Imogen Clark books

Post Cards from a Stranger is the latest book I've read by Imogen Clark.  

The story shifts from perspectives in 1969, 1976, 1987 and then 2017 within three generations.

In 1969 the Kemp sisters Annie and Ursula are trying to stay out of their father's way when he returns home from work.  Anything can set him off and he becomes violent.  When he isn't angry he is condescending and demeaning.  They dream of the day they are old enough to leave and make a life for themselves far away. Why their mother endures being slapped and mocked is beyond their understanding.

When Annie is old enough to work she mets attractive and fast-talking Joe Ferensby.  She is charmed and accepts his marriage proposal, escaping her hellish homelife and thinks she hit the jackpot.

Joe doesn't hit Annie but his true nature comes out after marriage.  He's passive aggressive and talks down to her.  He isolates her from friends and keeps a tight wallet so she must ask for everything.  Once their two children Cara and Michael are born she knows she'll never leave. Lots more regarding the Feresby household but it's inserted in backstory throughout.

In 1987 we get a glimpse of single father Joe dealing with 2 year old Cara and 7 year old Michael. The children are uprooted from their London home and move to the Moors in Yorkshire.  Cara cries for her mother for weeks and Michael comforts her.  She misses her dead mother but in fact, young Michael is keeping huge secrets from his sister in an effort to protect her.

In 2017  Cara and her brother Michael as adults. Cara is caring for their father who has Alzheimers and her life is difficult.  Cara is still living on the moors while Michael is a barrister in London.  He is married with twin daughters and wants nothing to do with his father. There was a huge falling out when Michael was old enough to discover his father's secrets.

Now, Joe has Alzheimers. When things get bad Cara calls Michael for some input and he he says he knows it's difficult and would help more but..."you know how it is." He has no idea how difficult it is to be there and deal with an Alzheimers patient 24/7 and the rift between him and his father means he certainly won't head north and physically help. You'll discover the secrets much later in the book.

Cara is a wedding dress designer and has a studio where she crafts magnificent original designs. One day she is looking in the attic, a place forbidden by their father when Cara and Michael were children, and she finds a box of postcards.  Right there - her life is upended.

This wasn't my favorite book by Imogen Clark but I wasn't tempted to put it down. It certainly covers quite a bit of territory.  I was weirdly both sympathetic and impatient with Cara as she works her way the secrets her father kept. Imagine finding something you need to confront your parent with but their mind is gone so your opportunity is forever lost. 

Previous books I’ve enjoyed by the author are as follows:

Where the Story Starts

Reluctantly Home 

 On my former book blog Novel Meals I wrote about The Last Piece . I love the cover!

 I am awaiting the author's latest book Impossible to Forget.

Sharing with 

Marg at The Intrepid Reader for the  2022 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge 

 Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.

Greenwich Park by Katherine Faulkner

 

I admit the cover grabbed my attention straight away.  Isn't that what we notice in the bookstore displays?  A cover that appeals?  Well, that and an author we love.

The beginning of this book is a letter to Helen.  It's from one of our main characters and that character is writing from prison.  You don't know if it's a man or woman but they contact Helen to share a secret which I assumed would devastate her. For what it's worth, I guessed wrong on the author's identity, I mean completely as I didn't even have the correct gender of the writer!

The house itself is always part of the story. It’s an old house registered with English heritage. It has a lovely doorway, huge old Georgian windows surrounded by ivy. Just look at the cover so you get a mental image. It looks like a place I'd love to live.

 Our main characters are Helen, Daniel, Serena, Rory and Rachel. With the exception of Rachel they all attended Cambridge University. Helen and Daniel are married and Helen's brother Rory is married to Serena. Both ladies are very pregnant and while you'd think the sister-in-laws would be bonding it's a bit awkward at times.

Helen is a rather nosy character and goes through Serena's cabinets and drawers. One day she finds a note and she can’t figure out who it’s from (as if it's any of her business.)

Darling RRH

Wear it  to show me

Evermore

W

She knows it isn’t Serena’s handwriting and wonders if her brother Rory is having an affair. The initial W doesn’t mean anything to her but it is revealed who W is at the end of the book.  That part was quite clever, however Helen not knowing the hand writing raised suspicion with me as it is someone she knows very well. But that's much later in the book.....

Rachel is a wild, smoking and drinking young woman who attends the same birthing class as Helen.  She slowly insinuates herself into Helen's life even though Helen has zero in common with her.  From the beginnning I was wondering why Helen didn't avoid Rachel but you will see her end game as you read on.

I know so many books are compared to Gone Girl but this one has the over-the-waterfall revelations and I enjoyed every surprise.

Brilliant writing and plot, I couldn't put this one down.  With all the mysteries I read there are the occasional books which I can leave for days and then I get back to them.  Not this one.  I have been fortunate to have a great run of luck with the mysteries I've gotten from Netgalley and the library lately. 4 & 1/2 Stars.

Publication date is January 25,  2022 by Gallery Books.  Genre: Mystery and Thriller. Look out for this one and I hope Ms. Faulkner continues with future engaging plots.

Thank you to Netgalley for the advanced reader's copy of this book.  I was not compensated for the review, all opinions are mine.

Katherine Faulkner is a journalist and lives in London and Greenwich Park is her first novel. 

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.

His and Hers by Alice Feeney

 

When a woman is murdered in the small British village of Blackdown newsreader Anna Andrews is reluctant to cover the case.  Anna is originally from Blackdown and has bad memories from her school days and early marriage. She is currently in London and aspires to be the main newsreader on televsion.

Local detective Jack Harper is called to the murder scene and there are involvements on his side as well as Anna's with the murder victim. Jack becomes a suspect in this investigation but he knows Anna has secrets about the case as well. It's a Russian nest doll of revelations as each layer is revealed.  The connections will keep you guessing about motive and who is the main suspect as the bodies pile up.

The title His and Hers refers to the perspective which the story is told.  You will go back and forth between Jack and Anna's point of view.  

This was quite a page turner.  Guaranteed you'll be surprised by the end and the murderer's identity.  I enjoyed this book so much that I put every novel by Alice Feeney on hold at the library. 

More about British author Alice Feeney HERE

Sharing with Joy's Book Blog for British Isles Friday.