I was emailed some marketing material about this book and once I read the blurb I knew it was something I’d enjoy. Thank you to @bonnierbooks_uk and @wekesperos for this advanced copy of The Long, Long Afternoon in return for an honest review. The Long, Long Afternoon is due to be published on 4th February 2021 and you can get a copy here.

Description 🔖

California during the summer of 1959 is stiflingly hot and in the small suburb of Sunnylakes, the community is about to feel the heat even more.

Joyce Haney appears to be a happy housewife with two beautiful daughters and a pristine home. During one long, long afternoon, Joyce vanishes from her perfect home with only her children and a blood stained kitchen left behind. Detective Mick Blanke needs to piece together this mystery and figure out how this long, long afternoon came to an end.

General Thoughts 🤔

Firstly, there was so much more to this book than what the description gives away. Yes, it was a mystery thriller and there was a case that needed to be solved but it wasn’t just that. It covers the struggles of black people, the struggles of women and how those struggles were normalised during that time.

I loved reading about the facade of the “American Dream”. The perfect houses with the picket fences that are spotless (thanks to the help) hide dark secrets that everyone knows about, yet nobody talks about. Nearly all of the women in the neighbourhood were medicated just to get them through the day. It made me so sad to read of a time when a woman’s worth was based on her home making skills and how many children she could provide for her husband. It made me grateful to be reminded that I am able to live my life as I wish, without being suppressed and controlled by a man.

I can’t write this review without talking about race. What I found to be frightening was how little difference there was between treatment of black people by law enforcement in this book set in 1959 and present day. Let’s face it, if asked to believe a poor black woman over a middle class white woman, how do you think that would turn out in 2020? My guess is not too differently from what would have happened in 1959, just not as brazen.

Characters 👫👬👭

As a mixed race woman, I gravitated towards Ruby almost immediately. She had ambitions and dreams that probably weren’t too far away from what I wanted from my life when I was younger. Except she would have to work far harder than I to make those hopes attainable. I admired Ruby’s strength and empathised with her predicament of choosing to help an establishment that had little regard for her wellbeing. Despite how society treated Ruby as the help, she remained true to herself and her own integrity.

I really liked Detective Blanke’s character. He wasn’t portrayed as the perfect “has it together” detective and I loved that his flaws; professional and personal were written into the story. The relationship between Blanke and Ruby was so interesting. Blanke was by no means perfect, but didn’t discriminate against Ruby based on the colour of her skin or her standing in life.

Writing Style ✍️

I am in awe of how much subject matter was in this book. As I said, it was more than just a mystery, but the mystery was also written very well. There are curveballs and twists that I didn’t see coming and kept me hooked from the very beginning. Amongst all of that (which is usually enough on it’s own to make me content with a book) the author had me gripped by the racism, sexism and social issues of the time.

The story is told through the perspective of Ruby, Detective Blanke and Joyce Haney. I thought that this worked really well and the choice of characters was perfect. I particularly enjoyed readying Joyce’s perspective as I felt that it helped to keep the story moving.

Conclusion & Scoring 🏅

I got much more than I expected from this book and loved it. I flew through it because once I started, it was impossible for me to put it down. I’ve seen lots of comparisons to The Help from other bloggers and I would agree that if you enjoyed that book, you’ll definitely enjoy The Long, Long Afternoon. I found this to be a fantastic debut novel from Inga Vesper and I look forward to seeing more of her work.

I was attracted by the beautiful cover and am so glad because this book was a treat! The author takes us to hot, sticky 1959 Sunnylakes, California, where things are not as glossy as they seem. There’s a simmering resentment from some of the housewives about their daily lives and soon we’re embroiled in the mystery of a disappearing mother. The two main characters are easy to relate to: Detective Mick, new to the area with a shadow hanging over his career from his last job, and feisty Ruby, ‘the help’, who dreams of going to college. They join forces to discover the truth. The dialogue is often witty and the twists make for a satisfying plot. A very good read!

Santa Monica, summer 1959 and Ruby Wright, ‘the Negroe help’ for women living in Sunnylakes is running behind schedule. Leaving Nancy Ingram’s home for number 47 Roseview Drive where Frank and Joyce Haney reside, Ruby arrives with an immediate sense that all is not well. Finding Barbara outside, she is filled with dread, hearing the cries of baby Lily whose mounting distress hints of something very very wrong. Upon entering the house and comforting the baby, Ruby questions the whereabouts of Joyce, unable and unwilling to believe the woman has simply abandoned her children. However the drama further unfolds when confronting the scene in the blood splattered kitchen, painting a picture of the possible horror to come. With news spreading fast of their neighbours disappearance, the women of Sunnylakes begin the initial search for the missing woman prior to the police investigation in which Ruby plays an integral role.

Appearances can be so deceptive and that’s exactly what’s going on behind closed doors in the Californian enclave that is Sunnylakes. These hard working husbands and stay at home mothers living in their beautiful homes with well manicured lawns are supposedly living the American Dream. Except it’s all a facade in which the men rule the women’s lives, and the women resort to self medication to cope with the monotony of keeping house and looking after the children, waiting for the menfolk to arrive home from their oh so important meetings. Perhaps it’s only the support and friendship of the neighbours and the meetings of the Women’s improvement committee that help keep them sane but I had no trouble conjuring up visions of the likes of Joyce Haney as plastic dummies, robotically going through the motions of everyday life, their hearts and minds someplace far away from their real existence. I totally agree with the synopsis that lures the reader in, foretelling of a storyline that promises to be vivid and atmospheric. The author has not only captured images of these women trapped in this version of hell but also how the heat of these Santa Monica days saps their energy and their spirit, where the simplest of chores can require monumental effort. Yet ironically underneath this atmosphere of perfect sizzling summer days lies an atmosphere that is far more chilling. For behind this white middle class facade, secrets, lies, jealousies and prejudice abound with Ruby Wright (and eventually Mick Blanke) stepping into the lion’s den day after day. Are any of these women content with their lives or do they hanker after something or maybe someone else entirely? Are they willing to submerge their hopes and dreams beneath a lifetime of motherhood and domesticity or will they listen to their inner voices and/or the leader of the improvement committee and break free? These are just some of the questions puzzling me as I sank into the depths of this storyline.

Weaving together a commentary on the prejudices of the day, through Ruby’s eyes, as well as a crime element, this storyline unites Joyce Haney and Ruby Wright beyond the role of employer and employee. The creation of detective Mick Blanke whose past hints of a character who had been less than a wonderful husband and police officer adds yet another layer to the storytelling in which every individual character flaw is scrutinised and the majority are found wanting. There is a laid back vibe to the narrative in which the detective is continually hampered by the heat and plenty of dead ends, that is until Ruby comes to his assistance, an unlikely partner if ever there was one owing to the colour of her skin. However who better to see beyond the fixed smiles and the glamorous clothes of these women than ‘the help’? Someone who may be banned from wearing shoes in the house or touching the children but who has eyes and ears to understand the kind of relationships these women really have with their husbands and children?

There’s no escaping from the thought that The Long Long Afternoon is reminiscent of the Stepford Wives and The Help, due to the treatment of the likes of Ruby Wright and the falseness of these women’s lives. Having read and enjoyed The Help many years ago, it came as no surprise to me that Ruby,or Whoobie as Barbara affectionately call her, is my favourite character. Despite the way the majority of the Sunnylakes residents and the rest of society treat ‘the help’ she remains a woman of integrity, a woman who clearly loves little Barbara and baby Lily, mindful of the fact Joyce Haney is the only white woman who has ever treated her remotely like a real person. So I could understand Ruby’s determination to assist the detective in his investigation even though it threatens to cost her her freedom and happiness in her personal life. I finished this novel really wanting to know what happens to this feisty young woman after events of this summer of 1959 have concluded.

As for the crime aspect of this novel, I always had an inkling regarding who was responsible for Joyce Haney’s disappearance, although the author makes a concerted effort to pull the wool over her readers eyes and I was never 100% sure. There are plenty of avenues to explore, potential suspects and theories to contemplate as Mick and Ruby endeavour to solve this mystery, which is what you’d be hoping for. Plus I appreciated this more literary approach to crime writing, enjoying the disparity between the lives on show and the actual truth, wondering how the author would chose to bring a full stop to this suburban mystery. Right up until the ending which disappointed me I’d been enjoying this debut immensely hence my rating of 4 stars but overall this is an impressive debut that I highly recommend. My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read.

The Long, Long Afternoon did not take a long, long time to read - rather it really was very interesting. I loved the time period that was chosen and the social issues that were touched upon within the story. I found myself practically biting my knuckles towards the end, desperately hoping the black characters wouldn't be killed, as it was even more common and dangerous in that time period and I had also come to genuinely care for one of them (no spoilers as to what does happen, you'll have to read the book to find out!). I'm not black but this book definitely gave me greater insight into the issues of systematic discrimination that was more blatant in those days.

As for the actual story, it was engaging, but unfortunately, it wasn't anything new for me. The time period and the issues touched on were unique, but the actual plot didn't stand out to me a great deal, and I feel like certain characters could have been more developed, and I would have liked to know more about the main character's back story. At one point specifically, I really felt like a certain character was doing things which were very convenient to get the plot going and to keep the mystery rolling, when all she had to do was tell a certain person whatever she knew. She would say 90% and then withhold the 10% - this was explained away at the end of the story as, essentially, because she just felt like withholding it. This is a mark of lazy story telling for me.

Overall, it was a good read, and I would recommend it for anyone who likes a good mystery/thriller.

How exciting! I enjoyed reading about America in 1959 and discovering just how sexist and racist people were. I didn’t guess who the baddies were until almost the end.
I think Ruby was my favourite character, such a proud girl.

Had me from the opening sentence. Nostalgia, dollops of gore, vivid characters, excellent writing, a deep mystery. What's not to love? Highly recommended.

A wonderfully atmospheric mystery. A housewife goes missing one stifling hot summer, in the suburbs of 1950s America.

When Joyce goes missing there are fears for the worst. Her young children have been left unattended and there's blood all over the kitchen. Police detective Mick Blanke and Joyce's maid, Ruby, are determined to find out what's happened. But are they able to join forces? And who is responsible for Joyce's disappearance?

An extraordinary novel. It is wonderfully atmospheric of 1950s domestic, suburban America in this page-turning mystery, while also delicately explores racism and sexism prevalent at the time.

I was so sorry when this book came to an end.

A beautiful cover, and a fabulous book. Here's hoping this author will write much more.

Firstly I want to thank to Netgalley for this ARC.
This was a just a good mystery read. I hate that nothing changed regarding racism, but the book was good, really good.
And also, Love the cover.
4 stars read.

This is a traditional detective thriller set in the 1950s in California, with well-drawn characters and a satisfying conclusion. The racism is shocking but the main character Ruth, "the help" proves to be strong and resilient. The cover is delicious!

I really enjoyed this, a fantastic debut novel from Inga Vesper.

Set in late 50s California, in a suburban community of housewives, Ruby the coloured help arrives to find Joyce missing and the kitchen covered in blood.

There are a great cast of characters populating this thriller - Ruby Wright, highly intelligent and desperately keen to be able to pursue the formal education denied her because of her colour; Detective Mick Blanke, he's made some mistakes along the way but a good cop; the housewives, all slightly different, all not quite what they seem.

The story was good, enough to keep you guessing. Very much recommended.

I enjoyed reading this book. Nothing is learnt from history and sadly racism is still very much going on! I enjoyed the mystery side of the book but found the ending quite predictable. All in all a decent read.
Thanks to NetGalley for my copy.

The Long Long Afternoon follows two main perspectives in the days following the disappearance of Joyce Haney from her kitchen. It is up to detective Mitch, and the family help Ruby to try to piece together the mystery of Joyce’s disappearance. This book is told through three narratives, which allows the mystery to be unravelled in layers throughout the entirety of the book. As such, it managed to grab my attention from the get-go, then held it the entire way. The reader is fed tidbits and clues throughout the book, allowing plenty of opportunities for the reader to reach a conclusion themselves or be swayed by the character’s judgements. It is also important to disclose that the novel takes place in 1960’s California, something I wish the blurb had mentioned as it added so much to the plot and would’ve made me want to read it so much more. Due to this setting, racial prejudice and politics are central to the plot and drive it in many ways.

My one criticism of this book is the fact that the ending was rather predictable and I called fairly on into the book. Given the underlying messages carried through the chapters, I don’t think is necessarily a bad thing. I can appreciate the book probably needed to end the way it did in order to convey the same message. I was just slightly disappointed that there wasn’t a big shock factor.

I just LOVED this book. It was highly addictive I just raced through it. I do like a detective novel, and this one really hit the spot. The only frustrating thing about it was that the detective himself was so slow picking up on the clues, I was almost shouting out loud at him!
Highly recommended.

Small town America is presented in all its glory on this suburban noir tale. Crime fiction at its finest!

This is Inga Vesper's debut novel and it is a beautifully written, atmospheric thriller that perfectly conjures up a 1950s Californian suburban summer. Joyce Haney, suburban mother of two disappears one afternoon leaving behind her children and a bloodstained kitchen floor. Ruby , the family's 'help' discovers the children home alone and as the novel progresses becomes key to the solving of the mystery. I found this to be such a stylish and original thriller that looks at the gender, racial and class inequalities and injustices in 1950s America. Stunning and highly recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC

spoiler alert ** Ruby is the absolute star of this book,she's brave,she's independent and she's wise enough to know when to keep quiet and just listen.
It's a very good reminder as to how badly people were treated not that long ago,due to the colour of their skin.
(I know. Still it happens)
The further you get into the book,the more twists you find.
The simple disappearance of housewife Joyce turns into a much bigger story .
It's a definite page turner,I finished it in one sitting on a wet sunday afternoon.
Excellent read.

This book reminded me so much of Kathryn Stockett's The Help, possibly because Ruby was referred to as "The Help". It also had shades of The Stepford Wives with the men out at their jobs leaving their wives at home with their perfect family lives. Only they weren't so perfect as Ruby finds out when she turns up for work to find the two children alone and their mother nowhere to be seen and the kitchen a bloody mess.

The descriptions of the characters and the places came across well.

I did find at the end the role of the police somewhat chaotic and farcical, but overall an interesting read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for my ARC in return for an honest review.

Ruby, the home help, see's the nextdoor child, Barbara, alone and takes her home, the baby, lily, in the house is crying and has a soiled nappy. Barbara is sent by ruby to find her mother, Joyce Haney, but when ruby goes to help Barbara she finds Barbara's hands covered in someone else's blood!

Gripping start. I was hooked from the beginning. Set in the late 50s where white men were superior. I was cringing at some of the things that happened. Having negroes as home help, women were dirty when they menstruated and unable to do chores incase of contamination. It wasn't a pleasant read but I couldn't stop reading. It's was so powerful and gritty and quite the eye opener. I didn't always enjoy the book, but in a positive way. Brilliant, powerfully written.