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The Estate #1
Somewhere to Hide
The first novel in The Estate Series, an emotional and gripping read full of down-to-earth stories about life's ups and downs. Strong female characters and a sense of community that will be right up your street. WHAT IF YOU HAD NO ONE TO TURN TO AND NOWHERE TO RUN? With the death of her husband and a tragic secret she is desperate to bury, Cath opens her home to young women who need a roof over their head and a sympathetic ear. No woman is beyond Cath’s helping hand. The only problem? She lives on the notorious Mitchell Estate, where temptation and trouble lurk on every corner. When malicious notes are posted through her door and precious things go missing, Cath reckons it’s just part of daily life on the estate. But when those she cares about most fall prey to violence, she begins to suspect her past mistakes are catching up with her. Can Cath finally confront her own troubled history before it engulfs not only her but also the women struggling to rebuild their lives? The Estate Series - where even the darkest moments have a light at the end of the tunnel. Books in The Estate Series Somewhere to Hide Behind a Closed Door Fighting for Survival Written in the Scars The Estate Box Set (A collection of books 1-3 above) ******************************* WHAT THE READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT SOMEWHERE TO ‘Have just discovered this gem of an author and really enjoying the Estate series. Well written with believable characters.’ ‘This book was edgy, full of secrets and I loved it. Parts of the storyline had me in tears, seeing what some of these women had to endure in their daily lives was an eye opener.’ I’m honestly cannot recommend Somewhere to Hide highly enough. The author brings home the devastating effects that certain crimes leave their victims with and it makes for an emotional and gripping read throughout. Cannot wait to read the next one.’ ‘The suspense is there in every chapter, willing you to turn the pages. The characters are deep and understood. The storyline skips along with everything adding to the plot. Cannot recommend this book and author highly enough.’ ******************************* WHAT THE AUTHORS SAY ABOUT MEL SHERRATT ‘A writer to watch out for.’ Mandasue Heller. ‘Just the right amount of gritty realism that sets her writing apart from the crowd.’ LJ Ross. ‘Mel Sherratt combines taut storytelling with excellent characterisation.’ Angela Marsons.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 29, 2012
305 people are currently reading
606 people want to read
About the author
Mel Sherratt
44 books532 followersI write police procedurals, psychological suspense and women's fiction with a punch - or grit-lit, as I call it.
I live in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, with my husband and terrier, Dexter (named after the TV serial killer) and makes liberal use of my hometown as a backdrop for some of my books.
You can find out more at my website www.melsherratt.co.uk or I'm on Twitter at @writermels
I also write women's fiction under the pen name of Marcie Steele.
I live in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, with my husband and terrier, Dexter (named after the TV serial killer) and makes liberal use of my hometown as a backdrop for some of my books.
You can find out more at my website www.melsherratt.co.uk or I'm on Twitter at @writermels
I also write women's fiction under the pen name of Marcie Steele.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 18, 2016
Brit-grit-lit author Mel Sherratt has another winner with Somewhere to Hide (The Estate series, #1). This is my 3rd Sherratt book, having read Taunting the Dead and Follow the Leader earlier this year. I enjoyed this book very much and am pleased to see that there are currently 2 more novels in this series.
Ms. Sherratt describes The Estate series as grit-lit crime drama, which I found to be a fitting description of Somewhere to Hide. I find this type of writing to be an excellent change of pace from my usual serial-killer thrillers with divorced, alcoholic protags with demons. The author uses her personal experience as a Housing Officer in England to paint the setting and the personalities of the Mitchell Estates, a mostly seedy collection of homes filled with mostly troubled souls. The protagonist, Cath Mason, lives in one of these houses and takes in troubled teenage girls and young women. The story revolves around Cath and her boarders. The perspective is 3rd person. The narrative moves along at a perfect pace for the story, not too fast and not too slow. There are lots of characters, but none are extraneous, making it easy to keep them sorted. I was impressed with the realistic portrayal of the characters and the storyline, which is not always pretty. British slang is used throughout, which was entertaining to me and easy to understand in context. This book is indeed gritty, not gratuitously so, but very realistically so. And I liked the whole package. I liked it a lot. Again, I credit Ms. Sherratt’s personal experience in a similar setting, as well as her writing abilities, for much of this.
I found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn’t reading and couldn’t wait to get back to the story. Despite its slower-than-thriller pace, the story never dragged for me, and the last 25% or so was unputdownable. This, along with Ms. Sherratt’s writing style, defined the book as a 5 star read for me.
I highly recommend Somewhere to Hide to all fans of realistic crime fiction. I will definitely be reading more novels by Mel Sherratt.
Ms. Sherratt describes The Estate series as grit-lit crime drama, which I found to be a fitting description of Somewhere to Hide. I find this type of writing to be an excellent change of pace from my usual serial-killer thrillers with divorced, alcoholic protags with demons. The author uses her personal experience as a Housing Officer in England to paint the setting and the personalities of the Mitchell Estates, a mostly seedy collection of homes filled with mostly troubled souls. The protagonist, Cath Mason, lives in one of these houses and takes in troubled teenage girls and young women. The story revolves around Cath and her boarders. The perspective is 3rd person. The narrative moves along at a perfect pace for the story, not too fast and not too slow. There are lots of characters, but none are extraneous, making it easy to keep them sorted. I was impressed with the realistic portrayal of the characters and the storyline, which is not always pretty. British slang is used throughout, which was entertaining to me and easy to understand in context. This book is indeed gritty, not gratuitously so, but very realistically so. And I liked the whole package. I liked it a lot. Again, I credit Ms. Sherratt’s personal experience in a similar setting, as well as her writing abilities, for much of this.
I found myself thinking about the characters when I wasn’t reading and couldn’t wait to get back to the story. Despite its slower-than-thriller pace, the story never dragged for me, and the last 25% or so was unputdownable. This, along with Ms. Sherratt’s writing style, defined the book as a 5 star read for me.
I highly recommend Somewhere to Hide to all fans of realistic crime fiction. I will definitely be reading more novels by Mel Sherratt.
August 10, 2016
This is the first of the series "The Estate" and if it's an indicator of the next books count me in! I absolutely loved reading Somewhere to Hide, there was really nothing to not like about it. What we have is a very well written novel with an interesting and ever fluid plot, down to earth and three dimensional characters and a freaking awesome twist at the end of the book.
With the death of her husband and a tragic secret she is desperate to bury, Cath Mason opens her home to young women who need a roof over their head and a sympathetic ear. From victims of domestic violence to drug addicts, no woman is beyond Cath's helping hand. The only problem? She lives on the notorious Mitchell Estate, where temptation and trouble lurk on every corner.
When malicious notes are posted through her door, precious things go missing and a homeless teenager is found murdered, Cath reckons it's just part of daily life on the estate. But when those she cares about most fall prey to violence, she begins to suspect her past mistakes are catching up with her.
Cath Mason is a great character, a woman who has had some hard times herself opens the doors of her tiny place on a huge council estate in England to women who need a helping hand or a place to stay to get on their feet. They come to her from backgrounds with domestic violence, drug abuse, neglect, you name it, if she has the room, she takes them in. Big heart.
We get to know all the characters really well in the book that are staying with Cath including two teenage girls who are unable to live at home and have done it tough. There is also a woman with a young child who is escaping from a dangerous and violent marriage to a man who will not let her go. Her story in the book is very powerful which ends with a bang.
This book is gritty and real, it can be heartbreaking in places. The characters are all flawed and damaged, often making choices that just makes you want to scream. Reading about two young teenage girls giving themselves up for sex in the back of older boys cars so quickly to be "liked" just tore me apart. It's written here in the novel, but let's face it, it's real life out there also. The author has captured that realism into her novel. But don't expect things to be glossed over here, times are tough and it shows.
With a really great pace, the plot successfully interweaves a number of different stories seamlessly, I was interested in all of the stories of these broken women, and of Cath herself, it's all connected. The author tackles some difficult subject matter but does it really exceptionally well.
The lead up to the ending and the twist that was there I did not see coming, it was brilliantly done and totally unexpected, I had not connected the dots at all. The book outwitted me. Win! This is easy to read fiction that has an awful lot of appeal, it makes for very entertaining reading.
I have the next two books in this series from the author to read and review also dear readers, so watch out for further reviews to find out what is happening on The Estate. This one is highly recommended reading. 4.5 stars from me.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the author after I requested a copy to read and review, many thanks Mel!
Thanks for reading my review! If you enjoyed it please leave me a “like” or a comment, I love to interact with other book lovers! For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, and live author Q&A events come to: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
With the death of her husband and a tragic secret she is desperate to bury, Cath Mason opens her home to young women who need a roof over their head and a sympathetic ear. From victims of domestic violence to drug addicts, no woman is beyond Cath's helping hand. The only problem? She lives on the notorious Mitchell Estate, where temptation and trouble lurk on every corner.
When malicious notes are posted through her door, precious things go missing and a homeless teenager is found murdered, Cath reckons it's just part of daily life on the estate. But when those she cares about most fall prey to violence, she begins to suspect her past mistakes are catching up with her.
Cath Mason is a great character, a woman who has had some hard times herself opens the doors of her tiny place on a huge council estate in England to women who need a helping hand or a place to stay to get on their feet. They come to her from backgrounds with domestic violence, drug abuse, neglect, you name it, if she has the room, she takes them in. Big heart.
We get to know all the characters really well in the book that are staying with Cath including two teenage girls who are unable to live at home and have done it tough. There is also a woman with a young child who is escaping from a dangerous and violent marriage to a man who will not let her go. Her story in the book is very powerful which ends with a bang.
This book is gritty and real, it can be heartbreaking in places. The characters are all flawed and damaged, often making choices that just makes you want to scream. Reading about two young teenage girls giving themselves up for sex in the back of older boys cars so quickly to be "liked" just tore me apart. It's written here in the novel, but let's face it, it's real life out there also. The author has captured that realism into her novel. But don't expect things to be glossed over here, times are tough and it shows.
With a really great pace, the plot successfully interweaves a number of different stories seamlessly, I was interested in all of the stories of these broken women, and of Cath herself, it's all connected. The author tackles some difficult subject matter but does it really exceptionally well.
The lead up to the ending and the twist that was there I did not see coming, it was brilliantly done and totally unexpected, I had not connected the dots at all. The book outwitted me. Win! This is easy to read fiction that has an awful lot of appeal, it makes for very entertaining reading.
I have the next two books in this series from the author to read and review also dear readers, so watch out for further reviews to find out what is happening on The Estate. This one is highly recommended reading. 4.5 stars from me.
I received a copy of this book thanks to the author after I requested a copy to read and review, many thanks Mel!
Thanks for reading my review! If you enjoyed it please leave me a “like” or a comment, I love to interact with other book lovers! For more of my book reviews, plenty of awesome books to win, and live author Q&A events come to: https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
To follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/promotethatbook
August 22, 2018
This is a book set in a housing estate where most residents are low on the economic scale. The book centres on Cath Mason who shelters women/girls who have nowhere else to go. I did enjoy aspects of this book and the struggle that a lot of people have to get through day to day when let down or abused by those who should support them. However, things take a dramatic shift toward the end and a this point the story started to lose me as it became abruptly unbelievable.
January 26, 2022
And welcome to the Mitchell Estate, a fictitious British housing estate where the residents are at the rough and lower end of the rental sector. Cath Mason however, opens her home to young women who need a roof over their head and a sympathetic ear. Be a fly-on-the-wall as a Shameless cast of characters rub along together in this urban drama.
I found Somewhere to Hide to be an okay 3 star read. This is the second Mel Sherratt book I have read and I did not enjoy it as much as Taunting the Dead. This book is similar to the British television drama Shameless which ran for eleven series from 2004 to 2013.
Nothing special happens in Somewhere to Hide as it has run-of-the-mill storylines. Predictable tales of domestic abuse and how victims deal with it. Predictable clues as to how the plot develops are plain to see, without studying the words. This book is very easy to follow yet so very easy to put down. For all the praise this book gets from some readers, I think it is a throwaway story. There is nothing wrong with it as such, it simply does not rock my boat. Looking at the highlights I made on my Kindle, nothing gets me into “I must quote this” mode. It was fine to read on my 45 minute rest breaks whilst tucking into a sandwich, although some days I wondered if a walk around the block would have been a better choice.
I found Somewhere to Hide to be an okay 3 star read. This is the second Mel Sherratt book I have read and I did not enjoy it as much as Taunting the Dead. This book is similar to the British television drama Shameless which ran for eleven series from 2004 to 2013.
Nothing special happens in Somewhere to Hide as it has run-of-the-mill storylines. Predictable tales of domestic abuse and how victims deal with it. Predictable clues as to how the plot develops are plain to see, without studying the words. This book is very easy to follow yet so very easy to put down. For all the praise this book gets from some readers, I think it is a throwaway story. There is nothing wrong with it as such, it simply does not rock my boat. Looking at the highlights I made on my Kindle, nothing gets me into “I must quote this” mode. It was fine to read on my 45 minute rest breaks whilst tucking into a sandwich, although some days I wondered if a walk around the block would have been a better choice.
May 23, 2016
This is a great setting for a series. The characterisation is strong. Each character has their own distinct personality and, because of the nature of the main character, Cath's, work, they all bring their own set of problems too. In terms of this particular book, I kind of spoilt it for myself because I had the plot figured out. However, I look forward to reading other books in the series and by the same author.
June 28, 2021
Very predictable
May 5, 2024
Well-written, gritty, realistic portrait of life on a housing estate with realistic, interesting characters. Story itself is gripping and I couldn't put it down. Great start to The Estate series.
October 28, 2012
An "estate" in Britain is what Americans call a "housing project" and has exactly the same connotations of crime, drugs, violence, and illegitimacy. A really bad one is called a "sink estate." This series of novels centres on the Mitchell Estate, which contains a mixture of a few respectable folks at one end and a lot of low lifes at the other. Amongst the good people, Cathy Mason shines. She is a thirty-something widow who maintains a combination open house and shelter for runaway teenaged girls and battered women. as a kind of house mother and big sister. Mel Sherratt is vague on how Cathy pays for her establishment; presumably the local authority provides some kind of stipend for her services.
Cathy is devoted to her charges and brave. At one point she disables an abusive spouse with a hockey stick. I loved the account written by the abused wife's eight-year old daughter: Cathy "hit him with a sport stick. I wish my mum had hit my dad with a sport stick." (A Texas woman like Miranda Lambert would have kept a shot gun behind the door instead.) But for all her courage and saintliness, Cathy has a dark secret from her past, and it returns to cause a lot of mayhem.
I loved the relationships between and amongst Cathy and her guests—the teenagers are sometimes very wayward and get into serious trouble. But I thought Cathy's love affair with Matt was needlessly complicated. In this age of mobile phones and texting, Matt could easily explain why he was avoiding Cathy without risking provoking the villain—not that any real man would fear that anyway. He could easily stop by the sport shop for another hockey stick.
The first 3/4 of this book enthralled me. Sadly, the finale seemed very much in straightforward thriller mode, and the end of the villain out of character. So I'm not awarding a fifth star. Mel Sherratt already has a sequal out and I shall read after I have recovered from this visit to the Mitchell Estate.
A realistic feature I missed was local and class dialect. Except for a very occasional "nowt" all the dialogue is rendered in standard spelling. I loved the local dialect in Cathi Unsworth's Weirdo and Nicola Monaghan's The Killing Jar, and it would have provided a distinctive flavour here.
Cathy is devoted to her charges and brave. At one point she disables an abusive spouse with a hockey stick. I loved the account written by the abused wife's eight-year old daughter: Cathy "hit him with a sport stick. I wish my mum had hit my dad with a sport stick." (A Texas woman like Miranda Lambert would have kept a shot gun behind the door instead.) But for all her courage and saintliness, Cathy has a dark secret from her past, and it returns to cause a lot of mayhem.
I loved the relationships between and amongst Cathy and her guests—the teenagers are sometimes very wayward and get into serious trouble. But I thought Cathy's love affair with Matt was needlessly complicated. In this age of mobile phones and texting, Matt could easily explain why he was avoiding Cathy without risking provoking the villain—not that any real man would fear that anyway. He could easily stop by the sport shop for another hockey stick.
The first 3/4 of this book enthralled me. Sadly, the finale seemed very much in straightforward thriller mode, and the end of the villain out of character. So I'm not awarding a fifth star. Mel Sherratt already has a sequal out and I shall read after I have recovered from this visit to the Mitchell Estate.
A realistic feature I missed was local and class dialect. Except for a very occasional "nowt" all the dialogue is rendered in standard spelling. I loved the local dialect in Cathi Unsworth's Weirdo and Nicola Monaghan's The Killing Jar, and it would have provided a distinctive flavour here.
September 4, 2013
I recently started hearing more and more about the author Mel Sherratt. Followers to my blog were suggesting I read her and I’m extremely glad I listened to them. Mel self-published her first book in 2011 and went on to become a Kindle bestseller and a best selling book of 2012. It took me no time at all to fall into the pattern and speed of the book and it seems like Cathy Mason has for once bitten off more than she can chew.
Liz and her daughter were characters I immediately liked and felt myself rooting for then from the outset. Becky was a slightly different story because I didn’t instantly like her. Although that was the case as the story progressed we see what has happened to Becky and the reasons for her becoming what she is now.
Mel Sherratt touched on numerous subjects that can be sore points for people the biggest one being domestic violence. She has managed to create however, a story that grabs your attention and doesn’t allow you to squirm away from the harsh realities of life than many real people (as well as fictional characters) face. The story had so much going on and kept my interest throughout.
I really enjoyed the book and was so pleased that I finally got around to reading this. There are two more books in this Estate series of books, both of which are ready for me on my Kindle. I think this book is a brilliant example of what talent you can fins out there amongst the self-published authors. A brilliant read and I��m really looking forward to the next one.
Liz and her daughter were characters I immediately liked and felt myself rooting for then from the outset. Becky was a slightly different story because I didn’t instantly like her. Although that was the case as the story progressed we see what has happened to Becky and the reasons for her becoming what she is now.
Mel Sherratt touched on numerous subjects that can be sore points for people the biggest one being domestic violence. She has managed to create however, a story that grabs your attention and doesn’t allow you to squirm away from the harsh realities of life than many real people (as well as fictional characters) face. The story had so much going on and kept my interest throughout.
I really enjoyed the book and was so pleased that I finally got around to reading this. There are two more books in this Estate series of books, both of which are ready for me on my Kindle. I think this book is a brilliant example of what talent you can fins out there amongst the self-published authors. A brilliant read and I��m really looking forward to the next one.
February 5, 2014
Mel has brilliantly captured life on a typical housing estate that can be found up and down the land. A real, pulls no punches look at what life is like, living on one of these estates, in this case, the Mitchell estate.
The characters are well described and engaging and the whole thing is written very well in a down to earth style which is exactly what is called for in this instance. Anything flowery just wouldn't have suited!
I enjoyed it and will be reading the rest of the 'estate' book series. Will be interesting to see if any of the other characters follow through, especially the young girls, cheeky minxes!
The characters are well described and engaging and the whole thing is written very well in a down to earth style which is exactly what is called for in this instance. Anything flowery just wouldn't have suited!
I enjoyed it and will be reading the rest of the 'estate' book series. Will be interesting to see if any of the other characters follow through, especially the young girls, cheeky minxes!
November 12, 2015
This was the first book I read on my Kindle and as soon as I started I was hooked & knew I was going to love it. It's fast easy flowing pace, gritty plot and believable characters made it an excellent read. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a book with twists and turns and true to life drama. The Estate would make for a great TV series.
February 21, 2015
Overall I enjoyed this one, I found it to be a little slow halfway through but it picked up towards the end
November 24, 2017
Can't get enough of Mel's books.
July 17, 2018
This book is set on a working class estate and the main character is Cathy, a widow who helps troubled teens find a way in life again.
I was enjoying the book and the various life stories that were explored.
All in all it was an interesting book and gripping. However, it all got way too sensationalist and unrealistic towards the end. I thought this could be a good series book, exploring the different characters that pass through Cathy’s house, but how can you continue with a character who’s serial killer son killed herself in front of him (and tried to kill her)?
I was enjoying the book and the various life stories that were explored.
All in all it was an interesting book and gripping. However, it all got way too sensationalist and unrealistic towards the end. I thought this could be a good series book, exploring the different characters that pass through Cathy’s house, but how can you continue with a character who’s serial killer son killed herself in front of him (and tried to kill her)?
January 18, 2019
I really enjoyed this book. Mel is a brilliant author & being from Stoke-on-Trent myself I can associate to the areas she is writing about.
October 22, 2016
Well I've been on a bit of a Mel Sherratt binge this week and this is the 3rd of her books I've read in one week!
Somewhere To Hide is the first in The Estate series and tells of life on The Mitchell Estate. Fast paced and emotional as we follow the life of Cathy who opens her home to those greatest in need. But why is Cathy so determined to help others? Is there something that she is trying to make up for?
I loved the characters in this book - each and everyone of them - there is a real sense of being an onlooker into the lives of the residents in The Estate as you read this. You get a sense of knowing who they are as the book goes on, you feel their pain, anger and hurt but you also are warmed by the sense of community.
Life on the Estate is hard, running through the book are tales of domestic violence, child abuse, drug misuse and loss but despite such bleak themes there is a warmth and a dark but tough sense of humour that shines through. Some really nasty characters but you almost felt a connection with them knowing what their life had consisted of. It was hard to dislike any of them!
I was unable to put the book down as I neared the end as I so wanted resolution & I knew I couldn't rest until I finished reading!
Looking forward to reading the rest in the series and would recommend for fans of gritty drama.
Somewhere To Hide is the first in The Estate series and tells of life on The Mitchell Estate. Fast paced and emotional as we follow the life of Cathy who opens her home to those greatest in need. But why is Cathy so determined to help others? Is there something that she is trying to make up for?
I loved the characters in this book - each and everyone of them - there is a real sense of being an onlooker into the lives of the residents in The Estate as you read this. You get a sense of knowing who they are as the book goes on, you feel their pain, anger and hurt but you also are warmed by the sense of community.
Life on the Estate is hard, running through the book are tales of domestic violence, child abuse, drug misuse and loss but despite such bleak themes there is a warmth and a dark but tough sense of humour that shines through. Some really nasty characters but you almost felt a connection with them knowing what their life had consisted of. It was hard to dislike any of them!
I was unable to put the book down as I neared the end as I so wanted resolution & I knew I couldn't rest until I finished reading!
Looking forward to reading the rest in the series and would recommend for fans of gritty drama.
January 9, 2013
Right from the first few pages, and the introduction of the character Cathy I knew I was going to love this book. It's fast easy flowing pace, engrossing plot and believable characters make it an excellent read. Every turn of the page has you drawn in as each character has a secret or story to tell, just as you think you're going to find out what it is, the plot twist cleverly to keep you reading on for more. Brilliantly written by Mel Sherratt.
September 27, 2013
I read this book as it was likened to 'shameless' sadly it was a bit flat and lacked intensity, grit and drama, was a bit basically written aswell, 2/3 of the way it livened up a bit, but was predictable and cheesy at the end
December 7, 2015
This is the first book I've read of Mel Sherratt and thoroughly enjoyed it as the characters were life like and by the end of the book you actually cared about the characters.
Just downloading book 2, can't wait to start!!!
Just downloading book 2, can't wait to start!!!
September 10, 2012
Good insight to the world of what things must be like on loads of estates across the country.
April 2, 2013
Very disappointed with this book, there wasn't any real depth to the storyline.
Not well written, which is a shame :-(
Not well written, which is a shame :-(
October 28, 2015
What a wonderful book that had me guessing till near the end. Cath is a great chatacter and while parts of this book are very sad I still found some of thr characters very endearing
January 15, 2024
This was a good story, one set on quite a notorious but rough around the edges estate.
The first chapter is quite shocking, we meet Liz, who has a young daughter with her husband Kevin, and it's setting the scene to explain and show that Liz is suffering terrible domestic abuse by Kevin and it's not the first time. This was three months ago, then the book skips forward to present day.
Next we read about one of the main characters on the estate, Cath Mason. After losing her husband, she opened up her home to local women and youngsters who are having issues, to provide them with somewhere safe to stay and some home comforts. This is how she comes to accept to having Liz and Chloe move in with her, along with another young lady, Becky. Now Cath already houses teen, Jess, who is not happy about 3 new arrivals at once, but she doesn't have time to think about that as the arrivals are here.
She immediately turns against Becky, similar in age and personality, the pair struggle to get along. On top of that, Cath starts receiving notes through the door, which are threatening, and she assumes they are from Kevin, who must have found out where Liz is and is not happy about her not being at home with him. Then things turn again and Kevin keeps appearing at the house wanting to take Liz away with him, and just causing trouble.
The whole story is full of dramas and twists, with Jess and Becky beginning to socialise and becoming competitive, with boys and drink and everything that teens have to do on a small estate. Some of the local boys bring around lots of trouble, and the back story to this is that Cath also has a secret which she has never shared. As she begins to grow closer to people, that secret will eventually have to come out, and it does so, right towards the end of the book. This was written really well, in that you got a real sense of feeling of being on the estate and looking into their lives.
What a turn of events that was, great read and full of lots of suspense. Looking forward to the next in the series.
The first chapter is quite shocking, we meet Liz, who has a young daughter with her husband Kevin, and it's setting the scene to explain and show that Liz is suffering terrible domestic abuse by Kevin and it's not the first time. This was three months ago, then the book skips forward to present day.
Next we read about one of the main characters on the estate, Cath Mason. After losing her husband, she opened up her home to local women and youngsters who are having issues, to provide them with somewhere safe to stay and some home comforts. This is how she comes to accept to having Liz and Chloe move in with her, along with another young lady, Becky. Now Cath already houses teen, Jess, who is not happy about 3 new arrivals at once, but she doesn't have time to think about that as the arrivals are here.
She immediately turns against Becky, similar in age and personality, the pair struggle to get along. On top of that, Cath starts receiving notes through the door, which are threatening, and she assumes they are from Kevin, who must have found out where Liz is and is not happy about her not being at home with him. Then things turn again and Kevin keeps appearing at the house wanting to take Liz away with him, and just causing trouble.
The whole story is full of dramas and twists, with Jess and Becky beginning to socialise and becoming competitive, with boys and drink and everything that teens have to do on a small estate. Some of the local boys bring around lots of trouble, and the back story to this is that Cath also has a secret which she has never shared. As she begins to grow closer to people, that secret will eventually have to come out, and it does so, right towards the end of the book. This was written really well, in that you got a real sense of feeling of being on the estate and looking into their lives.
What a turn of events that was, great read and full of lots of suspense. Looking forward to the next in the series.
April 28, 2018
Very good.
I think that I enjoyed this book because it reminded me of growing up in council estates in the sixties and seventies . T.here was not anything dishonest in this story. The people that Mel described are not dissimilar to the people where I grew up. Thieves, drunkards,violent, domestic abusers, but also, kind, honest, hard working ,just people trying to live there lives decently. Looking forward to the next book!!☺☺
I think that I enjoyed this book because it reminded me of growing up in council estates in the sixties and seventies . T.here was not anything dishonest in this story. The people that Mel described are not dissimilar to the people where I grew up. Thieves, drunkards,violent, domestic abusers, but also, kind, honest, hard working ,just people trying to live there lives decently. Looking forward to the next book!!☺☺
January 20, 2020
Started out with promise but as this is essentially on the subject of domestic violence, and more broadly violence in general, I've decided to abandon it. I've worked in this field as a female advocate so there isn't anything in this book I don't already know. If you believe that one of the purposes of reading is to education, then you can see why I made my choice.
September 20, 2017
This is a great start to the Estate series. Well thought out characters throughout the book. Quite a tough read due to the nature of what these characters have been through & I have to admit that I did shed a tear!
September 28, 2017
Gripping
This was a brilliant book I couldn't put it down
I loved Kath's way of life she is caring and we all know someone like her, I love the its written
Going to read book two now
This was a brilliant book I couldn't put it down
I loved Kath's way of life she is caring and we all know someone like her, I love the its written
Going to read book two now
January 9, 2020
Well worth the read
I'd read this book before but wasn't sure if I'd read the whole series so thought I should catch up. Well worth reading again as I'd forgotten a lot of it. Will be reading the rest of the series now.
I'd read this book before but wasn't sure if I'd read the whole series so thought I should catch up. Well worth reading again as I'd forgotten a lot of it. Will be reading the rest of the series now.
April 28, 2020
Somewhere to hide⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mel Sharratt this is the first book of yours I have read & I really enjoyed it,I can't wait to read the rest& I enjoyed how real the characters are ,there's a bit of everything in your books& that's what I like ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Mel Sharratt this is the first book of yours I have read & I really enjoyed it,I can't wait to read the rest& I enjoyed how real the characters are ,there's a bit of everything in your books& that's what I like ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 9, 2017
Had to give up on this book!! It was just so unbelievable and not gripping at all . The characters were extremely unrealistic
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