Eight stars
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Hannah Richell, and Simon & Schuster Canada, for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Having never read —or heard of—Hannah Richell before, I took a gamble with this book. Richell offers up quite the story that is sure to pull the reader into the middle of the novel and leave them wondering which way is up. When a large group go camping in style, something horrible take place, forcing them to protect themselves and perhaps turn on others. Richell builds the suspense up until all is revealed and the true feelings of all come to the surface. An interesting piece that has me intrigued and wondering if I want to come back for more.
Wanting away from the busy life that London breeds, Max and Annie Kingsley decide to pack it all up and head to Cornwall with their pre-teen son to look into the quieter life. Before opening their glamping establishment, they decide to test it out by inviting some university friends to see that things will run smoothly. This is the perfect reunion for these families, as life got away from them and they have let their friendships stale.
With a number of families together, the children of various ages are pushed to interact. As the clashes between the younger ones escalate, the parental units will surely become involved, drawing lines in the proverbial sand. When something tragic takes place, all eyes turn to how these various families will cope. In a story that moves both between numerous timelines and settings, Hannah Richell offers up a special look into the tensions that arise as families seek to protect their own and toss others out to the authorities. Friendships be damned, family preservation means more than anything. Still, there has been a crime and someone will have to pay. Richell does well to keep the reader hooked in this piece.
I always enjoy a good mystery and Hannah Richell delivers one here. With her strong narrative style, she is able to push the story along, gaining momentum as the action heats up. Her eagerness to put the reader in the middle of it all is shown by the various timeline changes, as well as the setting swaps that provides all angles for the reader to see as things progress.
Character development is key to keeping the reader interested. Richell does well with that as she weaves the story around strong characters that emerge. From the central Kingsleys to some of those introduced on the glamping adventure, the characters take on a life of their own in this piece. I was happy to see things progressing and can only hope that this remains in other of Richell's novels.
Plot twists help thicken things in this piece, especially as the mysterious nature of the tragic events heightens. The climactic build is not lost on the attentive reader, though things can sometimes be predictable. I can only hope that others felt the same about this piece, where Richell tosses many possibilities before revealing all in a monumental reveal towards the end o the book. This is the sign of a strong novel and a capable writer. I enjoyed the journey and hope others can help. With promoting a great book that many would enjoy.
Kudos, Madam Richell, four piquing my interest through this novel.
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