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Until Even The Angels
When successful London real estate agent, Isabelle Goh, is left close to death in an attempted assassination, Detective Ayesha Nur begins a case that not only brings her face to face with her own demons, but sends her on a journey to unravel Goh’s long-hidden secrets. What happened a half-century ago in post-colonial Singapore? Who was baby Rosie and how did her disappearance so many years in the past lead to the shooting in modern-day London?
UNTIL EVEN THE ANGELS, Suzanne Scott Tomita’s debut literary crime novel, is a story of class division in a rapidly changing world, childhood friendships gained and lost, and bonds that erode, but can never be erased.
UNTIL EVEN THE ANGELS, Suzanne Scott Tomita’s debut literary crime novel, is a story of class division in a rapidly changing world, childhood friendships gained and lost, and bonds that erode, but can never be erased.
- GenresFiction
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 17, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 10, 2025
Thank you, Penguin Books SEA, for the review copy!
I’ll admit, this isn’t something I would’ve normally picked up, and at first, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But as the story unfolded, I found myself completely drawn in—not just by the mystery but by the way it delves into the human psyche and the societal complexities surrounding the characters.
The social commentary woven into the narrative was especially compelling. As someone from Southeast Asia who has traveled to Singapore, I felt deeply connected to the setting—the writing made it easy to visualize the house and its surroundings. Mei Mei’s character stood out to me the most. While I felt there were some gaps in the plot and character development, the depth of the themes kept me engaged.
Initially, I thought this would be a typical crime thriller, but it turned out to be so much more. The way it examines personal struggles, societal expectations, and hidden truths beneath the surface added layers beyond just the mystery. The themes explored kept me hooked, and I couldn’t put it down. It was an unexpected but fascinating read, especially with the historical context woven in. I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, but the mix of suspense, psychological depth, and thought-provoking themes made it truly worthwhile!
I’ll admit, this isn’t something I would’ve normally picked up, and at first, I wasn’t sure what to expect. But as the story unfolded, I found myself completely drawn in—not just by the mystery but by the way it delves into the human psyche and the societal complexities surrounding the characters.
The social commentary woven into the narrative was especially compelling. As someone from Southeast Asia who has traveled to Singapore, I felt deeply connected to the setting—the writing made it easy to visualize the house and its surroundings. Mei Mei’s character stood out to me the most. While I felt there were some gaps in the plot and character development, the depth of the themes kept me engaged.
Initially, I thought this would be a typical crime thriller, but it turned out to be so much more. The way it examines personal struggles, societal expectations, and hidden truths beneath the surface added layers beyond just the mystery. The themes explored kept me hooked, and I couldn’t put it down. It was an unexpected but fascinating read, especially with the historical context woven in. I didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, but the mix of suspense, psychological depth, and thought-provoking themes made it truly worthwhile!
February 20, 2025
(8/2025) 3/5🌟 General Fiction | 256 pages
“𝘼𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙜𝙚, 𝘿𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚. 𝙄 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣.”
Freedom.
Freedom is for everyone, but when your privilege is taken from you and you never taste any - you fight for it, no matter what it takes.
Mei Mei had gone through a very difficult and rough childhood. She was unwanted but luckily for a saviour though it was never beds of roses. During the 50’s, Mei Mei became a domestic servant to the Hamiltons, wealthy Caucasians who resided in Singapura. She befriended the young mistress of the household, Honour and was also interested in the teenage gardener, Pash.
It was a rough time of social tensions and the nation was caught up in the turmoil of news that had managed to seep its breathe into the international air. A violent riot broke out and killed Mei Mei’s master and mistress. However, Mei Mei, Honour and Pash had made a pact that they would protect baby Rosie. Who was baby Rosie actually?
Fast forward to the year 2000’s in London, a very successful property entrepreneur, Isabelle Goh, was shot in what seemed to be an attempted asssasination.
Detective Ayesha Nur was put on the mission to investigate the case and find out the stories behind the murder attempt of Isabelle Goh. As Ayesha dove deeper into the background of Isabelle Goh and identified her as someone who was on the most wanted list from Interpol who not only lead a human trafficking syndicate, she also discovered hurtful historical backgrounds on who Isabelle Goh really was.
Could Mei Mei and Isabelle Goh be the same person? Who was baby Rosie?
The stories were told between alternate timelines between the 1950’s and 2000’s, but, eventhough it carries my personal favourite writing style, it didn’t really manage to pull my interest towards it and even leaving me confused at times, as the plots were jumpy, irregardless past or present moments. There seem to be a number of loopholes due to the stories’ complexities. The same thing goes to the characters which I think require adequate background stories for us to understand the whole situation. Of all the characters, only Mei Mei had revealed and expressed her feelings a lot to the readers, I wish we were told her actual beginning.
