Archives

The House In Norham Gardens by Penelope Lively

Mar22

Highly Entertaining

The House In Norham Gardens by Penelope Lively is an entertaining novel for children aged ten years and over. It was penned in 1974 but is still reaching audiences today.

The action is set in Oxford as we follow a young girl, living with her aunts. She has the most amazing experiences as she sleeps – could this be real? Or imagined?

Having found artefacts from New Guinea, the young girl has vivid dreams about the tribes. Penelope Lively brings the exotic landscapes to life, with her magnificent descriptions. The book springs to life in glorious technicolour.

The leading lady is very kind, having empathy for those around her. Her elderly aunts are taken care of as the teen anticipates their needs.

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Hope On Hope by Susan Gray

Mar22

Love Wins

Hope On Hope by Susan Gray is the most charming historical novel that I absolutely adored.

The novel is mainly set in the north west of England in 1946. War is over but families are still feeling the effects. There are empty spaces around tables.

We also cross the channel to France to re-connect with family as the war years kept families apart.

War brings secrets. Even after it has ended, a character keeps quiet about her role in the resistance, for fear of reprisals. “She played her part – a small but vital part.”

For so long, fear ruled in even the bravest of hearts, so it isn’t surprising that a character is still cautious. “How long would it take for the memories to fade and the fear to subside?” One never knows just how brave one is until called upon to act without thought to personal safety. “War makes people inventive. It causes them to step outside their comfortable places.”

We see the importance of having hope. “Hope is my lifeline.” Clinging to hope, even in the bleakest of circumstances means a character declares “hope helps me to move forward.” Without hope, the people perish. She “trained herself to never lose hope. Hope was her anchor.”

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The Secretary by Deborah Lawrenson

Mar16

Smoke & Mirrors

The Secretary by Deborah Lawrenson is an intriguing historical espionage thriller which I read in just two sittings.

Partly fact and partly fiction, the novel is based around the author’s mother’s life and her diaries. The action is set in 1958. Real life figures pop up within the narrative.

The reader journeys to Moscow. It is a post war world of espionage and spies. Trust is in short supply. One has to be very cautious about one’s actions and words for fear of being incarcerated by the Soviets. It was a time of mistrust and distrust.

Still, there was time to party, form alliances and fall in love. All the time keeping one eye open for traitors.

Deborah Lawrenson writes in a very personable style bringing both the characters and Cold War Moscow to life.

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The Crime Writer by Diane Jeffrey

Mar13

Wow! – Totally Gripping

The Crime Writer by Diane Jeffrey is a totally gripping contemporary psychological crime suspense that gripped me from the start.

The action is set in 2019 and present day. It alternates between the two time periods as the reader, and the community, try to piece together just exactly what happened to missing mum of two on that snowy night in 2019.

As we follow the events, clinging on for dear life, we wonder where the truth lies. Is a father protecting himself from the media? Or is there something else going on?

A grisly accidental discovery in present day, opens up a whole new can of worms. Once more, the case of the missing mum is at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

The novel touches on the topic of domestic abuse. Normally we have the female perspective – but not this time as we learn of a woman with a vicious streak.

How far would you go to protect your family? A father tries to shield his daughters from the publicity. He wants to give them stability which is especially important for his daughter with additional needs.

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