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Should You Ask Me
'So much period atmosphere, you can practically hear the air-raid sirens.' Daily Mail[An] ingenious page-turner' The Lady'A delight' Guinevere Glasfurd'I've come about the bodies. I know who they are.'Mary is eighty-six years old, and she's tired of being quiet.She has a story to tell, and she's only going to tell it once, so she won't be rushed.Especially as it's not just a story, it's a confession.Because Mary has a dark secret, buried decades before. And while William, the nice young constable, might think she just wants someone to talk to, everything she says forces him to confront his own difficult past.A unique and poignant novel about passion, regret and heartbreak, set during one of the most tumultuous periods of modern British history.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 18, 2017
7 people are currently reading
223 people want to read
About the author
Marianne Kavanagh
7 books46 followersMarianne Kavanagh is a writer and journalist. She has worked on staff for Woman, the Tatler, the Sunday Telegraph magazine and British Marie Claire, and has contributed features to a wide variety of newspapers, magazines and websites. She lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 8, 2018
I really enjoyed "Should You Ask Me" by Marianne Kavanagh, it was a change to the norm for me and was an easy to follow and entertaining novel that was unique, quirky and very original.
Set in 1944 on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, human remains are found that look like they have been buried for decades. An elderly lady, Mary Holmes, arrives at the local police station to tell them she has information as to who the bodies are and how they've come to be there. Over a period of six days she recounts her story to Constable William and between the recollections of her youth and marriage, William reflects on his recent memories of his girlfriend Stella and how he came to be injured through the war.
Throughout both their stories there were a couple of twists that really got me and although a slow moving tale, it was very powerful and emotive, especially the descriptions of the devastations during the blitz.
Beautifully poetic, this book was a total joy to read and would make an excellent play or TV drama and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend both this book and the author.
5 stars
Set in 1944 on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, human remains are found that look like they have been buried for decades. An elderly lady, Mary Holmes, arrives at the local police station to tell them she has information as to who the bodies are and how they've come to be there. Over a period of six days she recounts her story to Constable William and between the recollections of her youth and marriage, William reflects on his recent memories of his girlfriend Stella and how he came to be injured through the war.
Throughout both their stories there were a couple of twists that really got me and although a slow moving tale, it was very powerful and emotive, especially the descriptions of the devastations during the blitz.
Beautifully poetic, this book was a total joy to read and would make an excellent play or TV drama and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend both this book and the author.
5 stars
May 9, 2017
Although this is a slow moving story, it has to be this way due to the lovely Mary Holmes tale. A powerfully well written book that needs to be savoured.
It's 1944 on the Isle of Purbeck.
Human remains were found nearby which Mary has information of.
She wanders into the Police Station to tell her tale and to inform them of what she know.
The Officer left to write down her information is William.
William is suffering from his injuries that ended his army career.
This is not just about the mystery of the remains, although there is a huge story behind this of lies, deception and betrayal.
It's also about how Mary's revelations draw out Williams past.
At the end of it all, William needs to decide something vitally important. And Mary's past secrets are revealed.
This is such an evocative read I had to finish this in one sitting.
Mary's past and Williams present.
History and future.
What will William do.
My thanks to the publishers Hodder & Stoughton plus Rebecca Mundy for my copy.
It's 1944 on the Isle of Purbeck.
Human remains were found nearby which Mary has information of.
She wanders into the Police Station to tell her tale and to inform them of what she know.
The Officer left to write down her information is William.
William is suffering from his injuries that ended his army career.
This is not just about the mystery of the remains, although there is a huge story behind this of lies, deception and betrayal.
It's also about how Mary's revelations draw out Williams past.
At the end of it all, William needs to decide something vitally important. And Mary's past secrets are revealed.
This is such an evocative read I had to finish this in one sitting.
Mary's past and Williams present.
History and future.
What will William do.
My thanks to the publishers Hodder & Stoughton plus Rebecca Mundy for my copy.
May 24, 2017
In a small village in Dorset, 1944, two bodies have been unearthed, bodies that look like they have been buried for many years.
At Wareham Police Station, elderly Mary Holmes, who has lived in Dorset all her life, walks in to confess to murdering the two people.
Constable William, is given the task of listening to Mary’s confession and taking a statement, a task which is harder than he envisaged, as Mary wants to tell her story in her own way, starting right at the beginning.
Should You Ask Me, for me, was quiet a hard read. At first I found myself getting frustrated with Mary, as she told her life story before actually getting to who the murdered people were, and how and why she killed them.
As I got further into the book, I started to feel sorry for Mary. She had no-one else, no-one to talk to, no-one to listen to her, and for her to explain what had happened, the only way she could confess was to start way before the killings.
The book doesn’t just focus on Mary though, it also focuses on William, as we get to read about his time in the army, the injury that cost him his career, and his meetings with a beautiful evacuee and her baby.
The plot is set over six days, and what a six days it is. The book is full of intrigue, suspense, and emotions. It had me gripped to the pages, not in a thriller kind of way, but in a need to know more about the two main characters, and the lives that they have led and the secrets they both had to share.
This is a beautiful book. It is well written, well researched, and fits the time period perfectly. It is a slow read, but one that you will be glad of the pace, as it lets you absorb all the information, and both of these likeable characters lives.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
At Wareham Police Station, elderly Mary Holmes, who has lived in Dorset all her life, walks in to confess to murdering the two people.
Constable William, is given the task of listening to Mary’s confession and taking a statement, a task which is harder than he envisaged, as Mary wants to tell her story in her own way, starting right at the beginning.
Should You Ask Me, for me, was quiet a hard read. At first I found myself getting frustrated with Mary, as she told her life story before actually getting to who the murdered people were, and how and why she killed them.
As I got further into the book, I started to feel sorry for Mary. She had no-one else, no-one to talk to, no-one to listen to her, and for her to explain what had happened, the only way she could confess was to start way before the killings.
The book doesn’t just focus on Mary though, it also focuses on William, as we get to read about his time in the army, the injury that cost him his career, and his meetings with a beautiful evacuee and her baby.
The plot is set over six days, and what a six days it is. The book is full of intrigue, suspense, and emotions. It had me gripped to the pages, not in a thriller kind of way, but in a need to know more about the two main characters, and the lives that they have led and the secrets they both had to share.
This is a beautiful book. It is well written, well researched, and fits the time period perfectly. It is a slow read, but one that you will be glad of the pace, as it lets you absorb all the information, and both of these likeable characters lives.
Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
April 6, 2017
I read this beautiful tale in six hours.
From the first page I knew, for me, it was well worth the 5* I have given.
Miss Mary Holmes is a formidable, caring old lady with a tremendous story to tell. William, the Constable, to whom she relates her tale is tender, sad and 'war-wounded'.
Within the six days that William listens to Mary, Should You Ask me becomes more Williams story than it does Marys, and the relationship that builds between the two is one of trust.
Both characters are wonderfully portrayed and the setting of war torn Britain is heart wrenching and tragic.
This book is a tale of love, betrayal and murder.
What I found was that, Miss Holmes, who is eighty-six, comes across as more than an old lady with something to say. Her brilliance lies in her ability to coax Williams feelings out into the open and give him a reason to carry on.
She is rather like a homicidal Miss Marple.
Kavanagh's third book is marvelous. It is beautifully written and although it is a slow story, mainly due to Miss Holmes telling of her life and happenings, it is one that hooks. I was completely mesmerised and will be talking about it for a long long time.
From the first page I knew, for me, it was well worth the 5* I have given.
Miss Mary Holmes is a formidable, caring old lady with a tremendous story to tell. William, the Constable, to whom she relates her tale is tender, sad and 'war-wounded'.
Within the six days that William listens to Mary, Should You Ask me becomes more Williams story than it does Marys, and the relationship that builds between the two is one of trust.
Both characters are wonderfully portrayed and the setting of war torn Britain is heart wrenching and tragic.
This book is a tale of love, betrayal and murder.
What I found was that, Miss Holmes, who is eighty-six, comes across as more than an old lady with something to say. Her brilliance lies in her ability to coax Williams feelings out into the open and give him a reason to carry on.
She is rather like a homicidal Miss Marple.
Kavanagh's third book is marvelous. It is beautifully written and although it is a slow story, mainly due to Miss Holmes telling of her life and happenings, it is one that hooks. I was completely mesmerised and will be talking about it for a long long time.
March 27, 2018
“The more I tell you, the harder it becomes. I like to pretend it’s an old story. Something that took place so long ago it doesn’t hurt any more. But that’s not true. It’s as clear as if it happened yesterday. I can feel it, and smell it, and see it. I close my eyes, and I’m standing there in the Ship, youth running through my veins. That’s what happens to memory. The present is dull. The days blur together. But the past is bright and shiny. That’s why the old become children. Because they play with the memories that give them most pleasure.”
Should You Ask Me is the third novel by British magazine columnist, editor and author, Marianne Kavanagh. A village copper before he enlisted, William’s severe leg injury sees him posted to the Police Station at Wareham on the Dorset Island of Purbeck. There, he types out reports while the other constables see more active duty. And on this Monday, just before D-Day, he is taking the statement of eighty-six-year-old Miss Mary Holmes.
Miss Holmes claims to know the identities of the two bodies recently uncovered by stone-cutters up near Acton’s open-cast stone quarries. Sergeant Wills has left the young constable with the unenviable task of dealing with this garrulous old lady, and William soon understands why. It seems Miss Holmes is unable to stick to just the facts: "I have to tell you the whole story. I can't just pull out bits and pieces in a rush. Or none of it makes sense."
Not only that, she is apparently determined to know William’s story, for this perceptive old woman has observed that he is suffering not just physical, but also mental pain. Over the next six days, as Miss Holmes tells her tale, she also persists, often in a less-than-kind manner, and despite his reticence, to pry into William’s own traumatic experiences.
Meanwhile, the town and its residents are under pressure, managing a build-up of vehicles and weapons and troops, looking after the US army, which has stationed itself there in preparation for the imminent second front. The Americans are courteous and generous, the local girls are smitten and in for heartbreak. And while Miss Holmes tells a story that is quite plausible, her comments about village affairs are peculiar enough to cast some doubt on her reliability as a narrator.
Finally, the young constable gets his story, but not without giving one, and Miss Holmes remarks: “It takes it out of you. Coming to terms with things you don’t want to remember.” When the villagers say: “He needs rest ... Peace and quiet. Give him time. That’s the best healer… But they’re wrong. All of them. Because time is your enemy. Time allows you to build a wall. And when you next look, you’ll find you’ve built yourself a prison.” It appears she really does know what he needs.
Kavanagh’s depictions of both late-nineteenth century Purbeck and wartime Wareham is evocative and convincing. Her characters are credibly flawed but nonetheless appealing. This novel is quite a departure from Kavanagh’s previous books, but that just emphasises the versatility of this talented author. Captivating and moving, this is another brilliant read.
Should You Ask Me is the third novel by British magazine columnist, editor and author, Marianne Kavanagh. A village copper before he enlisted, William’s severe leg injury sees him posted to the Police Station at Wareham on the Dorset Island of Purbeck. There, he types out reports while the other constables see more active duty. And on this Monday, just before D-Day, he is taking the statement of eighty-six-year-old Miss Mary Holmes.
Miss Holmes claims to know the identities of the two bodies recently uncovered by stone-cutters up near Acton’s open-cast stone quarries. Sergeant Wills has left the young constable with the unenviable task of dealing with this garrulous old lady, and William soon understands why. It seems Miss Holmes is unable to stick to just the facts: "I have to tell you the whole story. I can't just pull out bits and pieces in a rush. Or none of it makes sense."
Not only that, she is apparently determined to know William’s story, for this perceptive old woman has observed that he is suffering not just physical, but also mental pain. Over the next six days, as Miss Holmes tells her tale, she also persists, often in a less-than-kind manner, and despite his reticence, to pry into William’s own traumatic experiences.
Meanwhile, the town and its residents are under pressure, managing a build-up of vehicles and weapons and troops, looking after the US army, which has stationed itself there in preparation for the imminent second front. The Americans are courteous and generous, the local girls are smitten and in for heartbreak. And while Miss Holmes tells a story that is quite plausible, her comments about village affairs are peculiar enough to cast some doubt on her reliability as a narrator.
Finally, the young constable gets his story, but not without giving one, and Miss Holmes remarks: “It takes it out of you. Coming to terms with things you don’t want to remember.” When the villagers say: “He needs rest ... Peace and quiet. Give him time. That’s the best healer… But they’re wrong. All of them. Because time is your enemy. Time allows you to build a wall. And when you next look, you’ll find you’ve built yourself a prison.” It appears she really does know what he needs.
Kavanagh’s depictions of both late-nineteenth century Purbeck and wartime Wareham is evocative and convincing. Her characters are credibly flawed but nonetheless appealing. This novel is quite a departure from Kavanagh’s previous books, but that just emphasises the versatility of this talented author. Captivating and moving, this is another brilliant read.
October 31, 2017
The author Marianne Kavanagh was inspired to write Should You Ask Me by a story in Rodney Legg's Purbeck Island, and photographs in Purbeck Camera by Mike O'Hara and Ben Buxton. Some of the characters take their names from people who once lived on the Isle of Purbeck. Should you ask me is a wonderful work of fiction and an imaginary version of a past that could have happened but never did. Hilary Sheers gave her kind permission to Marianne to reproduce Vera Rich's poem Should You Ask Me which gave this brilliant novel it's title.
May 28, 2018
I must say, Should You Ask Me, is one of the most unique books I've had the pleasure of reading. When Mary Holmes stops by the police station to tell what she knows about the bodies that were just discovered, she recalls her past and tells the tale of who the bodies are and how they got there. She frustrates the constable by her insistence on telling her story from the very beginning, and while you feel for him, you as the reader are fascinated to hear what she has to say.
The story takes course over one week and as Mary tells her story, readers also learn more about the constable William and his life, and how people were affected during the war on their island and in London. I don't want to give too much away and the description above tells you all you should know. You'll just have to read it for yourself and find out who the bodies are :) I can tell you that I certainly didn't guess where the story was going and was very surprised when it was revealed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Kavanaugh has a way with dialogue and Mary Holmes is not a character that you can easily forget, nor is her story. I would definitely read more from this author.
The story takes course over one week and as Mary tells her story, readers also learn more about the constable William and his life, and how people were affected during the war on their island and in London. I don't want to give too much away and the description above tells you all you should know. You'll just have to read it for yourself and find out who the bodies are :) I can tell you that I certainly didn't guess where the story was going and was very surprised when it was revealed.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Kavanaugh has a way with dialogue and Mary Holmes is not a character that you can easily forget, nor is her story. I would definitely read more from this author.
June 14, 2017
This is an unusual and quirky story set in wartime 1944 with two past timelines giving the personal lives of Mary and William.
William was injured earlier in the war and now has a desk job as a police officer in a sleepy town in Dorset. His back story is just a couple of years earlier but he has a lot of hang-ups and carries a lot of guilt about his survival over others during his time serving in the Army.
Eighty-six year old Mary's back story is the book's main storyline and when two bodies are unearthed during the war, she feels compelled by past knowledge and guilt to hand herself in as being responsible for the bodies.
The way Mary tells her story to William, the police officer taking her statement, is a work of art. She goes off at tangents (all relevant to the plot) and rambles her way through what happened all those sixty-two years ago, irritating William by her long-winded way of telling who the bodies are and how they died. There is not a moment of boredom for the reader, it is a cleverly crafted book full of nostalgia and pathos, but annoys the life out of William with her whole week in giving her statement.
This is a beautifully written book, quite unusual in its style of telling, and certainly one I will recommend to my friends.
William was injured earlier in the war and now has a desk job as a police officer in a sleepy town in Dorset. His back story is just a couple of years earlier but he has a lot of hang-ups and carries a lot of guilt about his survival over others during his time serving in the Army.
Eighty-six year old Mary's back story is the book's main storyline and when two bodies are unearthed during the war, she feels compelled by past knowledge and guilt to hand herself in as being responsible for the bodies.
The way Mary tells her story to William, the police officer taking her statement, is a work of art. She goes off at tangents (all relevant to the plot) and rambles her way through what happened all those sixty-two years ago, irritating William by her long-winded way of telling who the bodies are and how they died. There is not a moment of boredom for the reader, it is a cleverly crafted book full of nostalgia and pathos, but annoys the life out of William with her whole week in giving her statement.
This is a beautifully written book, quite unusual in its style of telling, and certainly one I will recommend to my friends.
May 26, 2018
1944, Isle of Purbeck, Dorset England.
Mary, a small and well presented elderly lady wanders into a police station where William is the Officer on duty.
She claims to know the identity of dead people which have sparked an investigation in the area.
William gives her the benefit of the doubt and interviews her.
Through the book, it emerges that William has his own difficulties to deal with, having been left injured when on army duty.
Should You Ask Me is a wonderful, multilayered story of revelations, lies deceit and betrayal. It is also about loyalties and truths and where, and if, you can draw the line between them.
This is my first book by Marianne Kavanagh and I am really looking forward to more of her books.
It is an absolutely thrilling compelling and delightful read and the plot is so intricate. The characters are incredibly realistic and there is so much atmosphere I felt that I was transported back to the time period. I found Mary's accounts intriguing at times but unsettling at others .
I requested the book because of the synopsis and the mystery in the title as well as the cover. I myself know the Isle of Purbeck due to many a holiday in Dorset and also from my geography studies at school and university. The book is a real five-star page turner!
Thank you to Marianne Kavanagh and to Jasmine Marsh at Hodder and Stoughton for my physical paperback ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review . I am thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for this title.
Mary, a small and well presented elderly lady wanders into a police station where William is the Officer on duty.
She claims to know the identity of dead people which have sparked an investigation in the area.
William gives her the benefit of the doubt and interviews her.
Through the book, it emerges that William has his own difficulties to deal with, having been left injured when on army duty.
Should You Ask Me is a wonderful, multilayered story of revelations, lies deceit and betrayal. It is also about loyalties and truths and where, and if, you can draw the line between them.
This is my first book by Marianne Kavanagh and I am really looking forward to more of her books.
It is an absolutely thrilling compelling and delightful read and the plot is so intricate. The characters are incredibly realistic and there is so much atmosphere I felt that I was transported back to the time period. I found Mary's accounts intriguing at times but unsettling at others .
I requested the book because of the synopsis and the mystery in the title as well as the cover. I myself know the Isle of Purbeck due to many a holiday in Dorset and also from my geography studies at school and university. The book is a real five-star page turner!
Thank you to Marianne Kavanagh and to Jasmine Marsh at Hodder and Stoughton for my physical paperback ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review . I am thrilled to be taking part in the blog tour for this title.
September 13, 2017
Should You Ask Me by Marianne Cavanagh is pure joy from the beginning to the very last word. It's a story that bridges the gap between generations, that tells of secrets, lies and deceit. It is a deliciously slow read that you need to take your time over, and I adored this slow and leisurely pace.
The novel is set in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, just before D Day in 1944. An elderly lady, Mary Holmes, walks into a police station and says that she knows about the bodies that have been recently found in the area. She wants to confess and tell her story. William, a young officer, who was wounded in the war, both physically and mentally, is put in charge of taking her statement. But taking the statement is not a simple, nor quick task, as it takes several days, the rest of the book, for Mary to give her statement and to confess to her sins. It is this exchange between the two generations that is simply beautiful to witness.
This is a beautiful and almost poetic tale about a young woman's life. We see the old woman before us, and the rambling old woman whom we first perceived is revealed to be eloquent, caring and a woman who once lived a difficult and very different life. Mary's story captivated me. The gentle shift from present back to the past is beautifully orchestrated, and seamless. We hear Mary's story at the same time as William, and I couldn't wait for her to visit the police station each morning to resume telling her story.
But this story is not just about Mary's past, it is also about William's former life. He, like me, thought that Mary had nothing of significance to say, but we were both wrong. The telling of Mary's story helps him to unearth his own demons and to face his own past. He enables her to tell her tale, but she helps him in more ways than he could ever have imagined.
Should You Ask Me is a story about two different generations, who ultimately share a common bond, that of loss. Both have their own story to tell. This was such a joy to read and I can't praise it highly enough. If you love a gentle read with lots of heart and wonderful poetic writing, then this is the book for you.
Should You Ask Me was published by Hodder & Stoughton on 18 May. It can be found on Amazon here.
With thanks to Bookbridgr and the publisher who provided a copy for review purposes.
The novel is set in the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset, just before D Day in 1944. An elderly lady, Mary Holmes, walks into a police station and says that she knows about the bodies that have been recently found in the area. She wants to confess and tell her story. William, a young officer, who was wounded in the war, both physically and mentally, is put in charge of taking her statement. But taking the statement is not a simple, nor quick task, as it takes several days, the rest of the book, for Mary to give her statement and to confess to her sins. It is this exchange between the two generations that is simply beautiful to witness.
This is a beautiful and almost poetic tale about a young woman's life. We see the old woman before us, and the rambling old woman whom we first perceived is revealed to be eloquent, caring and a woman who once lived a difficult and very different life. Mary's story captivated me. The gentle shift from present back to the past is beautifully orchestrated, and seamless. We hear Mary's story at the same time as William, and I couldn't wait for her to visit the police station each morning to resume telling her story.
But this story is not just about Mary's past, it is also about William's former life. He, like me, thought that Mary had nothing of significance to say, but we were both wrong. The telling of Mary's story helps him to unearth his own demons and to face his own past. He enables her to tell her tale, but she helps him in more ways than he could ever have imagined.
Should You Ask Me is a story about two different generations, who ultimately share a common bond, that of loss. Both have their own story to tell. This was such a joy to read and I can't praise it highly enough. If you love a gentle read with lots of heart and wonderful poetic writing, then this is the book for you.
Should You Ask Me was published by Hodder & Stoughton on 18 May. It can be found on Amazon here.
With thanks to Bookbridgr and the publisher who provided a copy for review purposes.
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May 29, 2018Mary Holmes has carried a deadly secret for the last sixty-two years and now, in 1944, with the country on the cusp of great change, she is ready to tell her story. In the local police station, William, is the young constable who is charged with listening to Mary's story, to discover, by Mary's own admission, what she knows about the discovery of human remains which have been found near to a local quarry. Over the course of the next six days, Mary tells her story, whilst at the same time allowing William, a deeply troubled young man, to reveal his own, deeply personal secrets.
Should You Ask Me is an absolute master class in story-telling, and whilst it is really two stories in one, both are beautifully reminiscent of the time in which they are set. Mary's life certainly hasn't been easy but she has emerged, in her eighty-sixth year, as a lively and determined woman, filled with the common sense that comes with great age, and with a unique ability to tell a good story, whilst at the same allowing the listener the luxury of their own emotional response. William’s personal problems are palpable, and as the sad fragments of his life are gradually revealed, so his sad story of loss, heartbreak and overwhelming guilt starts to emerge.
I read Should You Ask Me in one sitting as it’s one of those novels which, once started, is difficult to put down, and that’s not because it’s an action packed adventure, but because it’s a beautifully written story about two characters who each have a challenging and worthwhile story to tell.
Should You Ask Me is an absolute master class in story-telling, and whilst it is really two stories in one, both are beautifully reminiscent of the time in which they are set. Mary's life certainly hasn't been easy but she has emerged, in her eighty-sixth year, as a lively and determined woman, filled with the common sense that comes with great age, and with a unique ability to tell a good story, whilst at the same allowing the listener the luxury of their own emotional response. William’s personal problems are palpable, and as the sad fragments of his life are gradually revealed, so his sad story of loss, heartbreak and overwhelming guilt starts to emerge.
I read Should You Ask Me in one sitting as it’s one of those novels which, once started, is difficult to put down, and that’s not because it’s an action packed adventure, but because it’s a beautifully written story about two characters who each have a challenging and worthwhile story to tell.
July 23, 2017
I receives this book free from Good Reads.
It is two stories in one. The first story is about Mary Holmes who is 86yrs old & goes into the police station, to confess to killing two bodies which have just been discovered in the ground. I am not really a fan of books where 2 stories are together.
Mary meets William in the police station. He has been injured in the war & he is allocated the job of listening to her story. As the book goes on, we find that he has a story of his own to tell.
To quote a passage from the book by William " the story is long & rambling & I can't tell what's important & what's unnecessary detail."
I am afraid to say that this is my opinion of this book. It keeps repeating itself unnecessarily. you just get interested in one story & then you are back into the other one. I nearly gave up after the first chapter, but persevered to the end.
It is two stories in one. The first story is about Mary Holmes who is 86yrs old & goes into the police station, to confess to killing two bodies which have just been discovered in the ground. I am not really a fan of books where 2 stories are together.
Mary meets William in the police station. He has been injured in the war & he is allocated the job of listening to her story. As the book goes on, we find that he has a story of his own to tell.
To quote a passage from the book by William " the story is long & rambling & I can't tell what's important & what's unnecessary detail."
I am afraid to say that this is my opinion of this book. It keeps repeating itself unnecessarily. you just get interested in one story & then you are back into the other one. I nearly gave up after the first chapter, but persevered to the end.
July 16, 2018
In a small town in Dorset towards the end of the Second World War, the police are really too busy to listen to the ramblings of a lonely old woman. But Mary Holmes’ claim to have information about the human remains recently discovered nearby can’t be dismissed. William, confined to the station due to the injuries that ended his army career, is told to take her statement.
Full review:
A lifetime of lies: Testament & Should You Ask Me http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post/...
Full review:
A lifetime of lies: Testament & Should You Ask Me http://annegoodwin.weebly.com/1/post/...
April 10, 2017
I won a copy through Good Reads. At the start of the book I found the story a bit rambling though this could be intentional as an elderly lady tells us what happened over 60 years ago resulting in two deaths. Her story given willingly contrasts with the reticence of the policeman taking her statement. He also has a story to tell. As I read to the end I enjoyed the book. The references to Dorset were interesting too.
August 29, 2018
Enjoyed the narrative, the context and the mystery as well as the relationship between the two main protaganists. Could be a stage play particularly the interviews between the policeman and the elderly lady.
November 21, 2017
Brilliant. Set during WW2 Marianne Kavanagh's latest book is unputdownable.
September 4, 2017
This one took me a little while to get into but once I was about 1/4 of the way I was hooked!
Great story.
Great story.
October 11, 2024
This is the first book I have read by the author and I loved her writing. The story is set in England, shortly before D-Day in 1944. In a small, quiet seaside town, the inhabitants receive refugees from other towns as they try to get on with their lives amidst the fear of war. One day, however, everything changes when two skeletons appear on the outskirts. The community is shocked and demands answers. Officer William, a veteran seriously wounded by a bomb, receives in his office Mary Holmes, an 86-year-old woman who claims to know the origin of the bodies, as she was the one who put them there.
The book follows the old woman's confession about events that took place 60 years earlier. Over the course of a week, we learn about the past from her perspective, uncovering the story that led her to commit these crimes, while her relationship with the policeman also evolves. William, who also has his own ghosts, is not particularly enthusiastic about listening to the story of an old woman who seems to have nothing else to do.
The plot focuses on the motive for her actions and, above all, what drives her to confess: why does she decide to turn herself in after so long if it was difficult to be connected to the bodies? That is the big question that drives the narrative.
The author's style is incredibly addictive. It immerses you in the story in a way that transports you into the atmosphere of Dorchester, you can almost smell the water. The story, told by Mrs Holmes, keeps you hooked, wanting to know more, sharing William's despair when she strays off topic. In the end, however, it all comes together, and you realise that every detail was necessary to understand the outcome.
At first, I thought it was a thriller, but it's more of a suspense story where we already know the ending, but we want to understand how we got there.
It is not translated into Spanish, and I would recommend it for B1 level English.
The book follows the old woman's confession about events that took place 60 years earlier. Over the course of a week, we learn about the past from her perspective, uncovering the story that led her to commit these crimes, while her relationship with the policeman also evolves. William, who also has his own ghosts, is not particularly enthusiastic about listening to the story of an old woman who seems to have nothing else to do.
The plot focuses on the motive for her actions and, above all, what drives her to confess: why does she decide to turn herself in after so long if it was difficult to be connected to the bodies? That is the big question that drives the narrative.
The author's style is incredibly addictive. It immerses you in the story in a way that transports you into the atmosphere of Dorchester, you can almost smell the water. The story, told by Mrs Holmes, keeps you hooked, wanting to know more, sharing William's despair when she strays off topic. In the end, however, it all comes together, and you realise that every detail was necessary to understand the outcome.
At first, I thought it was a thriller, but it's more of a suspense story where we already know the ending, but we want to understand how we got there.
It is not translated into Spanish, and I would recommend it for B1 level English.
October 25, 2019
What a great interesting story. Actually two peoples stories one
Older one younger but both tragic.
Older one younger but both tragic.
September 7, 2018
During WWII an elderly woman turns up at the police station claiming to know about recently dug-up skeletons and tells her story to a policeman (ex-soldier) who is battling with is own demons.
I thought I was going to love this, such an intriguing title. A bit too slow for me - the woman's story was really dragged out. Wish I could have liked it more. Good reviews on Amazon.
I thought I was going to love this, such an intriguing title. A bit too slow for me - the woman's story was really dragged out. Wish I could have liked it more. Good reviews on Amazon.
June 27, 2018
After reading all the rave reviews felt I must be missing the point. This story was soooo slow I just wanted to shout get on with the story. Also guessed almost all that was going to happen. Not my kind of book.
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