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Tarnished
Peg always felt a little blurred, a little lacking in definition. Her mother died when she was six, her father simply disappeared, and she was brought up by her grandparents and her obese, bedridden aunt. But, despite all this, she never developed the habit of asking questions.
At least, not until she met Loz, her straight-talking, psychotherapeutically literate girlfriend, who urges her to confront her demons.
But as the skeletons come tumbling out of the family closet and the full horror of the past begins to reveal itself, Peg starts to wonder whether her youthful lack of curiosity might not have been a good thing. A very good thing indeed...
At least, not until she met Loz, her straight-talking, psychotherapeutically literate girlfriend, who urges her to confront her demons.
But as the skeletons come tumbling out of the family closet and the full horror of the past begins to reveal itself, Peg starts to wonder whether her youthful lack of curiosity might not have been a good thing. A very good thing indeed...
455 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2013
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
October 11, 2013
Peg always felt a little blurred, a little lacking in definition. Her mother died when she was six, her father simply disappeared, and she was brought up by her grandparents and her obese, bedridden aunt. But, despite all this, she never developed the habit of asking questions…..
But perhaps she should have done…or not! Anyway I muchly enjoyed this novel, a total indulgence, one I found hard to put down and after I had finished I felt a little like I had run a marathon…
Why? Well mostly down to the characters. I didnt like hardly ANY of them. Isnt that terrific? Yes it is because they are so well written. I’m not entirely convinced that Ms Crouch WANTS people to like them. In fact the only one I loved was the one that peripherally I was probably supposed to be suspicious of. No. Not saying. But anyway, we have Peg, with her never ending passive stance, tempered by Loz who knows it all and never shuts up. Then you have Grandma “Doll”, frail but full of her own importance and Auntie Jean who can’t get out of bed due to her MASSIVE bulk and can talk around a subject and leave your head spinning like no other…throw them all together with the mystery of what exactly happened to Peg’s father, and why she has no memory of her early years and you have a corker of a story.
Information is drip fed to you in short little bits and bobs as we watch Peg slowly but surely start to realise that everything is not as clear cut as it appears…everyone is hiding secrets and no-one wants to tell the truth..the blame game is played to perfection and you are never sure if what you are hearing can be relied upon. Blimey though I wanted to hit her over the head with a frying pan upon occasion – so ridiculously fond was she of hiding in the corner from the actual facts that were emerging..
Anyway, cleverly done, paced perfectly, no downturn in the quality at any point made this one of my favourite recent reads – hey I was curled up under the duvet with a torch at 3am this morning (so the children didnt see my light on and decide it was time to get up!) so that probably tells you all you need to know. Now..I’m sure Ms Crouch has written some others. Better go find them then….
Happy Reading Folks!
But perhaps she should have done…or not! Anyway I muchly enjoyed this novel, a total indulgence, one I found hard to put down and after I had finished I felt a little like I had run a marathon…
Why? Well mostly down to the characters. I didnt like hardly ANY of them. Isnt that terrific? Yes it is because they are so well written. I’m not entirely convinced that Ms Crouch WANTS people to like them. In fact the only one I loved was the one that peripherally I was probably supposed to be suspicious of. No. Not saying. But anyway, we have Peg, with her never ending passive stance, tempered by Loz who knows it all and never shuts up. Then you have Grandma “Doll”, frail but full of her own importance and Auntie Jean who can’t get out of bed due to her MASSIVE bulk and can talk around a subject and leave your head spinning like no other…throw them all together with the mystery of what exactly happened to Peg’s father, and why she has no memory of her early years and you have a corker of a story.
Information is drip fed to you in short little bits and bobs as we watch Peg slowly but surely start to realise that everything is not as clear cut as it appears…everyone is hiding secrets and no-one wants to tell the truth..the blame game is played to perfection and you are never sure if what you are hearing can be relied upon. Blimey though I wanted to hit her over the head with a frying pan upon occasion – so ridiculously fond was she of hiding in the corner from the actual facts that were emerging..
Anyway, cleverly done, paced perfectly, no downturn in the quality at any point made this one of my favourite recent reads – hey I was curled up under the duvet with a torch at 3am this morning (so the children didnt see my light on and decide it was time to get up!) so that probably tells you all you need to know. Now..I’m sure Ms Crouch has written some others. Better go find them then….
Happy Reading Folks!
