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The Last Thing She Told Me
'Emotionally moving. A thought-provoking page turner with a poignant three-generational link.' Jane Corry, author of The Dead Ex, The Sunday Times Bestseller.
Even the deepest-buried secrets can find their way to the surface...
Moments before she dies, Nicola's grandmother Betty whispers to her that there are babies at the bottom of the garden.
Nicola's mother claims she was talking nonsense. However, when Nicola's daughter finds a bone while playing in Betty's garden, it's clear that something sinister has taken place.
But will unearthing painful family secrets end up tearing Nicola's family apart?
The new emotionally-charged suspense novel from Linda Green, the bestselling author of While My Eyes Were Closed and After I've Gone
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2018
1770 people are currently reading
6141 people want to read
About the author
Linda Green
77 books620 followersI was born in North London in 1970 and brought up in Hertfordshire. I wrote my first novella, the Time Machine, aged eight, shortly after which I declared that my ambition was to have a novel published (I could have been easy on myself and just said ‘to write a novel’ but no, I had to consign myself to years of torture and rejections). I was frequently asked to copy out my stories for the classroom wall (probably because my handwriting was so awful no one could read my first draft), and received lots of encouragement from my teachers Mr Roberts, Mrs Chandler (who added yet more pressure by writing in my autograph book when I left primary school that she looked forward to reading my first published novel!) and Mr Bird.
My first publication came when I was thirteen and my Ode to Gary Mabbutt won second prize in the Tottenham Weekly Herald ‘My Favourite Player’ competition. At fifteen I won the Junior Spurs Football Reporter of the Year Competition and got to report on a first division football match from the press box at White Hart Lane (I got lots of funny looks and none of the journalists spoke to me.)
At sixteen I embarked on ‘A’ levels and a journalism course at De Havilland College, Hertfordshire, and my college magazine interview about football hooliganism with local MP and football club chairman David Evans made a double page spread in Shoot! magazine (they never paid me) and back page headlines in several national newspapers (only a nice man at the Daily Star bothered to check the story with me).
I joined my local newspaper, the Enfield Gazette, as a trainee reporter at eighteen. During a ten year career in regional journalism I worked as a reporter on the Birmingham Daily News, news editor on the Birmingham Metro News and Chief Feature Writer on the Coventry Evening Telegraph, winning Highly Commended in the Feature Writer of the Year category of the 1997 Press Gazette Regional Press Awards.
I loved working on regional newspapers but by 1998 my features were getting too long and the urge to write a novel had become too great so I left my staff job to write my first novel and work as a freelance journalist. I have written for The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, The Times Educational Supplement, The Big Issue, Wanderlust and Community Care Magazine. I’ve also had a short story published in Best magazine
I found the writing and working from home a very solitary process so also worked as co-ordinator of the Birmingham Bureau of Children’s Express, a national charity which runs a learning through journalism programme for young people and taught journalism to schoolchildren for the National Academy of Writing. After I moved north in 2001 I qualified as an adult education tutor and taught creative writing classes to students aged between 18 and 82 for the Workers Educational Association across Calderdale, West Yorkshire.
After more than a hundred rejections from agents for my first novel (and more rewrites than I care to remember) I finally got an agent but still couldn’t get a publisher. I started work on my second novel I DID A BAD THING in 2003, finished the first draft and gave birth to my son Rohan in 2004, rewrote the novel and got a new agent in 2005, obtained a two-book deal with Headline Review in 2006.
I Did a Bad Thing was published in paperback in October 2007, made the top thirty official fiction bestsellers list (and number 3 in Tesco!) and has so far sold more than 77,000 copies. 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love was published in paperback in March 2009, reached no 22 in the official fiction bestseller charts (and no 4 in Tesco) and has so far sold more than 80,000 copies. Both novels were also long-listed for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award.
Following the success of my first two novels I got another two-book deal from Headline Review, with Things I Wish I'd Known being the first of these. I am currently working on my fourth novel.
I enjoy travelling.
My first publication came when I was thirteen and my Ode to Gary Mabbutt won second prize in the Tottenham Weekly Herald ‘My Favourite Player’ competition. At fifteen I won the Junior Spurs Football Reporter of the Year Competition and got to report on a first division football match from the press box at White Hart Lane (I got lots of funny looks and none of the journalists spoke to me.)
At sixteen I embarked on ‘A’ levels and a journalism course at De Havilland College, Hertfordshire, and my college magazine interview about football hooliganism with local MP and football club chairman David Evans made a double page spread in Shoot! magazine (they never paid me) and back page headlines in several national newspapers (only a nice man at the Daily Star bothered to check the story with me).
I joined my local newspaper, the Enfield Gazette, as a trainee reporter at eighteen. During a ten year career in regional journalism I worked as a reporter on the Birmingham Daily News, news editor on the Birmingham Metro News and Chief Feature Writer on the Coventry Evening Telegraph, winning Highly Commended in the Feature Writer of the Year category of the 1997 Press Gazette Regional Press Awards.
