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Who She Was
A bonfire burns on a Cornish beach in the middle of the night.
Nearby a young woman waits for morning and the estate agent to arrive with the keys to her new life in the peaceful fishing village.
She carries with her no trace of her history or her previous life or the past she has left behind.
Quickly she becomes an object of fascination among the locals; one in particular finds that he is falling in love with her.
But can anyone really have a new life? What happened to this woman's old life? And what price did she pay to escape it?
When secrets long buried explode into light, they will change the lives of everyone around her.
A gripping psychological thriller of shifting perceptions, Who She Was dances on the thin line between truth and lies, good and evil, where it is never revealed who is the victim and who the murderous perpetrator until the very last line of the very last page.
Nearby a young woman waits for morning and the estate agent to arrive with the keys to her new life in the peaceful fishing village.
She carries with her no trace of her history or her previous life or the past she has left behind.
Quickly she becomes an object of fascination among the locals; one in particular finds that he is falling in love with her.
But can anyone really have a new life? What happened to this woman's old life? And what price did she pay to escape it?
When secrets long buried explode into light, they will change the lives of everyone around her.
A gripping psychological thriller of shifting perceptions, Who She Was dances on the thin line between truth and lies, good and evil, where it is never revealed who is the victim and who the murderous perpetrator until the very last line of the very last page.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published August 17, 2023
132 people are currently reading
456 people want to read
About the author
Tony Parsons
66 books891 followersThere is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
Tony Parsons (born 6 November 1953) is a British journalist broadcaster and author. He began his career as a music journalist on the NME, writing about punk music. Later, he wrote for The Daily Telegraph, before going on to write his current column for the Daily Mirror. Parsons was for a time a regular guest on the BBC Two arts review programme The Late Show, and still appears infrequently on the successor Newsnight Review; he also briefly hosted a series on Channel 4 called Big Mouth.
He is the author of the multi-million selling novel, Man and Boy (1999). Parsons had written a number of novels including The Kids (1976), Platinum Logic (1981) and Limelight Blues (1983), before he found mainstream success by focussing on the tribulations of thirty-something men. Parsons has since published a series of best-selling novels – One For My Baby (2001), Man and Wife (2003), The Family Way (2004), Stories We Could Tell (2006), My Favourite Wife (2007), Starting Over (2009) and Men From the Boys (2010). His novels typically deal with relationship problems, emotional dramas and the traumas of men and women in our time. He describes his writing as 'Men Lit', as opposed to the rising popularity of 'Chick Lit'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Par...
Tony Parsons (born 6 November 1953) is a British journalist broadcaster and author. He began his career as a music journalist on the NME, writing about punk music. Later, he wrote for The Daily Telegraph, before going on to write his current column for the Daily Mirror. Parsons was for a time a regular guest on the BBC Two arts review programme The Late Show, and still appears infrequently on the successor Newsnight Review; he also briefly hosted a series on Channel 4 called Big Mouth.
He is the author of the multi-million selling novel, Man and Boy (1999). Parsons had written a number of novels including The Kids (1976), Platinum Logic (1981) and Limelight Blues (1983), before he found mainstream success by focussing on the tribulations of thirty-something men. Parsons has since published a series of best-selling novels – One For My Baby (2001), Man and Wife (2003), The Family Way (2004), Stories We Could Tell (2006), My Favourite Wife (2007), Starting Over (2009) and Men From the Boys (2010). His novels typically deal with relationship problems, emotional dramas and the traumas of men and women in our time. He describes his writing as 'Men Lit', as opposed to the rising popularity of 'Chick Lit'.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Par...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 201 reviews
May 26, 2023
4+
Saint Judes in Cornwall is a picturesque fishing village and where one summer the usual peace and quiet is disrupted in ways no one imagines. It all starts with a late night bonfire where a young woman tries to keep warm until she can claim the keys to her cottage rental the next day. Who is this mysterious woman and where has she come from? She quickly becomes the object of fascination and of obsession for one particular resident. The woman is Clementine and the lovestruck man is Tom Cooper, owner of the Lobster Pot restaurant. How will this all play out?
Location, location, location. It’s absolutely apparent that Tony Parsons, like myself, is a lover of Cornwall. The writing is so evocative, absolutely capturing the atmosphere and flavour of a Cornish fishing village and all its residents, some of them are very likeable, but some not so much! The enigma and mystery of Clementine is so compelling as she mesmerises and captivates, and if nothing else, she continues to surprise. Secrets abound, and the path to the unexpected truth is full of twists and turns and keeps you glued to the pages and constantly guessing. Right from the start there are off notes, the tone becomes increasingly ominous and there is a claustrophobic sensation of the truth beginning to close in. It’s full of emotion, there’s violence and danger, not least that of discovery. As the end nears the author has a surprise or two up his sleeve and some shocking revelations that I don’t see coming. The ending is good though requires some suspension of disbelief but it is enjoyable all the same.
The aspect of the novel that I love the most is how the author has paid a very good tribute to some Cornwalls best authors and Daphne Du Maurier in particular. I love the references to her books which are woven so cleverly into the storyline and I think Tony Parsons has captured the essence of one of her marvellous tales. Kudos.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoy this well paced intriguing novel that keeps my interest throughout.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Cornerstone for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
Saint Judes in Cornwall is a picturesque fishing village and where one summer the usual peace and quiet is disrupted in ways no one imagines. It all starts with a late night bonfire where a young woman tries to keep warm until she can claim the keys to her cottage rental the next day. Who is this mysterious woman and where has she come from? She quickly becomes the object of fascination and of obsession for one particular resident. The woman is Clementine and the lovestruck man is Tom Cooper, owner of the Lobster Pot restaurant. How will this all play out?
Location, location, location. It’s absolutely apparent that Tony Parsons, like myself, is a lover of Cornwall. The writing is so evocative, absolutely capturing the atmosphere and flavour of a Cornish fishing village and all its residents, some of them are very likeable, but some not so much! The enigma and mystery of Clementine is so compelling as she mesmerises and captivates, and if nothing else, she continues to surprise. Secrets abound, and the path to the unexpected truth is full of twists and turns and keeps you glued to the pages and constantly guessing. Right from the start there are off notes, the tone becomes increasingly ominous and there is a claustrophobic sensation of the truth beginning to close in. It’s full of emotion, there’s violence and danger, not least that of discovery. As the end nears the author has a surprise or two up his sleeve and some shocking revelations that I don’t see coming. The ending is good though requires some suspension of disbelief but it is enjoyable all the same.
The aspect of the novel that I love the most is how the author has paid a very good tribute to some Cornwalls best authors and Daphne Du Maurier in particular. I love the references to her books which are woven so cleverly into the storyline and I think Tony Parsons has captured the essence of one of her marvellous tales. Kudos.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoy this well paced intriguing novel that keeps my interest throughout.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House UK, Cornerstone for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.
June 10, 2023
I don't even know where to start with this. I've read several of Tony Parsons previous books and thoroughly enjoyed them. So my question is what have they done with the real Tony Parsons? Who She Was reads like it was written by someone who'd never strung a coherent sentence together. Was it written by a computer I wonder? Is this a very early draft of a novel that is out now because someone found it in the bottom of a drawer and thought "Oh why not".
Anyway the actual novel is very loosely based on Rebecca - with the flame haired temptress who everyone falls in love with (and if I saw one more "she was long and lean" I would have cried). But Tom is the man who falls head over heels for Clementine, the girl who appears out of nowhere one night. Tom is apparently prepared to do absolutely anything to keep Clem by his side including murder.
So that's basically the story. There is a ridiculous twist at the end but by that time I had such a headache from rolling my eyes I was just grateful the book was ending.
If you want to know anything about Cornwall you'll love this book - not only do you get every home brand product mentioned repeatedly but you also get a lesson on how to shuck lobster meat, where to spot a million (or was it a billion) pilchards from a hundred years ago, how to run a restaurant whilst being simultaneously wasted on vodka and how to get every possible cliche under the sun into your novel.
As you can tell this book got on my nerves somewhat. The plot was awful, the characters were all revolting, the sex scenes were cringeworthy and the prose repetitive to the point where the book nearly got thrown through the window.
I couldn't possibly recommend this. Please bring back the original Tony Parsons.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
Anyway the actual novel is very loosely based on Rebecca - with the flame haired temptress who everyone falls in love with (and if I saw one more "she was long and lean" I would have cried). But Tom is the man who falls head over heels for Clementine, the girl who appears out of nowhere one night. Tom is apparently prepared to do absolutely anything to keep Clem by his side including murder.
So that's basically the story. There is a ridiculous twist at the end but by that time I had such a headache from rolling my eyes I was just grateful the book was ending.
If you want to know anything about Cornwall you'll love this book - not only do you get every home brand product mentioned repeatedly but you also get a lesson on how to shuck lobster meat, where to spot a million (or was it a billion) pilchards from a hundred years ago, how to run a restaurant whilst being simultaneously wasted on vodka and how to get every possible cliche under the sun into your novel.
As you can tell this book got on my nerves somewhat. The plot was awful, the characters were all revolting, the sex scenes were cringeworthy and the prose repetitive to the point where the book nearly got thrown through the window.
I couldn't possibly recommend this. Please bring back the original Tony Parsons.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.
October 9, 2023
2.5 / 5
Couldn’t wait to finish this book, but this was bad bad. Like awful bad. The plot was bad, everything was bad. Honestly, the plot is incoherent, the amount of twists in this book is enough to twist your neck off. I felt it too cringe at points, certain elements in this book was absolutely pointless. Don’t waste your time in this book.
Felt like the whole book was pointless, the ‘biggest twist at the end’ was too obvious which I saw from a mile away. Honestly, the book is all over the place, questionable policing, questionable plot with little substance. Not great. I don’t want to event waste a second writing this review for a book and an author I will most likely avoid now. Not a great book, read at your own disappointment.
Couldn’t wait to finish this book, but this was bad bad. Like awful bad. The plot was bad, everything was bad. Honestly, the plot is incoherent, the amount of twists in this book is enough to twist your neck off. I felt it too cringe at points, certain elements in this book was absolutely pointless. Don’t waste your time in this book.
Felt like the whole book was pointless, the ‘biggest twist at the end’ was too obvious which I saw from a mile away. Honestly, the book is all over the place, questionable policing, questionable plot with little substance. Not great. I don’t want to event waste a second writing this review for a book and an author I will most likely avoid now. Not a great book, read at your own disappointment.
August 23, 2023
Obsession...lies...murder...
Now THIS! THIS is much better than my first foray with Tony Parsons that I read yesterday. "The People Next Door" was such a disappointment and so far fetched even the elasticity of my imagination could not stretch that far. But this...this is so much better. And I love the Cornish setting which is a character in itself. The windswept seas and the jagged cliffs only add to the atmospheric chills that are felt within these pages.
A bonfire on the beach captures the attention of locals. An incomer, emmet, townie no doubt hunkered down for warmth only to be taken out on the next tide if they're not careful. And so locals Bet and Will Farthing bring young Clementine home and give her shelter for the night as she awaits to collect the keys to the blue and white cottage she's taken a lease out on for the year. She carries nothing with her to identify from where she's come or what she's left behind. But it isn't long before the young redhead becomes a source of fascination amongst the locals in the fishing village of St Judes she has chosen to call home.
But one man soon falls under Clementine's spell and his fascination soon becomes obsession. Tom Cooper, owner of the Lobster Pot restaurant, cannot keep his eyes or his thoughts from the beautiful young redhead. Even when she took Charlie Farthing home and they stayed in her cottage all night. Even when her past comes looking for her in the furtherest county in the country. Even when he hears rumours of her life before. Even then. Tom is obsessed with Clementine and will do anything for her. Anything? Even murder?
But Tom finds himself in a quandary as he tries to separate the truth from the lies about Clementine's somewhat complex past. Is she all she appears to be? And then when a body is discovered in the waters of the estuary, the people of St Judes find they have the police digging around when the Cornish have their own way of meting out justice. But DCI Graves won't be put off...nor will she be fooled. She may be about to retire but she won't rest until she solves the case.
This sweeping tale had me feeling a but like I was in Portwenn but with the ruggedness of Poldark and the chilling atmosphere of du Maurier, whom I am pleased to see been given a nod throughout the story. Even Winston Graham gets a mention. But the secret is in the setting. There is something mysterious and atmospheric about Cornwall. The perfect setting for psychological thrillers and this one was no different.
I was so pleased to have enjoyed this one so much more than the previous one though the ending does leave a few questions. I'm still not sure how to take it but I think Parsons must like the open-ended conclusions, leaving the reader to make up their own minds maybe. Either way, this was an enthralling tale that kept me intrigued throughout that I devoured it in a day. And a few good twists thrown in to keep you on your toes also.
I would like to thank #TonyParsons, #Netgalley and #RandomHouseCentury for an ARC of #WhoSheWas in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
Now THIS! THIS is much better than my first foray with Tony Parsons that I read yesterday. "The People Next Door" was such a disappointment and so far fetched even the elasticity of my imagination could not stretch that far. But this...this is so much better. And I love the Cornish setting which is a character in itself. The windswept seas and the jagged cliffs only add to the atmospheric chills that are felt within these pages.
A bonfire on the beach captures the attention of locals. An incomer, emmet, townie no doubt hunkered down for warmth only to be taken out on the next tide if they're not careful. And so locals Bet and Will Farthing bring young Clementine home and give her shelter for the night as she awaits to collect the keys to the blue and white cottage she's taken a lease out on for the year. She carries nothing with her to identify from where she's come or what she's left behind. But it isn't long before the young redhead becomes a source of fascination amongst the locals in the fishing village of St Judes she has chosen to call home.
But one man soon falls under Clementine's spell and his fascination soon becomes obsession. Tom Cooper, owner of the Lobster Pot restaurant, cannot keep his eyes or his thoughts from the beautiful young redhead. Even when she took Charlie Farthing home and they stayed in her cottage all night. Even when her past comes looking for her in the furtherest county in the country. Even when he hears rumours of her life before. Even then. Tom is obsessed with Clementine and will do anything for her. Anything? Even murder?
But Tom finds himself in a quandary as he tries to separate the truth from the lies about Clementine's somewhat complex past. Is she all she appears to be? And then when a body is discovered in the waters of the estuary, the people of St Judes find they have the police digging around when the Cornish have their own way of meting out justice. But DCI Graves won't be put off...nor will she be fooled. She may be about to retire but she won't rest until she solves the case.
This sweeping tale had me feeling a but like I was in Portwenn but with the ruggedness of Poldark and the chilling atmosphere of du Maurier, whom I am pleased to see been given a nod throughout the story. Even Winston Graham gets a mention. But the secret is in the setting. There is something mysterious and atmospheric about Cornwall. The perfect setting for psychological thrillers and this one was no different.
I was so pleased to have enjoyed this one so much more than the previous one though the ending does leave a few questions. I'm still not sure how to take it but I think Parsons must like the open-ended conclusions, leaving the reader to make up their own minds maybe. Either way, this was an enthralling tale that kept me intrigued throughout that I devoured it in a day. And a few good twists thrown in to keep you on your toes also.
I would like to thank #TonyParsons, #Netgalley and #RandomHouseCentury for an ARC of #WhoSheWas in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
August 17, 2023
This book is a fabulous read.! Tony Parsons captures the spirit of Cornwall and has written a thrilling page turner with a heart breaking ending that I just did not see coming,
The protagonist has run away to the end of England to start a new life, which he has been successfully doing for a while now. Another runaway turns up in the beach and they are immediately drawn to each other. And then the fun starts with more twists and turns than a Cornish country road!
Enjoy!
Thank you to Netgallery & Penguin for my ARC
The protagonist has run away to the end of England to start a new life, which he has been successfully doing for a while now. Another runaway turns up in the beach and they are immediately drawn to each other. And then the fun starts with more twists and turns than a Cornish country road!
Enjoy!
Thank you to Netgallery & Penguin for my ARC
August 25, 2023
tom was the most dull character in existence. utterly pathetic.
September 17, 2023
This book is so horrendous, I had to permanently delete it from my Kindle so I’m not reminded of it. What happened to the author responsible for Max Woolfe?! This was embarrassing. The ongoing obsession with Clementine and her red hair and long body was just gross - like a Mills and Boon or a frustrated teenager’s diary. Ugh. Ick. Vom.
August 25, 2023
In a small finishing village of St Jude’s in Cornwall, a woman is sitting alone on the beach trying to warm up by the bonfire.
This gets noticed by Tom Cooper, the owner of the local restaurant Lobster Pot, and Will Farthing, an elderly fisherman.
The young woman, Clementine, ends up at the Farthings’ cottage for the night. She tells them that she’s new to the area and that she rented a cottage nearby, but doesn’t have the keys yet, she can only get them in the morning.
The people in the village, men especially, become mesmerised by Clementine who’s young and beautiful.
However, she is a woman with a secret. She is hiding from something… or someone…
Will the past catch up with her?
I really enjoyed this thriller, especially the interviews with the locals at the end of the chapters. They made me want to carry on reading the next chapter, and the next. In fact, I read this book in two days!
I loved the setting of the story. Cornwall is stunning and I could feel the author’s love for this part of the world on each page.
You could tell from the get-go that Tom wasn’t as clear cut as he made it out to be. He was also a man with the past – that twist at the end was fantastic! Totally unexpected.
I definitely recommend this book.
This gets noticed by Tom Cooper, the owner of the local restaurant Lobster Pot, and Will Farthing, an elderly fisherman.
The young woman, Clementine, ends up at the Farthings’ cottage for the night. She tells them that she’s new to the area and that she rented a cottage nearby, but doesn’t have the keys yet, she can only get them in the morning.
The people in the village, men especially, become mesmerised by Clementine who’s young and beautiful.
However, she is a woman with a secret. She is hiding from something… or someone…
Will the past catch up with her?
I really enjoyed this thriller, especially the interviews with the locals at the end of the chapters. They made me want to carry on reading the next chapter, and the next. In fact, I read this book in two days!
I loved the setting of the story. Cornwall is stunning and I could feel the author’s love for this part of the world on each page.
You could tell from the get-go that Tom wasn’t as clear cut as he made it out to be. He was also a man with the past – that twist at the end was fantastic! Totally unexpected.
I definitely recommend this book.
January 24, 2024
Suspenseful
August 21, 2024
What begins quite intriguingly as a psychological drama soon dramatically flies off the rails into over-cooked potboiler thriller territory. All sense seems to go out of the window as the one-dimensional characters make crazy ill-fated decisions seemingly designed solely to up the ante. This is not what I expected from Tony Parsons who seems to have had a fit of the vapours with this mis-firing over-heated farrago. I did keep reading to the end however though the “surprises” towards the end left me cold.
July 15, 2023
Totally unbelievable.
Clementine arrives in the village and everyone falls for her and she sleeps with numerous people but she`s a mystery.
None of the characters are believable and the way they react to situations and each other is totally laughable and would never happen.
Just not for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
Clementine arrives in the village and everyone falls for her and she sleeps with numerous people but she`s a mystery.
None of the characters are believable and the way they react to situations and each other is totally laughable and would never happen.
Just not for me.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC
February 4, 2024
Who would have thought a beautiful place like Cornwall would cause such mayhem!
September 2, 2023
Now I usually love this author's work, and I love his Max Wolfe series but this is nothing like his other work. A very slow burner with a plot that was nothing special. Repetitive and I soon began to lose interest. So disappointed.
Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc.
Thanks to Netgalley for the Arc.
January 6, 2024
I have always enjoyed Tony Parson’s writing. He was a brilliant and fearless music journalist at the NME many years ago and he’s written some great books since, but sadly this isn’t one of them.
August 18, 2023
Not my first novel by Tony Parsons - and it definitely won't be my last!
In a small Cornish fishing village, any arrival sparks interest but more so when it's a very beautiful woman. Everyone is aware of her presence, especially the owner of a local restaurant who finds himself falling in love with her. Then a police officer turns up in the village and, as it turns out, claims the beauty is his daughter-in-law. When secrets come into the open, someone always gets hurt . . .
Kicking off as a lovely little tale in a gorgeous Cornish village, it doesn't take long for things to become more serious. Secrets can't stay quiet for long when there's this much going on and I was floored more than once by the unexpected twists and turns throughout this book. An absolutely gripping read all the way through and definitely one I would recommend. 5* without hesitation.
In a small Cornish fishing village, any arrival sparks interest but more so when it's a very beautiful woman. Everyone is aware of her presence, especially the owner of a local restaurant who finds himself falling in love with her. Then a police officer turns up in the village and, as it turns out, claims the beauty is his daughter-in-law. When secrets come into the open, someone always gets hurt . . .
Kicking off as a lovely little tale in a gorgeous Cornish village, it doesn't take long for things to become more serious. Secrets can't stay quiet for long when there's this much going on and I was floored more than once by the unexpected twists and turns throughout this book. An absolutely gripping read all the way through and definitely one I would recommend. 5* without hesitation.
May 2, 2023
This psychological thriller set in an idyllic small Cornish fishing village gets you hooked from the start.
Restaurant owner Tom and seemingly half the village fall under the spell of the beautiful incomer Clementine who makes a mysterious first appearance on the beach in the dark. Very little is known about her but her past catches up with her and a terrible crime takes place. A decision is made to cover up the death and more and more of the village get sucked into this complicity.
Tom is infatuated and tries to separate the truth from the lies about Clementine's complex past and also has to worry about the police investigation led by DCI Graves , who although nearing retirement does not look like the type who will rest until she solves this case.
Tom’s business partner Lisa is a stabilising influence and tries to convince Tom to see that a relationship with Clementine will not be good for him.
Just when it looks like Tom is going to have the life he dreams of there are several great twists to the story. There was always a hint that Tom's background was not straightforward but i was certainly taken by surprise what it revealed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Cornerstone for this ARC copy
Restaurant owner Tom and seemingly half the village fall under the spell of the beautiful incomer Clementine who makes a mysterious first appearance on the beach in the dark. Very little is known about her but her past catches up with her and a terrible crime takes place. A decision is made to cover up the death and more and more of the village get sucked into this complicity.
Tom is infatuated and tries to separate the truth from the lies about Clementine's complex past and also has to worry about the police investigation led by DCI Graves , who although nearing retirement does not look like the type who will rest until she solves this case.
Tom’s business partner Lisa is a stabilising influence and tries to convince Tom to see that a relationship with Clementine will not be good for him.
Just when it looks like Tom is going to have the life he dreams of there are several great twists to the story. There was always a hint that Tom's background was not straightforward but i was certainly taken by surprise what it revealed.
Thanks to NetGalley and Cornerstone for this ARC copy
June 17, 2023
I have read most of Tony Parsons books, and particularly like the Max Wolfe series, so I thought this would be a great read. Unfortunately I was wrong and I had to check it was written by the right author. I know that the other books can be quite repetitive when describing the same person, place and thing, I know exactly what Max and everyone around him look like and all about the Black Museum, but this was taken to another level in this book.
Clementine arrives in the night at a beach in a small Cornish seaside town and instantly captures the adoration of everyone she meets. She is long and lean with a gummy smile and red hair and utterly captivating apparently. She is manipulative and switches her attention like a light switch and I really didn't like her, or the other main character. Bad things happen and they happen quickly before moving on to more talk of Clementine. The speed at which the villagers and holidaymakers get drawn into crime is startling and unbelievable.
I am sorry but I really didn't enjoy this book but the description of how to prepare a lobster was interesting.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC.
Clementine arrives in the night at a beach in a small Cornish seaside town and instantly captures the adoration of everyone she meets. She is long and lean with a gummy smile and red hair and utterly captivating apparently. She is manipulative and switches her attention like a light switch and I really didn't like her, or the other main character. Bad things happen and they happen quickly before moving on to more talk of Clementine. The speed at which the villagers and holidaymakers get drawn into crime is startling and unbelievable.
I am sorry but I really didn't enjoy this book but the description of how to prepare a lobster was interesting.
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for the ARC.
October 21, 2023
Did St Austell brewery pay him to promote their Korev lager? It was certainly referenced enough.
It was an average read, mainly because it was over-descriptive E.g. the pilchard house was explained a fair few times, and I couldn’t understand why all the men lusted after Clementine so much, but then I’m a woman so what do I know?
I did like the final twist though.
It was an average read, mainly because it was over-descriptive E.g. the pilchard house was explained a fair few times, and I couldn’t understand why all the men lusted after Clementine so much, but then I’m a woman so what do I know?
I did like the final twist though.
August 4, 2023
An enjoyable read, with a nice setting & interesting characters, but it left me a little dissatified overall
August 8, 2023
A young woman arrives in a quiet village and is a mystery to all of the local residents. Tom, who owns a restaurant in the village, quickly becomes obsessed with this newcomer. Why has she arrived here and will Tom’s persistence pay off?
I liked the atmosphere and the Cornish setting. The plot itself is interesting enough but I found the overall story very slow and my attention was not held. I didn’t feel as though I connected to the characters and found the story to be quite repetitive. There are, however, a couple of twists towards the end that I couldn’t have predicted. I don’t like to give ratings under 3 stars but unfortunately this book wasn’t for me at this moment in time and not as enjoyable as some of the author’s previous books. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this copy in return for an honest review.
I liked the atmosphere and the Cornish setting. The plot itself is interesting enough but I found the overall story very slow and my attention was not held. I didn’t feel as though I connected to the characters and found the story to be quite repetitive. There are, however, a couple of twists towards the end that I couldn’t have predicted. I don’t like to give ratings under 3 stars but unfortunately this book wasn’t for me at this moment in time and not as enjoyable as some of the author’s previous books. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this copy in return for an honest review.
August 13, 2024
I was really glad to see that there’s going to be a new Max Wolfe book, because this standalone novel did not come close to the Wolfe series.
Large parts made no sense or were too far-fetched (locals hate tourists but they all love Clementine and would do anything for her, the behaviour of basically all of the characters) and I didn’t feel that the story developed well. However you could tell that the author loves Cornwall and I enjoyed reading all the local details.
Large parts made no sense or were too far-fetched (locals hate tourists but they all love Clementine and would do anything for her, the behaviour of basically all of the characters) and I didn’t feel that the story developed well. However you could tell that the author loves Cornwall and I enjoyed reading all the local details.
February 9, 2025
I read this book in one sitting. The story had a lot of plot twists and unexpected links that kept me interested the whole way through. The only part that disappointed me was the main characters ending which I felt totally undid the plot and made it feel more predictable. Other than that, a great read!
December 23, 2025
Utter rubbish. Pretty certain someone wrote an outline for a (ridiculously implausible) crime novel and then asked ChatGPT to flesh it out. Terrible dialogue, even worse “police statements” by main characters (which don’t align with the text), multiple “copy and paste” chunks of repeated work, countless untied threads that went nowhere. How did this get published?
November 4, 2025
An interesting story, not the usual pace of a Tony Parson novel though. It was slower and more meandering. Some tension build up and an enjoyable read. But not my favourite one of his.
June 21, 2024
I,'m afraid a disappointing read. Poor plot, repetitive and weak characters. This was my first Tony Parsons book and don't think I will be reading another one soon.
August 17, 2023
Excellent writing as always. I was really drawn into the Cornish coastline setting and could almost taste the sea salt and hear the waves crashing, very atmospheric and beautiful. The cast of characters were brilliantly crafted and multi dimensional, I wasn’t sure most of the time whose side I was on, which is actually praise indeed. There was Clementine, the stunning flame haired maid who turned up as mysterious as her past a bit like a mythical siren who cast a spell on all the men, making them fall in love with her- was this to be their downfall? Tom is running a local lobster restaurant but there is also an air of mystery about him….
When murders start to happen it’s easy to love to hate the victims and love the possible contributor(s) to their demise, but again is this the right answer?
A book with a lovely twisty narrative and plenty of tasty food for thought. Very enjoyable.
When murders start to happen it’s easy to love to hate the victims and love the possible contributor(s) to their demise, but again is this the right answer?
A book with a lovely twisty narrative and plenty of tasty food for thought. Very enjoyable.
August 8, 2025
"Those who actually make the move down here are usually on the run from something, even if it is only the boredom and disappointment that strikes when the life you are living is not the one you were anticipating." p.58
Lots of great twists and turns. Super easy to read and incredibly enticing.
Couple of style choices in the writing that I didn't love and ultimately, I think the reason I didn't give this 4 stars is because I didn't resonate or even particularly like the two main characters.
Lots of great twists and turns. Super easy to read and incredibly enticing.
Couple of style choices in the writing that I didn't love and ultimately, I think the reason I didn't give this 4 stars is because I didn't resonate or even particularly like the two main characters.
August 7, 2023
Golden Age Noir’s commonly start with the ‘hero’ meeting a woman who is “trouble”, “temptation” with “legs that go on forever”, etc. Clementine is that kind of woman (except she’s a red-head not a blonde) and Tom is just as smitten as those guys of yore. Her sudden arrival in the Cornish coastal town of St Jude’s doesn’t just affect him, but all of the other men and many of the women too. She is the embodiment of Circe, Delilah, and other femmes fatale of legend or fiction, alluring men but ultimately entrapping and usually killing them, directly or indirectly. She is fleeing something in her past, again a classic trope. Tom is an ex-journalist who has lived in the village for a decade. He is also fleeing something in his past, and is now just about accepted as a local (or at least not an emmet or any of the dozens of nicknames the natives apply to tourists and second-home owners). He runs a small restaurant called ‘The Lobster Pot’. Clementine, an emmet by any definition is, however, immediately embraced by all – she’s that kind of gal! Their relationship is just becoming established when Steve, her ex-cop husband turns up (with a police officer, Sergeant Monk, as his back-up) and reclaims her. As the tension ramps up, the questions become: Who will kill whom, when, and how; What else in Clementine’s background is driving her; How will the villagers act to protect their own; Will Tom's secret past influence his decisions?
I’m not sure how to characterise this book. It is a classic example of the dangerous allure of beautiful women, but also a love triangle (albeit with more than one triangle operating), a murder mystery, a sociological study of relationships in small communities, a tour guide to Cornwall’s uniqueness. It is all of these, or perhaps none of these. It is just a story. The writing is sometimes quite poetic, but also quite repetitive in places (e.g. the pilchards story is told five times). The plot is fairly straightforward, but it is hard to believe in the actions of any of the characters. Somewhere in the middle it fell apart for me, but I always finish books so I ploughed on to the ending and I didn’t believe in that either.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
I’m not sure how to characterise this book. It is a classic example of the dangerous allure of beautiful women, but also a love triangle (albeit with more than one triangle operating), a murder mystery, a sociological study of relationships in small communities, a tour guide to Cornwall’s uniqueness. It is all of these, or perhaps none of these. It is just a story. The writing is sometimes quite poetic, but also quite repetitive in places (e.g. the pilchards story is told five times). The plot is fairly straightforward, but it is hard to believe in the actions of any of the characters. Somewhere in the middle it fell apart for me, but I always finish books so I ploughed on to the ending and I didn’t believe in that either.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
August 20, 2023
I really enjoy Tony Parsons' books as they have always excited me, kept me on tenterhooks and had me reading long into the night. Unfortunately, Who She Was, for me, is nowhere near on a par with his previous books which I am upset about.
It pains me to say this but I found the story boring, the plot tedious, the characters totally unlikeable or memorable and the twists just meh!
Now, this is my opinion only and I have seen lots of reviews that rate this very highly so please don't take my word for it ... you can't please everyone all of the time! I also won't let this blip put me off from reading more of Tony Parsons work in the future.
Thanks must go to the author, Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Who She Was.
It pains me to say this but I found the story boring, the plot tedious, the characters totally unlikeable or memorable and the twists just meh!
Now, this is my opinion only and I have seen lots of reviews that rate this very highly so please don't take my word for it ... you can't please everyone all of the time! I also won't let this blip put me off from reading more of Tony Parsons work in the future.
Thanks must go to the author, Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century and NetGalley for enabling me to read and share my thoughts of Who She Was.
July 14, 2023
Clementine, a beautiful, enigmatic, vulnerable stranger, rocks up on a Cornish beach, warms herself by a fire she has made and waits for morning to come so she can get the keys to her temporary rental home. Tom, who manages The Lobster Pot restaurant and bar, notices her there and is instantly intrigued and drawn to her.
Most of the locals fall under her spell or fall in love with her at the drop of a hat, and the men constantly vie for her attention. Tom gets obsessed with her to the point where common sense deserts him, and he, alongside other locals, do their utmost to protect her even to the extent of committing murder.
I’ve read other books by Tony Parsons and consider him to be a fine writer and a great storyteller. Sadly, this book was an exception for me. The prose is overly wordy, the plot is unconvincing, and the characters largely unlikeable and unbelievable. The writing failed to engage me as much as I’d hoped.
This led to an emotional disconnect to the point of losing interest in the book.
Admittedly, there are plenty of twists and turns, though they were rather spoiled for me by their implausibility. There are lengthy descriptions of Cornwall and lobster catching and preparation which some readers might find boring.
There are triggering themes of addiction and domestic abuse which could have been given greater attention rather than the weak plot driving everything. Altogether, it’s an unsatisfactory read, not up to the author’s usual standard. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 2.5**
Most of the locals fall under her spell or fall in love with her at the drop of a hat, and the men constantly vie for her attention. Tom gets obsessed with her to the point where common sense deserts him, and he, alongside other locals, do their utmost to protect her even to the extent of committing murder.
I’ve read other books by Tony Parsons and consider him to be a fine writer and a great storyteller. Sadly, this book was an exception for me. The prose is overly wordy, the plot is unconvincing, and the characters largely unlikeable and unbelievable. The writing failed to engage me as much as I’d hoped.
This led to an emotional disconnect to the point of losing interest in the book.
Admittedly, there are plenty of twists and turns, though they were rather spoiled for me by their implausibility. There are lengthy descriptions of Cornwall and lobster catching and preparation which some readers might find boring.
There are triggering themes of addiction and domestic abuse which could have been given greater attention rather than the weak plot driving everything. Altogether, it’s an unsatisfactory read, not up to the author’s usual standard. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone, Century for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 2.5**
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