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‘An outstanding debut’ - Time Out
The Thorn family seem to have it all.
Robin Thorn is a successful artist about to hit the big time; his pale beautiful wife Rosa is an actress, and they are devoted to their two teenage Anna and Danny.
But when tragedy strikes on a London road, the whole family is blown apart.
As the Thorns try to put back the pieces of their broken existence, strange things start to happen.
Sinister things.
Dead, mutilated animals on their doorstep. A man who watches and waits for beautiful Anna.
Who is stalking Anna?
After what happened, will they be able to set foot in the park across the road again?
And then the killings start.
The Thorn family must find out who is taunting them before it is too late and their lives are shattered forever…
Thorn is a twisting, atmospheric thriller whose insidious plot keeps you guessing right to the end.
The Thorn family seem to have it all.
Robin Thorn is a successful artist about to hit the big time; his pale beautiful wife Rosa is an actress, and they are devoted to their two teenage Anna and Danny.
But when tragedy strikes on a London road, the whole family is blown apart.
As the Thorns try to put back the pieces of their broken existence, strange things start to happen.
Sinister things.
Dead, mutilated animals on their doorstep. A man who watches and waits for beautiful Anna.
Who is stalking Anna?
After what happened, will they be able to set foot in the park across the road again?
And then the killings start.
The Thorn family must find out who is taunting them before it is too late and their lives are shattered forever…
Thorn is a twisting, atmospheric thriller whose insidious plot keeps you guessing right to the end.
348 pages, Paperback
First published December 6, 2003
58 people are currently reading
734 people want to read
About the author
Vena Cork
16 books26 followersVena studied at Homerton College, Cambridge, and was one of the first female members of the Cambridge Footlights. She was an actress, playwright and teacher before becoming a full-time writer and producing the Thorn trilogy.
Thorn, the first in the trilogy, was hailed by the Guardian as ‘a compelling, dark-hued psychological thriller’, by Time Out as ‘an outstanding debut’, and by The Times as ‘one of those rare and energetic books you can’t put down and don’t want to end.’ It was followed by The Art of Dying and Green Eye, both also highly praised. The trilogy is now available from Endeavour Press.
Her new standalone novel, The Lost Ones was published in May 2016 and her fifth novel, Toxic will be published later in 2016, also by Endeavour Press.
Vena lives in London with her husband, the art critic Richard Cork. She has two sons and two daughters.
Thorn, the first in the trilogy, was hailed by the Guardian as ‘a compelling, dark-hued psychological thriller’, by Time Out as ‘an outstanding debut’, and by The Times as ‘one of those rare and energetic books you can’t put down and don’t want to end.’ It was followed by The Art of Dying and Green Eye, both also highly praised. The trilogy is now available from Endeavour Press.
Her new standalone novel, The Lost Ones was published in May 2016 and her fifth novel, Toxic will be published later in 2016, also by Endeavour Press.
Vena lives in London with her husband, the art critic Richard Cork. She has two sons and two daughters.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
April 12, 2016
I loved this book!
It is well written; the characters are well rounded and the dialogue realistic.
Corks writing style is relaxed and flows easily. She writes with passion and a sense of humour. I get the feeling that she enjoyed writing this book, as I enjoyed reading it.
Rob Thorn, artist, husband and father, is killed crossing the road to the park to play Frisbee with his children. He leaves behind jobbing actress Rosa and two teenage children. Forced to take on a temporary drama teaching job to make ends meet, a job she hates, at the school her children now attend, Rosa's good nature is stretched to breaking point. The she discovers that someone is stalking her daughter. And once she starts watching she notices all sorts of other odd goings on....which begs the question - just what is going on?
There is a little of everything in this book: a little romantic suspense; a little murder; a little abduction; a little mystery. All of which adds up to a really good read.
This is the first in a series of three (so far) books and I will definitely be reading the two books that follow.
I received an ARC of Thorn via NetGalley and Endeavour Press in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
It is well written; the characters are well rounded and the dialogue realistic.
Corks writing style is relaxed and flows easily. She writes with passion and a sense of humour. I get the feeling that she enjoyed writing this book, as I enjoyed reading it.
Rob Thorn, artist, husband and father, is killed crossing the road to the park to play Frisbee with his children. He leaves behind jobbing actress Rosa and two teenage children. Forced to take on a temporary drama teaching job to make ends meet, a job she hates, at the school her children now attend, Rosa's good nature is stretched to breaking point. The she discovers that someone is stalking her daughter. And once she starts watching she notices all sorts of other odd goings on....which begs the question - just what is going on?
There is a little of everything in this book: a little romantic suspense; a little murder; a little abduction; a little mystery. All of which adds up to a really good read.
This is the first in a series of three (so far) books and I will definitely be reading the two books that follow.
I received an ARC of Thorn via NetGalley and Endeavour Press in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
April 23, 2012
This a great read and a gripping thriller. From the outset I enjoyed Rosa's droll English humour and cynicism. The unfolding story both touches and repels, but it is never boring!
I could have slapped both teenagers, Danny and Anna, but in the end I fell in love with them both.
Vena Cork is an Author to reckoned with and I look forward to reading her next book.
I could have slapped both teenagers, Danny and Anna, but in the end I fell in love with them both.
Vena Cork is an Author to reckoned with and I look forward to reading her next book.
January 18, 2016
Following her husband's sudden death, Rosa Thorn and her two teenage children Anna and Danny have to go through the grieving process and adjust to their new life. Feeling the financial strain of a single parent, Rosa takes on a temporary teaching job at the local school, the same one her two children now have to attend after leaving their previous private school. To make matters worse, sinister things start happening around them, injured and dead animals on their doorstep, the dead body of a girl in the neighborhood park and Anna possibly being stalked.
I really enjoyed this suspenseful mix of family drama and mystery. Written mostly from Rosa's point of view in a very relaxed, cynical manner, it was easy to empathize with Rosa. There were snippets of other points of view throughout the book, which threw you off course, and when it came to identifying the culprit, I was utterly surprised. There were several possibilities, as everyone seemed to have something to hide, but the ending came as a total shock to me. Absolutely loved it. My only minor nag, there were so many different characters, it wasn't always easy to keep straight who they were and how they were connected to each other. Still, Thorn was a really compelling, dark mystery with the added bonus of some very perceptive psychological insights into family relationships and teenage drama, and I immediately added the author's second book featuring Rosa Thorn to my wish list.
Thanks to Endeavour Press for providing me with a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this suspenseful mix of family drama and mystery. Written mostly from Rosa's point of view in a very relaxed, cynical manner, it was easy to empathize with Rosa. There were snippets of other points of view throughout the book, which threw you off course, and when it came to identifying the culprit, I was utterly surprised. There were several possibilities, as everyone seemed to have something to hide, but the ending came as a total shock to me. Absolutely loved it. My only minor nag, there were so many different characters, it wasn't always easy to keep straight who they were and how they were connected to each other. Still, Thorn was a really compelling, dark mystery with the added bonus of some very perceptive psychological insights into family relationships and teenage drama, and I immediately added the author's second book featuring Rosa Thorn to my wish list.
Thanks to Endeavour Press for providing me with a copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 5, 2012
I really looked forward to reading this novel. It has some great reviews and wonderful artwork on its cover, but what a disappointment. This book is supposed to be a mystery, but it's mostly a novel about the problems of raising teenagers as a single parent.
The central character is a recently widowed woman who has to face reduced financial circumstances while raising 2 teenagers on her own. The children are forced to leave their exclusive private school for the public school system, and, to make the adjustment even more difficult for them, their mother takes a job as a teacher at the same school. The teens problems and the difficulty that the mother has in dealing with their problems take up 3/4 of the book. Only in the last quarter of the book does the mystery really kick in, and then it's all sorted out in a couple of dozen pages.
The resolution to it all was really a bit of a stretch. I was very disappointed with this book, I would recommend it for fans of family dramas, but I won't be reading any more of Vena Cork's books.
The central character is a recently widowed woman who has to face reduced financial circumstances while raising 2 teenagers on her own. The children are forced to leave their exclusive private school for the public school system, and, to make the adjustment even more difficult for them, their mother takes a job as a teacher at the same school. The teens problems and the difficulty that the mother has in dealing with their problems take up 3/4 of the book. Only in the last quarter of the book does the mystery really kick in, and then it's all sorted out in a couple of dozen pages.
The resolution to it all was really a bit of a stretch. I was very disappointed with this book, I would recommend it for fans of family dramas, but I won't be reading any more of Vena Cork's books.
December 29, 2015
This book is a story about the passing of the father but as it progresses you come to realize there is more to this story than meets they eye. Vena Cork gives you just enough to lull you and then throws in a curve keeping you turning the pages from first page to the last. Rosa is trying to keep her family together after the death of her husband. As her finances dwindle she takes a job teaching and takes in a boarder to make ends meet. Now her daughter has a stalker and strange things start happening. A girl is found murdered in the park across the street and then 2 of her daughter's best friends go missing. Surprise ending. Great Read! I would like to thank the Publisher and Net Galley for the chance to read this ARC.
January 5, 2008
This is the debut of the Thorn series by Vena Cork. I loved this book and read it until I finished it. The other two in the series that follow are the same. If you like British mysteries with regular women for heroines, this one is for you.
July 12, 2013
I am very surprised to learn that this is the first of a series. It did not have the feel of a series at all. The plot seemed very self-contained, with Rosa Thorn’s role in this book was as a mother trying to help her children. Yes, Rosa does some sleuthing as she tries to figure out what her teenage children are up to, and what they are facing, but in this book there is no indication that she is taking her investigative role beyond helping her children. So now that I realize there is a series built on this, I need to continue on to the second book, THE ART OF DYING, to see if she makes sense as a sleuth in the larger world.
THORN is written almost as a young adult novel, albeit with truly adult content. It is very straightforward in plotting, and the language also doesn’t go beyond the straightforward. Nonetheless, the complexity of the plot keeps one reading. Rosa’s husband has been killed in a hit and run, and she has been left without means of support. She is a part-time actress, and to make ends meet she accepts a job at the local public high school as a substitute drama teacher (this is the same public school her previously private-school children must now attend). She also takes on a lodger who is a policeman deeply involved in figuring out the mysterious goings on in the locale, as well as (eventually) several murders.
Impossible to give more details without giving away the plot, but there is an unexpected plot twist near the end that was not forecast or foreshadowed in any way. I felt this was unfair on the part of the author. It did make for an exciting ending to the book, however.
This wasn’t great literature, but it was entertaining. I’m looking forward to reading the next to see if Cork develops as an author.
THORN is written almost as a young adult novel, albeit with truly adult content. It is very straightforward in plotting, and the language also doesn’t go beyond the straightforward. Nonetheless, the complexity of the plot keeps one reading. Rosa’s husband has been killed in a hit and run, and she has been left without means of support. She is a part-time actress, and to make ends meet she accepts a job at the local public high school as a substitute drama teacher (this is the same public school her previously private-school children must now attend). She also takes on a lodger who is a policeman deeply involved in figuring out the mysterious goings on in the locale, as well as (eventually) several murders.
Impossible to give more details without giving away the plot, but there is an unexpected plot twist near the end that was not forecast or foreshadowed in any way. I felt this was unfair on the part of the author. It did make for an exciting ending to the book, however.
This wasn’t great literature, but it was entertaining. I’m looking forward to reading the next to see if Cork develops as an author.
April 25, 2016
A Good Book Is More Than Gimmicky Names & A Surprise Perp
Admittedly, the evil doer in this story was a surprise to me - and it may have been that by reading only 97% of the book, I skipped the author's "fleshing out" of the supporting "how, when & why" details - but by that point, I realized I really didn't care. Author's diversionary tactic of trying to create suspense by manufacturing a bunch of "red herrings" in the form of colorfully-named (unsavory) characters was a "bust" for me. NOTE: This book is supposedly the first in a series of "psychological thrillers". Given that Rosa Thorn (as portrayed in this book) as a widowed mother of 2 & unemployed actress moonlighting as a drama teacher - with no apparent detective skills - her transition into a primary role in a thriller series seems somewhat ludicrous. )
Admittedly, the evil doer in this story was a surprise to me - and it may have been that by reading only 97% of the book, I skipped the author's "fleshing out" of the supporting "how, when & why" details - but by that point, I realized I really didn't care. Author's diversionary tactic of trying to create suspense by manufacturing a bunch of "red herrings" in the form of colorfully-named (unsavory) characters was a "bust" for me. NOTE: This book is supposedly the first in a series of "psychological thrillers". Given that Rosa Thorn (as portrayed in this book) as a widowed mother of 2 & unemployed actress moonlighting as a drama teacher - with no apparent detective skills - her transition into a primary role in a thriller series seems somewhat ludicrous. )
January 29, 2022
Avoid
This is amongst the worst free books supplied through amazon.
The plot is so slow I nearly gave up several times but persisted in reading it in the hope something would happen, when it did it was ludicrous.
The culprit , Tom, was obvious from the second he entered the story.
Dreary writing style.
This is amongst the worst free books supplied through amazon.
The plot is so slow I nearly gave up several times but persisted in reading it in the hope something would happen, when it did it was ludicrous.
The culprit , Tom, was obvious from the second he entered the story.
Dreary writing style.
September 4, 2010
Really enjoyed this. Lots of twists and turns, likable main characters, and a fab plot.
There are a lot of people in it though, probably a just a few too many, it can be hard to keep track of who is who.
There are a lot of people in it though, probably a just a few too many, it can be hard to keep track of who is who.
August 26, 2023
Okay, this is slower than Morse and Lewis put together. Took 180 pages before it got interesting. Rosa, a mother of two, a boy and a girl likes to see the bad in everything even the innocent. People talking but shutting up when she walks by - must be guilty. A neighbour who likes to keep his private life, private so Rosa jumps to the wrong conclusions. A slightly off the wall man who takes a shine to her 14 years daughter - he's what in my day would be called a simple. Smart enough to sense danger but as far as Rosa is concerned a pervert. Why would any 30 year old like the company of a 14 year old - pervert - must be. Wrong again. This is a women who is teaches drama and yet comes across as a daft women. I won't say how the story ends as that will give away the last 30 pages of an interesting read. Such a mild story. It was the cover that sold this to me plus the fact that the Time said it was great. I forgot that the Times has reviewers of 18 years old.
The editor should have stepped in and given some good pointers, cut down the size of the book and then with a little bit of editing skill, a mediocre thriller would become good.
The editor should have stepped in and given some good pointers, cut down the size of the book and then with a little bit of editing skill, a mediocre thriller would become good.
October 18, 2020
I'm not keen on first-person present tense perspectives. I'm even less keen on the aforementioned plus OTHER character's first-person narrative! Not sure what these "asides" added to the story, really. Rosa Thorn is annoying. We get to read her innermost thoughts, 70% of which is worrying about her wayward teenagers. I didn't feel it moved the story on a great deal. From the rather poor Haiku to the cliched characters, this first Thorn Thriller failed to thrill me. Plus I guessed the antagonist way back. Still, it wasn't a terrible read, just a rather insipid one.
January 17, 2026
This is the first novel that features Rosa Thorn. It's an excellent novel but the form of English that is used is very odd. As an English author you would think that her written version would be pretty straightforward but its not. For example in quite a few places there are things like "she had thoughts about things that affected she." instead of "affected her". As an English reader, reading an English author with mistakes such as this and other examples can be rather off putting. We'll see how it goes with numbers 2, 3 & 4 of the series.
February 16, 2018
Thorn ( Rosa Thorn Thriller Book 1) By Vena Cork
Very enjoyable didn't want to put it down. Very unexpected villain. The author drew you in,painting a picture of a family who had lost their dad, how they are and aren't coping. Then the introduction of the murderer , unexpected, left me wanting more from this without.
Very enjoyable didn't want to put it down. Very unexpected villain. The author drew you in,painting a picture of a family who had lost their dad, how they are and aren't coping. Then the introduction of the murderer , unexpected, left me wanting more from this without.
July 13, 2018
Strange one this... I disliked i a lot right at the beginning to the point where I was going to give up and move on but then I started to get in to the flow of it and ended up really enjoying it. It was a little far reaching in parts but it didn’t bother me. The character of Rosa made it worthwhile. She’s so funny.
January 14, 2018
Second read for me and still a page turner even though I knew the ending. I will definitely track down the other 2 books in the trilogy.
August 13, 2018
What a twist! Wow!
October 28, 2021
The daily life of Rosa didn't really interest me, but the twist in the plot was so unexpected I'm pleased I finished reading this book.
August 25, 2023
It took my a while to get into this book as it was different from what I was used to. It is an easy read, one of four in a series so will be interesting how they all pan out.
October 8, 2025
This book was well written and really good. The first few chapters are a somewhat slow. However the book picks up and had me on edge the whole time.
August 10, 2022
I started reading this book a few years ago, and I found I just could not get into it.
I finally started reading it again and finished it. It was interesting but not one of the best books. I found the daughter to be snotty and unlikable as a character. Although I will say once it came out about the bullying, I can understand her attitude.
I found Tom Brice likable and was shocked that he was the person behind the murders. I knew from the beginning it would not be Mick, that was too obvious.
Overall, I do not think i will be looking for the next book in the series.
I finally started reading it again and finished it. It was interesting but not one of the best books. I found the daughter to be snotty and unlikable as a character. Although I will say once it came out about the bullying, I can understand her attitude.
I found Tom Brice likable and was shocked that he was the person behind the murders. I knew from the beginning it would not be Mick, that was too obvious.
Overall, I do not think i will be looking for the next book in the series.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2016
Thorn by Vena Cork is set in London.
A family disrupted and grieving after the father's death, has each member trying to deal with the loss in different ways as their lives have permanently changed. Rosa Thorn must take a temporary teaching position at a nearby school. Her children, Danny and Anna must leave their expensive private academy and join their mother at the same neighborhood school.
Thorn kept my interest up until the conclusion. Unsure of the villain, I had suspected the actual culprit at times, but there were other possibilities that kept it interesting. Until the very end, I was not sure who the guilty party was. What bothered me was the long, feverish, and overdone finale.
Thorn (first published in 2003) is the first in a series, but I am surprised that the Thorn family saga continues, as it reads like a self-contained standalone. The next in the series is The Art of Dying, and despite my discomfort with the conclusion of Thorn, I'm eager to read more by Cork.
Read in Dec.; review scheduled for Dec. 30, 2015. Jan.
NetGalley/Endeavor Press
Mystery/Suspense. 2003; Dec. 18, 2015. Print length: 352 pages.
A family disrupted and grieving after the father's death, has each member trying to deal with the loss in different ways as their lives have permanently changed. Rosa Thorn must take a temporary teaching position at a nearby school. Her children, Danny and Anna must leave their expensive private academy and join their mother at the same neighborhood school.
Thorn kept my interest up until the conclusion. Unsure of the villain, I had suspected the actual culprit at times, but there were other possibilities that kept it interesting. Until the very end, I was not sure who the guilty party was. What bothered me was the long, feverish, and overdone finale.
Thorn (first published in 2003) is the first in a series, but I am surprised that the Thorn family saga continues, as it reads like a self-contained standalone. The next in the series is The Art of Dying, and despite my discomfort with the conclusion of Thorn, I'm eager to read more by Cork.
Read in Dec.; review scheduled for Dec. 30, 2015. Jan.
NetGalley/Endeavor Press
Mystery/Suspense. 2003; Dec. 18, 2015. Print length: 352 pages.
January 14, 2016
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read & review this book. I was intrigued by the synopsis of the novel. It tells the story of the Thorn family who are struggling to cope after a recent bereavement..When strange things start to happen to the family & girls in the local area go missing, the Thorns must look to those around them to solve the mystery.
A great story with so many twists that it was impossible to guess the ending.
I did at times get a bit confused and have to stop and think about who was who because of there are quite a few different characters referred to and a couple of sub plots. Overall, I recommend this book. A good read and a little bit different to anything I have read before in this genre.
A great story with so many twists that it was impossible to guess the ending.
I did at times get a bit confused and have to stop and think about who was who because of there are quite a few different characters referred to and a couple of sub plots. Overall, I recommend this book. A good read and a little bit different to anything I have read before in this genre.
May 8, 2012
This is a gripping thriller with many twists and turns. When Rosa Thorn loses her husband she is left with two teen-age children who do not make life easy for her. To add to her misery she must return to teaching to make ends meet. But it is when she realises her daughter is being stalked that her troubles really begin, and they keep piling one on another until the end of the book. The grisly happenings in the story are relieved by the dry wit that Rosa uses in telling her story,
which had me staying up late to finish it.
It is Vena Cork's debut novel and I'm looking forward with pleasure to reading her next book.
which had me staying up late to finish it.
It is Vena Cork's debut novel and I'm looking forward with pleasure to reading her next book.
September 25, 2025
The book is quite thick and i expect the thriller, because that's how the book is being marketed, but instead i get to listen to some rambling of some widow woman about the boring day to day details of her work, her children, late husband, and some dude who rent a room in her house. The longing, the "struggle" and the like of a widowed woman. We occasionally read about this mysterious man who "spied" on her family and somehow there are dead animals turning up on the door step. But it's awfully boring, because i have no interests whatsoever in the main character's life or love life. Truly. The characters's development is no good either. Emotional, messy, and somehow, still boring.
August 21, 2021
Interesting characters blended into a strange story. Which one of the possible villains was really the insane one? Yes, it became clear to me rather quickly that someone was unhinged. I really liked Rosa and almost liked the grumpy teenagers. I know, usually grumpy is used when referring to old men, but it fits in this case.
I really enjoyed this book up until the villain was disclosed. Sure the ending might be unrealistic, but the only mistake in my mind was the identity of the villain. That made me lower the rating to four stars.
A good read.
I really enjoyed this book up until the villain was disclosed. Sure the ending might be unrealistic, but the only mistake in my mind was the identity of the villain. That made me lower the rating to four stars.
A good read.
April 10, 2016
Man liest und liest und liest, merkt gar nicht wie weit man schon gekommen ist, möchte das Buch aber nicht aus den Händen legen. Vena Cork geht leicht von der Zunge, ein Thriller mit einer spannenden Vorgeschichte. Nach jedem Kapitel möchte man einfach mehr und mehr wissen. Das ist eines dieser Bücher, bei denen man sich wünscht es würde nicht enden. Ich habe es verschlungen und es hat erst kurz vor Ende "klick" gemacht - Ich hätte es nicht erwartet! Absolut lesenswert.
April 6, 2016
A fascinating thriller, expecially for anyone who has teenage children. The insights of mother/teen relationship were a wonderful addition to a well written story. The final scenes were, stangely, the most disappointing part of the book. Too over the top. But strangely, that's a minor complaint compared to the rest of the book.
July 23, 2016
Well written; I liked the narrative structure and the clearly defined characters. A very clever novel which I couldn't put down. And what a surprise ending. I will read the next two in the series. However, I found the frequent typos and formatting errors annoying - maybe a problem in setting the manuscript for ebook format?
December 26, 2016
Once I started this book it clearly became one I didn't want to put down any time soon. The miss representation of what is shown on the surface isn't what it seems accurately summaries this novel that many writes don't always get right. To add that even coming across this book was on a total whim makes me appreciate this even more - like I was always meant to read it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews