THE HIDING PLACE by AMANDA MASON

 THE HIDING PLACE

by

AMANDA MASON

THE BLURB:

The front door rattled gently on its hinges and something- the wind, surely- nudged against it. She placed a hand against the door, listening as Elder House seemed to shift and settle around her...

Nell Galilee, her husband and step-daughter Maude rent a holiday cottage by the sea. The cottage has been empty for some time, and from the start Nell feels uncomfortable there. Something just isn't quite right about the place...

Twelve-year-old Maude soon finds herself beguiled by the house's strange atmosphere. There are peculiar marks on the roof beams above her bed, and in another room, a hiding place, concealing a strange, unnerving object.

As the house gradually reveals its secrets, Nell becomes increasingly uneasy and Maude spellbound. But these women- and the women that surround them- also have things to hide, and soon events will come to a terrible head...

THE REALITY:

This turned out to be my Christmas read, and the title struck a chord in my memory- Katherine Webb also wrote a novel (although it wasn't supernatural; just clever) called something very similar (The Hiding Places, research further back in my blog reveals). This book was a big, unwieldy tome, and I can certainly understand feedback for my similarly sized first novel, which dictated that I should spread my 320,000 words into a serial, as the book simply wasn't easy to just drop into a handbag and go.

The novel didn't dictate exactly where the story was set, but I kind of worked out that it was Whitby, which I hope to visit for Whitby Goth Weekend. I did love the atmospheric cliffside location of the unsettling rented home, and the author conveyed the mystery and unease surrounding this property pretty well. I also loved the historical explanations attached to the holiday let, and was especially taken by the description of a beautiful tiered garden in a neighbour's property.

Character-wise, this book was a good study in mother/ daughter relationships, including those that occur with step-mothers and step-daughters, and the difficulties a “blended” family has. I felt especially sorry for (spoiler alert!) Evie, who was a disappointment to her mother because she was gay, and didn't quite manage to pick (another spoiler alert!) Carolyn out as the chief protagonist until she actually “performed,” right near the end. Although she did come across as a tad weird and unsavoury. I also understood Maude, who clearly feels like a fifth wheel as a twelve-year-old, yet kind of got her step-mother, Nell's point of view as well, so full marks to the author for good, explorative writing.

But the thing I loved most about the book was the supernatural/ witchcraft aspect, and how it crossed over with art and design, with the weird markings on the ceiling, Nell's profession and Gina's shop. The finding of the hiding place and its significance was interesting and a tad spooky, as were the odd goings-on. Although I found the ending a tad ambiguous, I kind of understand the bargain Nell makes with the supernatural- although with bargains like that, I can't help but feel that there would be a high price to pay. It's slightly uneasy and unsettling. A tale that seems to jump around a bit (although paragraphs clearly define whose point of view we're being subjected to) but is certainly very readable and worth a go.

FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD by C.K. WILLIAMS

 FLOWERS FOR THE DEAD

by

C.K. WILLIAMS

THE BLURB:

I AM THE REASON GIRLS ARE TOLD NOT TO TRUST STRANGERS. I AM THEIR CAUTIONARY TALE.

Nineteen years ago Linn Wilson was attacked. Seventeen years old and home alone, she'd been waiting for her friends to arrive when she heard the doorbell ring. But when she opened the door, Linn let in her worst nightmare. The culprit was never found.

It was someone I knew. I am going to find out who did this to me.

Now Linn is determined to get to the bottom of the night that changed her life forever. Returning to the village where she grew up, she knows that someone must know something. The claustrophobia and isolation of small town living means secrets won't remain secrets for long...

THE REALITY:

Possibly not the most cheery of novels to read when going through a sudden bereavement, as I was! This was found at Southend railway station, where they have a book exchange thingy going on, where you leave one of your old books and take a new one. This novel- although possibly not something I would choose- seemed the best at the time.

The main thing I liked was that the author really did keep you guessing and, for a long time, it was an “it could be any one of them” situation. Then the finger seemed to point at (spoiler alert!) Anna, and I liked the way that the idea of a female perpetrator was explored, along with the claustrophobic nature of living in a small town society, and how everybody knows everyone else's business. I also liked the way sexuality- and how times have regarding acceptance of alternative lifestyles- was explored.

Would I have guessed the perpetrator? Maybe and kind of, as (spoiler alert!) he came into the frame as a candidate somewhat far along the line, and I loved the way Linn worked out who it actually was and how she dealt with him. I also liked the (sometimes) one line chapters and how the book was carefully compartmentalised with each player getting a different chapter to his or her self.

(Big spoiler alert!) The information regarding how she adorned her creepy dead husband with flowers in the chapel of rest was something else, and enough to make your skin crawl!

Not my usual cup of tea, but it was certainly evocative, and worth a go.

YOUTUBE TRESCO VLOG LIVE...

 My Tresco, Isles of Scilly vlog/ photo montage is now live!

Click on this link:-

https://youtu.be/LyU9wlwhZkE

This island was the most verdant of all of the islands of the archipelago, although it probably seems that way because of the presence of the fantastic and historical botanical gardens; Tresco Abbey Gardens.  That really is a wonderful place to visit- don't leave the island without going there.  

There are other attractions to visit; such as King Charles's Castle, Cromwell's Castle and the Blockhouse, but we actually viewed these from the neighbouring islands of Bryher and St Martin's.

The thing I noticed most about Tresco was that it seemed ten degrees warmer than St Mary's, where we stayed, and travelled by boat from each day.  It's due to the Gulf Stream effect, and the fact that this island is sheltered between others.

As you know, I will always be a writer before anything else, so here is my updated Tresco blog link:-

https://elainerockett.blogspot.com/2022/10/miss-elaineous-visits-tresco-abbey.html

😀

Enjoy the video, don't forget to hit the subscribe, like and notification buttons, hit follow on this blog as well and I'll see you soon.

TTFN

Miss Elaineous

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SUMMER AT LITTLE BEACH STREET BAKERY by JENNY COLGAN

 SUMMER AT LITTLE BEACH STREET BAKERY

by

JENNY COLGAN

THE BLURB:

I (me, Jenny, the author, not Polly, who's the character in the book, and has much better hair than me)... Anyway, I often have this sense that any day now, everything in my life is going to fall into place and run smoothly and hurray! I'll have somehow figured out this whole 'life' business.

But, of course, my life never ever goes like that. As soon as one thing sorts itself out, something else falls totally out of whack, and I'm chasing my tail again.

If you are a very calm, sorted person, I envy you. But if you are more like me, well, you might really enjoy this book. One minute, Polly is baking bread in Little Beach Street Bakery in gorgeous Cornwall. Then she decides to buy a lighthouse and, well... let's just say it doesn't go quite to plan.

If you've ever dreamed of tossing it all up in the air and starting over, I hope you love Summer at Little Beach Bakery. And if you haven't- well, you know, it has a really cool puffin in it.

Very warmest wishes, Jenny XXX

THE REALITY:

Quite a nice touch, that- the author putting a personal message blurb on the back of the book, and this novel is real feel good chick lit. It is heart warming, and I picked it up from the charity shop shelf as it features Cornwall, which I love visiting. I also took it to read when I went there on holiday not too long ago, although I was a bit too busy to actually read it! I soon found out that fictional Mount Polbearne is based on real St Michael's Mount, which I've visited before (and did this time), so it was very easy to envisage. I also loved the fact that our heroine lived in a lighthouse, although I sense that the reality of that life-changing decision is more romantic in fiction than reality!

But my favourite character was Neil the puffin, who made me cry buckets. Why, you might ask? Well, I had a long term boyfriend who nicknamed me puffin as “you have a face like one!” Well, I love puffins so that term of endearment was nice. But that boyfriend- who I'd remained friends with, despite him living in another country- passed away suddenly during my reading of this book, so Neil perhaps became specially poignant. Yep, this was a book read through tears.

As storylines go it was okay with a pleasant mix of characters. Villainous Malcolm was gross and it was easy to work out that it was Selina who (spoiler alert) wrote slag on Nan the Van. I have to say, the plot tripped along nicely but wasn't particularly spectacular. If it's light, bright and trite you're after then this book is for you. But the main thing for me with this read was the delightful Cornish setting.