I loved working on regional newspapers but by 1998 my features were getting too long and the urge to write a novel had become too great so I left my staff job to write my first novel and work as a freelance journalist. I have written for The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, The Times Educational Supplement, The Big Issue, Wanderlust and Community Care Magazine. I’ve also had a short story published in Best magazine
I found the writing and working from home a very solitary process so also worked as co-ordinator of the Birmingham Bureau of Children’s Express, a national charity which runs a learning through journalism programme for young people and taught journalism to schoolchildren for the National Academy of Writing. After I moved north in 2001 I qualified as an adult education tutor and taught creative writing classes to students aged between 18 and 82 for the Workers Educational Association across Calderdale, West Yorkshire.
After more than a hundred rejections from agents for my first novel (and more rewrites than I care to remember) I finally got an agent but still couldn’t get a publisher. I started work on my second novel I DID A BAD THING in 2003, finished the first draft and gave birth to my son Rohan in 2004, rewrote the novel and got a new agent in 2005, obtained a two-book deal with Headline Review in 2006.
I Did a Bad Thing was published in paperback in October 2007, made the top thirty official fiction bestsellers list (and number 3 in Tesco!) and has so far sold more than 77,000 copies. 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love was published in paperback in March 2009, reached no 22 in the official fiction bestseller charts (and no 4 in Tesco) and has so far sold more than 80,000 copies. Both novels were also long-listed for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award.
Following the success of my first two novels I got another two-book deal from Headline Review, with Things I Wish I'd Known being the first of these. I am currently working on my fourth novel.
I enjoy travelling.
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July 13, 2018
Released 24th July 2018 order your copy
I have just finished reading this with tears streaming down my face blobbing on my pillow as I lay reading it.
Several times I had a lump in my throat but the ending surely tipped the scales in my emotions.
Linda Green can surely take you over with her writing. I dare anyone to read this book and scoff because it’s so beautifully agonisingly well written.
It’s raw, so raw it hurts.
Generations of hurt, unrest, secrets hidden because of shame, embarrassment or blaming oneself.
Parts of this go back to a Grandmothers time in the 1940s, then her daughter, then her daughter to her daughters daughter.
How continuingly hiding things can mar and scar the next generation.
Remembering the 1940s when pregnancy was shameful when out of wedlock.
There is rape and abuse. But don’t worry it’s not over dramatised as rape and abuse is so shocking in itself we don’t need written diagrams right?!
When Betty’s mother is dying it’s her own daughter that cares for her Grandmother. Before she passes she asks her granddaughter to look after the babies. What babies?
Even her own mother has secrets. Why the rift between her Gran and her Mother?
We get glimpses and hi lights from letters that were written from a William whilst in the war written to Betty. That is revealed more at the end which made me weep. Yes call me an old softie I can live with it.
It seemed that the entire women from each generation had secrets and stories to tell which they covered up. Mostly not to hurt others. But by doing this, they hurt themselves.
I loved how the author at the back of the book gave some revelations that enlightens how she came to write this powerful story. Don’t read it until you’ve read the book as it contains spoilers.
Nicola was a tower of strength in a job that needed to be done. But was she as strong as we think?
This is a thought provoking, powerful book that puts the strength back in women’s possession. To stand up, stand firm, even when it causes you pain.
My thanks to the Publicity dept of Querus and to net Galley for my copy. A book I will never forget.
I have just finished reading this with tears streaming down my face blobbing on my pillow as I lay reading it.
Several times I had a lump in my throat but the ending surely tipped the scales in my emotions.
Linda Green can surely take you over with her writing. I dare anyone to read this book and scoff because it’s so beautifully agonisingly well written.
It’s raw, so raw it hurts.
Generations of hurt, unrest, secrets hidden because of shame, embarrassment or blaming oneself.
Parts of this go back to a Grandmothers time in the 1940s, then her daughter, then her daughter to her daughters daughter.
How continuingly hiding things can mar and scar the next generation.
Remembering the 1940s when pregnancy was shameful when out of wedlock.
There is rape and abuse. But don’t worry it’s not over dramatised as rape and abuse is so shocking in itself we don’t need written diagrams right?!
When Betty’s mother is dying it’s her own daughter that cares for her Grandmother. Before she passes she asks her granddaughter to look after the babies. What babies?
Even her own mother has secrets. Why the rift between her Gran and her Mother?
We get glimpses and hi lights from letters that were written from a William whilst in the war written to Betty. That is revealed more at the end which made me weep. Yes call me an old softie I can live with it.
It seemed that the entire women from each generation had secrets and stories to tell which they covered up. Mostly not to hurt others. But by doing this, they hurt themselves.
I loved how the author at the back of the book gave some revelations that enlightens how she came to write this powerful story. Don’t read it until you’ve read the book as it contains spoilers.
Nicola was a tower of strength in a job that needed to be done. But was she as strong as we think?
This is a thought provoking, powerful book that puts the strength back in women’s possession. To stand up, stand firm, even when it causes you pain.
My thanks to the Publicity dept of Querus and to net Galley for my copy. A book I will never forget.
March 13, 2019
EXCERPT: 'She said something just before she died. Something I didn't understand.'
'What?'
She said there were babies at the bottom of the garden. She asked me to look after her babies. '
For the first time I saw Mum's face crack. Her eyes widened, and her bottom lip trembled. 'I wouldn't take any notice of her. She were probably losing her mind by then.'
'She wasn't, though. I asked her if she meant her fairy statues, but she was adamant they were babies.'
