Tuesday 29 May 2018

The Missing Girl - Jenny Quintana




The Missing Girl by Jenny Quintana is a gripping novel full of twists and turns, and a desperate hunt to solve a decades-old mystery. Anna Flores was just a child when her adored teenage sister disappeared. Unable to deal with the pain, Anna took the first opportunity she had to run from her fractured family, eventually building a life for herself abroad. Now, thirty years on, her mother has died, and Anna must return home to sort through her possessions. In doing so, she has to confront the huge hole her sister's disappearance left in their lives, leaving just one question unanswered: what really happened to Gabriella? Because not knowing is worse than the truth. Isn't it?

The story of a family fractured by the disappearance of young daughter, Gabriella. The book examines the grief of now knowing the truth, and how it makes you question everything causing Anna to run as far away as she could, as soon as possible.

It alternates between 1982 and the present day (which partly made the book difficult to read for me, some people enjoy this time slip but just personally I find it detracts from the story) and examines the different ways the family members cope with the disappearance. Blame, guilt, shock, denial all huge parts in how the family deal with their grief.

When Anna's mother dies thirty years later she returns for the funeral and gets drawn once again into the mystery that surrounds this family shattering tragedy. 

The outcome surprised me and over all I found it a satisfying read. I did however find it a slow burner, but was not disappointed that I gave it the time it needed to read.

If you like a book to get your teeth into and make you think, this is a good candidate!


With thanks to Annabelle at ed_pr for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review


Tuesday 1 May 2018

Elaine Everest - Wartime at Woolworths blog tour!

A huge welcome to Elaine Everest who is joining me today to celebrate this weeks release of

Wartime at Woolworths!


‘I’m sorry, Maisie, but I’m putting my foot down over this. You’re not taking our daughter up to the East End of London and putting her in danger,’ David said, slamming his newspaper down by the side of his armchair. ‘I thought we’d already discussed this?’
Maisie sighed. She’d cooked her husband a decent meal, although the small piece of steak was as tough as old boots and could possibly have been horsemeat. She’d hoped that after a long day at his desk in London doing God knows what for the RAF she could put him in a good frame of mind before breaking her news.
‘I mean it, Maisie, so don’t look at me like that. I will not be changing my mind over this,’ David fumed.
‘But—’
David raised his hand. ‘I’ll not be swayed on this. What if there’s an air raid? Where will you go with a pram and a young baby? It’s sheer lunacy. I’m amazed you’re even considering taking our child into danger.’
‘I want her to meet my parents and for them ter know I’m happily married and settled,’ she said quietly, feeling the sting of tears threatening to fall. She wasn’t one for crying but David’s words had really hurt. She held her head high but her chin started to quiver uncontrollably. ‘I’m sorry you think so badly of me,’ she gulped before turning to walk away.
David leapt from his chair as he saw how distressed his wife was. ‘Oh my darling, please don’t cry,’ he said, pulling her into his arms. ‘I don’t wish to see either of you in danger. How do you think I’d feel if I waved you off only to hear that the Luftwaffe had taken you from me?’
He caressed her hair as she clung to him and sobbed. ‘I’m sorry, David. I’m a bloody fool,’ she said when at last she could speak. ‘I just had this longing to see my mum and show her our baby. I wanted to tell her how I’d made good . . . and I wanted her to say she’s proud of me.’

Wartime at Woolworths by Elaine Everest is published on 3rd May by Pan Mac (available in paperback and ebook, price £6.99)

 Links:



Twitter: @ElaineEverest