January 10, 2014
Peg works as a library assistant and lives a quiet life with her partner, Loz who is a chef working in a vegetarian restaurant. Loz thinks Peg lacks definition as a person – she is someone with fuzzy edges. It could be something to do with her childhood about which Peg can remember very little. She doesn’t appear curious about it either but then as the health of her beloved grandmother, Doll, deteriorates Peg starts wondering about her childhood.
Peg was brought up by her grandmother from the age of six and shared a bungalow with her and her disabled Aunt Jean. It soon becomes clear to the reader that there is something very odd about the family and as Peg starts to dig into her background and contacts her estranged father, Raymond, the tension mounts.
I found this book compelling reading and the way the reader’s – and Peg’s – suspicions are aroused is very well done. It is a brilliant study of how families conspire to keep secrets from some of their members. The truth could have been mundane but gradually Peg comes to realise that it is actually far more shocking than she could ever have managed.
I thought the characters were very well drawn and believable and the author has shown how the ill health of one person can adversely affect other people. The household revolves round Peg’s Aunt Jean to the detriment of both Peg and Doll. This book will keep you up at night to finish it and the characters will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.
Peg was brought up by her grandmother from the age of six and shared a bungalow with her and her disabled Aunt Jean. It soon becomes clear to the reader that there is something very odd about the family and as Peg starts to dig into her background and contacts her estranged father, Raymond, the tension mounts.
I found this book compelling reading and the way the reader’s – and Peg’s – suspicions are aroused is very well done. It is a brilliant study of how families conspire to keep secrets from some of their members. The truth could have been mundane but gradually Peg comes to realise that it is actually far more shocking than she could ever have managed.
I thought the characters were very well drawn and believable and the author has shown how the ill health of one person can adversely affect other people. The household revolves round Peg’s Aunt Jean to the detriment of both Peg and Doll. This book will keep you up at night to finish it and the characters will stay with you long after you have turned the last page.
October 23, 2014
Brief(ish) review of Tarnished, the third book I have read by talented author Julia Crouch.
First of all, I've read Crouch's novels out of order. I read Cuckoo (2011) first, and enjoyed it, feeling that the character depth distinguished it from other thrillers in the domestic-noir genre.
Then, I read The Long Fall (2014), Crouch's most recent novel. I absolutely loved this dual-time, dual-place mind-bender, and consider it one of my favorite books published this year. In my opinion, The Long Fall boasted fluent, beautiful writing, incredible travel escapism (one setting being the remote Greek island of Ikaria), and a page-turning plot. I also really enjoyed reading about one character's change in social/financial status...it was a lot of fun comparing her life as a backpacking teen to that as a rich, "show" wife living in elegance.
I was impressed at how unique Cuckoo and The Long Fall were from each other.
So, with trepidation that nothing could top my enjoyment of The Long Fall, I picked up Tarnished, Crouch's novel from 2013. Tarnished was yet again very different Cuckoo and from The Long Fall, but in its own way, it was a bit of a masterpiece.
Rarely do I think of the word "saga" when I am reading a novel I would also categorize as domestic noir, but in Tarnished, I saw how the two words could be positively compatible.
The main thing that makes Tarnished (and really, all of the novels I have read by Crouch) extra special is how absolutely real and complex her characters feel.
In Tarnished, this characterization was especially impressive. Reading about Peg (our main character) and her girlfriend Loz, I felt like I got to know them as if they were real-life friends. Crouch seems to know her characters inside and out, and has the ability to share them powerfully through the written word. At 375 pages in length, Tarnished is not a short novel. But as I flew through the story, I was totally sucked in to Peg's world, and the mystery of her own past, and her family secrets.
Now, a big difference between Tarnished and The Long Fall is that Tarnished is gritty pretty much all the time. The story takes place in a crowded, dirty, smelly home, in a hospital, and in a McMansion that despite being built with lots of money, stinks from an open cesspit nearby. Crouch is adept at describing grime, sickness, and poverty.
Tarnished gave me none of the holiday escapism that I loved in The Long Fall.
Really, it does credit to the author that she can write two such different stories, which both are absorbing and enjoyable in their own way.
As a final note, I loved the scenes in Tarnished with Parker, the ex-military rogue with a heart-of-gold, and the setting in which Peg and Loz encounter him. To me, these episodes, as well as the seaside setting, with its driving cold rain and shifting tides, were almost cinematic in their vividness. I loved the experience of reading Tarnished. I hope Julia Crouch is writing away at this moment, creating her next addictive story to share with readers.
First of all, I've read Crouch's novels out of order. I read Cuckoo (2011) first, and enjoyed it, feeling that the character depth distinguished it from other thrillers in the domestic-noir genre.
Then, I read The Long Fall (2014), Crouch's most recent novel. I absolutely loved this dual-time, dual-place mind-bender, and consider it one of my favorite books published this year. In my opinion, The Long Fall boasted fluent, beautiful writing, incredible travel escapism (one setting being the remote Greek island of Ikaria), and a page-turning plot. I also really enjoyed reading about one character's change in social/financial status...it was a lot of fun comparing her life as a backpacking teen to that as a rich, "show" wife living in elegance.
I was impressed at how unique Cuckoo and The Long Fall were from each other.
So, with trepidation that nothing could top my enjoyment of The Long Fall, I picked up Tarnished, Crouch's novel from 2013. Tarnished was yet again very different Cuckoo and from The Long Fall, but in its own way, it was a bit of a masterpiece.
Rarely do I think of the word "saga" when I am reading a novel I would also categorize as domestic noir, but in Tarnished, I saw how the two words could be positively compatible.
The main thing that makes Tarnished (and really, all of the novels I have read by Crouch) extra special is how absolutely real and complex her characters feel.
In Tarnished, this characterization was especially impressive. Reading about Peg (our main character) and her girlfriend Loz, I felt like I got to know them as if they were real-life friends. Crouch seems to know her characters inside and out, and has the ability to share them powerfully through the written word. At 375 pages in length, Tarnished is not a short novel. But as I flew through the story, I was totally sucked in to Peg's world, and the mystery of her own past, and her family secrets.
Now, a big difference between Tarnished and The Long Fall is that Tarnished is gritty pretty much all the time. The story takes place in a crowded, dirty, smelly home, in a hospital, and in a McMansion that despite being built with lots of money, stinks from an open cesspit nearby. Crouch is adept at describing grime, sickness, and poverty.
Tarnished gave me none of the holiday escapism that I loved in The Long Fall.
Really, it does credit to the author that she can write two such different stories, which both are absorbing and enjoyable in their own way.
As a final note, I loved the scenes in Tarnished with Parker, the ex-military rogue with a heart-of-gold, and the setting in which Peg and Loz encounter him. To me, these episodes, as well as the seaside setting, with its driving cold rain and shifting tides, were almost cinematic in their vividness. I loved the experience of reading Tarnished. I hope Julia Crouch is writing away at this moment, creating her next addictive story to share with readers.
August 9, 2013
I thought Cuckoo, the debut from Julia Crouch was a great read, although I wasn't as impressed with her second book Every Vow You Break, so I had reservations before reading this book. I'm really glad I gave it a go; an intriguing story backed up by skilful writing meant that this was an enjoyable read.
Peg has no childhood memories of being brought up by her lovely grandmother, Dolly in the same house as her obese aunt Jean. When Dolly starts suffering from dementia Peg decides to track down her father but maybe she should have left the past where it was? Peg is in a relationship with a much stronger partner, Loz who is pushing her to find out what it was that the family are reluctant to reveal to Peg. Events soon take a very dark turn as the two women dig into the past.
Julia Crouch manages to raise the tension in this book with the aid of Peg's slowly returning , memories, the descriptions of the house where Dolly has hoarded stuff and Jean's obesity are so well described it made my skin crawl. The reader may need to suspend a certain level of belief, particularly towards the end but it is no less thrilling for that. A book to become absorbed in and to be repulsed by in equal measures, I can't wait for the next one.
Peg has no childhood memories of being brought up by her lovely grandmother, Dolly in the same house as her obese aunt Jean. When Dolly starts suffering from dementia Peg decides to track down her father but maybe she should have left the past where it was? Peg is in a relationship with a much stronger partner, Loz who is pushing her to find out what it was that the family are reluctant to reveal to Peg. Events soon take a very dark turn as the two women dig into the past.
Julia Crouch manages to raise the tension in this book with the aid of Peg's slowly returning , memories, the descriptions of the house where Dolly has hoarded stuff and Jean's obesity are so well described it made my skin crawl. The reader may need to suspend a certain level of belief, particularly towards the end but it is no less thrilling for that. A book to become absorbed in and to be repulsed by in equal measures, I can't wait for the next one.
November 19, 2013
When Peg (Margaret)was six years old her mother died, and shortly thereafter her father disappeared; she was raised by her ageing grandparents and morbidly obese Aunty Jean. She never questioned her background or upbringing, but now in her twenties she discovers she had an uncle who died many years ago. The fact that this has been kept a secret from her ignites not only her anger at her grandmother, but her curiosity, and so her quest to find her father, and answers to the many questions she how has, begins.
I found the actual setting for this novel depressing - the grandmother's bungalow with Aunty Jean's annexe was just so bleak; the characters lacked depth and substance, the result being that I found it impossible to like, or sympathise, with any of them. The plot, such as it is, plods along at a frustratingly slow pace and is somewhat predictable.
I'll probably be in the minority when I say this "thriller" is anything but thrilling. It is the second Julia Crouch novel (the other being "Every Vow You Break"), that has left me cold, so I doubt if I'll attempt a third.
I found the actual setting for this novel depressing - the grandmother's bungalow with Aunty Jean's annexe was just so bleak; the characters lacked depth and substance, the result being that I found it impossible to like, or sympathise, with any of them. The plot, such as it is, plods along at a frustratingly slow pace and is somewhat predictable.
I'll probably be in the minority when I say this "thriller" is anything but thrilling. It is the second Julia Crouch novel (the other being "Every Vow You Break"), that has left me cold, so I doubt if I'll attempt a third.
January 12, 2022
I had to read this for a new book group I'm trying out. It is not the sort of book I would usually read. On a positive note it was very readable and a page-turner. However the first person narrative was irritating to me and I found the characters to be charactures rather than real people. The actual plot wasn't really believable for me and I didn't find it chilling (which I think I was supposed to). I don't think I would decide to read any more of Julia Crouch's novels on the basis of reading this one, even though I did whip through it determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.
November 4, 2019
I was really uncomfortable with the way this book used a characters weight as a shorthand to make her seem gross and dislikeable, but otherwise solid mystery/family drama.
Also the lead characters girlfriend was one of the most insufferable love interests I experienced. That was at least somewhat intentional considering the lead thinks that too at times but ultimately I found it hard to cheer for the two to get a happy ending together.
Also the lead characters girlfriend was one of the most insufferable love interests I experienced. That was at least somewhat intentional considering the lead thinks that too at times but ultimately I found it hard to cheer for the two to get a happy ending together.
June 11, 2017
Some evocative scenery and interesting characters but, in the main, fairly middle of the road crime thriller pantaloons.
October 16, 2020
3.5*
What a cast of grotesques! It's a wonder Peg grew up as normal as she is...but then again...
Parker needs a prequel!
What a cast of grotesques! It's a wonder Peg grew up as normal as she is...but then again...
Parker needs a prequel!
June 13, 2013
Peg is in her twenties and has very little memory of her childhood. She knows that her mother died when she was only a young child and that her father disappeared soon afterwards. She was brought up by her beloved nan and granddad, the gentle and kind Dolly and Frank together with aunty Jean – her father’s parents and sister.
Peg has never been a confident person. Although she felt loved by her grandparents and Jean, her schooldays were miserable and friendless and she has always believed everything she has been told without question. However, she now realises that she is starting to remember snippets of her childhood – is her memory playing tricks on her or is she really remembering?
There are some very unlikeable characters in Peg’s life. Her father seemed to be a shady character - a nightclub owner who appeared to be involved in some unlawful activities. Her aunty Jean is a vile character, she is manipulative and despite being bedridden for many years due to her obesity, she still insists on continuing to eat her own bodyweight in food and smoking her cigarettes in between puffing on her oxygen mask. I didn’t really warm to Peg either at first – I thought she was too meek and too easily manipulated by other people, especially her feisty girlfriend Loz and her aunty Jean.
This was a slow burner of a story and whilst not an edge of your seat thriller, it starts very slowly with the tension building throughout the book, with sinister twists and turns until the conclusion – which I never saw coming. Peg, with Loz’s help, tries to put together her fragments of memory and find out the truth concerning her family never imagining the danger heading her way.
This was an excellent read and I would certainly recommend it.
Peg has never been a confident person. Although she felt loved by her grandparents and Jean, her schooldays were miserable and friendless and she has always believed everything she has been told without question. However, she now realises that she is starting to remember snippets of her childhood – is her memory playing tricks on her or is she really remembering?
There are some very unlikeable characters in Peg’s life. Her father seemed to be a shady character - a nightclub owner who appeared to be involved in some unlawful activities. Her aunty Jean is a vile character, she is manipulative and despite being bedridden for many years due to her obesity, she still insists on continuing to eat her own bodyweight in food and smoking her cigarettes in between puffing on her oxygen mask. I didn’t really warm to Peg either at first – I thought she was too meek and too easily manipulated by other people, especially her feisty girlfriend Loz and her aunty Jean.
