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We All Begin As Strangers: A gripping novel about dark secrets in an English village
It's 1984, and summer is scorching the ordinary village of Heathcote.
What's more, a mysterious figure is slipping into homes through back doors and open windows. Dubbed 'the Fox', he knows everything about everyone - leaving curious objects in their homes, or taking things from them.
When beloved Anna goes missing, the whole community believes the Fox is responsible.
For the worried residents, finding Anna will be difficult - but stopping the Fox from exposing their darkest secrets might just be impossible...
What's more, a mysterious figure is slipping into homes through back doors and open windows. Dubbed 'the Fox', he knows everything about everyone - leaving curious objects in their homes, or taking things from them.
When beloved Anna goes missing, the whole community believes the Fox is responsible.
For the worried residents, finding Anna will be difficult - but stopping the Fox from exposing their darkest secrets might just be impossible...
320 pages, Paperback
Published January 25, 2018
11 people are currently reading
644 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 93 reviews
April 18, 2017
When I first saw this on Netgalley, I knew I had to read it. Loosely based on real life events and characters, this intrigued me. This has a mysterious character known as "The Fox" who breaks into peoples homes and watches them. This "Fox" person was real and struck the area I live in. Leighton Buzzard, St Albans, Tring and Dunstable and other surrounding areas were all in fear of this criminal, and in real life, he wasn't a people watcher, he was a serial rapist. My step-dad grew up when The Fox was around so he is always recalling stories about the incidents and when I connected the dots to this book being about that particular "fox" I instantly requested it!
This started off a little slow for me, and I didn't instantly love it, but it takes it's time to grow on you and in the end I adored this. It is a little sombre throughout, but sometimes, that's what makes a book so moving and great to read.
The atmosphere of the small village environment is absolutely spot on. I've lived in a number of small villages myself, and you do find that news travels fast, plus there is a certain distance put between locals and "outsiders". For this novel, the hostile village atmosphere has most certainly been amplified, but you can definitely feel that static-y tension in the air if you have ever lived "village life".
The writing in this novel is lovely. Very descriptive and picturesque. But where Cummings really shines in in her characters. Each one that we follow closely, Deloris, Jim, Brian and Stan, we become attached to, well, I did at least. You feel as though you know them and you get angry along with them, you sympathise for them and you cheer them on.
Even though I predicted the identity of The Fox, among other things, there are small twists in each person's story that surprise you, so I was still in awe during most of the novel.
This book is marvelous. It's sad, moving, witty and beautiful. Definitely try to get yourself a copy of it you love books about trouble in small communities.
Thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
This started off a little slow for me, and I didn't instantly love it, but it takes it's time to grow on you and in the end I adored this. It is a little sombre throughout, but sometimes, that's what makes a book so moving and great to read.
The atmosphere of the small village environment is absolutely spot on. I've lived in a number of small villages myself, and you do find that news travels fast, plus there is a certain distance put between locals and "outsiders". For this novel, the hostile village atmosphere has most certainly been amplified, but you can definitely feel that static-y tension in the air if you have ever lived "village life".
The writing in this novel is lovely. Very descriptive and picturesque. But where Cummings really shines in in her characters. Each one that we follow closely, Deloris, Jim, Brian and Stan, we become attached to, well, I did at least. You feel as though you know them and you get angry along with them, you sympathise for them and you cheer them on.
Even though I predicted the identity of The Fox, among other things, there are small twists in each person's story that surprise you, so I was still in awe during most of the novel.
This book is marvelous. It's sad, moving, witty and beautiful. Definitely try to get yourself a copy of it you love books about trouble in small communities.
Thanks to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
January 24, 2018
Residents of a small village are alarmed to hear of some break-ins being reported in their village. Quickly nicknamed 'the fox' the intruder initially doesn't appear to take anything, just entering people's houses to seemingly look around. Then one of the villagers, a sweet girl called Anna, goes missing. Convinced that the fox has taken her the residents are determined to try and find out who the fox is and why he took Anna. As tension builds and accusations fly the villagers are soon forced to realise how little they know each other and how many secrets each of them are hiding.
The author does a great job of setting the scene for this novel. You really get the feeling of being in a small village with everyone having known each other since school and therefore thinking they know everything about one another. The sense of claustrophobia is increased by the descriptions of the village being hemmed in by trees and the hot weather.
The story is told from the point of view of four residence from the village. Each of them are outcasts in there own way and all have secrets that they are hiding. I really emphasized with all of them and felt sorry for them when their secrets were revealed. I liked that they were all so normal, everyday characters that you might find in any village. The fact that they weren't perfect and all had faults made them seem more real and i could relate to them a lot more. The author adopts a fly-on-the-wall type approach to describing their lives which made for fascinating reading. It really felt like you were there experiencing everything alongside them. The tension in the book is gradually increased as the story progresses and the secrets of the villagers are discovered. The foxes remaining undiscovered also adds to this tension as neighbours start to accuse each other of being the intruder. This makes the book hard to put down as you want to continue reading to find out what happens next.
I thought the ending was brilliant! It took me completely by surprise and I have continued to think about it long after I have finished the book. The meaning behind it is quite poignant and should perhaps be something all of us could try and change in are lives.
This is Harriet Cummings debut novel and I look forward to reading more from her. Thank you to Ben Wills, Orion publishing and Harriet Cummings for the proof copy of this book.
The author does a great job of setting the scene for this novel. You really get the feeling of being in a small village with everyone having known each other since school and therefore thinking they know everything about one another. The sense of claustrophobia is increased by the descriptions of the village being hemmed in by trees and the hot weather.
The story is told from the point of view of four residence from the village. Each of them are outcasts in there own way and all have secrets that they are hiding. I really emphasized with all of them and felt sorry for them when their secrets were revealed. I liked that they were all so normal, everyday characters that you might find in any village. The fact that they weren't perfect and all had faults made them seem more real and i could relate to them a lot more. The author adopts a fly-on-the-wall type approach to describing their lives which made for fascinating reading. It really felt like you were there experiencing everything alongside them. The tension in the book is gradually increased as the story progresses and the secrets of the villagers are discovered. The foxes remaining undiscovered also adds to this tension as neighbours start to accuse each other of being the intruder. This makes the book hard to put down as you want to continue reading to find out what happens next.
I thought the ending was brilliant! It took me completely by surprise and I have continued to think about it long after I have finished the book. The meaning behind it is quite poignant and should perhaps be something all of us could try and change in are lives.
This is Harriet Cummings debut novel and I look forward to reading more from her. Thank you to Ben Wills, Orion publishing and Harriet Cummings for the proof copy of this book.
May 25, 2018
A riveting account of life and crime in a small village in England.
April 3, 2020
This book took me ages to read and really wasn’t worth it! I think parts of my brain cried while dying reading this 😭. The writing was awful, there was barely a story line, the characters were flat and the fact that it was loosely based on a true story was about the only thing that it had going for it!
I’m sorry that’s a really harsh review, I usually try to find something good about a book but this was genuinely the worst book I’ve read this year and I think I’d rather have forks put through my eyes than have to read this again!
I’m sorry that’s a really harsh review, I usually try to find something good about a book but this was genuinely the worst book I’ve read this year and I think I’d rather have forks put through my eyes than have to read this again!
April 19, 2017
We All Begin As Strangers is the debut novel by Harriet Cummings. Set in the 1980s it centres around a small village in the Chilterns, the inhabitants of which are experiencing break-ins by someone they have nicknamed ‘The Fox’. Nothing of value is taken from the homes but, for obvious reasons, it unnerves the residents. When a much-loved resident of the village, Anna, goes missing, however, all fingers point towards her being kidnapped by The Fox.
Cummings was inspired to write this book by real events that took place in the 80s. A person the newspapers dubbed ‘The Fox’ was breaking into houses in villages across the Chilterns, but not stealing anything. The story of the real Fox is more sinister as he committed rapes during his reign of terror.
Told from the perspective of four of the village’s residents who spent time with Anna, We All Begin As Strangers is more than the mystery of a missing girl and a strange intruder. It is a story about loneliness, trust, secrets and the idiosyncrasies of human beings. Deloris is the dissatisfied newly-wed; Brian, the village police officer whose personal life is not straightforward; Jim is the local clergyman who harbours a secret from his past and Stan manages the local supermarket and struggles with a part of himself he can’t tell anyone about.
Anna is the villager everybody loves – regular church-goer, unassuming and quiet – the village is rocked when she disappears. Curtains twitch as each resident becomes suspicious of the others. How well do they really know each other? Could one of them be The Fox? As secrets and histories are unfurled, it would appear that nobody is as they seem. The Fox is integral to those secrets coming to light and one by one they get to know each other better, although not necessarily with a positive outcome for some.
Cummings captures what I imagine life in a small village where everybody knows everybody would be like although, as we discover, we often only know the part that the person wants us to see. Cummings is a great writer and has crafted a plot that is carefully put together. I have to admit to having mixed feelings about We All Begin As Strangers through the course of my reading with moments of loving the book to moments of not being sure if I actually liked it, and if I’m honest I can’t put my finger on why. The ending, however, blew me away and led to me having a completely different view of the novel as a whole. The idea behind We All Begin As Strangers fascinates me and the ending left me feeling satisfied and wanting to read it again to see what I would perceive differently.
This is not a fast-paced novel as it centres around the characters, their lives and feelings in the midst of an awful event. It relies on an interest from the reader in the quirks and nuances of human behaviour and village life alongside the need to get to the bottom of who The Fox is and the motives behind their behaviour.
I think We All Begin As Strangers will have a mixed reaction from readers. It is a book I appreciated a lot more on finishing, and it is one of those books that makes you think over what you have read. It is a book that, for me, warrants discussion during the course of reading it and would, therefore, make a great book for a reading group. It has certainly left its mark on me and I look forward to what Cummings brings to us in the future.
Cummings was inspired to write this book by real events that took place in the 80s. A person the newspapers dubbed ‘The Fox’ was breaking into houses in villages across the Chilterns, but not stealing anything. The story of the real Fox is more sinister as he committed rapes during his reign of terror.
Told from the perspective of four of the village’s residents who spent time with Anna, We All Begin As Strangers is more than the mystery of a missing girl and a strange intruder. It is a story about loneliness, trust, secrets and the idiosyncrasies of human beings. Deloris is the dissatisfied newly-wed; Brian, the village police officer whose personal life is not straightforward; Jim is the local clergyman who harbours a secret from his past and Stan manages the local supermarket and struggles with a part of himself he can’t tell anyone about.
Anna is the villager everybody loves – regular church-goer, unassuming and quiet – the village is rocked when she disappears. Curtains twitch as each resident becomes suspicious of the others. How well do they really know each other? Could one of them be The Fox? As secrets and histories are unfurled, it would appear that nobody is as they seem. The Fox is integral to those secrets coming to light and one by one they get to know each other better, although not necessarily with a positive outcome for some.
Cummings captures what I imagine life in a small village where everybody knows everybody would be like although, as we discover, we often only know the part that the person wants us to see. Cummings is a great writer and has crafted a plot that is carefully put together. I have to admit to having mixed feelings about We All Begin As Strangers through the course of my reading with moments of loving the book to moments of not being sure if I actually liked it, and if I’m honest I can’t put my finger on why. The ending, however, blew me away and led to me having a completely different view of the novel as a whole. The idea behind We All Begin As Strangers fascinates me and the ending left me feeling satisfied and wanting to read it again to see what I would perceive differently.
This is not a fast-paced novel as it centres around the characters, their lives and feelings in the midst of an awful event. It relies on an interest from the reader in the quirks and nuances of human behaviour and village life alongside the need to get to the bottom of who The Fox is and the motives behind their behaviour.
I think We All Begin As Strangers will have a mixed reaction from readers. It is a book I appreciated a lot more on finishing, and it is one of those books that makes you think over what you have read. It is a book that, for me, warrants discussion during the course of reading it and would, therefore, make a great book for a reading group. It has certainly left its mark on me and I look forward to what Cummings brings to us in the future.
