguing mystery also shows us how far we have come and how far we still have to go. The reality of the time is presented with razor-sharp precision giving the whole story a thought-provoking undertone that stays with you long after you turn the final page.

The 1950s is very trendy at the moment and the author does a good job at evoking the vivid primary colours and prejudices of the time through her crime drama about the disappearance of a Santa Monica housewife. For me, that was the aspect of the novel I most enjoyed as the outcome was predictable and the characters unconvincing and one-dimensional. I thought I'd really like this novel as it was recommended for fans of 'Gone Girl' and 'Desperate Housewives'. However, I found it lacking in surprise and atmosphere and could not really get into the story. Thank you to NetGalley and Bonnier Books UK for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, especially the characters of Ruby And Detective Blanke. I read it in every spare moment and felt the sticky heat, the 50’s atmosphere, the divide between the rich and the poor and the overt racialism which was just taken for granted.
It was a great whodunnit - or didn’t, and kept my interest all the time as more and more ‘secrets’ were revealed, but I was disappointed with the overblown ending and the keystone cops behaviour of the police. The book loses a star from me for this but it doesn’t take away from the rest of the book which is a great read.

Set in 1950s California, this is a mystery/whodunnit. The opening of the book sets the scene and gets you interested from the off. I found the book a really easy read and read it in 3 binges. What I wasn’t expecting were the other topics the book dealt with such as segregation, racism and elitism, but so topical especially after 2020. I found the ending a little long, but it did tie up all the questions you had!

Overall, I enjoyed this book, I would recommend it.

Absolutely loved the long ,long afternoon .A woman goes missing her help Ruby calls the police and gets arrested !! What follows is just incredible ,everybody will fall in love with Ruby .