This was a slow burner of a story and whilst not an edge of your seat thriller, it starts very slowly with the tension building throughout the book, with sinister twists and turns until the conclusion – which I never saw coming. Peg, with Loz’s help, tries to put together her fragments of memory and find out the truth concerning her family never imagining the danger heading her way.
This was an excellent read and I would certainly recommend it.
November 19, 2014
An intense psychological thriller that left me reeling.
"Peg always felt a little blurred, a little lacking in definition. Her mother died when she was six, her father simply disappeared, and she was brought up by her grandparents and her obese, bedridden aunt. But, despite all this, she never developed the habit of asking questions...As the skeletons come tumbling out of the family closet and the full horror of the past begins to reveal itself, Peg starts to wonder whether her youthful lack of curiosity might not have been a good thing. A very good thing indeed..."
Earlier this year I read and thoroughly enjoyed The Long Fall by Julia Crouch. As soon as i finished it I added all of the author's previous psychological thrillers to my wish list and Tarnished is the first I've got hold of.
I became immersed in Peg's world and her struggle to fill in the gaps in her childhood memories. At the same time some of the descriptions transported me back to memories of my own grandparents (the cocktail cabinet in the lounge, the made-up bedtime stories...) making this quite an emotional read.
The author's trademark is telling a gripping and suspenseful story in the present interspersed with flashbacks to the characters' pasts that illuminate and explain the main story. Some of the revelations in Tarnished shocked me, though I had worked out some of what was going on. All in all this was a satisfying read that gripped me throughout and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a book that makes you think, even after you've finished it.
"Peg always felt a little blurred, a little lacking in definition. Her mother died when she was six, her father simply disappeared, and she was brought up by her grandparents and her obese, bedridden aunt. But, despite all this, she never developed the habit of asking questions...As the skeletons come tumbling out of the family closet and the full horror of the past begins to reveal itself, Peg starts to wonder whether her youthful lack of curiosity might not have been a good thing. A very good thing indeed..."
Earlier this year I read and thoroughly enjoyed The Long Fall by Julia Crouch. As soon as i finished it I added all of the author's previous psychological thrillers to my wish list and Tarnished is the first I've got hold of.
I became immersed in Peg's world and her struggle to fill in the gaps in her childhood memories. At the same time some of the descriptions transported me back to memories of my own grandparents (the cocktail cabinet in the lounge, the made-up bedtime stories...) making this quite an emotional read.
The author's trademark is telling a gripping and suspenseful story in the present interspersed with flashbacks to the characters' pasts that illuminate and explain the main story. Some of the revelations in Tarnished shocked me, though I had worked out some of what was going on. All in all this was a satisfying read that gripped me throughout and I'd recommend it to anyone who likes a book that makes you think, even after you've finished it.
May 25, 2013
This was a bit slow to get going, and i wasn't as impressed with it as i was with Cuckoo (which was amazing). However, I would say that the second half of the book really picked up pace, and I really, REALLY got into it. My only other qualm would be that I found Peg to be rather annoying as a narrator- can someone really be that meek, mild and unassuming amid all that drama?
However, over all i would reccomend. This isn't as good as Cuckoo- not by a long shot, but i did prefer it to 'Every Vow You Break". Can't wait for the next novel by Crouch!
However, over all i would reccomend. This isn't as good as Cuckoo- not by a long shot, but i did prefer it to 'Every Vow You Break". Can't wait for the next novel by Crouch!
November 22, 2013
This book charts the journey of a young woman, Peg, who tries to find out the truth about her childhood, which remains blurry to her. The story was a not completely successful mix of a thriller and a more emotional family story, and I found it quite slow moving in places. The characters were rather thinly drawn, and most of them were a bit cliched (e.g. Peg's girlfriend Loz, is a classic caricature of the angry vegan lesbian) and unpleasant. The big reveal at the end seemed rather far fetched too.
February 21, 2014
I read this one in double quick time, never had read this author before but now I have her on my amazon wish list. Brilliant story telling and I was almost to the end before I guessed the outcome. Great way of wrapping up a novel and I can't wait to read more. Recommended reading, I had my hand over my mouth at one stage trying to stop myself talking out loud on the bus as I was on the verge of realizing what had been going on and it tugged at me a bit, it made me flinch at what must have happened.
March 26, 2013
Really good, kept me in suspense all the way to the end. Good plot.
September 28, 2013
wow, this book was fantastic, it gripped me from start to finish! I highly recommend it if you like family themed thrillers where you can never work out who to trust!
April 18, 2015
Starts off very mundane, but escalates until it pulls you in completely. Unexpectedly good.
November 19, 2022
Disclaimer: I don't typically read thrillers or crime books and picked this book from the library for the mystery aspect so I'm not familiar with the genre and I wasn't sure what to expect. I just finished it in bed and startled my husband by throwing it down on my duvet with a loud 'argh!'.
Our main character Peg is a 22 year old woman with a very undefined sense of self. She was raised by her grand-mother, living next door to her bed-ridden aunt. Her mother is dead, her father is awol, and she has very little memories of her life before the age of ten. As her grand-mother slips into dementia, secrets are revealed and her family history unravels. And, as the blurb says, "Peg starts to wonder whether her youthful lack of curiosity might not have been a good thing. A very good thing indeed."
I enjoyed the story more than I expected. It's well written and the author has a grasp of toxic family dynamics that probably explain my 'argh' and the lingering traumatised feeling it's left me with. I need a palate cleanser after this, thank god my next to-read is a funny rom-com (I hope).
There's a sense of gloom hanging over the mystery that is slowly revealed through the real-time discoveries and flashbacks as Peg starts to remember snippets of her childhood and tries to piece things together. It's the kind of story that you want a neat ending to, and this ain't it, and the kind of story that makes you feel a bit off but you can't stop reading. I found myself getting increasingly frustrated and annoyed as Peg constantly deals with what she discovers by denying, doubling-down and basically wishing to return to the way things were. Her lack of curiosity is clearly an act of self-defence but my god do I want to shake some sense into her like her girlfriend Loz does.
And that ending is just... arrrrghhh. So much wrong I want to scream.
Our main character Peg is a 22 year old woman with a very undefined sense of self. She was raised by her grand-mother, living next door to her bed-ridden aunt. Her mother is dead, her father is awol, and she has very little memories of her life before the age of ten. As her grand-mother slips into dementia, secrets are revealed and her family history unravels. And, as the blurb says, "Peg starts to wonder whether her youthful lack of curiosity might not have been a good thing. A very good thing indeed."
I enjoyed the story more than I expected. It's well written and the author has a grasp of toxic family dynamics that probably explain my 'argh' and the lingering traumatised feeling it's left me with. I need a palate cleanser after this, thank god my next to-read is a funny rom-com (I hope).
There's a sense of gloom hanging over the mystery that is slowly revealed through the real-time discoveries and flashbacks as Peg starts to remember snippets of her childhood and tries to piece things together. It's the kind of story that you want a neat ending to, and this ain't it, and the kind of story that makes you feel a bit off but you can't stop reading. I found myself getting increasingly frustrated and annoyed as Peg constantly deals with what she discovers by denying, doubling-down and basically wishing to return to the way things were. Her lack of curiosity is clearly an act of self-defence but my god do I want to shake some sense into her like her girlfriend Loz does.
And that ending is just... arrrrghhh. So much wrong I want to scream.
January 23, 2021
Peg Thwaites has never really questioned her past, but begins to do so after her grandmother's steadily developing dementia reveals that Peg once had an uncle who died as a baby. Peg was raised by her grandmother, and has always wondered why her father never returned for her after the death of her mother. Peg determined to learn about her past, unaware she could be opening a big can of worms.
And that can of worms is a long time coming, let me tell you that. This is one of the most boring "suspense" books I've ever read in my life! It takes an eternity for anything to happen. I really shouldn't have bothered finishing it! Combined with its snail-paced plot is horrid, revolting, unsympathetic characters across the board. Protagonist Peg is such a stubborn, whiny, uneducated sook that it was really hard to get on board with her. If she wasn't such an almighty drip, the "mystery" of her family would have been solved in half the time!
If you want excessive description of the process of cleaning out the house of a dementia-suffering hoarder, you might find something to work with here, otherwise I would recommend you not tarnish your own reading year with this dreary, snore-inducing drivel.
And that can of worms is a long time coming, let me tell you that. This is one of the most boring "suspense" books I've ever read in my life! It takes an eternity for anything to happen. I really shouldn't have bothered finishing it! Combined with its snail-paced plot is horrid, revolting, unsympathetic characters across the board. Protagonist Peg is such a stubborn, whiny, uneducated sook that it was really hard to get on board with her. If she wasn't such an almighty drip, the "mystery" of her family would have been solved in half the time!
If you want excessive description of the process of cleaning out the house of a dementia-suffering hoarder, you might find something to work with here, otherwise I would recommend you not tarnish your own reading year with this dreary, snore-inducing drivel.
January 3, 2018
Peg has been raised by her grandparents. When her grandmother’s health fails, she sets out to find her father, of whom she has few memories. But she soon realises she has found out more than she bargained for.
Tarnished is a well- structured, pacey read. Maybe not just thrilling enough to be called a thriller; some of the characters are a little vague and cosy to be threatening, and it does call for a degree of suspension of disbelief. But a very enjoyable read for all that.
Tarnished is a well- structured, pacey read. Maybe not just thrilling enough to be called a thriller; some of the characters are a little vague and cosy to be threatening, and it does call for a degree of suspension of disbelief. But a very enjoyable read for all that.
August 12, 2017
Another work from Julia Crouch, where she excels at portraying the most outlandish slobbish behaviour and characterization that is her trade mark, her target this time is the long suffering niece of a bed bound aunt.
Peg is prompted by her lesbian girlfriend Loz to ask too many questions about her childhood and finds that the family she takes for granted has a few nasty secrets.
Peg is prompted by her lesbian girlfriend Loz to ask too many questions about her childhood and finds that the family she takes for granted has a few nasty secrets.
June 12, 2019
I enjoyed this one - it was a little different, and I was a bit surprised at the end to find exactly which family member had been most responsible for things that had happened.
But it somehow missed the 'Wow' factor me for, hence 3 stars only. Quite interested to actually visit Whistable (possibly for the first time in my life) the same week I finished the book.
But it somehow missed the 'Wow' factor me for, hence 3 stars only. Quite interested to actually visit Whistable (possibly for the first time in my life) the same week I finished the book.
March 21, 2020
First of Julia Crouch's books that I've read. It was an OK story but didn't make me want to rush out and read others by her although, according to other reviewers, "Cuckoo" is much better. It did make me interested enough to look up details of The Street , the causeway leading into the sea, at Whitstable though.
November 6, 2021
This book is probably one of the longest slow burners I’ve ever read. Although the plot was good, it could have come about in much less than 400+ pages, unfortunately the book didn’t really get interesting until the last 100 or so pages. If it wasn’t for the fact that once I start a book I have to finish it, I would have given up on this book about 100 pages in.
June 6, 2019
A slow burning thriller that was impossible to put down. Julia has written the book in such a way that you get goosebumps as bit by bit you place the story together. Although the outcome is disturbing, it was a brilliant book to read.
May 4, 2017
This seemed an overly long book that didn't really have too much of a storyline. Just managed 3 stars, for me.
February 26, 2023
Excellent
Amazingly good read. Great twists to the story and a surprising ending. Thoroughly enjoyed this story and could not put it down till it was finished.
Amazingly good read. Great twists to the story and a surprising ending. Thoroughly enjoyed this story and could not put it down till it was finished.
December 13, 2023
Outstanding!! I couldn't put it down! Brilliant read!!!
July 25, 2015
I love reading a good thriller. So when Hachette offered to send a few Domestic Noir books my way, I was really looking forward to getting stuck into them. Unfortunately, the first one I tried didn't work for me, but this one certainly did!
Peg is a quiet library assistant who doesn't cause any friction. She's been seeing her girlfriend, Loz, for a year now, and they've been living together for a while. They have a good relationship, and although they are very different--Loz is outspoken, stubborn, ambitious and determined--they're crazy about each other. But everything gets threatened the day Peg decides she wants to know more about her childhood.
She's never bothered to contact her absent father, although she has tried to track him down. The women who raised her--her grandmother Doll and aunty Jean--don't like to talk about the past. But after a brief and very uncomfortable visit to Spain to visit her father, Peg starts to remember things. She's writing memories down in her journal (or as her Nan called it, a Commonplace Book) and is starting to fill in some of the gaps missing from the time she was a kid.
However, chasing these revelations leads her down a very dangerous road that will not only reveal a bunch of awful truths she tried so hard to forget, but might end up putting both her and Loz in the path of a killer. Not to mention that the missing memories might also provide the answers to several unsolved crimes...
Yikes! This book is one super heavy and involved read. It totally hooked me into Peg's world and kept me there every step of the way. I have to admit that she was a little frustrating sometimes because she was indecisive and totally in the clutches of her dysfunctional family, but the personal growth she goes through as each new layer of the mystery she's chasing is revealed really impacts the reader. I also really liked Loz. She was fun and witty, kept Peg on her toes, wasn't afraid to say what she thought, and was determined to chase the truth. Her obsession with true crime was also a nice addition, as she finds herself in the middle of one. O.o
Tarnished is a well written, addictive story with a very twisted core. It's one woman's search for the truth years after she's forgotten it. A way for her to fill in the blanks, to reconnect with her father, and understand what really happened to her mother. While slowly discovering that everything she thinks she knows about her family is a lie. And everyone she thought she knew lied and controlled her for their own sick purpose. It's a powerful book. A page turner.
I'm a sucker for a screwed-up mystery with a good dose of family secrets on the side, so I really (really) enjoyed this book!
This is the second Julia Crouch book I've read, and it certainly won't be the last.
Peg is a quiet library assistant who doesn't cause any friction. She's been seeing her girlfriend, Loz, for a year now, and they've been living together for a while. They have a good relationship, and although they are very different--Loz is outspoken, stubborn, ambitious and determined--they're crazy about each other. But everything gets threatened the day Peg decides she wants to know more about her childhood.
She's never bothered to contact her absent father, although she has tried to track him down. The women who raised her--her grandmother Doll and aunty Jean--don't like to talk about the past. But after a brief and very uncomfortable visit to Spain to visit her father, Peg starts to remember things. She's writing memories down in her journal (or as her Nan called it, a Commonplace Book) and is starting to fill in some of the gaps missing from the time she was a kid.
However, chasing these revelations leads her down a very dangerous road that will not only reveal a bunch of awful truths she tried so hard to forget, but might end up putting both her and Loz in the path of a killer. Not to mention that the missing memories might also provide the answers to several unsolved crimes...
Yikes! This book is one super heavy and involved read. It totally hooked me into Peg's world and kept me there every step of the way. I have to admit that she was a little frustrating sometimes because she was indecisive and totally in the clutches of her dysfunctional family, but the personal growth she goes through as each new layer of the mystery she's chasing is revealed really impacts the reader. I also really liked Loz. She was fun and witty, kept Peg on her toes, wasn't afraid to say what she thought, and was determined to chase the truth. Her obsession with true crime was also a nice addition, as she finds herself in the middle of one. O.o
Tarnished is a well written, addictive story with a very twisted core. It's one woman's search for the truth years after she's forgotten it. A way for her to fill in the blanks, to reconnect with her father, and understand what really happened to her mother. While slowly discovering that everything she thinks she knows about her family is a lie. And everyone she thought she knew lied and controlled her for their own sick purpose. It's a powerful book. A page turner.
I'm a sucker for a screwed-up mystery with a good dose of family secrets on the side, so I really (really) enjoyed this book!
This is the second Julia Crouch book I've read, and it certainly won't be the last.
January 16, 2015
Sometimes the past should be left well alone…
Julia Crouch’s novel Tarnished starts off like a murder mystery. There’s a body; there’s an innocent bystander who gets swept up in a discovery which sends his life reeling out of control. Then it starts again, this time with the real story, the one of a child who grows up knowing, but not remembering, strange events that surround her eccentric, potentially sinister, family.
It’s no coincidence that the dedication of this novel is “To my family (no relation)”. This is an engrossing, sometimes blackly comic portrait of a group of related adults who are enmeshed by the past, by secrets and their own needs.
There’s the protagonist Peg who, despite having attained straight As at an exclusive girls’ high school is happy – or resigned – to shuffle books as a library assistant. There are gaps in Peg’s memory which her girlfriend Loz encourages her to fill. Memories about Doll, her grandmother, who raised her since the age of six when Peg’s mother died and her father mysteriously disappeared, and who now has become increasingly fragile with dementia. And Jean, Peg’s bedridden aunt whom Doll has cared for over many years, who is so huge she is now unable to get out of bed and hasn’t left home for a decade.
The novel starts off slowly and reels you in. It shows a dark side of a London underclass, seen through the eyes of a troubled young adult who has been educated beyond her class but who is incapacitated, almost crippled, by things she doesn’t understand. The setting, a tidal estuary on the river Thames is almost a character of the book, its tidal mud flats throwing up the stink and gruesome evidence of sins committed long ago – and hiding them again.
I stayed up reading this novel until 11.30pm, woke again at 4.30am and just had to pick the book back up and finish it. It was worth losing sleep for.
This review first appeared on my blog.
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