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Unwinding Time
An Accident. A Discovery. The curiosity of a passionate young artist. Crippled by anxiety, Kayleigh Halsey moves to the Lake District to escape the trauma of her past. An innocent question sees her investigating a mystery and exposing a secret more than a hundred years old. The deeper she delves, the darker the secret becomes. Can Kayleigh's innocence and passion bring the mystery to life? Or will she realise that you can't run away from a memory?
Kindle Edition
First published October 2, 2018
4 people want to read
About the author
James Stoddah
3 books27 followersJames Stoddah grew up in Kent and was educated in Cumbria before settling in Lancashire with his three sons. He resisted higher education in favour of following a passion for music writing. For a number of years he worked in the music industry as a writer-performer – successful enough to earn a living without being burned by the media spotlight.
James has always been fascinated by mystery. Much of the creative inspiration for his books stems from games he created to entertain his children as they were growing up. Treasure hunts with clues to treats in the house expanded to physical clues he would leave over hundreds of square miles for daytrip adventures.
James has always been fascinated by mystery. Much of the creative inspiration for his books stems from games he created to entertain his children as they were growing up. Treasure hunts with clues to treats in the house expanded to physical clues he would leave over hundreds of square miles for daytrip adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 22, 2018
Unwinding Time by James Stoddah, Outlet Publishing Group, 2018.
This modern-day mystery was a delightful surprise that I finished at 2:56 AM, a few hours after I started it.
Over the eight years since her parents separated, turbulence and trauma in eighteen-year old Kayleigh’s life has left her with severe anxiety. Disinclined to further study, perhaps due in part to bullying at school, she opts to move to live at her grandfather’s and work in his book and gift shop.
The book starts with a realistic but stressfull episode involving driving through snow and slush, giving us a great introduction to the strength of Kayleigh's character.
The mystery stems from a piece of art that Kayleigh’s great grandparents found within a wall during renovations in what is now her grandfather’s sixteenth century home. Kayleigh is loved by her family and friends; she presents an appealing persona attractive to new acquaintances that like her and want her company. She is creative, an artist and a hard worker. As she asks questions, then looks for answers, her grandfather, best friend, her father and others she meets pitch in to help solve the puzzle.
I am not sure that either the title, the cover or the blurb does the book justice. I selected the book because I thought it was about time travel. I did not know it was a LGBTQIA book until after I finished it.
It is well written with a story that moves along at a good pace. The most surprising thing to me though is that the book was written by a man; the voice I heard as I read it was very much that of an eighteen-year-old woman in a style that very much suits a story featuring younger adults.
The ending is as wonderful as the Goonies’ Treasure Ship, both in the outcome of the solved puzzle and the way Kayleigh can show her love and generosity. I recommend this book.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of Unwinding Time free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This modern-day mystery was a delightful surprise that I finished at 2:56 AM, a few hours after I started it.
Over the eight years since her parents separated, turbulence and trauma in eighteen-year old Kayleigh’s life has left her with severe anxiety. Disinclined to further study, perhaps due in part to bullying at school, she opts to move to live at her grandfather’s and work in his book and gift shop.
The book starts with a realistic but stressfull episode involving driving through snow and slush, giving us a great introduction to the strength of Kayleigh's character.
The mystery stems from a piece of art that Kayleigh’s great grandparents found within a wall during renovations in what is now her grandfather’s sixteenth century home. Kayleigh is loved by her family and friends; she presents an appealing persona attractive to new acquaintances that like her and want her company. She is creative, an artist and a hard worker. As she asks questions, then looks for answers, her grandfather, best friend, her father and others she meets pitch in to help solve the puzzle.
I am not sure that either the title, the cover or the blurb does the book justice. I selected the book because I thought it was about time travel. I did not know it was a LGBTQIA book until after I finished it.
It is well written with a story that moves along at a good pace. The most surprising thing to me though is that the book was written by a man; the voice I heard as I read it was very much that of an eighteen-year-old woman in a style that very much suits a story featuring younger adults.
The ending is as wonderful as the Goonies’ Treasure Ship, both in the outcome of the solved puzzle and the way Kayleigh can show her love and generosity. I recommend this book.
Disclosure: I received a review copy of Unwinding Time free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 7, 2018
Beautifully written mystery flavoured novel by master of suspense, James Stoddah. The story begins with our first-person narrator, Kayleigh, driving through snow on the way to her grandfather’s house near Penrith. She is a gentle narrator, guiding us through the story but holding back almost as much as she tells; hers is a world of secrets and shadows, both inside and out.
The first moment of action in the book unfolds with a delicious slowness, and we soon realise that this a pattern that holds true for the novel as a whole. Just as Kayleigh slowly unfolds secrets from her past, so too do clues appear at every turn: a sketch found in an old cupboard leads to a visit to a medieval fortress, new characters, who behave very strangely indeed, bring new mysteries. Each clue breeds another and the plot is like a well-crafted hydra. This teasing trail of breadcrumbs makes Unwinding Time very difficult to put down.
Perhaps the only fault with this poignant unfurling of plot is that there are moments when the plot loses its speed altogether. The lull could be in the form of a plane journey rendered in too much detail, or a meal that Stoddah lingers over for slightly too long. These moments are few and far between, however.
Overall, this book has a lovely sense of place and is infused with art and Kayleigh’s talent for painting. This results in some beautiful descriptions and rich evocations of locations and colours which add to the vibrancy of the mystery. Unwinding Time is no break-neck thriller, but it is a very tense and enjoyable read.
The first moment of action in the book unfolds with a delicious slowness, and we soon realise that this a pattern that holds true for the novel as a whole. Just as Kayleigh slowly unfolds secrets from her past, so too do clues appear at every turn: a sketch found in an old cupboard leads to a visit to a medieval fortress, new characters, who behave very strangely indeed, bring new mysteries. Each clue breeds another and the plot is like a well-crafted hydra. This teasing trail of breadcrumbs makes Unwinding Time very difficult to put down.
Perhaps the only fault with this poignant unfurling of plot is that there are moments when the plot loses its speed altogether. The lull could be in the form of a plane journey rendered in too much detail, or a meal that Stoddah lingers over for slightly too long. These moments are few and far between, however.
Overall, this book has a lovely sense of place and is infused with art and Kayleigh’s talent for painting. This results in some beautiful descriptions and rich evocations of locations and colours which add to the vibrancy of the mystery. Unwinding Time is no break-neck thriller, but it is a very tense and enjoyable read.
November 1, 2018
I really enjoyed this. I can identify with the MC (Kayleigh) in many ways, especially when it comes to her relationship/friendships.
It's a mystery in a traditional sense, not as a thriller, but excellent storyline. I'm not an artist but the book made me look at art in a different way. Stoddah paints the landscapes of the Lake District in ways to make me want to visit the area. The book has a John Green feel/edge about it, I think his readers would identify - lots of profound existentialism too! Yet it's fast passed and passionate throughout despite Kayleigh's traumatic past.
In my Top 5 reads of the year!
It's a mystery in a traditional sense, not as a thriller, but excellent storyline. I'm not an artist but the book made me look at art in a different way. Stoddah paints the landscapes of the Lake District in ways to make me want to visit the area. The book has a John Green feel/edge about it, I think his readers would identify - lots of profound existentialism too! Yet it's fast passed and passionate throughout despite Kayleigh's traumatic past.
In my Top 5 reads of the year!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews