Emma Stonex’s first novel The Lamplighters put a new spin on a true story. Her follow up, The Sunshine Man, is not quite based on a true story but is based on real places and real events. As with her first book she captures the atmosphere and the people to bring these places and events to tragically life.
The Sunshine Man opens in 1989. Bridie wakes up one morning and makes her preparations to kill a man. That man, Jimmy Maguire, was sent to prison eighteen years before for killing her sister and is being released that day. Despite her marriage and two children, Bridie is determined to leave and kill Jimmy in revenge. She takes a gun, leaves a note and sets out to find Jimmy. Meanwhile, Jimmy, who claimed the murder was the work of his friend Floyd, is met from the prison by a grown daughter who he hardly knows who drives him around the country to see his family and visit old haunts.
Stonex is doing a lot in this novel. Through her two main characters she charts a pair of hardscabble, tough childhoods in a depressed part of the UK. Bridie was abandoned by her mother and raised by her grandmother, while Jimmy was part of a poor family with a bad reputation, always hassled by police and almost forced into a life of crime. But Stonex also explores Jimmy’s time in prison, and in particular, the work at HM Prison Grendon, an experimental psychiatric prison established to treat mentally ill patients. And then there are the overarching humanistic considerations of revenge, dealing with grief and tragedy, forgiveness and redemption all baked in.
While there is tragedy baked into the premise of this book, it is also in many ways optimistic. Stonex is ultimately interested in the way we can overcome our pasts, and in doing so, change and move into the future. Taken all together, The Sunshine Man is another resonant, atmospheric novel with plenty for readers to think about.

After an intriguing first chapter and a promising start, this went downhill as soon as the first Jimmy chapter came along with the ridiculously censored swearing. It’s realistic that the character would swear, but to redact/censor it makes no sense to me. It took me out of the story and just annoyed me. It felt patronising towards the reader. The language and style of his chapters was hard going even without this, and I found I didn’t care what was happening.

Sadly, after giving it a go and getting to 31% this was a rare DNF for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this advanced reader's copy and the opportunity to this early. Review has been posted on Waterstones and Goodreads.

Loved the Lamplighters and couldn’t wait to read this and I was not disappointed in the least!

A must read!

A new author for me.
Eighteen years waiting for revenge.
A superb story with a few twists along the way.
Thanks for the ARC.

Thank you to Pan Macmillan, the author and NetGalley for my digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

‘The week I shot a man clean through the head began like any other . . .’

'The Sunshine Man'
Emma Stonex

Surely no one can read that opening line and not want to read the rest of this book!

If you are a fan of multi-perspective storytelling and shifting timelines, then this is the book for you. If however you prefer a fast paced psychological drama or gripping thriller, then you should avoid this title. The shifts in perspective and time, between the present and the past, could feel disjointed to some readers but I for one love novels with this kind of fragmented structure.

The subject matter is quite heavy - murder and sexual assault - if these are triggers for you, I suggest you don't read this book.

Shown from the viewpoints of both Birdie and Jimmy, the story unfolds through fragmented recollections and shifting perspectives reflecting how trauma distorts perception and how victims may struggle to articulate or even fully comprehend what happened to them.

The chapters flip between their own remembered pasts. At various points you get to see the same situations from both points of view. The shifts in time are used to good effect to mirror how memory and trauma actually work - non-linear, elusive, and sometimes contradictory.

Stonex doesn’t tell us everything—and maybe that’s the point. What do we owe to memory, and what do we choose to forget? This is not a book that shouts. It whispers. And in that whisper lies its strength.

I will definitely be reading her debut novel 'The Lamplighters'.

#TheSunshineMan #EmmaStonex #SexualAssault #Murder #Grief #Trauma #Secrets

I nearly gave up on this book a few chapters in, but I am so glad I didn't as I ended up really enjoying it. In 1989 Birdie hears the news that she has been waiting for. Jimmy Maguire, the man who murdered her sister, is being released from prison. And Birdie has a gun and she's going to kill him. What follows is a story in 2 time frames, going back over the lives of these characters. I found it to be incredibly moving and I recommend it as a great read.
Thanks to Netgalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

A difficult read in some ways if only because the lives of many of the characters have been so bleak. These are people crying out to be pushed off an inevitable trajectory that would have them making poor and miserable decisions impacting themselves and those around them. The cross-country chase at the end and its conclusion more than make up for this as forgiveness, redemption and hope begin to shine.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a slow burn but well paced.

In 1970 Providence was killed and 20 years later her killer has been released. Birdie, Providence’s sister, is determined that he receives the justice she feels he deserves.

The book jumps between the events leading up to the killing and the time after his release.

I didn’t like how swear words were replaced with a line, even in dialogue, as it made the writing a bit disjointed.

It starts with a bang - the day I shot a man - and then retreats to a dull plod. I kept wanting something to happen, or there to be a bit of excitement - but there was a slow, dreary creep towards the damp squib of a finale. I did finish it but it is instantly forgettable.

After picking up The Lamplighters on a whim, I have to admit I'm a little disappointed by The Sunshine Man. I still enjoyed it, I want to be clear, but it wasn't as good as its predecessor. Part of that requires a little discussion of spoilers, namely towards the ending. I'll try be as vague as possible. Mostly, it's about the fact that this isn't really a mystery. Okay, that's on me for expecting it to be, I guess. That is, the perpetrator of the crime and the reasoning why is exactly as its stated at the very start. This is more a book about the aftermath, once said perpetrator has been released from jail, and the victim's sister's journey to something approaching peace. In fact, the only reveal (inasmuch as you can call it that) was that the perpetrator was mentally ill. YMMV on that, but I thought it was saying more about the lack of support available to him, the assumptions made by his community, and the devastating consequences of it all, than anything like demonisation. Anyway, an enjoyable enough read nonetheless.

DNF at 10%

Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me. I found the writing style a bit too descriptive for my taste, with a lot of detail that didn’t feel essential to the story. The timeline also shifts between chapters, but without a clear indication at the start, which made it hard to follow and pulled me out of the flow. I can see this working well for readers who enjoy rich, atmospheric writing and nonlinear narratives, but sadly, I couldn’t connect with it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity.

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.