Archive | June 2023

The Other Couple by Diane Jeffrey

Jun22

Entertaining & Gripping

The Other Couple by Diane Jeffrey is a simply marvellous contemporary psychological suspense that had me mesmerized from the start.

Diane Jeffrey is masterful at her craft as she draws the reader in, leading us with our emotional responses to her characters. We cling on to the narrative for dear life.

The story is told in the first and third person from two alternating points of view. As such, we become intimately acquainted with the characters.

We witness the total desolation that comes with loss. “I have nothing left to lose. I’ve already lost everything.” Desperation takes over as a character relentlessly searches for answers, employing tactics that she never realized lay within.

The weather mirrors the action as Diane Jeffrey employs the literary device of pathetic fallacy. As the storm clouds gather, they mirror a character’s inner turmoil.

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Who Brought The Dog To Church? by Tracy L Smoak

Jun20

Delightful

Who Brought The Dog To Church? by Tracy Smoak is a delightful contemporary Christian novel about community, care and friendship.

The cast of characters are realistically drawn. They are an eclectic bunch whom you could meet in any small town. The women have one thing in common – compassion – where they see a need, it is met. There are some huge hearts.

There is the difficult topic of domestic violence which is sensitively portrayed by Tracy Smoak. Her style of writing enables the reader to easily picture the victim and the abuser, as we get inside their heads.

There is also the theme of loss as women struggle with grief after losing their husbands. “Only her hope in eternity kept her from going mad with grief.” Because of Jesus we can have the hope of heaven. We witness a character who thinks she is alone in her grief, without realising that others have trodden the same path. Our experiences help us to come alongside others and help them on their journeys.

Within the tale the church functions as Jesus intended. “She needed a friend who understood her sorrows and offered hope.” Women support others. The prayer chain rallies to petition God. Although a miscommunication brings some humorous results.

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The Couple Across The Street by Anita Waller

Jun20

What Lurks Behind

The Couple Across The Street by Anita Waller is a totally gripping contemporary psychological thriller that I just could not put down.

Behind the curtains of suburbia one can find secrets and lies. Sometimes people spend a lifetime hiding a guilty secret, but even after death, secrets have a way of rising to the surface, leaving a trial of destruction. Suburbia is not always as cosy as one imagines.

Anita Waller has created a marvellous plotline that grabbed my attention from the start – a near tragedy in the past opens the book as I wondered – how does this fit in?

We see how loss draws a family closer. But even as there is grief, for some, freedom is just beginning.

The leading characters are mainly women. We see how alone they may be powerless but together they are stronger. Strength of character is needed to negotiate the highways of life.

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Trouble For The Boat Girl by Lizzie Lane

Jun15

Social Injustice

Trouble For The Boat Girl by Lizzie Lane is a marvellous novel looking at the social history of women and the poor. It is set in 1925.

The twenties were a turbulent time. World War I was over but England was hardly a land fit for heroes. The tale follows the boat people whose existence was threatened by the railways. The unions were just emerging and were not popular with the bosses. Work was precarious and poverty was rife. We witness how hard it is to change the attitudes from within. It is laws that are needed in order to make a difference.

We follow two characters from the upper classes who try to bring order and change for the impoverished people. We wonder, do they both really have philanthropy at heart? Or is it just a way to rebel against their family?

Children of the boat people receive very little in the way of education as they are never in one place for that long. We see a female character who wishes to change that. Teaching was seen as a female vocation and there was a choice to be made – teach? Or marry? You could not do both.

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