The Woman Who Wrote In Green Ink: A voice from the past causes Amber's world to spiral out of control

by Sheena Billett

All Amber wants is to find her twin brother, Peter. She hasn’t seen him since their mother’s death, twenty-five years ago. Her resolve to embark on this quest wavers when it causes tensions within the family, and reluctantly yielding to pressure from her father and husband, Amber decides to focus instead on the story contained within a set of exercise books which she has come across in an antiques and collectibles centre, the green writing reawakening her journalist’s instinct for a good story.
As the green-ink story takes a darker turn, Amber is determined to find the truth about what happened to the green-ink writer. Her search takes her to places she could never have imagined as she is forced to confront her own past, her belief in the importance of justice, and how it squares with her conscience and the need to protect her family. She is supported along the way by her coworkers at the charity shop, an unlikely group who always have her back.
How far will Amber go to find the truth and see justice done? What will she be prepared to sacrifice? If she finds Peter, what will he be like after all these years?

Genres: Book Club

259 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 20, 2023

About the author

My roots are very firmly Cornish, and although I was born in Liskeard, I haven't lived there since I was six and we moved 'upcountry' to Devon. Since then I've been moving even more 'upcountry', to Bristol where I did my teacher training, to Forest Gate in Newham where I had my first teaching, and from there to Oxford, where I worked for BT for three years, and then Waltham Abbey. Finally to Norwich where my sons grew up and I taught music. Norwich is a wonderful place to live, but after twenty or so years, it was time to move again, this time to be with my partner, now my wife. I actually moved to 'The North' and now live in Worksop, Nottinghamshire.
Most of my working life has been spent teaching music, both in schools and giving private piano lessons. I'm still in touch with one of my pupils who I took from the very beginning to Grade 8. He is now a professor in Australia!
As well as music, my passion has always been reading and books, so now, as a writer I'm living the dream.

Reviews

[Sarah Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

July Book Club read.

Wow!!! I could not put this down! The chapters were short and snappy, with soooo many twists and turns!

This book had so many wonderful elements - realistic characters, mysteries, drama, drastically shifting relationships and some wonderfully heart warming moments!

[Celina Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily*


I'm a huge reader. Lately, I've been binging psychology/mystery thrillers (If I had to label this one, it would fall under 'cozy mysteries). I was on the lookout for a palate cleanser, and the description of this one pulled me in.

Amber, the protagonist, is someone we all know. She's the wife and mother who's put everyone and their desires before her own. In a world where all protagonists are strong, fierce, and feminist… Her character is reminiscent of old-world motherhood. However, her strength is so evident in her fight to do what's right regardless of consequences. She is everyone's mom, aunt, and grandmother… and seeing how she steps into her own and empowers herself is part of what makes this such a beautiful read.

The plot twist was a good one and added a tinge of darkness to the storyline. I really did whisper "no way" when it was revealed. The frustration with certain characters (like Cam and Alan, for instance) was also extremely real, and I found myself invested in seeing the final outcome.

I did shed a few tears reading this novel. The ending is wonderfully done. The growth of each innocent character was absolutely lovely.

If you're looking for a mystery with a feel-good vibe, pick this up. You won't be disappointed. Highly Recommend!

[Paige Donovan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable quick read with a cozy mystery vibe, unexpected twists and a perfect ending.
Follow the life of the FMC as she struggles to maintain the happy family image. But what happens when she stumbles across journals written in green ink and her life begins to follow a different path.
Self discovery, empowerment and growth is written well throughout the FMC’s journey.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This mystery was a light, easy read. It felt quite comforting - cosy, but not too cosy, and at the same time, there was a sort of eeriness about it. I felt a connection with the protagonist and identified with her, and the characters in general were quite relatable.

Thank you to Booksirens and the author for a free copy to review.

[Sarah Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

July Book Club read 📚

A gripping, unputdownable read!

Wow! I was completely hooked from start to finish. The short, snappy chapters kept the pace moving, and every twist and turn had me desperate to know what would happen next.

This book had everything—realistic, well-developed characters, intriguing mysteries, intense drama, and relationships that shifted in unexpected and fascinating ways. It balanced suspense and heartfelt moments beautifully, making for a truly compelling read.

I highly recommend this for anyone who loves a story that keeps you guessing!

[Shannon McArthur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, read for our book club, wasn't sure what I'd think but really enjoyed it! Definitely recommend!

[Lindsey's Literary Leanings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page Turner, Engaging, Entertaining
Genre: Family Drama/Contemporary Fiction/Mystery
The Woman Who Wrote Ink Green Ink ✍💚 By Sheena Billett
I was excited & honoured to be asked to read this novel prior to it's publication. I do enjoy a good family drama, and having so many different narratives occurring in one story made it a really entertaining, comprehensive read. Having four different areas of the main character's life, giving different threads to follow within the novel, kept it fresh and enjoyable, introducing the reader to a wide variety of characters. Amber's boys are typical of any couple of teenagers within any family that I know of; One who is on the wild side (generally as in this case, the elder of the two) and the other who behaves himself & tows the line as he hasn't yet reached the age of testing the parental boundaries to see how far they'll stretch. Her husband, a workaholic, only interested in what he can get out of people, he handles every situation in an unemotional perfunctory fashion as if his family were assets rather than loved ones, which made me sad for Amber and her boys, who seemed to be living in a pressure cooker, constantly feeling that they needed to ensure that nothing riled the man of the house. Amber quite understandably grows tired of having to maintain this facade. The cloud under which the three of them are living, the emotional turmoil and the pressure that the boys feel to prevent their impulsive mother from doing anything that might upset their father, but also Amber's anxiety and the feeling that she is being torn between her search for the truth and doing what she perceives to be the right thing, together with keeping the peace in the family and not upsetting the boy's fragile young lives, is tangible. I really felt for her. It is very clear that the only thing of importance to Cam, is making money and his reputation. The two major twists involving Peter and David, I
picked up on fairly early on , but then having read so many books in recent months, I think my brain is used to looking for these cleverly inventive curveballs. I don't necessarily think that they would be obvious to everyone. All threads within the narrative were very skillfully contrived, knitting together characters from all scenarios whilst still allowing them their own limelight. I felt glad for Amber to be working with such a lovely bunch of people. Her 'work family' in the charity shop all had such individual personalities. I was able to apply mental images to all of them so definitively & clearly due to the emotiveness of the writing, however, this is true of all of Sheena's characters in her two novels. They were so supportive of a colleague who was clearly dear to them. The plot twist in this particular harmonious corner was most unexpected, it shocked & made me feel very upset for Amber & the others. I felt that they had lost their figurehead & mainstay. However, I felt Vee was a fitting replacement.
The scene where Helen meets Amber at Theresa's grave was a heart warming way in which to finish the story & lay her tortured soul to rest.
Another impressively well constructed read from Sheena. At times heartwarming, sometimes heartbreaking and at it's heart compassion & empathy for a woman from the past, represented only by words on a page. 🍷

[PridePrejudice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Entertaining Read! Amber finds some journals in a secondhand shop, reads them, researches the author and finds a completely bizarre coincidence within her own life. I’m good with unrealistic plot lines. That’s what stories are for – to stray from real life. So, okay, the plot is completely unbelievable but it is interesting and different. I liked the underlying theme showing “found” family IS family and how having a person have your back can give you the confidence you need to be the “real” you. The subliminal feminism, escaping patriarchy and oppression will appeal a great deal to some readers. And many people love stories that start with journal entries and create a sense of mystery.
There were times of frustration when you hate that women get in abusive or controlling relationships. Amber though was fiercely protective and loving of her 2 teenage boys! They were her world. But the rest of her life was controlled in ways by her father, her husband and her father’s attorney. She was able to break free from these controls and solve a nearly 50 year old murder. The ending is completely satisfying to anyone’s sense of justice!
While I enjoyed the arc of the plot, I did find the characters were one dimensional. The emotions felt forced and contrived. Reactions were a bit melodramatic too. Like one day her son says, “You didn’t ask me about my day” and Amber melts down about what a terrible mother she is and how she has failed her family. It’s too much. And Amber’s journey of self-discovery was frenetic, all over the place. I would have liked her self-realizations and subsequent changes to be a little more gradual and organic. One day, she’s brave and determined, the next a random comment from her husband takes her down, the next moment she feels she fails her family and then suddenly she sees what a good man her son could be. It was uneven. I don’t know exactly how to say it, but I felt like the author was “telling” you everything. For example, Amber thinks this, Amber feels like this or Amber realized that instead of “showing” us her progressive realizations and thought patterns changing with the events that were unfolding. That may be a terrible explanation but I just kept thinking SHOW me, don’t keep TELLING me.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lex Smi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book about a woman called Amber. She has a husband and two sons. When she discovers some diaries in an old second hand shop, she decides to read them. They are from a woman called Theresa. Her husband doesn’t understand why Amber is so engrossed in the diaries and they argue over it. She gets in touch with some of the students Theresa used to teach. Ambers friend, who works at a charity shop with her, discovers she was taught by Theresa. Theresa’s husband loses his job and gets angry with Theresa because she’s doing so well. Theresa starts to get ill and when she finally realises he’s been poisoning her night drinks it’s too late. Ambers determined to get justice for Theresa and finds a picture of her and her husband, Jamie Perkins. She notices something strange about Jamie’s birthmark and wants to start a search for her twin brother that her farther sent away after “killing” her mother. Her work family are very supportive and are happy when Amber finds her brother. However one of her sons have a car accident and it resulted in a man’s dog being put down. Her son’s very sorry and meets the man to try and make things better. He’s very nice and understanding. Amber then goes to Geneva to find her brother and finds out the truth about what happened with her mother. He’d farther was Jamie Perkins and had killed Theresa and her mother. They get a flight back and tell the police. But ambers husband took the kids to her fathers with him saying that Amber is selfish. She decides to go to work the next day to get some sort of normality but one of her sons come in and say how he saw his grandfather get arrested and that he’s staying with his girlfriend. She goes to get her other son and goes to the safety of the hotel her brothers staying at. She goes to get some stuff and her husband comes in and is shocked when Amber tells him how her farther was a murderer. She went to stay in Geneva for a while, coming back for the judge to say the punishment for her son. He had to do 40 hours of comunity service for the man. A year later and she goes to court again to see her farther having to spend the rest of his life in jail. But sadly her manager died and she told her work that she was going to live in Geneva. And that’s the end.

[Charlotte Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Turning to the mystery found in a set of journals leaves Amber contemplating what she’s willing to risk in a search for justice.
Amber is someone who lives her life for her family, but all she wants is to find her long lost twin brother. While waiting to meet the family solicitor to urge that she is given the information she needs to find him, she discovers an intriguing stack of journals. Fighting against her manipulative husband and father and being drawn deeper into the mystery of the journals’ owner, Amber’s life starts to unravel, leaving her with the decision to make about what she’s willing to sacrifice to reconnect with her family and find out the truth of what happened to a talented teacher all those years ago.
Amber is put in a difficult position in a lot of points in this book, with an undermining husband and controlling father leaving her feeling unsure despite her longing to find her brother. Combining both family drama and mystery, this is an engaging story with lots of twists. Amber’s husband and father made for sinister antagonists as the dysfunctional family dynamics are put on display and I hoped as I read that Amber would have the strength to follow her own path regardless. Once committed the plot unravels quickly as the search to find out who the journals belong to has Amber working through the events of her own past.
This is a well-paced novel that combines family drama with mystery as a woman’s search for the truth leaves her life irrevocably changed.

[Chris Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Woman Who Wrote in Green Ink is certainly an enjoyable read, and the story of one woman's journey through personal revelations is well told, with believable characters throughout.

There are quite a few twists and turns and several coincidences which might seem a little unlikely but are not dissimilar in their occurrence to those found in many a detective or mystery story or TV drama. What the author does do well is unfold them cleverly - the reader knows that something is going to happen, but is never quite sure what. This certainly propels the first two thirds of the book along very engagingly, although, I feel, it does lose its impetus as the story begins to conclude. The ending itself certainly lifts towards a (mostly) happy conclusion, and the reader is left with the feeling that the characters have all developed throughout the unfolding of events, and none are ignored or left out.

I did find myself questioning how Amber, such a strong lead character, found herself in such a negative relationship in the first place - although perhaps this provided the impetus for her choice of actions, and, as they say, stranger things happen at sea!

Overall the book is well worth a read and would definitely appeal to readers who enjoy stories with a strong female lead or, indeed, those who enjoy 'real-life' stories.

[Janalyn, the blind reviewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amber is a married mother of two and she loves her boys and doesn’t want to leave her husband even though he seems more in love with her dad than she does. She used to be a journalist butis getting bored and wants to find her twin Peter who she hasn’t spoke to in years. One day while out shopping at a secondhand store she finds some exercise journals with personal diary pages inside. The journalist in her feels drawn to the books. When she gets home it seems the more she reads the more she wants to know in the more she knows the more she believes someone is a murderer. When all this is happening other things are happening in Amber‘s life there’s an accident with her son and despite her husband Cam being against her looking for her brother Peter she ultimately finds him. It seems Amber has been in denial for a long time and despite what the journals say Amber may just know a murderer of her own. This is a horrible summary but trust me when I say this was one of the best books I’ve read in a very very very long time I absolutely loved it it was a top-notch five star mystery thriller and one that any thriller fanatic should read. There was a white space between a good book and a great book and this book is absolutely great! I want to thank Book Sirens and the author for my free arc copy please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

[Pam Watmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amber wants to look for her twin, Peter, whom she has had no contact with for 25 years and asks the family solicitor for assistance in tracing him and he warns her to be careful of what you find out. Her desire to trace him began with a series of hand written notebooks written in green ink found in a shop. On reading these Amber is convinced that the writer, Theresa, was murdered by her husband and sets about trying to find out more about her and posts on Facebook. The response she gets that includes pictures of Theresa, shocks her as she recognises the husband, Jamie, and leads her to discover a second murder and ends up with a quest for justice for the two victims.

This book kept me interested and turning the pages, it makes one aware of how much you inform your children of events, past and present and how it could effect them and the tension it creates between husband and wife, Father and daughter and Amber and her twin. The story madame fearful for Amber and what could befall her if she carried on with her investigations andI was supposed how seriously the Police accepted her findings. (Obviously not in the UK). Who else did Jamie murder and how does it affect Amber and her family and did she get justice for the victims?

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lizp · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I liked the Amber character a lot. She presented as quite a strong person. I thought that the Alan character was a pain in the arse.

Amber is keen to find her twin brother, Peter whom she has not seen since her mum died 25 years ago. Her husband, Alan and her dad are thorns in her side when it comes to her quest.

Amber discovers some journals written by a woman in green ink. There are many personal revelations in the journals. She becomes engrossed in them and is desperate to find out what happened to the woman who wrote in green ink.

I found all the characters in this story to be believable and credible. This is a very well told and engaging tale. There are many twists in the story and it is not easy to guess what is going to happen in the end. The suspense is built up well.

I liked the descriptions. I have never had a jam sandwich with crisp white wine. Perhaps I’ll try one after reading this! The book is very well written by Sheena Billett. I found it to be a quick read. I really enjoyed the ending.

I would definitely recommend this book to others.

Many thanks to Book Sirens for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will start by saying that I, in a search for something to read, ended up choosing this story primarily because of its title. Sometimes, things work out enjoyably.
The story begins with Amber, former newspaper journalist but now mostly a stay at home mother, discovering a set of personal journals at a used book store. Her attention caught by the author’s choice of green ink, Amber begins to find a soulmate in the writer, even across nearly 40 years of time. But, as Amber reads further, she begins to find disturbing similarities between the journal writer and her own life. The first half of the book felt just a little plodding for me, but did serve to build up a tension that sent the second half of the story careening like a runaway train that I felt compelled to read to see if and when everything would come off the rails.
I would give the first half of the story a 3. No complaints about writing or style, just an average domestic or psychological thriller. The second half earned a 5, keeping me reading nearly non stop. So, overall, a 4.
I received a free copy of this story from BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Ruth Coulson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book compares and contrasts the position of Amber, living in the present and the author of some journals from the 1970s, that she found in a second-hand shop, Theresa.

There were a lot of similarities in their lives, including problems with their husbands.

When Amber spends some time trying to investigate Theresa's life at the same time that she is trying to reconnect with her twin brother, Peter. In so doing she comes upon some quite shocking evidence. She and Peter join forces to win through and understand what has gone wrong in both women's lives.

The structure of the story make it necessary that the author of the journals write them no earlier than the 1970s. I had to chuckle slightly at the implication that this was a long time ago. To one of my advanced years it was but yesterday!

An enjoyable read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Fraxinus · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Amber meets with her father's lawyer and asks him to help her find her estranged older brother, she has no idea the incredible journey she is about to undertake. As she begins to take her life back, she truly learns the value of friendship and family.

On her way to meet said lawyer, Amber stops at a charity shop and finds a set of workbooks that have been written in by a mysterious woman. As she delves further into this woman's life, Amber gets sucked into a mystery that will rock her world. While the book started off a wee bit slow, it soon took off like a rocket, burning everything in its path. It was definitely a wild journey!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Lorraine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I immediately settled into the lovely writing style, pace and main characters of this book and the intriguing plot as it unfolded.

The characters were well drawn and beautifully brought to life. They felt like real people who all had their own unique stories and emotional reactions to the story.

It was an intriguing and compelling read, a story within a story, the unexpected twists and turns kept up the suspense. Any reader would quickly become spellbound and totally absorbed in this book and I would recommend it as a must read.

I am already looking forward to the next of Sheena's novels.

[Louise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amber finds a book that feels similar to her own life. There is no explanation for how Amber finds the book, but the book switches between Amber's character in the present and Freya's written accounts from the 1970s. Initially, Amber is deterred from finding her brother, but as Amber reads, the diary accounts spark further motivation to find her brother. However, her search puts her family at risk of falling apart. The story is descriptive and follows various characters along Amber's search.


I received a free copy and am leaving a review voluntarily.
Thank you to Booksirens and author.

[Lori Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions expressed are my own. It was an emotional experience as I followed the main character Amber on her journey to find out not only what happened to the Woman in the exercise books she found that had been in a thrift store. But she also longed to find her twin Peter only to be up against her husband and father at every turn. This is a well thought out book and I enjoyed reading it. I definitely recommend it.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was pretty impressed with this book - thanks to BookSirens for the ARC.

I wasn't one hundred percent sold on whether this was too domestic and not enough thriller for my tastes based on the synopsis, but I'm really glad I gave it a go. I found it compelling, with really well-written and believable characters.

The story was untangled really well, and spoilers aside, there was a bit where I definitely gasped audibly. I DID NOT SEE *THAT* COMING. A quick read, and well worth it.

[Berna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an e-arc from Book Sirens for an honest review.
3,5 stars rounded up to 4.
I was very much impressed by the beginning of this book. The past timeline and mystery involved in it was quite interesting. But after that past mystery was solved, the tempo decreased a bit and I have to say the ending was a bit let down.
On the other hand, the writing style and the interactions between the characters were really good.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun quick little read that gave me some serious cozy mystery vibes. Throughout the story the female main character goes through a lot of self discovery and growth. This book took me through so many emotions!

I received an advance review copy for free and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

[Pauline Braisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book (read courtesy of LoveReading). It has a good storyline with in-depth characters. It is well written, better in fact than some of the books I've recently read by established authors. I would definitely recommend this book.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a ARC free from Book Sirens and this is my voluntary honest review.
Amazing writing.
Glued to my seat.
Hard to put down.
Clever plot.
Likeable characters.
Suspenseful.
You don't want to miss this one.

[Krystal Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I loved every minute of this book. So many twists and turns, so many emotions- it was fantastic! I highly recommend, and I will definitely read more from this author!

[Celina Marscham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it lots of twists I laughed,cried,swore even shouted such a great read

[Anne Lloyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely brilliant

This book was amazing. Such an easy read, although the story would break you heart in places. Couldn’t put it down and so glad I didn’t

[Carol Lovelock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost a cosy mystery but better.

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of twists and turn and a thoroughly good read.

Family secrets and fights for what is right.