Nevertheless, what hooked me to finish the book would probably be the subliminal theme - women and their roles in other people’s lives. Each of the female character in the story was dealing with issues pertaining to what were their supposed roles in life - caring for other people especially during the yesteryears. Women were seen as maternal icons but were rarely given the opportunity to make decisions about things around them. We were supposed to heed and listen for instructions, we were considered weak.
The story in the past was narrated with the background event of Maria Hertogh or Natrah case that had sparked riots in Singapore in the 50’s and causing deaths. Fictionally, the main character, Mei Mei, had several interactions with Maria herself due to some predicaments and even received advice from Maria herself that had caused Mei Mei to take the biggest decision of her life.
Although this might be listed as crime/thriller genre, the story deals with a lot of social pressures surrounding especially the female characters as they discuss the characters’ personal struggles as women, wife, mother and member of the community with historical context as background which was quite thought-provoking.
Read this if you enjoy crime thriller with some historical background. Thank you @penguinbookssea for this review copy in exchange with my honest personal opinions.
#justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #FebruaryReads #FebruaryTBRs #2025reads #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #penguinbookssea #UntilEventheAngels #suzannescotttomita
“𝘼𝙩 𝙨𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙖 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙜𝙚, 𝘿𝙚𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙚. 𝙄 𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙪𝙨𝙚 𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙪𝙨 𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙣.”
Freedom.
Freedom is for everyone, but when your privilege is taken from you and you never taste any - you fight for it, no matter what it takes.
Mei Mei had gone through a very difficult and rough childhood. She was unwanted but luckily for a saviour though it was never beds of roses. During the 50’s, Mei Mei became a domestic servant to the Hamiltons, wealthy Caucasians who resided in Singapura. She befriended the young mistress of the household, Honour and was also interested in the teenage gardener, Pash.
It was a rough time of social tensions and the nation was caught up in the turmoil of news that had managed to seep its breathe into the international air. A violent riot broke out and killed Mei Mei’s master and mistress. However, Mei Mei, Honour and Pash had made a pact that they would protect baby Rosie. Who was baby Rosie actually?
Fast forward to the year 2000’s in London, a very successful property entrepreneur, Isabelle Goh, was shot in what seemed to be an attempted asssasination.
Detective Ayesha Nur was put on the mission to investigate the case and find out the stories behind the murder attempt of Isabelle Goh. As Ayesha dove deeper into the background of Isabelle Goh and identified her as someone who was on the most wanted list from Interpol who not only lead a human trafficking syndicate, she also discovered hurtful historical backgrounds on who Isabelle Goh really was.
Could Mei Mei and Isabelle Goh be the same person? Who was baby Rosie?
The stories were told between alternate timelines between the 1950’s and 2000’s, but, eventhough it carries my personal favourite writing style, it didn’t really manage to pull my interest towards it and even leaving me confused at times, as the plots were jumpy, irregardless past or present moments. There seem to be a number of loopholes due to the stories’ complexities. The same thing goes to the characters which I think require adequate background stories for us to understand the whole situation. Of all the characters, only Mei Mei had revealed and expressed her feelings a lot to the readers, I wish we were told her actual beginning.
Nevertheless, what hooked me to finish the book would probably be the subliminal theme - women and their roles in other people’s lives. Each of the female character in the story was dealing with issues pertaining to what were their supposed roles in life - caring for other people especially during the yesteryears. Women were seen as maternal icons but were rarely given the opportunity to make decisions about things around them. We were supposed to heed and listen for instructions, we were considered weak.
The story in the past was narrated with the background event of Maria Hertogh or Natrah case that had sparked riots in Singapore in the 50’s and causing deaths. Fictionally, the main character, Mei Mei, had several interactions with Maria herself due to some predicaments and even received advice from Maria herself that had caused Mei Mei to take the biggest decision of her life.
Although this might be listed as crime/thriller genre, the story deals with a lot of social pressures surrounding especially the female characters as they discuss the characters’ personal struggles as women, wife, mother and member of the community with historical context as background which was quite thought-provoking.
Read this if you enjoy crime thriller with some historical background. Thank you @penguinbookssea for this review copy in exchange with my honest personal opinions.
#justreaddontbawang #bookmehnia #FebruaryReads #FebruaryTBRs #2025reads #bookstagrammalaysia #bookstagrammy #malaysiamembaca #bookstagrammer #bookgram #bibliophile #bibliophilemy #bookish #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #readersofinstagram #goodreads #bookrecommendations #bookreview #bookworm #penguinbookssea #UntilEventheAngels #suzannescotttomita
January 28, 2025
Suzanne Scott Tomita's debut novel is a breathtaking exploration of Singapore's intricate social landscape, masterfully weaving together a gripping crime narrative with profound psychological depth. Detective Ayesha Nur emerges as a compelling protagonist - nuanced, intelligent, and deeply human - who navigates the complex terrain of post-colonial Singapore with remarkable insight.
