Following on the heels of The Lamplighters was never going to be an easy feat but, I think, The Sunshine Man is a worthy contender. A very different book set in the 80s, Birdie gets the call she's been waiting for. Jimmy Macguire, the man who killed her sister, is being released from prison. This sets in motion her quest for revenge. But, as tense and gripping as this is, it is more the story of their previous lives and how they got to where they are now.

Neither of these characters had an easy time growing up. Birdie was dropped at her grandmother's house to be raised without a mother and Jimmy was the odd one in a family of ne'er do wells. Life was not kind to either but then Birdie's mum drops off another baby to be raised by Gamma. Providence grows to be a wonderful little girl and one both Birdie and Jimmy love above all others. Though she doesn't have the power to make them like each other.

This is a powerful story and one that is hard to read at times. The narration is taken in turns between Birdie and Jimmy and there's plenty to make one think about life and making the most of the few opportunities made available. I was touched by this and felt empathy for both characters. It's not clear cut as to who is right and who is wrong. There's more nuance and shades of gray. As the tension builds and Birdie draws nearer to her vengeance, I felt real trepidation and and concern for them both. It was handled exceptionally well with a delicate touch. Great drama, excellent pace and tension, fully fleshed out characters the reader feels they know. A tough book but a rewarding one.

This is an intricately woven story that had me hooked by the end, even though it took a little time to fully immerse myself in its world. I loved the switching between timelines and perspectives as it kept the narrative fresh and compelling, revealing layers of the characters bit by bit.

The fate of Providence was truly heartbreaking, and while Jimmy has done his time, it's a difficult one to forgive.

One of the most striking moments for me was realising who Floyd was and understanding his significance in Jimmy's life.

This is my first read from Emma Stonex, but it certainly won’t be my last—I’m already looking forward to diving into her debut, The Lamplighters.

If you enjoy stories that unfold with patience and pack an emotional punch, The Sunshine Man is one to read!

Having loved The Lamplighters I was excited to be given the opportunity to read The Sunshine Man. I was a little unsure at first as The Lamplighters is so inspired by the mythology around lighthouses, so although Stonex wove her own story, it felt related to events at Shoreham and Little Ross, which have always fascinated me. The Sunshine Man did not disappoint, seemingly creating its own mythology that felt deeply rooted in the sense of place the writer creates. It was very fast paced and I enjoyed the switches in narrative, the characters deftly drawn. Stonex managed to convey the level of mania in both protagonists and without saying as much, drew parallels between their situations. It was very sensitively told and I loved it – the almost stream-of-consciousness at times inner monologues have such a lyrical turn of phrase. I don't read much fiction as my interests take me down non-fiction rabbitholes, but this was an excellent read that I wholeheartedly recommend.

The man who murdered Bridget's younger sister, Providence, has been released from prison, and Bridget is determined to kill him, no matter the sacrifice to herself. As she tails him across the country, hers and Providence's story, along with his, is unfolded, a troubling tale of deprived childhood, violence and twisted love.
This was a superb read! Told from both Bridget and the freed convict, Jimmy Maguire's, points of view, the narrative unfolded a story to break the hardest heart. Themes of vengeance, forgiveness, second chances and redemption pervade the book. But which will win out? I was on a knife-edge the whole way through the story, unable to put the book down until I knew the outcome.
My heart went out to Bridget, brought up by a loving grandmother, but with abandonment issues. It went out even more to James - what a brilliant depiction of how poor nurture wins over nature. You'll want to scoop small Jimmy up and take him to a place of safety.
This is more than a thriller. It's a sensitive study of lives destroyed by tragedy. But along with the darkness, there's hope.
A definite five-star read, and one of my books of the year.

Emma Stonex's 'The Sunshine Man' is a gripping and moving thriller that holds you from its disturbing beginning. Birdie, tormented by the murder of her sister eighteen years ago, is driven by revenge when the killer, Jimmy Maguire, is released from prison. The author skillfully entwines Birdie's contemporary pursuit with flashbacks to the past, slowly unfolding the intricate conditions behind the crime.

The book does a great job of capturing the complexity of grieving, trauma, and the poison of revenge. The author has imperfect but authentic characters, sucking the reader in with their mental conflicts and ethics. The slower pace creates an underlying tension and fear. 'The Sunshine Man' is more than a revenge tale; it's a poignant examination of shattered lives and the quest for truth and redemption through long-hidden secrets. A gripping and thought-provoking read that haunts long after the last page.

I had hoped and expected to be gripped from the get-go but found it quite difficult to stay with the storyline – the device used on the ARC to hinder piracy was irritating and off-putting to say the least. I stuck with it - and am glad I did - and enjoyed the second half of the novel despite the tactical messing with the text. The ending was clever, satisfying, probable and possible. I could identify with the desire for revenge and the parallel points of view from the victim’s sister and the murderer were well developed and thoughtful. And I loved the cover.

An interesting revenge thriller that is the follow up to The lamplighters. I enjoyed this story, but found that the premise, and the way the mystery played out, did not keep my focus as much as I'd hoped. I just couldn't really get invested in the characters and what happened to them properly. Perhaps this is better read as a holiday book, on the beach, with no other distractions.

Birdie has been waiting almost 20 years for her sister’s killer to be released from prison. Jimmy Maguire is going to pay for what he did to Birdie’s family – and she’s going to be the one to do it. After leaving her children to school, she heads for London, ready to make good on her plans. Of course, it’s not as simple or as clear cut as that: Birdie is quick to realise that there’s at least one other side to this story, and it’s one that maybe isn’t so palatable. If you’re new to Emma’s work, I recommend reading this and The Lamplighters, one of my favourite books of recent years. Her writing is excellent and she displays a real understanding of human emotion and action.

DNFd at 40%. I, like other reviewers, had high hopes for this having enjoyed the pacing and storytelling in Stonex's debut novel, The Lamplighters. But I too found it slow and difficult to connect to. Great premise, but the execution didn't live up to the hook and I got more and more bored. It's not that I wanted all action and suspense, but the character building was just so laboured and arduous. Nothing felt all that revelatory and I couldn't connect to either character. There were glimpses into both Birdie and James' lives that were interesting and provided good social commentary, but they were just surrounded by so much filler prose that it was just too slow going for me.
This honest review is given with thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

This is a thriller but it’s a thought-provoking novel as well. Birdie is out for revenge on James - the man who killed her sister. You are quickly pulled into the story and alternately side with Birdie as she plots her revenge, (while desperately hoping that she isn’t successful because what about her family?) and feeling sorry for James as details of his early life are revealed. This is a story that tries to understand what makes people kill - a story with heart.

Thank you for allowing me to review this book. I found the storyline intriguing. To begin with an admission that someone had been shot in the head by the main character set the questions 'who had been shot? Why had they been shot?' The story is told through two timelines, 1989 when Birdie hears that Jimmy has been released from prison, and when she was a child growing up. It is always written from the point of view of each of these two people. The story is gripping and my sympathy for each changed throughout the book. We learn about their families, past and present, Why they are the adults they become. A complex scenario, which is finally revealed at the end. Did I feel justice had been served at the end? Did they each receive the help they needed.?
I can recommend this b9ok to those who enjoy psychological stories.

This is an unsettling dual timeline novel about a woman with a dead sister whose convicted murder is getting out of prison. It’s about love, and family and revenge or redemption. Stonex writes really well from both the woman (Birdy)’s perspective and also from the prisoner point of view. There’s a question about whether he’s the murderer or not, which is cleverly explored. It’s a sad story of difficult childhoods and lost chances. I loved the ending.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

This was a really dramatic read! The normality of life is masking the darkness and we are taken on a very twisty journey as we watch the story unfold.

Birdie gets the news she's been waiting for, her sisters killer is being released from jail and she has a score to settle so we to see her playing a very domestic life, against that of life in her head where she's planning and looking back at her own life story and the past.

We also get the POV of Jimmy as he's released, and he has a very different voice and story to tell so it was very clever the way the author shared the timelines and their stories. Life isn't always black and white, and you get very different perspectives seeing things told this way.

It kept me enthralled from start to finish, even if the storyline and narratives were a little confusing at times! Cleverly written!

I really wanted this book to be better than it was - it felt like a great story was trying to be told but didnt quite make it. The twist was heralded a long time before it was revealed and the end just sort of tailed off. I was more interested in Bridie's story than Jimmy's mainly because I found the constant use of --ing really irritating, either he was a very sweary person in which case write it in full or use different vocabulary.. I found it really jarring and didn't allow his story to flow.
However, I really enjoyed Ms Stonex's first book and will still look out for others by her.
Thank you to netgalley and Pan Macmillan for an advance copy of this book.
2.5 rounded up to 3

Told in two timelines by two characters I found this book very slow going and it seemed to jump from character to character and time line to timeline with out any warning.A story of love grief revenge and redemption .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

In January 1989, Bridie wakes to the news she's been waiting eighteen years to hear. Jimmy Maguire, the man who killed her sister has been freed from jail. Bridie leaves for London with a gun, to find him and make him pay. But that's another side to the story, and she;'s about to enter a world of family lies, worn-out loyalties, and long-buried betrayals.

This story has a dual timeline that's told in the past and present day format. When Bridie hears that her sister's killer has been released from prison, she knows it's time to set her plan of revenge in motion. The author does use the F-bomb quite a lot. There were parts that were a little far-fetched. The story is told from Bridie and Jimmy's points of view. Both of them have secrets, Will Bridie get her revenge? You'll need to read the book to find out.

Published 1st May 2025

I would like to thank #NetGalley #PanMacmillan and the author #EmmaStonex for my ARC of #TheSunshineMan in exchange for an honest review.

A chilling and thought-provoking read that pulls you in despite its unsettling nature. The opening was a real shocker, instantly hooking me as I questioned why this seemingly ordinary woman was about to commit such a drastic act.

Our protagonist, Birdie, is resolute in finding James Maguire when he is released from prison. Throughout his time behind bars, she’s been receiving updates about him. All we know is that he was incarcerated for the murder of Birdie’s younger sister, and it seems Birdie is determined to make him face the consequences.

As Birdie follows James and his daughter across the country, the story shifts to reveal their shared history. We uncover the tragic details of James’s dysfunctional home life and how he and Birdie’s sister Providence became intertwined. The narrative also reveals the heartbreaking wrongs done to Birdie, and the role James played in the events that led to Providence’s death.

Stonex excels in making us empathize with a character who’s committed an unforgivable crime. Through her portrayal of James, it becomes clear that there were deeper, more complicated factors at play in shaping his actions. While this doesn’t excuse the crime, it certainly challenges us to reconsider the circumstances surrounding Providence’s death.

No easy resolutions here, but it’s a compelling and complex story. I’m grateful to NetGalley for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this

Loved this authors previous work so was excited to read this one! It is a revenge thriller that will leave you breathless and unable to stop reading. A gobble-it-all-up-in-one-sitting kind of book

Just finished reading "The Sunshine Man" by Emma Stonex, and wow, what a captivating story! 🌞
Emma Stonex weaves a mesmerizing tale of mystery and human connection in "The Sunshine Man." Set against the backdrop of a remote lighthouse, this novel explores the lives of its keepers and the secrets they harbor. The narrative is beautifully crafted, with rich character development and an atmosphere that pulls you in from the very first page. Stonex's writing is both haunting and poetic, making this book a must-read for anyone who loves a good mystery with depth and emotion

I was hooked from the first line! Emma Stonex is a master when it comes to multi- character, multi- timeline narrative as witnessed in her previous book The Lamplighters.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.