May 25, 2018
A riveting account of life and crime in a small village in England.
October 22, 2022
Strangely weird and haunting. Fascinating that it was based on a true criminal as well! The whole book felt like a weird sort of dream to me. Everything was a bit surreal.
June 29, 2017
We All Begin As Strangers is loosely inspired by true events that occurred in the 80’s in a small community called the Chiltern Hills in the U.K. An individual nicknamed ‘The Fox’ was slipping into people’s houses and messing around with their possessions. He was also known to make dens in unoccupied homes, hence the nickname. I am glad HC left the influences there as ‘The Fox’ went on to commit more terrible offences. I was really interested in this concept and I thought that it may actually be a great basis for a novel. While ‘The Fox’ has a presence in this novel, they are an afterthought really compared to the actual main plot surrounding Anna.
We All Begin As Strangers is centred around the disappearance of Anna, a young woman who was a key member of the community. The narrative is split between four members of the community. Each person has a drastically different standing in the neighbourhood. Deloris is an outsider who married the rising star of the community. Jim is a vicar who is yet to obtain his actual priesthood. Brian is a police officer way out of his depth. And Stan is conflicted and hiding his true self. Each of them need Anna in a different way and are desperate to confront ‘The Fox’, who they presume took her, and get her back.
Anna is an important member of the community. She has connections to everyone and her disappearance is felt deeply. People are left confused, worried and hurt by this development. As the search for ‘The Fox’ intensifies, the community unite to protect themselves. Although they are constantly suspecting one another, they begin to move as one, act as one and attack as one. The novel itself is not bad, I thought it was well conducted and had an important message. I just felt it was nothing like the novel I was expecting and it kind of put a dampener on my experience of it.
I was expecting thrills, secrets and intensity. We All Begin As Strangers is actually quite dark and oppressive. I felt the characters were all stuck in their lives, not wanting to be there and having other people pressure them into making the wrong decisions. My favourite story arc was actually Stan’s and that is because HC addresses a psychological effect that I have not really considered that much, and she does it with the utmost respect.
This is a novel about community, for better or for worse, but at least it is not an uncomfortable and claustrophobic piece. I enjoyed the ending very much and there were some very well placed, heartfelt and meaningful moments included. HC’s writing is interesting and I enjoyed the fact that she decided to play around with the narrative a little so you have to think a tad harder about what she is trying to convey. I also appreciated the fact that HC centred each chapter around a significant object, I felt it added a touch of much needed mystery to this novel. As I said before, WABAS is a well constructed piece, I just felt somewhat deflated as I was reading it and I didn’t really connect at all with the plot or the characters. If I had to pick a favourite character that would have to be Brian as I enjoy seeing an underdog triumph.
Overall I have given We All Begin As Strangers 3/5 because though there are some brilliant bits, I just wasn’t sold on the novel. I enjoyed themes like escapism, unity and gaining confidence in yourself and others. I did not get on with the characters very well and I felt the plot was just too light on ‘The Fox’…
We All Begin As Strangers is centred around the disappearance of Anna, a young woman who was a key member of the community. The narrative is split between four members of the community. Each person has a drastically different standing in the neighbourhood. Deloris is an outsider who married the rising star of the community. Jim is a vicar who is yet to obtain his actual priesthood. Brian is a police officer way out of his depth. And Stan is conflicted and hiding his true self. Each of them need Anna in a different way and are desperate to confront ‘The Fox’, who they presume took her, and get her back.
Anna is an important member of the community. She has connections to everyone and her disappearance is felt deeply. People are left confused, worried and hurt by this development. As the search for ‘The Fox’ intensifies, the community unite to protect themselves. Although they are constantly suspecting one another, they begin to move as one, act as one and attack as one. The novel itself is not bad, I thought it was well conducted and had an important message. I just felt it was nothing like the novel I was expecting and it kind of put a dampener on my experience of it.
I was expecting thrills, secrets and intensity. We All Begin As Strangers is actually quite dark and oppressive. I felt the characters were all stuck in their lives, not wanting to be there and having other people pressure them into making the wrong decisions. My favourite story arc was actually Stan’s and that is because HC addresses a psychological effect that I have not really considered that much, and she does it with the utmost respect.
This is a novel about community, for better or for worse, but at least it is not an uncomfortable and claustrophobic piece. I enjoyed the ending very much and there were some very well placed, heartfelt and meaningful moments included. HC’s writing is interesting and I enjoyed the fact that she decided to play around with the narrative a little so you have to think a tad harder about what she is trying to convey. I also appreciated the fact that HC centred each chapter around a significant object, I felt it added a touch of much needed mystery to this novel. As I said before, WABAS is a well constructed piece, I just felt somewhat deflated as I was reading it and I didn’t really connect at all with the plot or the characters. If I had to pick a favourite character that would have to be Brian as I enjoy seeing an underdog triumph.
Overall I have given We All Begin As Strangers 3/5 because though there are some brilliant bits, I just wasn’t sold on the novel. I enjoyed themes like escapism, unity and gaining confidence in yourself and others. I did not get on with the characters very well and I felt the plot was just too light on ‘The Fox’…
September 18, 2017
...and remained strangers from start to finish. couldn't connect to plot or characters.
April 21, 2017
Inspired by true events, We All Begin As Strangers tells the story of ‘an English village pushed to the brink and the secrets it’s residents are desperate to protect.'
I loved the title of this book before I ever read one word about the story-line.
‘We All Begin As Strangers' is a very strong statement that carries so much truth. From the day we are born until the day we die, every brand new interaction we have with someone is as two strangers meeting for the first time. This exchange can develop into a deep friendship or remain aloof and formal with all the other variations of association in-between.
Harriet Cummings introduces us to the relationships of a group of individuals in a small English village where unusual occurrences have been taking place. Loosely based on true events from the 1980’s this character was dubbed ‘The Fox’. Harriet Cummings takes a little creative initiative and uses the premise of this mysterious character as the basis for her novel.
As a (*ahem*) child of the 80’s I absolutely loved all the references to the iconic symbols of the time. J.R. and Sue-Ellen, Soda-stream, Vol-au-vents, shoulder pads and of course prawn cocktail, I experienced a wonderful trip down memory lane.
We All Begin As Strangers focuses on a small number of villagers, each with a story to tell. Deloris is newly married to Harvey and spends her day watching Dallas. They have all the trappings of a good life but yet Deloris is not happy. Brian is a member of the local police-force with a difficult cross to bear in life, which he does with great strength and determination. Jim is the local minister running from something that he just cannot escape, a secret that he keeps close to his chest. Stan works in the local supermarket and leads a rather unhappy life with barriers up to hide his truth. And then there is Anna. Anna is a local girl who has lead a very sheltered and sad existence. Caught up in the day-to-day life of the community Anna has become known as a go-to when assistance is required. Anna never says no.
The village is thrown into disarray when it is suspected that there is an intruder breaking into houses. What makes this intruder so unusual is that nothing of value is taken. Personal mementos are slightly moved, people are aware of a presence in their homes and there is a general atmosphere of anxiety among the community.
It is on awakening one day to the disappearance of Anna that the villagers are thrown together in fear for Anna’s safety and their own.
I was reminded of William Golding’s ‘The Lord of The Flies' when reading sections of this book. Society has an unusual way of turning in on itself when a feeling of danger is introduced into a small group. With each person now a suspect, there is suspicion where there used to be trust. Doors are locked, curtains are kept closed and everything from Samurai swords to shovels are used as protection against an unknown foe.
Harriet Cummings has written an almost satirical novel of a small community in a rural setting. Tradition has us believe that everyone knows everything about everybody else’s business in such a tight-knit community but as we read in ‘We All Begin As Strangers', such is not the case.
As a novel, I’m not sure what genre this book falls into. There are a variety of issues tackled but ultimately it is a book about community and how trusts can be so easily broken. There is a fragility and loneliness to many of the characters that is dealt with in a sensitive manner, as truths are exposed and people’s lives are laid bare.
There is something quite comforting about the style of Harriet Cummings writing. There is a classic charm that belies her age and her words have a very delightful flow.
I loved the title of this book before I ever read one word about the story-line.
‘We All Begin As Strangers' is a very strong statement that carries so much truth. From the day we are born until the day we die, every brand new interaction we have with someone is as two strangers meeting for the first time. This exchange can develop into a deep friendship or remain aloof and formal with all the other variations of association in-between.
Harriet Cummings introduces us to the relationships of a group of individuals in a small English village where unusual occurrences have been taking place. Loosely based on true events from the 1980’s this character was dubbed ‘The Fox’. Harriet Cummings takes a little creative initiative and uses the premise of this mysterious character as the basis for her novel.
As a (*ahem*) child of the 80’s I absolutely loved all the references to the iconic symbols of the time. J.R. and Sue-Ellen, Soda-stream, Vol-au-vents, shoulder pads and of course prawn cocktail, I experienced a wonderful trip down memory lane.
We All Begin As Strangers focuses on a small number of villagers, each with a story to tell. Deloris is newly married to Harvey and spends her day watching Dallas. They have all the trappings of a good life but yet Deloris is not happy. Brian is a member of the local police-force with a difficult cross to bear in life, which he does with great strength and determination. Jim is the local minister running from something that he just cannot escape, a secret that he keeps close to his chest. Stan works in the local supermarket and leads a rather unhappy life with barriers up to hide his truth. And then there is Anna. Anna is a local girl who has lead a very sheltered and sad existence. Caught up in the day-to-day life of the community Anna has become known as a go-to when assistance is required. Anna never says no.
The village is thrown into disarray when it is suspected that there is an intruder breaking into houses. What makes this intruder so unusual is that nothing of value is taken. Personal mementos are slightly moved, people are aware of a presence in their homes and there is a general atmosphere of anxiety among the community.
It is on awakening one day to the disappearance of Anna that the villagers are thrown together in fear for Anna’s safety and their own.
I was reminded of William Golding’s ‘The Lord of The Flies' when reading sections of this book. Society has an unusual way of turning in on itself when a feeling of danger is introduced into a small group. With each person now a suspect, there is suspicion where there used to be trust. Doors are locked, curtains are kept closed and everything from Samurai swords to shovels are used as protection against an unknown foe.
Harriet Cummings has written an almost satirical novel of a small community in a rural setting. Tradition has us believe that everyone knows everything about everybody else’s business in such a tight-knit community but as we read in ‘We All Begin As Strangers', such is not the case.
As a novel, I’m not sure what genre this book falls into. There are a variety of issues tackled but ultimately it is a book about community and how trusts can be so easily broken. There is a fragility and loneliness to many of the characters that is dealt with in a sensitive manner, as truths are exposed and people’s lives are laid bare.
There is something quite comforting about the style of Harriet Cummings writing. There is a classic charm that belies her age and her words have a very delightful flow.
dnf
June 11, 2018DNF'd at around 60%
This wasn't awful, parts of it I even enjoyed. But the most it was going to get was a 3, and I realised I didn't care enough about the characters, or wasn't compelled enough by the mystery to read on and find out how it concluded. Basically I was super pulled in by the description of this novel, but wasn't all that blown away by the execution. The writing isn't bad, but it's not particularly lyrical or unique. Obviously, I haven't finished this, and maybe I'm missing out an a brilliant ending, but I doubt I'll pick it up to complete it in the future.
Thank you to Goodreads and Orion for the proof copy I won through a giveaway on here
This wasn't awful, parts of it I even enjoyed. But the most it was going to get was a 3, and I realised I didn't care enough about the characters, or wasn't compelled enough by the mystery to read on and find out how it concluded. Basically I was super pulled in by the description of this novel, but wasn't all that blown away by the execution. The writing isn't bad, but it's not particularly lyrical or unique. Obviously, I haven't finished this, and maybe I'm missing out an a brilliant ending, but I doubt I'll pick it up to complete it in the future.
Thank you to Goodreads and Orion for the proof copy I won through a giveaway on here
June 19, 2017
We All Begin as Strangers was nowhere near as good as it sounded. The writing was okay - nothing about it startled me, but there was equally nothing jarring about it - but the characters were indistinct, and rather stereotypical to boot. The plot was thin, and felt rather drawn out. In hindsight, I probably should have put it down when I started to think that it wasn't going to tick that many boxes for me. Regardless, I persevered, as I wanted to see what happened to Anna. *
September 27, 2018
Excellent premise for a novel, let down by dreadful/non-existent proofreading. I struggled through, despite such howlers as 'peddle' for 'pedal', 'chord' for 'cord', 'slithers' for 'slivers' and countless examples of misused or missing commas, but finally gave up at: "Was she's involved in Anna disappearance?" The characters were truly annoying, but it's the fact that the author can let this unedited novel out on an unsuspecting public that I find really disappointing.
May 19, 2018
2.5 I actually found this a bit boring, a guess it was meant to be a “slow burn” but the fire didn’t ignite for me at all . Decent enough writing but quite unlike able characters .
July 16, 2018
Δεν ξέρω γιατί κάθε φορά που διαβάζω ένα βιβλίο που διαδραματίζεται στην αγγλική επαρχία αυτομάτως σκέφτομαι το Broadchurch (κάνουμε όλοι casting ηθοποιούς σε χαρακτήρες των βιβλίων που διαβάζουμε ή είναι μόνο δική μου λόξα?). Εδώ το στόρι έχει ένα κάποιο ενδιαφέρον αλλά χωρίς να έχει κάποιο πομπώδες built up ή δραματικές ανατροπές,για μένα όλο το ζουμί είναι οι χαρακτήρες, οι ζωές των ανθρώπων σε μία μικρή κοινωνία, τα μυστικά τους και ο τρόπος που τα υπερασπίζονται και το πως έρχονται κοντά πρώτα σαν όχλος και μετά σαν ενωμένη κοινότητα που προσπαθεί να μάθει από τα λάθη της.
Loosely based σε μία αληθινή ιστορία που απ'οτι διάβασα ήταν πολύ χειρότερη.
#Readathon18: Ένα βιβλίο που διαδραματίζεται την δεκαετία που γεννηθήκατε (20/26)
10/14 Women Writers
Loosely based σε μία αληθινή ιστορία που απ'οτι διάβασα ήταν πολύ χειρότερη.
#Readathon18: Ένα βιβλίο που διαδραματίζεται την δεκαετία που γεννηθήκατε (20/26)
10/14 Women Writers
March 11, 2017
We All Begin As Strangers is a startling debut by author Harriet Cummings and tells the story of a quaint English village pushed to the brink. Everyone has secrets to protect and when a young woman disappears is it possible for everyone to hold on to their secrets.
In the beginning of the novel, the story of ‘The Fox’ is often approached by the villagers, at dinner parties or meetings in the street. ‘The Fox’ is the term given to a mysterious figure who has been slipping into people’s homes. No one quite knows what he wants as nothing from the homes he has broken into has been stolen, but objects have been moved and traces of his presence has been left behind. Of course, the villagers are concerned about it but the seriousness of the issue heightens when a young woman disappears, is ‘The Fox’ behind the woman’s disappearance.
We All Begin as Strangers is told from several viewpoints throughout the novel. Each of Harriet’s characters lead interesting lives and I enjoyed reading about every one of them. Brian, the police officer, I think has to be my favourite. He has had to deal with some tough times in the past but at the end of the day he is still trying to impress his parents and gain their approval.
There were times when I found the story a little slow to get into but what I really found interesting was how Harriet delved into the psychology of her characters and what makes them tick. We are all desperate to cling onto peaceful, uneventful lives but what happens to our minds when we are pushed to the brink, who do we know who to trust when it seems that the perpetrator is someone we know. In ways it reminded me a little of Broadchurch, when the town folk are desperate to get the bottom of what happened and are eager to pin the blame on anyone if it means it’ll keep their town safe.
Overall I really enjoyed this read. If you’re a fan of cosy crime, you’ll love this book. Thank you to Harriet Cummings for sending me a copy to review.
In the beginning of the novel, the story of ‘The Fox’ is often approached by the villagers, at dinner parties or meetings in the street. ‘The Fox’ is the term given to a mysterious figure who has been slipping into people’s homes. No one quite knows what he wants as nothing from the homes he has broken into has been stolen, but objects have been moved and traces of his presence has been left behind. Of course, the villagers are concerned about it but the seriousness of the issue heightens when a young woman disappears, is ‘The Fox’ behind the woman’s disappearance.
We All Begin as Strangers is told from several viewpoints throughout the novel. Each of Harriet’s characters lead interesting lives and I enjoyed reading about every one of them. Brian, the police officer, I think has to be my favourite. He has had to deal with some tough times in the past but at the end of the day he is still trying to impress his parents and gain their approval.
There were times when I found the story a little slow to get into but what I really found interesting was how Harriet delved into the psychology of her characters and what makes them tick. We are all desperate to cling onto peaceful, uneventful lives but what happens to our minds when we are pushed to the brink, who do we know who to trust when it seems that the perpetrator is someone we know. In ways it reminded me a little of Broadchurch, when the town folk are desperate to get the bottom of what happened and are eager to pin the blame on anyone if it means it’ll keep their town safe.
Overall I really enjoyed this read. If you’re a fan of cosy crime, you’ll love this book. Thank you to Harriet Cummings for sending me a copy to review.
May 13, 2017
4.5 stars
The author took her inspiration from the real life events that was a reality for her parents and other inhabitants in several Chiltern villages in the summer of 1984. An unknown figure, nicknamed ‘The Fox’ was slipping into people’s homes, evidenced by pictures removed from albums, clothing taken from drawers, warm teapots left on worktops and doors and windows left open on their departure. Thankfully the book does not replicate the more sinister and nastier actions which included sexual assault and rape, but limits itself to the mysterious and unsettling nature of the disturbances.
The action focuses on a handful or so of neighbours in a small, fairly generic English village. The newly married Deloris and Harvey, Stan, the manager of the local supermarket, Brian, the village police officer, Jim, the Lay Vicar, Cynthia a neighbour with her reclusive husband Ralph, and finally Anna, the quiet, unassuming church goer who causes great consternation when she disappears. The characters are all really well drawn, and I was easily drawn in to their lives as the plot developed.
I really enjoyed this book on several levels. It was a great period piece that really brought the mid 1980’s to life, for better or worse. The role of women in the home and workplace, the casual and institutionalised sexism, the fashions, the food, the decor and what everyone was watching on the TV. It was a time when a microwave or a water-bed was aspirational, and anyone who was anyone had a sodastream and a Magimix. Meanwhile no self-respecting kitchen cupboard would be without its Autumn Leaves crockery and Tupperware – branding was everything ( oh how little we’ve moved on).
However while the social and cultural mores of the 80’s provided an authentic backdrop, the characterisation and the prevailing village mentality provided another addictive level to the plotline. Before Anna’s disappearance I suspect if you’d asked the neighbours about each other, they’d have given a fairly consistent, if possibly often bland description of each other. Some were known better to some than others, but each would have said they knew their neighbour. With Anna’s disappearance all such certainties evaporate and suspicion and distrust becomes the order of the day. It seems they all have secrets they’ve kept well hidden, but whether they’ll be able to hold on to them remains to be seen.
While it’s based on real events, this book falls into my favourite category of read, which by dint of having no better description I tend to call quirky. It is a mystery, but so much more than that and I thoroughly recommend it.
I received an ecopy via NetGalley to enable this review.
The author took her inspiration from the real life events that was a reality for her parents and other inhabitants in several Chiltern villages in the summer of 1984. An unknown figure, nicknamed ‘The Fox’ was slipping into people’s homes, evidenced by pictures removed from albums, clothing taken from drawers, warm teapots left on worktops and doors and windows left open on their departure. Thankfully the book does not replicate the more sinister and nastier actions which included sexual assault and rape, but limits itself to the mysterious and unsettling nature of the disturbances.
The action focuses on a handful or so of neighbours in a small, fairly generic English village. The newly married Deloris and Harvey, Stan, the manager of the local supermarket, Brian, the village police officer, Jim, the Lay Vicar, Cynthia a neighbour with her reclusive husband Ralph, and finally Anna, the quiet, unassuming church goer who causes great consternation when she disappears. The characters are all really well drawn, and I was easily drawn in to their lives as the plot developed.
I really enjoyed this book on several levels. It was a great period piece that really brought the mid 1980’s to life, for better or worse. The role of women in the home and workplace, the casual and institutionalised sexism, the fashions, the food, the decor and what everyone was watching on the TV. It was a time when a microwave or a water-bed was aspirational, and anyone who was anyone had a sodastream and a Magimix. Meanwhile no self-respecting kitchen cupboard would be without its Autumn Leaves crockery and Tupperware – branding was everything ( oh how little we’ve moved on).
However while the social and cultural mores of the 80’s provided an authentic backdrop, the characterisation and the prevailing village mentality provided another addictive level to the plotline. Before Anna’s disappearance I suspect if you’d asked the neighbours about each other, they’d have given a fairly consistent, if possibly often bland description of each other. Some were known better to some than others, but each would have said they knew their neighbour. With Anna’s disappearance all such certainties evaporate and suspicion and distrust becomes the order of the day. It seems they all have secrets they’ve kept well hidden, but whether they’ll be able to hold on to them remains to be seen.
While it’s based on real events, this book falls into my favourite category of read, which by dint of having no better description I tend to call quirky. It is a mystery, but so much more than that and I thoroughly recommend it.
I received an ecopy via NetGalley to enable this review.
February 21, 2017
A story told from 4 perspectives surrounding one person who shakes up the neighbourhood with a string of break-ins. It's inspired by a true story, but I am not aware of the actual events. In this story, someone - the Fox - is breaking into people's houses and watching people as they sleep or moving things around. Then Anna, a local girl, suddenly goes missing.
The different perspectives really call into question how much we actually know our neighbours. Do they know The Fox? Even in this small community, people don't really know each other and everyone is full of suspicion.
One note: the opening of the book really shouldn't have started with Deloris. She is super boring and unsympathetic. I found it really hard to get through her section and by the time it was over, I wasn't all too interested in the story.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.
The different perspectives really call into question how much we actually know our neighbours. Do they know The Fox? Even in this small community, people don't really know each other and everyone is full of suspicion.
One note: the opening of the book really shouldn't have started with Deloris. She is super boring and unsympathetic. I found it really hard to get through her section and by the time it was over, I wasn't all too interested in the story.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.
July 2, 2017
***Actual rating: 3.5 / 5***
We All Begin as Strangers reveals the deeply disguised strengths and vulnerabilities of neighbours in a 1980’s English Village. Their hospitality and habits largely escape scrutiny until “the Fox” breaks through the frontier of their doorstep to intrude on their closely guarded private time.
Some consider their home a sanctuary, a place to feel relieved that the reality of their life is no longer on public display. Any hint of intrusion is understandably unsettling causing people to become fiercely protective of their little spaces, and when the going gets tough the odd mask starts to slip.
This story of “the Fox” is told in four parts where a different neighbour effectively becomes an unreliable witness to the bizarre antics of an intruder whose motives remain uncertain until the end. Their passion for justice is further ignited when a young, church-going woman goes missing from her own home and their main suspect the elusive character they have yet to identify.
How this unknown presence affects each of them and how their reactions manoeuvre in and out of each other’s stories is very interesting. The opinion they hold of each other alters as their lives are put under the microscope: the ‘Dallas’ / Sue-Ellen wannabe, a troubled lay preacher, an unexpected guardian of the vulnerable, and she who wears her dressing gown in public with pride.
Reading this made me consider just how well I really know the people living on my street, and I mean know. Yes, I see them coming and going on occasion and I’m free to make as many assumptions about them as I’d care to, but I’d most likely be wrong. Imagine how many people are walking around with a smile plastered on their face as they battle to control the isolation or misery they suffer from someone else’s ego in a silent, daily ritual. All of us try not to alert people to our problems to some degree or other, but if we disappeared without a trace while a predator stalked the neighbourhood our secrets would undoubtedly creep into the public domain, whether we wanted them to or not.
If you’re looking to be blown away by something wild and reckless with a breakneck pace then We All Begin as Strangers is not the book for you. It is, however, a thought-provoking human mystery where people respond to their diverse crises in completely different ways. The actual news story that relates to this fictional take on the dreadful activities of the real-life “Fox” and the 80’s nostalgia makes for intriguing reading too.
(I was lucky enough to win a signed proof copy of this title in a Twitter giveaway run by the publisher, Orion - it will have a special place on my shelf, so huge thanks to them.)
We All Begin as Strangers reveals the deeply disguised strengths and vulnerabilities of neighbours in a 1980’s English Village. Their hospitality and habits largely escape scrutiny until “the Fox” breaks through the frontier of their doorstep to intrude on their closely guarded private time.
Some consider their home a sanctuary, a place to feel relieved that the reality of their life is no longer on public display. Any hint of intrusion is understandably unsettling causing people to become fiercely protective of their little spaces, and when the going gets tough the odd mask starts to slip.
This story of “the Fox” is told in four parts where a different neighbour effectively becomes an unreliable witness to the bizarre antics of an intruder whose motives remain uncertain until the end. Their passion for justice is further ignited when a young, church-going woman goes missing from her own home and their main suspect the elusive character they have yet to identify.
How this unknown presence affects each of them and how their reactions manoeuvre in and out of each other’s stories is very interesting. The opinion they hold of each other alters as their lives are put under the microscope: the ‘Dallas’ / Sue-Ellen wannabe, a troubled lay preacher, an unexpected guardian of the vulnerable, and she who wears her dressing gown in public with pride.
Reading this made me consider just how well I really know the people living on my street, and I mean know. Yes, I see them coming and going on occasion and I’m free to make as many assumptions about them as I’d care to, but I’d most likely be wrong. Imagine how many people are walking around with a smile plastered on their face as they battle to control the isolation or misery they suffer from someone else’s ego in a silent, daily ritual. All of us try not to alert people to our problems to some degree or other, but if we disappeared without a trace while a predator stalked the neighbourhood our secrets would undoubtedly creep into the public domain, whether we wanted them to or not.
If you’re looking to be blown away by something wild and reckless with a breakneck pace then We All Begin as Strangers is not the book for you. It is, however, a thought-provoking human mystery where people respond to their diverse crises in completely different ways. The actual news story that relates to this fictional take on the dreadful activities of the real-life “Fox” and the 80’s nostalgia makes for intriguing reading too.
(I was lucky enough to win a signed proof copy of this title in a Twitter giveaway run by the publisher, Orion - it will have a special place on my shelf, so huge thanks to them.)
January 18, 2020
Zu Anfang kommt das Buch etwas schwer in Fahrt, nimmt dann aber Fahrt auf und endet ganz anders als erwartet und sehr tragisch. Es wird aus der Sicht von vier Personen erzählt, die jede für sich auch in allen anderen Geschichten vorkommt. Das Ende bildet die kurze Sicht von Anna und ein Epilog. Die Geschichte regt zum Nachdenken an.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2019
Too bad we can only give full stars. I'd rather give the book 3.5.
Inspired by real-life events of a man who broke into people's homes in a small town in England in 1984, sometimes committing a crime, sometimes just hanging around in people's homes observing them without their knowledge, this novel is no re-telling of the case but only takes it as a starting point. The mysterious man was named The Fox.
The novel takes us to the small English village Heathcote, and we meet the people who live there and learn bits about their life. And then the mystery begins when people realize that someone's sneaking into their homes, and out again without stealing anything of value. They only get aware of it because e.g. a perfume bottle was moved, an old cassette tape is missing, a photograph is left behind, and there's always that smell of damp soil hanging in the air... And then one of the citizens, Anna, disappears. Was she abducted by The Fox? But why? And why Anna? That one person who couldn't do harm to anyone?
And now the people in that village start getting suspicious of one another. Suddenly, everyone in their community could have something to do with the case. They starting to wonder, how well they know the person they have lived next door to for years.
The story is told in third-person and from four different character's views. Which I liked. It's when you have assumptions about a certain person and then you see the situation from their point of view. I liked to read about everyday life in a village and I liked how the author took a sensible look at some members of this community. Also, I never guessed who The Fox really was. Didn't see it coming. But I also can't say that this book kept me awake at night or had me bite my nails. At some point I thought it maybe dragged just a tiny little bit. I liked the ending!
This was Harriet Cumming's debut novel. It was good. Would I read her follow-up book? Yes I definitely would.
I'm referring to the audiobook, read by Rachel Atkins. Definitely 5 stars to her!
Inspired by real-life events of a man who broke into people's homes in a small town in England in 1984, sometimes committing a crime, sometimes just hanging around in people's homes observing them without their knowledge, this novel is no re-telling of the case but only takes it as a starting point. The mysterious man was named The Fox.
The novel takes us to the small English village Heathcote, and we meet the people who live there and learn bits about their life. And then the mystery begins when people realize that someone's sneaking into their homes, and out again without stealing anything of value. They only get aware of it because e.g. a perfume bottle was moved, an old cassette tape is missing, a photograph is left behind, and there's always that smell of damp soil hanging in the air... And then one of the citizens, Anna, disappears. Was she abducted by The Fox? But why? And why Anna? That one person who couldn't do harm to anyone?
And now the people in that village start getting suspicious of one another. Suddenly, everyone in their community could have something to do with the case. They starting to wonder, how well they know the person they have lived next door to for years.
The story is told in third-person and from four different character's views. Which I liked. It's when you have assumptions about a certain person and then you see the situation from their point of view. I liked to read about everyday life in a village and I liked how the author took a sensible look at some members of this community. Also, I never guessed who The Fox really was. Didn't see it coming. But I also can't say that this book kept me awake at night or had me bite my nails. At some point I thought it maybe dragged just a tiny little bit. I liked the ending!
This was Harriet Cumming's debut novel. It was good. Would I read her follow-up book? Yes I definitely would.
I'm referring to the audiobook, read by Rachel Atkins. Definitely 5 stars to her!
April 27, 2017
I received this book as an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks so much to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for sending it my way!
3.5/5. We All Begin As Strangers is based in 1980's England. In the small village of Heathcote, a mysterious person dubbed "The Fox" begins breaking into people's houses extremely stealthily and doesn't really do much but lurk, spray perfume and leave the scent of dirt wherever they go. Until, one day, one of the townspeople go missing... assumedly taken by "The Fox" (or foxface as I like to call them).
Now, this story was honestly gripping. I really enjoy Harriet Cummings style of writing and the multiple perspectives the story is told in. We get to see 5 different townspeople's point of views as the story unravels and we learn the village isn't all it seems. Basically, they all have secrets that are pretty intense and in one case DISTURBING. This village was so annoying and I would not want to live there... everyone knows everyone else's business and are so nosey...
I felt like the story had a very authentic vibe!
There's one thing I'd like to talk about which is the reason my rating has been lowered. This story is based on true events. A person really did stalk a village and was dubbed "The Fox". However, in the true stories case, The Fox also sexually assaulted multiple people. Now I totally understand and respect basing a story off true life events... but the author shouldn't have called the character of this book The Fox. I feel by doing so it really belittles the pain of the victims of Malcolm Fairley (the real fox). I don't think it's right to profit from what others have suffered.
3.5/5. We All Begin As Strangers is based in 1980's England. In the small village of Heathcote, a mysterious person dubbed "The Fox" begins breaking into people's houses extremely stealthily and doesn't really do much but lurk, spray perfume and leave the scent of dirt wherever they go. Until, one day, one of the townspeople go missing... assumedly taken by "The Fox" (or foxface as I like to call them).
Now, this story was honestly gripping. I really enjoy Harriet Cummings style of writing and the multiple perspectives the story is told in. We get to see 5 different townspeople's point of views as the story unravels and we learn the village isn't all it seems. Basically, they all have secrets that are pretty intense and in one case DISTURBING. This village was so annoying and I would not want to live there... everyone knows everyone else's business and are so nosey...
I felt like the story had a very authentic vibe!
There's one thing I'd like to talk about which is the reason my rating has been lowered. This story is based on true events. A person really did stalk a village and was dubbed "The Fox". However, in the true stories case, The Fox also sexually assaulted multiple people. Now I totally understand and respect basing a story off true life events... but the author shouldn't have called the character of this book The Fox. I feel by doing so it really belittles the pain of the victims of Malcolm Fairley (the real fox). I don't think it's right to profit from what others have suffered.
April 29, 2022
While this book was confusing at times, I still managed to read it in only a few days. It felt that the characters didn't begin to have enough substance to them until maybe the last third of the book. The authors note at the end was a bit puzzling as well, surely she would have done some research into The Fox before she started writing a book with The Fox as its basis, and discovered the sexual element of it
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June 22, 2017This is a good debut novel, purchased due to the similarities with The Trouble with Goats and Sheep. I enjoyed the book but felt it jumped around too much to different perspectives and just felt a bit forgettable. The writing was nothing to write home about and I became exceptionally disturbed by the treatment of Jim's character.
April 25, 2017
A gripping tale taking us to the heart of a small English town. The suspense build-up makes it a lovely holiday read and the characters are really well-developed. I would highly recommend this title.
January 9, 2022
Ein Schmarrn, weder spannend, noch interessant.
July 17, 2022
saur good
December 8, 2022
3.4 ✨
The second half really saved a lot for me. Although the ‚twist‘ seemed obvious to me starting around the middle of the book the way a community can turn on it‘s members so quickly in the face if tragedy was well written.
Overall, in my opinion an okay read but not really something special.
The second half really saved a lot for me. Although the ‚twist‘ seemed obvious to me starting around the middle of the book the way a community can turn on it‘s members so quickly in the face if tragedy was well written.
Overall, in my opinion an okay read but not really something special.
October 30, 2018
An intruder - nicknamed the Fox - prowls an English village, entering houses and taking low-value items. One day a much-loved resident disappears. Has the Fox claimed his first victim?
This is a character-driven literary mystery told from the viewpoints of some of the villagers: Dolores, the spirited girl who's married well but unhappily; Lay reader Jim who wants to atone for his past by becoming a vicar; local bobby Brian who's known most of his neighbours since they were children together but now realises he doesn't know them at all; and supermarket manager Stan with his own share of inner conflicts.
A satisfying read. I would definitely read this author again.
This is a character-driven literary mystery told from the viewpoints of some of the villagers: Dolores, the spirited girl who's married well but unhappily; Lay reader Jim who wants to atone for his past by becoming a vicar; local bobby Brian who's known most of his neighbours since they were children together but now realises he doesn't know them at all; and supermarket manager Stan with his own share of inner conflicts.
A satisfying read. I would definitely read this author again.
April 2, 2017
We All Begin As Strangers is based on the true story of a mystery intruder dubbed "The Fox", who terrorised a small English village in the 1980s. In the book by Harriet Cummings, a village resident, Anna, goes missing and it is feared The Fox has turned more sinister acts.
The story is told through the eyes of four village residents, as the police investigate Anna's disappearance. As is typical for a small English village, not all it's residents are quite what they seem & secrets start to come out.
Harriet Cummings writes beautifully; her writing is seamless and the story flows well. I loved The Trouble with Goats & Sheep and although I believe it's right to compare We All Begin As Strangers with Goats & Sheep, I also believe Harriet's book should be applauded in its own right.
A lovely book with an unexpected build up to a devastating end. One I would definitely recommend.
The story is told through the eyes of four village residents, as the police investigate Anna's disappearance. As is typical for a small English village, not all it's residents are quite what they seem & secrets start to come out.
Harriet Cummings writes beautifully; her writing is seamless and the story flows well. I loved The Trouble with Goats & Sheep and although I believe it's right to compare We All Begin As Strangers with Goats & Sheep, I also believe Harriet's book should be applauded in its own right.
A lovely book with an unexpected build up to a devastating end. One I would definitely recommend.
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