'She were probably thinking about angels. She used to believe in angels, you know. She told me once her angels would be waiting for her at the end.'
I stepped outside. Maybe Mum was right. It made more sense than anything I could come up with. It was only after I'd shut the door behind me and heard the anguished sob from the other side that I wondered if she might not be able to tell me the truth, even if she wanted to.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Even the deepest buried secrets can find their way to the surface...
Moments before she dies, Nicola's grandmother Betty whispers to her that there are babies at the bottom of the garden.
Nicola's mother claims she was talking nonsense. However, when Nicola's daughter finds a bone while playing in Betty's garden, it's clear that something sinister has taken place.
But will unearthing painful family secrets end up tearing Nicola's family apart?
MY THOUGHTS: By the time I got to the end of this book, I was blubbering and had burned a tray of biscuits I was making for the bake sale. I am still feeling rather emotional, and have no idea how to put my feelings about The Last Thing She Told Me onto (virtual) paper.
Teenage pregnancy. Date rape. Illegitimacy. Blended families. Family rifts. Generational relationships. All these topics are part of the book, but definitely not the sum. We learn the story of Nicola's family mainly from her point of view, interspersed with letters from William, a Canadian airman stationed in England during WWII, to Nicola's grandma, Betty. There is also historical input from two other people involved in the story, whose identities are not revealed until almost the end.
I have long had a fascination with graveyards and love to wander the older sections, trying to decipher the inscriptions on the long neglected stones, and wondering about the lives of the people buried there. Now I will also be wondering about the secrets that have been buried with them.
WARNINGS: Tissues mandatory. Do not read and bake without fire extinguisher at hand.
💕💖💕💖
THE AUTHOR: I was born in North London in 1970 and brought up in Hertfordshire. I wrote my first novella, the Time Machine, aged eight, shortly after which I declared that my ambition was to have a novel published (I could have been easy on myself and just said ‘to write a novel’ but no, I had to consign myself to years of torture and rejections). I was frequently asked to copy out my stories for the classroom wall (probably because my handwriting was so awful no one could read my first draft), and received lots of encouragement from my teachers Mr Roberts, Mrs Chandler (who added yet more pressure by writing in my autograph book when I left primary school that she looked forward to reading my first published novel!) and Mr Bird.
My first publication came when I was thirteen and my Ode to Gary Mabbutt won second prize in the Tottenham Weekly Herald ‘My Favourite Player’ competition. At fifteen I won the Junior Spurs Football Reporter of the Year Competition and got to report on a first division football match from the press box at White Hart Lane (I got lots of funny looks and none of the journalists spoke to me.)
At sixteen I embarked on ‘A’ levels and a journalism course at De Havilland College, Hertfordshire, and my college magazine interview about football hooliganism with local MP and football club chairman David Evans made a double page spread in Shoot! magazine (they never paid me) and back page headlines in several national newspapers (only a nice man at the Daily Star bothered to check the story with me).
I joined my local newspaper, the Enfield Gazette, as a trainee reporter at eighteen. During a ten year career in regional journalism I worked as a reporter on the Birmingham Daily News, news editor on the Birmingham Metro News and Chief Feature Writer on the Coventry Evening Telegraph, winning Highly Commended in the Feature Writer of the Year category of the 1997 Press Gazette Regional Press Awards.
I loved working on regional newspapers but by 1998 my features were getting too long and the urge to write a novel had become too great so I left my staff job to write my first novel and work as a freelance journalist. I have written for The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, The Times Educational Supplement, The Big Issue, Wanderlust and Community Care Magazine. I’ve also had a short story published in Best magazine
I found the writing and working from home a very solitary process so also worked as co-ordinator of the Birmingham Bureau of Children’s Express, a national charity which runs a learning through journalism programme for young people and taught journalism to schoolchildren for the National Academy of Writing. After I moved north in 2001 I qualified as an adult education tutor and taught creative writing classes to students aged between 18 and 82 for the Workers Educational Association across Calderdale, West Yorkshire.
After more than a hundred rejections from agents for my first novel (and more rewrites than I care to remember) I finally got an agent but still couldn’t get a publisher. I started work on my second novel I DID A BAD THING in 2003, finished the first draft and gave birth to my son Rohan in 2004, rewrote the novel and got a new agent in 2005, obtained a two-book deal with Headline Review in 2006.
I Did a Bad Thing was published in paperback in October 2007, made the top thirty official fiction bestsellers list (and number 3 in Tesco!) and has so far sold more than 77,000 copies. 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love was published in paperback in March 2009, reached no 22 in the official fiction bestseller charts (and no 4 in Tesco) and has so far sold more than 80,000 copies. Both novels were also long-listed for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award.
Following the success of my first two novels I got another two-book deal from Headline Review, with Things I Wish I'd Known being the first of these. I am currently working on my fourth novel.
I enjoy travelling.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Quercus Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Last Thing She Told Me by Linda Green for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
'What?'
She said there were babies at the bottom of the garden. She asked me to look after her babies. '
For the first time I saw Mum's face crack. Her eyes widened, and her bottom lip trembled. 'I wouldn't take any notice of her. She were probably losing her mind by then.'
'She wasn't, though. I asked her if she meant her fairy statues, but she was adamant they were babies.'
'She were probably thinking about angels. She used to believe in angels, you know. She told me once her angels would be waiting for her at the end.'
I stepped outside. Maybe Mum was right. It made more sense than anything I could come up with. It was only after I'd shut the door behind me and heard the anguished sob from the other side that I wondered if she might not be able to tell me the truth, even if she wanted to.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: Even the deepest buried secrets can find their way to the surface...
Moments before she dies, Nicola's grandmother Betty whispers to her that there are babies at the bottom of the garden.
Nicola's mother claims she was talking nonsense. However, when Nicola's daughter finds a bone while playing in Betty's garden, it's clear that something sinister has taken place.
But will unearthing painful family secrets end up tearing Nicola's family apart?
MY THOUGHTS: By the time I got to the end of this book, I was blubbering and had burned a tray of biscuits I was making for the bake sale. I am still feeling rather emotional, and have no idea how to put my feelings about The Last Thing She Told Me onto (virtual) paper.
Teenage pregnancy. Date rape. Illegitimacy. Blended families. Family rifts. Generational relationships. All these topics are part of the book, but definitely not the sum. We learn the story of Nicola's family mainly from her point of view, interspersed with letters from William, a Canadian airman stationed in England during WWII, to Nicola's grandma, Betty. There is also historical input from two other people involved in the story, whose identities are not revealed until almost the end.
I have long had a fascination with graveyards and love to wander the older sections, trying to decipher the inscriptions on the long neglected stones, and wondering about the lives of the people buried there. Now I will also be wondering about the secrets that have been buried with them.
WARNINGS: Tissues mandatory. Do not read and bake without fire extinguisher at hand.
💕💖💕💖
THE AUTHOR: I was born in North London in 1970 and brought up in Hertfordshire. I wrote my first novella, the Time Machine, aged eight, shortly after which I declared that my ambition was to have a novel published (I could have been easy on myself and just said ‘to write a novel’ but no, I had to consign myself to years of torture and rejections). I was frequently asked to copy out my stories for the classroom wall (probably because my handwriting was so awful no one could read my first draft), and received lots of encouragement from my teachers Mr Roberts, Mrs Chandler (who added yet more pressure by writing in my autograph book when I left primary school that she looked forward to reading my first published novel!) and Mr Bird.
My first publication came when I was thirteen and my Ode to Gary Mabbutt won second prize in the Tottenham Weekly Herald ‘My Favourite Player’ competition. At fifteen I won the Junior Spurs Football Reporter of the Year Competition and got to report on a first division football match from the press box at White Hart Lane (I got lots of funny looks and none of the journalists spoke to me.)
At sixteen I embarked on ‘A’ levels and a journalism course at De Havilland College, Hertfordshire, and my college magazine interview about football hooliganism with local MP and football club chairman David Evans made a double page spread in Shoot! magazine (they never paid me) and back page headlines in several national newspapers (only a nice man at the Daily Star bothered to check the story with me).
I joined my local newspaper, the Enfield Gazette, as a trainee reporter at eighteen. During a ten year career in regional journalism I worked as a reporter on the Birmingham Daily News, news editor on the Birmingham Metro News and Chief Feature Writer on the Coventry Evening Telegraph, winning Highly Commended in the Feature Writer of the Year category of the 1997 Press Gazette Regional Press Awards.
I loved working on regional newspapers but by 1998 my features were getting too long and the urge to write a novel had become too great so I left my staff job to write my first novel and work as a freelance journalist. I have written for The Guardian, The Independent on Sunday, The Times Educational Supplement, The Big Issue, Wanderlust and Community Care Magazine. I’ve also had a short story published in Best magazine
I found the writing and working from home a very solitary process so also worked as co-ordinator of the Birmingham Bureau of Children’s Express, a national charity which runs a learning through journalism programme for young people and taught journalism to schoolchildren for the National Academy of Writing. After I moved north in 2001 I qualified as an adult education tutor and taught creative writing classes to students aged between 18 and 82 for the Workers Educational Association across Calderdale, West Yorkshire.
After more than a hundred rejections from agents for my first novel (and more rewrites than I care to remember) I finally got an agent but still couldn’t get a publisher. I started work on my second novel I DID A BAD THING in 2003, finished the first draft and gave birth to my son Rohan in 2004, rewrote the novel and got a new agent in 2005, obtained a two-book deal with Headline Review in 2006.
I Did a Bad Thing was published in paperback in October 2007, made the top thirty official fiction bestsellers list (and number 3 in Tesco!) and has so far sold more than 77,000 copies. 10 Reasons Not to Fall in Love was published in paperback in March 2009, reached no 22 in the official fiction bestseller charts (and no 4 in Tesco) and has so far sold more than 80,000 copies. Both novels were also long-listed for the RNA Romantic Novel of the Year Award.
Following the success of my first two novels I got another two-book deal from Headline Review, with Things I Wish I'd Known being the first of these. I am currently working on my fourth novel.
I enjoy travelling.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Quercus Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Last Thing She Told Me by Linda Green for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
March 2, 2019
Moments before she died, Nicola's grandmother whispers to her a long kept secret. Nichola's mother claims she was talking nonsense. But which one is telling the truth?
When Nicola learns for her grandmother Betty that there might be babies buried at the bottom of the garden, she confronts her mother about it. Her mother tells her it's just the ramblings of a dying woman. But then, Nicola's youngest daughter Maisie, finds a small bone near the fairy ornaments at the bottom of the garden. This opens up a can of worms as Nicola goes against her mother's wishes and gets the police involved.
What a tangled weave this story becomes as more people are dragged into the storyline. There is a lot more to be revealed before we get to the conclusion. Three generations of women whose lives have all been effected by lies, guilt and secrets. In between the chapters there are letters written by William that had been sent to Betty. Although Nicola wanted to honour her grandmothers wishes, she found although it was hard, she had to do what she thought was the right thing. This is the first book that I have read by this author but it won't be my last. It caught my attention form the beginning.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author Linda Green for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
When Nicola learns for her grandmother Betty that there might be babies buried at the bottom of the garden, she confronts her mother about it. Her mother tells her it's just the ramblings of a dying woman. But then, Nicola's youngest daughter Maisie, finds a small bone near the fairy ornaments at the bottom of the garden. This opens up a can of worms as Nicola goes against her mother's wishes and gets the police involved.
What a tangled weave this story becomes as more people are dragged into the storyline. There is a lot more to be revealed before we get to the conclusion. Three generations of women whose lives have all been effected by lies, guilt and secrets. In between the chapters there are letters written by William that had been sent to Betty. Although Nicola wanted to honour her grandmothers wishes, she found although it was hard, she had to do what she thought was the right thing. This is the first book that I have read by this author but it won't be my last. It caught my attention form the beginning.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Quercus Books and the author Linda Green for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 27, 2019
The Last Thing She Told Me by Linda Green was a heartbreaking story of secrets, lost and regret.
Nicola is visiting her grandmother who is extremely ill. The last things she tells Nicola is that there is babies at the bottom of the garden and to look after them for her.
After her grandmother dies Nicola decides to investigate this and things quickly start to escalate out of her control.
I enjoyed reading this book despite the subject matter. This is the first book I have read from this author and I will certainly be looking for more of her work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Nicola is visiting her grandmother who is extremely ill. The last things she tells Nicola is that there is babies at the bottom of the garden and to look after them for her.
After her grandmother dies Nicola decides to investigate this and things quickly start to escalate out of her control.
I enjoyed reading this book despite the subject matter. This is the first book I have read from this author and I will certainly be looking for more of her work.
Thank you to NetGalley and Quercus Books for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2018
Linda Green is a new name in the game for me, I haven't come across her books before but I know from my research that she has penned quite a few that fit into the mystery/thriller genre. I am actively looking at the blurb for the rest of them and plan to purchase some of them to read over the long, hot, summer days. Usually, emotional books have trouble working their magic on me but I was surprised to find that this was an exception to the well established rule.
Nicola is looking after her dying grandmother, Betty, and in her last moments of life she whispers something to Nicola that is both chilling and confusing. - "there are babies at the bottom of the garden". This prompts Nicola to ask her mother exactly what Betty had meant by this odd statement and was told it was nonsense. However, when Nicola's daughter uncovers a bone at the bottom of the garden, right where Betty had pointed to, it is evident something sinister has taken place. But will unearthing painful family secrets end up tearing Nicola's family apart?
This is an engaging and emotionally-charged mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed. The premise is a bold and unique one and as the suspense builds it grips you tighter and tighter. It's difficult to decipher the truth from what we are told and telling it from the fiction continues to be troublesome for a lot of the book. Sensitive issues are treated with care and worked into the storyline in an interesting way, Green's execution is perfect.
I read this is a couple of hours and have no doubt that if you like your thrillers with an emotional element to them you will devour this just as easily as I did! It will also be appreciated by those who like their thrillers to explore deeper topics.
Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Nicola is looking after her dying grandmother, Betty, and in her last moments of life she whispers something to Nicola that is both chilling and confusing. - "there are babies at the bottom of the garden". This prompts Nicola to ask her mother exactly what Betty had meant by this odd statement and was told it was nonsense. However, when Nicola's daughter uncovers a bone at the bottom of the garden, right where Betty had pointed to, it is evident something sinister has taken place. But will unearthing painful family secrets end up tearing Nicola's family apart?
This is an engaging and emotionally-charged mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed. The premise is a bold and unique one and as the suspense builds it grips you tighter and tighter. It's difficult to decipher the truth from what we are told and telling it from the fiction continues to be troublesome for a lot of the book. Sensitive issues are treated with care and worked into the storyline in an interesting way, Green's execution is perfect.
I read this is a couple of hours and have no doubt that if you like your thrillers with an emotional element to them you will devour this just as easily as I did! It will also be appreciated by those who like their thrillers to explore deeper topics.
Many thanks to Quercus for an ARC. I was not required to post a review and all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
July 26, 2018
Warning... this book will make you cry! So many powerful emotions. I have read a few books by Linda Green and am never disappointed - this one was no different. Really enjoyed this one, despite the tough storyline, I read this in a couple of hours.
3 generations of one family, all with their secrets. Nicola is with her grandmother Betty in her final hours. Just before passing away Betty asks her grand daughter to look after her babies at the end of the garden. At first she thinks she means the fairies but a few days later her own daughter finds a small bone whilst in the garden. This is when her life, and that of her mothers starts to unravel. Secrets that had long been buried are revealed.
With the story being told from different periods in time and from each womans point of view we start to put the pieces together and discover the painful secrets they have been keeping from everyone.
Thanks to Quercus Books for the advance copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
3 generations of one family, all with their secrets. Nicola is with her grandmother Betty in her final hours. Just before passing away Betty asks her grand daughter to look after her babies at the end of the garden. At first she thinks she means the fairies but a few days later her own daughter finds a small bone whilst in the garden. This is when her life, and that of her mothers starts to unravel. Secrets that had long been buried are revealed.
With the story being told from different periods in time and from each womans point of view we start to put the pieces together and discover the painful secrets they have been keeping from everyone.
Thanks to Quercus Books for the advance copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased.
March 24, 2019
Moments before Nicola’s grandmother Betty dies, she whispers for her to look after the babies at the bottom of the garden.
Assuming she meant to angel statues that are placed their, Nicola is aghast when youngest daughter Maisie finds a small bone.
This book is steeped in family secrets as Nicola believes she has a moral obligation to inform the police, she wasn’t prepared for the past to resurface in the way that it did.
It’s a tough story that tackles a really dark issue, but it’s credit to the author that these passages were so uncomfortable to read as I was really invested in the characters.
Green has created a great family unit in Nicola, James, Ruby and Maisie, one that a reader really cares for.
I liked how both children handled their great grandmothers death in the open chapters, with Ruby being slightly older and having a more mature approach.
Whilst Maisie taking comfort in the little bone believing it was from the angels was a nice touch.
Both moving and gripping, I also found how a family deals with the way the press reported the news story a fascinating angle.
I really enjoyed this book and would thoroughly recommend it!
Assuming she meant to angel statues that are placed their, Nicola is aghast when youngest daughter Maisie finds a small bone.
This book is steeped in family secrets as Nicola believes she has a moral obligation to inform the police, she wasn’t prepared for the past to resurface in the way that it did.
It’s a tough story that tackles a really dark issue, but it’s credit to the author that these passages were so uncomfortable to read as I was really invested in the characters.
Green has created a great family unit in Nicola, James, Ruby and Maisie, one that a reader really cares for.
I liked how both children handled their great grandmothers death in the open chapters, with Ruby being slightly older and having a more mature approach.
Whilst Maisie taking comfort in the little bone believing it was from the angels was a nice touch.
Both moving and gripping, I also found how a family deals with the way the press reported the news story a fascinating angle.
I really enjoyed this book and would thoroughly recommend it!
January 30, 2019
Wow! This is one heck of a well crafted mystery!
Fast paced with indepth characters and spooky surroundings, it ticked all my boxes.
Grandma's last words "look after my babies" turn Nicola's world upside down before she has a chance to interfere.
What used to be the garden playground with adorable fairy statues, turns out to be the keeper of a decades old secret. Tiny bones are found and nobody's talking. What happened all those years ago?
While the police are investigating, we accompany Nicola and her wonderful daughters in their daily routines. Eight year old Masie's zest for life and Ruby's teenage tantrums create a good balance in these messed up circumstances.
There are different voices and their stories in the background, and while it takes some getting used to not yet knowing who we're dealing with, the bigger picture does appear. With some good twists the book races to the grand finale and closes with a beautiful and respectful ending.
What an amazing story! Highly recommended.
Fast paced with indepth characters and spooky surroundings, it ticked all my boxes.
Grandma's last words "look after my babies" turn Nicola's world upside down before she has a chance to interfere.
What used to be the garden playground with adorable fairy statues, turns out to be the keeper of a decades old secret. Tiny bones are found and nobody's talking. What happened all those years ago?
While the police are investigating, we accompany Nicola and her wonderful daughters in their daily routines. Eight year old Masie's zest for life and Ruby's teenage tantrums create a good balance in these messed up circumstances.
There are different voices and their stories in the background, and while it takes some getting used to not yet knowing who we're dealing with, the bigger picture does appear. With some good twists the book races to the grand finale and closes with a beautiful and respectful ending.
What an amazing story! Highly recommended.
April 25, 2020
The last thing Nicole's grandmother Betty told her before she died is to take care of the babies at the bottom of the garden. This bewilders Nicole, but since there are two fairy statues at the bottom of the garden could it perhaps be them her grandmother talked about. But, Nicole starts to think that something is very wrong when her youngest daughter finds something by one of the fairies.
THE LAST THING SHE TOLD ME is a story about secrets, about mother and daughter relationships. And, about suffering. This is a generation story where we get to learn more about Nicole, her mother, and grandmother. All three women have gone through traumatic experiences and are keeping secrets. Betty almost took hers to the grave, but her last words lead Nicole to not only discover her grandmother's secret, but her mother. And, she is also ready to reveal her dark secret.
This is the first book I have read by Linda Green and I found the concept to be intriguing. It's a heartbreaking story, but also a book about finding the strength to confront the past and move on. I found the book to be a bit hard to read now and then, I had some trouble to truly enjoy the whole story. The youngest daughter Maisie grated on my nerves and she felt much younger in her ways than her years. However, I did love Ruby, Nicole's oldest daughter. She has to deal with a lot of difficult stuff and I thought of all the characters, was she the one I liked the best. I liked the book and I will definitely read more by Linda Green.
I want to thank Quercus for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
THE LAST THING SHE TOLD ME is a story about secrets, about mother and daughter relationships. And, about suffering. This is a generation story where we get to learn more about Nicole, her mother, and grandmother. All three women have gone through traumatic experiences and are keeping secrets. Betty almost took hers to the grave, but her last words lead Nicole to not only discover her grandmother's secret, but her mother. And, she is also ready to reveal her dark secret.
This is the first book I have read by Linda Green and I found the concept to be intriguing. It's a heartbreaking story, but also a book about finding the strength to confront the past and move on. I found the book to be a bit hard to read now and then, I had some trouble to truly enjoy the whole story. The youngest daughter Maisie grated on my nerves and she felt much younger in her ways than her years. However, I did love Ruby, Nicole's oldest daughter. She has to deal with a lot of difficult stuff and I thought of all the characters, was she the one I liked the best. I liked the book and I will definitely read more by Linda Green.
I want to thank Quercus for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review!
November 2, 2019
"All I could think of as I sat there and sobbed was the last thing she told me."
Well, talk about a book coming out of the middle of freakin’ nowhere. This just goes to show that sometimes impulse reads are the best kind of reads.
Nicola’s grandmother is dying. Devastated by the loss of her beloved grandmother, Nicola quickly rushes to her bedside to be with her in her last moments. Her final words to Nicola are words that she never expected to hear, but ones that will have lasting ramifications for generations to come. Did Nicola ever really know her family? And what did her grandmother exactly mean when she said those words? And most importantly, does Nicola even want to find out?
I had no plans or intentions to read this book. Truly I didn’t. But as with all book addicts, one of my biggest downfalls is to check the Kindle deals for any books that have gone on sale that might be on my TBR shelf. I mean, most of them are less than $3.00. How can a girl refuse?
Anyhoo, as I was perusing the deals section, this unassuming book caught my attention. The cover wasn’t particularly glamorous, but then I read the beginning of the synopsis:
How the hell am I supposed to resist a book with a plot description like that?!! And it was only $.99 cents!! Needless to say, I snatched it right up and immediately proceeded to read it as soon as it finished downloading.
I don’t know if that was the best idea in the world, because this little book tore my heart out, stomped on it, crushed it, ground it into a meat grinder, and then ever so politely gave it back to me (‘cause the British are like that with their politeness.)
This American would like to say thanks a freaking lot, you British crumpets!!!
Actually, when I went into this book based on the plot synopsis, I thought this book was totally going to be about something completely different than it was. I thought this was going to be a psychological thriller/serial killer murder mystery. This book had me completely hoodwinked. I didn’t get what I was expecting, but I got something a whole lot more in return.
One thing I really liked about this book was the relationships that were portrayed, both in their complexity and familiarity. Nicola has a great support system in her partner, and he was nothing but supportive of her throughout the entire time. He never tried to convince her that she was crazy and didn’t believe her or think that they should just let the manly-man police do their thing. He was with her and believed her every step of the way. We stan with supportive, non-alpha male characters.
I also love how the book highlights the complexity of mother/daughter relationships. I’m a self-described mom’s girl; so I enjoy reading about other mother/daughter relationships that are different from my own experience. While the relationships in this book are fraught with secrets and deceit, they were nonetheless powerful in both their dynamics and how it all came around in the end.
I know I’m being rather vague in my plot summary and what actually happens in this book. However, I think the less you know about this book the better. What I will tell you is that this little, unassuming book might not be what you expect it to be. What it does have is a plot that never lets you go, characters that will imprint on your heart, and a story that will haunt you long after you turn the pages.
Well, talk about a book coming out of the middle of freakin’ nowhere. This just goes to show that sometimes impulse reads are the best kind of reads.
Nicola’s grandmother is dying. Devastated by the loss of her beloved grandmother, Nicola quickly rushes to her bedside to be with her in her last moments. Her final words to Nicola are words that she never expected to hear, but ones that will have lasting ramifications for generations to come. Did Nicola ever really know her family? And what did her grandmother exactly mean when she said those words? And most importantly, does Nicola even want to find out?
I had no plans or intentions to read this book. Truly I didn’t. But as with all book addicts, one of my biggest downfalls is to check the Kindle deals for any books that have gone on sale that might be on my TBR shelf. I mean, most of them are less than $3.00. How can a girl refuse?
Anyhoo, as I was perusing the deals section, this unassuming book caught my attention. The cover wasn’t particularly glamorous, but then I read the beginning of the synopsis:
”Moments before she dies, Nicola’s grandmother Betty whispers to her that there are babies at the bottom of the garden.”
How the hell am I supposed to resist a book with a plot description like that?!! And it was only $.99 cents!! Needless to say, I snatched it right up and immediately proceeded to read it as soon as it finished downloading.
I don’t know if that was the best idea in the world, because this little book tore my heart out, stomped on it, crushed it, ground it into a meat grinder, and then ever so politely gave it back to me (‘cause the British are like that with their politeness.)