What Makes This Novel Extraordinary
- Stunning Prose: Tomita's writing is elegant and precise, each sentence crafted with remarkable care
- Complex Character Development: The characters feel authentically multi-dimensional, challenging stereotypes
- Rich Historical Context: The novel brilliantly illuminates Singapore's complicated social dynamics
- Suspenseful Plotting: A crime narrative that keeps readers guessing until the final pages
The attempted assassination of Isabelle Goh serves not just as a plot device, but as a lens through which Tomita examines deeper societal fractures. Her exploration of childhood friendships, class divisions, and long-buried secrets is both sensitive and razor-sharp.
Highly recommended for readers who appreciate literary crime fiction with substantial psychological and social commentary. An exceptional debut that announces Tomita as a significant new voice in contemporary literature.
What Makes This Novel Extraordinary
- Stunning Prose: Tomita's writing is elegant and precise, each sentence crafted with remarkable care
- Complex Character Development: The characters feel authentically multi-dimensional, challenging stereotypes
- Rich Historical Context: The novel brilliantly illuminates Singapore's complicated social dynamics
- Suspenseful Plotting: A crime narrative that keeps readers guessing until the final pages
The attempted assassination of Isabelle Goh serves not just as a plot device, but as a lens through which Tomita examines deeper societal fractures. Her exploration of childhood friendships, class divisions, and long-buried secrets is both sensitive and razor-sharp.
Highly recommended for readers who appreciate literary crime fiction with substantial psychological and social commentary. An exceptional debut that announces Tomita as a significant new voice in contemporary literature.
March 1, 2025
Until Even the Angels by Suzanne was an unexpected yet captivating read that transported me to post-colonial Singapore, where a young girl named Mei Mei worked in a wealthy household. The story unfolds through the eyes of a househelp, a girl with big dreams despite the harsh realities of her life.
Mei Mei is a fascinating and complex character—resilient yet flawed, making it impossible to label her as simply good or bad. Her journey is filled with struggle, ambition, and the weight of difficult choices. The novel delves into serious themes, adding a dark and compelling depth to the story. And when it comes to the mystery? Let’s just say, I never saw the twist coming! I was completely blindsided by the reveal, making it all the more thrilling.
If you're looking for a gripping historical mystery with layered characters and an unpredictable plot, this is a must-read!
Mei Mei is a fascinating and complex character—resilient yet flawed, making it impossible to label her as simply good or bad. Her journey is filled with struggle, ambition, and the weight of difficult choices. The novel delves into serious themes, adding a dark and compelling depth to the story. And when it comes to the mystery? Let’s just say, I never saw the twist coming! I was completely blindsided by the reveal, making it all the more thrilling.
If you're looking for a gripping historical mystery with layered characters and an unpredictable plot, this is a must-read!
July 12, 2025
I am of mixed minds on this novel. It entertains through the descriptions of Singapore in the late 40's and early 50's and then the more modern era with the moss-covered abandoned colonial-era mansions next to the modern high-rises of vibrant Singapore. However, the mystery is sucked out of the story through early disclosure of the connection between the childhood and middle-aged versions of the central narrating character. The reader is sometimes given the adult remembrances of her childhood through interviews with the investigating police officer and sometimes the childhood perspective in 1940's and 50's real time, thus giving it a herky-jerky feel The plot plods forward predictably with nary a surprise. But overall, it is an enlightening description of the class/race tensions and moral decline into the whole area of human trafficking.
September 9, 2025
A fascinating 1950 custody case in Singapore, and the ensuing Maria Hertogh riots, serve as the backdrop -- and an important plot point -- in Tomita's debut novel, a work of atmospheric literary crime fiction with gothic overtones. The story unfolds through dual timelines, conveyed in part as the deathbed reminiscences of Isabelle Goh, a woman of wealth and intrigue, who is found shot in her car on a London street. Her story intersects with that of the detective assigned to her case, Ayesha Nur, a divorced mother haunted by depression. Tomita's lush descriptions of the flora and fauna are divine in this smart, compelling story of class, race, and sin.
January 31, 2025
I have lived in Singapore and Hong Kong, and spent some time in London, so the fact that this story takes place in all three is fun for me, as a reader. The plot is a bit convoluted, with some holes that require a suspension of disbelief. I know amount Rosie Road and the black and whites on it, they are homes from the days of yore, simply stunning. All of the characters had holes in their development, but I kept reading, and pieced together bits to make sense, and let go of the rest. This is 3.5 rounded down to 3.
July 18, 2025
If you appreciate language, connection and ideas over "pure plot" - this book really delivers. The text was evocative: it creates a heartsick nostalgia for a time and place you will long to visit. It is a testament to beauty and life's ephemeral nature; it captures class, ethnicity and disequilibrium in a vivid yet appropriately uncomfortable manner. Finally the interplay of judgment, justice and justification is haunting and will stay with you long after the last page. Highly recommend.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews