Book Review: Thirty Days in Paris by Veronica Henry

Posted on by Libby Price

Having previously enjoyed books by Veronica Henry, I’d requested and been granted an advance review copy of this back last year – but had got behind with my reviews and it had slipped down the TBR pile, but took my fancy over Christmas 2023. Here’s the blurb:

“Because Paris is always a good idea…
Years ago, Juliet left a little piece of her heart in Paris – and now, separated from her husband and with her children flying the nest, it’s time to get it back!
So she puts on her best red lipstick, books a cosy attic apartment near Notre-Dame and takes the next train out of London.
Arriving at the Gare du Nord, the memories come flooding back: bustling street cafés, cheap wine in candlelit bars and a handsome boy with glittering eyes.
But Juliet has also been keeping a secret for over two decades – and she begins to realise it’s impossible to move forwards without first looking back.
Something tells her that the next thirty days might just change everything…”

The blurb – and start of this – reminded me of a book I’d read recently with a similar premise, and I did wonder if I’d get confused – but I didn’t at all, and it was lovely to be back in Paris! I say ‘back’ – but this book was actually released first.

Juliet is a similar age to me, with children of a similar age (although in an dissimilar way, I haven’t separated from my husband!) and so there was lots to empathise with immediately. Coincidentally Juliet was from Worcester – and I write this from a coffee shop in the shadow of Worcester Cathedral as I wait to pick my kids up from school!! And whilst Juliet might have been disparaging about a night out here, my 20 and 18 year olds love an evening at Sin and Bush!!

Juliet closes the door on the old family home – and heads off to Paris to revisit where she’d spent some time in her teenage years. She rents a little flat – and it sounds wonderful! The descriptions of the nearby cafes and bars – and re-exploring Paris were very evocative – it almost felt like I was there.

You know something bad happened on Juliet’s first visit – and there are flashbacks to her time as an au pair – and the friends she had back in the 90s – but it takes quite a while for what actually happened to be revealed. I felt sorry for young Juliet – she had been so young and naïve.

The two time lines play out – intertwining – and I kept wanting to read ‘just one more chapter’ to find out what was happening – which is truly the sign of a good book. Overall a fantastic, escape to France, and a highly enjoyable read.

Whilst I’m behind the times in reviewing it – this does at least mean you can order it right now if you fancy it – and I’m not tempting you weeks before it actually comes out!

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC – and I promise to be more efficient with future titles!!

Book Review: A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe

Posted on by Libby Price

“When we go through something impossible, someone, or something, will help us, if we let them . . .
It is October 1966 and William Lavery is having the night of his life at his first black-tie do. But, as the evening unfolds, news hits of a landslide at a coal mine. It has buried a school: Aberfan.
William decides he must act, so he stands and volunteers to attend. It will be his first job as an embalmer, and it will be one he never forgets.
His work that night will force him to think about the little boy he was, and the losses he has worked so hard to forget. But compassion can have surprising consequences, because – as William discovers – giving so much to others can sometimes help us heal ourselves.”

I’m lucky that I get given lots of books – but sometimes friends recommend ones I’ve missed, and if I trust their judgment, I will part with hard cash if they think I will love a book!

The book starts on the night of the Aberfan disaster. It’s something I knew about in principle – but had never really researched – but I feel much more informed now (how absolutely horrific it must have been for everyone involved).

The book then flashes back to William’s childhood where he was a chorister. Whilst none of my own children are choristers (we did try and persuade our son to audition as it meant a big chunk off his school fees – but he wasn’t up for it! I’m pleased to say that nowadays the rules have changed and we could have tried to persuade his sisters too – but I suspect would have been met with a similar negative response!!), lots of their schoolfriends are – so it’s something on my radar (albeit at Worcester cathedral the choristers are no longer boarders).

The intervening period is then filled in, with William and his parents, his Dad passing away, the relationship with his Uncle – and eventually joining the family undertaking business. A real family saga of a book spanning the 1950s to the 1970s.

You know something bad happened during his time as a chorister – but it takes almost all of the book for this to reveal itself despite it clearly shaping William’s future.

The relationships between William and his family – both by birth, marriage and singing – are also integral to the storyline and seemingly empathetically explored. As well as looking at the Aberfan disaster – other things ‘ of the times’ – in particular rampant homophobia – are looked at too. You forget how different society was – and within my own lifetime.

Lots of the locations were familiar – from Sutton Coldfield (my husband’s home town – although he was a Fairfax boy rather than attending their rivals John Willmott like the author! And thus I also suspect the Birmingham Crematorium where she grew up is where my mother-in-law has a memorial stone), to Cambridge, to Mumbles in South Wales – which always make me enjoy a book even more.

I did really enjoy the evocative but at the same time gentle feel of the book – and was glad to have made the investment. 

Book Review: The Guests by Nikki Smith

Posted on by Libby Price

I really enjoyed The Beach Party by Nikki Smith in Summer 2023 – so when I saw that an advance review copy of her next book (out in April 2024) was available on Net Galley – I immediately requested one. Here’s the blurb:

“THE RESORT OF THEIR DREAMS.
A DESTINATION TO DIE FOR…
Welcome to paradise!
Or so the staff say when they greet the Hamiltons at the idyllic Asana Fushi resort in the Maldives.
And it starts off that way: champagne picnics on powder-white sand, snorkelling in the serene blue sea and moonlit walks under the stars.
But lies lurk beneath the luxury because each of the guests has a secret, and they’re not the only ones.
How can a once-in-a-lifetime trip turn into the holiday from hell?
From the author of THE BEACH PARTY comes a novel of sun, sea and secrets for fans of ONE OF THE GIRLS and WHITE LOTUS.”

Whilst we haven’t been to the Maldives, it is most definitely on our ‘to do’ list – and coincidentally a friend was there on her honeymoon whilst I read this book – so the combination of the amazing descriptions of the location – and her photos – was fantastic!

And whilst we haven’t been to this specific exotic location – we are lucky enough to have stayed in some fabulous resorts around the world – and the descriptions of the workings and staff at the idyllic resort was spot on!

The prologue means you know something awful is going to happen, and the chapters are counting down to something as well – so that really keeps the momentum going.

Cara and Zach and their daughter Alexa have clearly been through some recent trauma – and are heading off to a fabulous holiday for some much needed family time together. I loved the clever ‘Easter Egg’ where Cara buys the author’s previous book at the airport as her beach read!!

On the journey to the resort they bump into another couple who they have prior and current work connections with – which seems perhaps too much of a ‘coincidence’. Once in resort there is a famous eco Instagrammer there who seems keen to check out Zach’s environmental connections of his investment portfolio – whilst Alexa is impressed with her fame and the fact she’s the traveller closest to her age. (Side note – given the meteoric rise of the Amazon device, I do worry about people with the name Alexa and what a problem it must be for them!)

Book Review: I Remember Paris by Lucy Diamond

Posted on by Libby Price

Having enjoyed a previous book by Lucy Diamond at the start of the year, I thought I could bookend 2023 (do you like what I did there?!) with her new release. Here’s the blurb:

“Jess Bright, single mum and journalist, feels her life has stalled. So when she’s offered a writing job in Paris for the summer, she leaps at the chance to go back to a city full of old memories and the promise of new opportunities.
Her subject is the iconic artist Adelaide Fox, whose personal life has always been steeped in scandal and intrigue. Now approaching eighty, she’s ready to tell her side of the story – and serve up some scalding-hot revenge in the process.
Amidst a stormy working relationship, Jess and Adelaide must face up to their pasts. As passionate affairs, terrible betrayals and life-changing secrets surface, there may be more surprises in store than either of them dared imagine . . .
Set in the city of love, with two unforgettable protagonists, I Remember Paris is a gloriously life-affirming novel about second chances, unlikely friendships and finding your way back to yourself“

Firstly, I really liked the main character – Jess. We’re a similar age, with children of a similar age, so lots of reference points were similar (although I’m still married to my husband!) The clever interweaving of both Jess’s trip to Paris when she was much younger – with her trip in the present day – is done very well. I thought the descriptions of Paris were excellent – and really evocative of the city, both the touristy destinations – and the ‘real’ French capital. 

I’m not an avid art follower – and I’m not sure if the character of Adelaide Fox is based on a specific artist – but she was very believable, and the unwinding of her past story was also well written.

Whilst Jess and Adelaide are the main stars of the book – the supporting cast are also excellent – with Adelaide’s nephew Luc providing a potential love interest for Jess, as well as an another from an old flame from her previous time in France. I felt the way the relationship between Jess and her eldest daughter was written was very ‘real’!

Paris is definitely a star of the book too.

Overall it was a lovely, escapist, read – with enough twists and turns to keep me keen to read on. Again – I’ve really enjoyed this Lucy Diamond book – and will most definitely look out for more of her work in the future.

A big thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my ARC.

Book Review: Why Mummy Drinks at Christmas by Gill Sims

Posted on by Libby Price

I’ve loved all of the previous books in the ‘Why Mummy’ series by Gill Sims – and thought the one out in 2020 was the final one in the series, so I was DELIGHTED to hear there was a new one. So delighted I was even prepared to part with my own hard cash to buy it for my Kindle!

Here’s the blurb:

“Mummy has always loved Christmas. Sure, the kids turn into demons, the dinner gets burnt to a crisp and Aunt Louisa’s general staggering inappropriateness sends Mummy reaching for the nearest maximum-strength festive tipple, but nevertheless, for her, Christmas is always special.
This year, she wants nothing more than to perfectly fig up the pudding and sit by the fire reading aloud from A Christmas Carol to a rapt, rosy-cheeked audience. But, just like all Mummy’s best-laid plans, this year’s Festive Vision is in danger of being totally derailed by her chaotic family. There’s not much chance of any action under the mistletoe, and the kids are just not playing ball.
Can Mummy find her silver lining after all and bring the whole family together for one moment of harmony, so they can finally proclaim ‘Verily You Are the Queen of Christmas’? Or should she get stuck into the festive spirits and just let it all go?”

The book follows on a couple of years after the last one – and thus is again in sync with my own family! The eldest daughter being at Uni and younger son on his year out (although ours is working as a labourer for our family construction business rather than swanning about foreign parts – for the moment anyway!) Ellen (aka Mummy) is looking forward to a perfect Christmas with Jane and Peter back under her roof – but her plans start falling apart. And there starts reminiscing about Christmasses past.

The supporting cast for these flashbacks have mostly already featured in the previous books – so there are clever references and plot points that super fans will recognise (whilst technically the book would stand alone, I really think having read the rest of the series would be an advantage.)

As with the previous books – there were elements that were laugh out loud funny – and the characterisation of family life is so very, very true.

I have to confess (and I’ll whisper this, as I feel like I’m being unfaithful to a series I love) but I did occasionally get a bit bored – specifically the Christmas at Louisa’s.

Overall though, another great, fun, funny, read – and a perfect Christmas gift for the harassed Mums in your life!

Book Review: The Queue by Alexandra Heminsley – and our own Queue story!

Posted on by Libby Price

My sister mentioned to me that she was reading this – and I immediately had FOMO and had to download it for 99p!

The aforementioned sister and I had both done ‘The Queue’ in September 2022 to pay our respects to the late Queen. We were brought up in quite a Royalist house – so it was no surprise we wanted to do it, but it just wouldn’t timetable with our respective family commitments to do it together. I was really surprised but my non-Royalist (although not totally anti monarchy) husband really wanted to pay his respects to the Queen too – although not just for him – but for his Mum and Grandparents who are no longer here to do it themselves.

We drove down to London on the Thursday morning – and initially watched the emotional procession of the Queen’s coffin from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey. We were stood – with many, many others at Horse Guards Parade – you could have heard a pin drop despite the crowds (and obviously I cried as it was so emotional with the Queen’s beloved family following the coffin on foot).

We then walked back to our hotel and had a swim and changed for dinner (where my husband had some spicy oysters which he regretted in the early hours of the following morning, and I put pyjama bottoms on under my dress to prevent chub-rub and as an extra layer) It was the first night of ‘The Queue’ – so we decided after dinner we’d see where the queue was and decide then if we’d try and wait. We started our queue across The Thames from St Paul’s Cathedral. It was the first night and so the stewards weren’t 100% sure what they were doing – and there was no signage or anything – and at 10pm they reckoned we’d be 3-4 hours. We naively believed this!

3-4 hours later we were just getting to the London Eye – and it was only at this point that we got our wristbands (on future days wristbands were given out as soon as people started queuing, which was much fairer – I *almost* got into a fight with the group in front of us, as people kept joining them – although lots of the additions gave up well before the end #lightweights).

We’d got a little queue group together with the people immediately around us. There was Gary from Portsmouth and Linda from Abergavenny who’d each travelled to London on their own. They were both in their 70s – and veterans of previous Royal ‘lying in state’ queues – although clearly this was on a much bigger scale than for anyone else historically. There was also a mother a similar age to us, with a son in his 20s and his girlfriend, and then two sisters from London, of Indian heritage, also in their early 20s, who planned to queue through the night and then head off to work! The 9 of us formed a little group – very similar to the group in the book. This seemed to be a similar tale for lots of queuers – with my sister and her husband now in a WhatsApp chat with their groupies! We bought coffees for each other, saved the spaces when people went on toilet breaks – and provided support to each other as we took it in turns to struggle both physically and mentally. I honestly am not sure I would have carried on if it wasn’t for them at 2.10am when we were opposite the Houses of Parliament by the Covid Memorial Wall when word came down the queue that we were stopping for an hour whilst there were rehearsals for the funeral in Westminster Hall. They really motivated me to stay – that section was particularly moving for Gary who’d lost his elderly mother to covid earlier in the year – so he borrowed my biro to add her name to the wall.

We finally made it across the Thames and into the grounds of the palace of Westminster at about 5am – we thought we were nearly there – until we saw the zig zags of doom. This was by far the hardest part as you wound up and down and up and down seemingly forever. And the smell from the Portaloos was DISGUSTING. I think most people found this section the toughest. But suddenly we were there, almost 10 hours of queuing and we’d made it. Walking down the steps to where the coffin – with crown jewels atop – was incredibly emotional. We were very lucky (as was my sister 48 hours later) to be at the front when it came to ‘changing of the guard’ around the coffin – and so we were able to pause that little bit longer and see more of the ceremonial procedures. And then it was over. We walked out the other side of the hall and back to reality and said goodbye to the people we’d been with for hours on end and shared an experience we would all remember forever.

So that was our queue story – and here is the blurb for the book – which is kind of the whole point of this post, I just got distracted reminiscing!

“Three strangers. Ten miles. One life-changing day…
Suzie is 69 and has been keeping a secret for most of her life. She’d do anything to have her beloved Colin with her today, of all days, but she’s hoping that the long walk ahead will be a first chapter in a new life without him.
Tim is 42 and is joining the queue out of a sense of duty. It’s for his mum, who adored the Queen, but she can’t be there. He’s lived his whole life by the book, putting facts before feelings, trying to fit in but always sticking out. Perhaps he can change that today, by becoming part of history?
Abbie is 19, desperately hungover and isn’t sure how she ended up in the queue at all. Her ‘big move’ to London hasn’t exactly gone to plan – surrounded by millions of people, she’s never felt more lonely, and her dreams feel further away than ever. Yet today, she feels closer to her queue family than she does her real one.
As the unlikely trio wind along the Thames, edging ever closer to Westminster and the Queen, it becomes clear that when they finally leave the queue their worlds will never be the same again…”

The book starts with each of the 3 main characters getting ready to head into London for The Queue – all for different reasons, and all with different levels of preparation.

The book is set on the Saturday morning – and as we’d queued earlier I wasn’t sure how accurate the descriptions were (and my sister would say she was a bit cross, as this was EXACTLY the same timespan that she was there, and she felt it differed quite a lot from fact at the start!)

There are flashbacks for each of the individuals so you can build up a back story as to how they’ve all got to the side of the Thames in September 2022. They are all incredibly different – but I would say this really was a true representation of The Queue.

It’s a gentle book, about each of the people above – and I personally felt that The Queue wasn’t really featured that heavily. It was merely a setting and not that fundamental to the book as a whole. But I do wonder how much of that is because I have my own story and experience – and perhaps I wouldn’t feel that it had been short changed if if I’d only seen this unique and historical experience on TV rather than living it?

The descriptions of London were great – and obviously I could picture each our own experiences at many of the locations – some of which I’ve included in my small selection of photos above.

It was a pleasant, inoffensive book – but sadly did not set the world on fire for me and wasn’t that memorable for me. Unlike The Queue itself – with memories that will stay with me forever.

Book Review: The Game by Martin Kemp

Posted on by Libby Price

When I saw Martin Kemp had written his debut novel I thought I’d request an ARC from NetGalley. I ‘ve found novels by ‘famous people’ a bit hit and miss – so was hoping this would be a hit – although maybe I should have gone for the predictable ‘gold’ pun that the blurb does……..

“Sometimes you win. Sometimes you lose …
A British icon delivers a powerful blockbuster in an exhilarating London underworld thriller.
Martin Kemp, the music, film and TV legend creates fiction gold as he introduces fictional anti-hero Johnny Klein in a breathless, high-octane page-turner.
Johnny Klein is a rock casualty, a fallen 1980s popstar who has lost everything — his family, his money and his fame. Thrown a lifeline by an old contact in the music business, Johnny doesn’t care what he is getting himself into.
Dragged down into East London’s dark underbelly, Johnny discovers there is more at stake than his own shattered ego. Johnny hates being yesterday’s man but now he’s wishing he could disappear altogether. The party might be over, but there’s no escape from the past…”

The book follows the story of Johnny Klein – 1980s popstar (write what you know and all that!) – who has fallen on hard times having partied his fortune away and lost his wife and teenage daughter in the process. He ends up lodging with an acquaintance’s family in their Indian / Elvis themed restaurant (yes. as random as it sounds!). He then, in an attempt to get some cash and raise his profile within the industry again, gets sucked into an underworld drama of sex, drugs and rock and roll.

Some parts of the book were pacey and kept my interest, but some were a bit repetitive and I hate to say it, just a bit boring.

Now I know I can be a bit of a dick about consistency / editing mistakes – but there were two in quick succession in this book which jumped out at me (although maybe they will be corrected before the final version!) One character is shopping in Harvey Nicks when she speaks to Johnny and he goes to meet her – but a page later it refers to Johnny meeting her outside Harrods. Clearly she could be shopping in both – however it read like a continuity error. Within the very next chapter Johnny reminisces about walking home across London in the early hours of the morning, to a paragraph later saying he’d spent all of his cash on a taxi back the night before. Whilst neither of these errors ruins the storyline – it just feels a bit lazy? Sorry, I appreciate I am a tw*t………

Overall it was ‘fine’ – and I wanted to continue to read it to see how everything turned out for everyone involved – but it did not set the world alight. I do wonder if it would have been published at all if it weren’t for the fact that the author is already famous? I’m sure many people – like me requesting the ARC – will do it based on the Martin Kemp name anyway.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Book Review: 73 Dove Street by Julie Owen Moylan

Posted on by Libby Price

I’m not quite sure how I ended up with an ARC of this from NetGalley – as it’s not an author I’ve read before – but here’s the blurb:

“When Edie Budd arrives at a shabby West London boarding house in October 1958, carrying nothing except a broken suitcase and an envelope full of cash, it’s clear she’s hiding a terrible secret.
And she’s not the only one; the other women of 73 Dove Street have secrets of their own . . .
Tommie, who lives on the second floor, waits on the eccentric Mrs Vee by day. After dark, she harbours an addiction to seedy Soho nightlife – and a man she can’t quit.
Phyllis, 73 Dove Street’s formidable landlady, has set fire to her husband’s belongings after discovering a heart-breaking betrayal – yet her fierce bravado hides a past she doesn’t want to talk about.
At first, the three women keep to themselves.
But as Edie’s past catches up with her, Tommie becomes caught in her web of lies – forcing her to make a decision that will change everything . . .”

The book is told in 2 time lines, October 1958 and then in Edie’s case, also to flashbacks from 5 years ago as she meets her husband and forward through their relationship. You know something serious has happened which is why she’s ended up in the attic room at 73 Dove Street – but this story slowly unfolds through the flashbacks getting closer to the ‘present day’.

On the floor below Edie in the eponymous address of the book is Tommie. She’s far more worldly-wise than Edie and is a home help by day, and Soho frequenter by night.

The ground floor is taken by Phyllis – who is also the landlady. It’s clear she’s just kicked her husband out as the book starts, and is going through her own personal issues.

Initially the stories are quite separate – but then Tommie invites Edie on a night out in Soho and things change and they become more intertwined.

I thought the author described the settings and the women themselves really well – it was very easy to imagine their locations, appearances and even their temperaments. Each of them is going through their own personal issues.

I really enjoyed my time at 73 Dove Street and seeing the stories unfold. I also really liked the ending – even if it wasn’t quite what I imagined.

A big thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for my ARC – I’m behind the times as it came out in July 2023 – so you can purchase it immediately if you like the sound of it.

Book Review: The Last Devil To Die (The Thursday Murder Club Book 4) by Richard Osman

Posted on by Libby Price

“Shocking news reaches the Thursday Murder Club.
An old friend in the antiques business has been killed, and a dangerous package he was protecting has gone missing.
As the gang springs into action they encounter art forgers, online fraudsters and drug dealers, as well as heartache close to home.
With the body count rising, the package still missing and trouble firmly on their tail, has their luck finally run out? And who will be the last devil to die?”

I am lucky enough to be given loads of advance review copies of books to read – so I don’t often have to part with hard cash for them – however, when certain books aren’t on Net Galley, I am prepared to put my hand in my pocket. I love Richard Osman (even more after seeing him on the Parenting Hell Live tour and then on last week’s Friday episode) and have adored the first three books in the Thursday Murder Club series – so this new book hit my Kindle the day of release.

It was wonderful to be reunited with Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim and the supporting cast of friends, fellow Coopers Chase residents, local law enforcement and drug dealers from the previous three books! Now this book would stand alone – but I think you’d enjoy it much more if you’ve read the back stories for everyone (and given the sales figures, chances are you already have anyway!)

Yet again, the Thursday Murder Club are investigating a murder – which soon turns into quite a few murders! However, entwined within that is the story of Elizabeth’s husband Stephen and his failing health as he suffers with dementia.

Lots of new characters are also introduced – and I did feel I needed my wits about me to remember who was who – but that didn’t detract from the story. The style is so similar to the previous books, and so ‘Richard Osman’ (which is compliment!) and Joyce’s diary extracts are my absolute favourites, as always.

It was such a lovely book (which does seem a bit odd to say about a book concerning murder) but the whole series is witty, clever and life affirming (just not for the victims I guess!)

Richard Osman has said the Thursday Murder Club are taking a pause whilst he writes another series – and I’m a little bit sad about that – but will be delighted to read Book 5 at some point in the future. The acknowledgements at the end of the book were also a lovely read and I have to confess I cried!

Until next time, stay safe Elizabeth, Joyce, Ron and Ibrahim.

Book Review: The Search Party by Hannah Richell

Posted on by Libby Price

“Five old friends.
One glamping weekend.
A storm that will change everything.
Max and Annie Kingsley have left the London rat race to set up a glamping site in the wilds of Cornwall. They invite old university friends – TV star Dominic, doctor and new mum Kira, and free-spirited Jim and Suze – and their children for a trial weekend but the reunion quickly veers off-course.
First, there’s The Incident around the campfire on the first night. The following afternoon, a storm quickly develops off the rugged North Coast. When one of their group goes missing, all hell breaks loose. And as the winds batter the bell-tents, emotions run high and tension mounts for all the characters.
Who is lying in hospital, who has gone missing and who is the body on the beach below the cliffs . . .?
Gripping, cleverly structured and brimming with secrets and lies, this is a masterclass in narrative tension and a chilling exploration of the ways in which aspiration and anxiety collide. It will keep you guessing until the last page. “

I was offered an ARC of this book – out in January 2024 – by NetGalley, and though the blurb sounded interesting. I did, however, wonder if I was going to be bored by yet another ‘old friends reunion’ book – but I need not have feared at all!

Firstly I want to say how cleverly constructed this book is, and massive kudos to the author and editor for what must have been a painstaking task to ensure that everything entwined perfectly. I am a massive knob at pointing out plot inconsistencies – and despite this being crazily complicated, I didn’t find any! Before the book starts there is a list of characters which was super helpful to work out which children belonged to which parents etc.

The prologue is a very atmospheric description of a girl standing on a cliff top before jumping off – so you definitely have a idea of where the story is heading.

The book is then told from multiple perspectives – often by way of recounting events to the police. There are various timelines running – from the Friday evening when all of the old friends, and in some cases new partners and children, unite in Cornwall, to the Saturday afternoon when the storm happens, to the Sunday evening when the search is continuing as some of the group are at hospital and finally the Monday morning. I was concerned it would be really complicated and confusing – but it wasn’t at all, but kept the momentum so high as you were desperate for things to be further explained.

Max and Annie and their adopted son Kip have relocated from London to the coast of Cornwall, near St Ives (which I’ve been to recently and was described perfectly by the author) and before they open their glamping site to the public have invited their uni friends and all of their kids to try it out. Dominic is a TV star – and the ‘baddie’ on a TV talent show (in my head he was a hybrid of Simon Cowell and Craig Revel-Horwood and physically looked like Dom Joly!) His two teenagers from his first marriage were with him – along with his second wife Tanya and their 6 year old. Then there were Jim and Suze and their 3 kids, and Kira and her new boyfriend Fred and their baby daughter. So quite a mix of characters and ages, with various connections and histories – and secrets.

All of this then unravels throughout the book – jumping backwards and forwards, giving you little clues as to what is going to happen next, but not enough to work the whole plot out in advance – it’s just brilliant!

Obviously I don’t want to give away any spoilers – but I doubt you would be able to predict it all.

This is by far my favourite of the books I’ve read recently – but you’ll have to wait until January 2024 when it comes out – sorry!

A big thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC.