Member Review

Carol is a divorced teacher living in a small town in Ireland with Declan, whose wife went missing when his kids were young. Those now-adult children didn't take kindly to their mother's position being usurped by another woman. So when Declan is too ill to continue living at home, the kids take over, throw Carol out and sell the house. And then things turn nasty.

I have a soft spot for Graham Norton, I admit it. Reading his books is like sitting before a fire listening to a gossipy friend animatedly telling you a story while you sit glued to your seat. There's a warmth of tone, a natural chatty flow, and a lovely balance of empathy, kindness and bitchiness.

Add to that a really good plot, strong pacing, excellent characterisation and convincing dialogue... You can't go wrong!

This is the third Norton I've read (Holding, A Keeper) and it is at least as good if not better. I love the fact that each of the novels I've read is very different - he's not a one-trick pony - in terms of story, but they are equally strong in literary technique. It's popular fiction at its best.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for an immersive read.