This American would like to say thanks a freaking lot, you British crumpets!!!
Actually, when I went into this book based on the plot synopsis, I thought this book was totally going to be about something completely different than it was. I thought this was going to be a psychological thriller/serial killer murder mystery. This book had me completely hoodwinked. I didn’t get what I was expecting, but I got something a whole lot more in return.
One thing I really liked about this book was the relationships that were portrayed, both in their complexity and familiarity. Nicola has a great support system in her partner, and he was nothing but supportive of her throughout the entire time. He never tried to convince her that she was crazy and didn’t believe her or think that they should just let the manly-man police do their thing. He was with her and believed her every step of the way. We stan with supportive, non-alpha male characters.
I also love how the book highlights the complexity of mother/daughter relationships. I’m a self-described mom’s girl; so I enjoy reading about other mother/daughter relationships that are different from my own experience. While the relationships in this book are fraught with secrets and deceit, they were nonetheless powerful in both their dynamics and how it all came around in the end.
I know I’m being rather vague in my plot summary and what actually happens in this book. However, I think the less you know about this book the better. What I will tell you is that this little, unassuming book might not be what you expect it to be. What it does have is a plot that never lets you go, characters that will imprint on your heart, and a story that will haunt you long after you turn the pages.
March 25, 2021
Great read, ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2 Stars, review to come.
June 28, 2018
A moving account of a family troubled by events from the past. The story sees central character Nicola trying to piece together what happened to her grandmother Betty, in turn revealing devastating events that affect the whole family.
An emotional read with a well crafted plot that kept me guessing throughout. The story deals with traumatic issues in a very sensitive way and I really felt for the characters affected. If you enjoy an involving story that covers deeper topics then this is the book for you.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
An emotional read with a well crafted plot that kept me guessing throughout. The story deals with traumatic issues in a very sensitive way and I really felt for the characters affected. If you enjoy an involving story that covers deeper topics then this is the book for you.
*I received a copy of the book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 29, 2018
I actually struggled a bit with this one. I don’t know why. I don’t know if it was the writing style or what it was. But at first something just didn’t sit with me. I did read this to the end however and the ending was a very good twist. But I’m still not 100% made me mind up about if I really liked it or not.
November 9, 2020
maybe of all books I've read this is the most
deserving of the label "domestic suspense"
because of its plot simplicity, its reduced
number of characters, layered past stories
and depths that only the truth can reveal. ♡
deserving of the label "domestic suspense"
because of its plot simplicity, its reduced
number of characters, layered past stories
and depths that only the truth can reveal. ♡
August 20, 2018
Such a difficult book to rate. The subject matter means it’s not a book you can enjoy, it’s very sad and unsettling but, at the same time, a compelling and absorbing read.
3-4 stars
3-4 stars
March 13, 2019
On the day her Grandmother passed away, Nicola not only had to say goodbye to her, she also had to listen to her Grandmothers last wish. This wish being that Nicola look after the babies buried at the bottom of the garden.
It wasn't just babies that where buried there, it was centuries of secrets that blow lives apart and also bring to the fore, sinister goings on.
I really enjoyed this book but found some of the material hard to read at times, although it highlights issues that can and have occurred through the years.
It wasn't just babies that where buried there, it was centuries of secrets that blow lives apart and also bring to the fore, sinister goings on.
I really enjoyed this book but found some of the material hard to read at times, although it highlights issues that can and have occurred through the years.
June 5, 2021
Just before Nicola's grandmother dies, she utters her final sentences 'there are babies'. She then tells her they are at the bottom of the garden, before passing away. Days later, Nicola's daughter finds a tiny bone whilst playing in the garden.This sets a motion of events that will tear Nicola's life apart, devastating secrets revealed after years of heartache.
What an amazing book - I absolutely flew through it! I couldn't put it down! This creates so many different emotions, how heartbreaking it must have been. Linda has made the story feel so incredibly realistic. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
What an amazing book - I absolutely flew through it! I couldn't put it down! This creates so many different emotions, how heartbreaking it must have been. Linda has made the story feel so incredibly realistic. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.
April 25, 2019
The last thing she told me este o poveste trista, care te lasa cu un nod in gat, o poveste asa cum nu ma asteptam. Din descriere, titlu si chiar coperta ma asteptam la un thriller si mult suspans, ma trimitea cu gandul la multe crime si o poveste intortocheata. Nu a fost chiar asa insa. A avut si elemente de thriller si a existat suspans, insa romanul s-a indreptat intr-o alta directie: a fost emotionant, a reliefat personaje puternice si sacrifiicile lor si a transmis un mesaj de actualitate.
Romanul surprinde pozitia femeii in societate si abuzurile pe care femeile in general, de-a lungul anilor, le-au suportat cu umilinta si rusine intr-o lume a barbatilor, in care doar ei detin puterea.
Povestea se deschide cu dezvaluirea bunicii lui Nicola pe patul de moarte, care ii lasa casa nepoatei sale si ii spune ca in gradina sunt ingropate cadavrele unor copii. Incep astfel sapaturile in trecut: cine a fost Betty, bunica Nicolei? Ce stie mama Nicolei despre asta? Cine a omorat si ingropat copiii si de ce? Astfel se intercaleaza trei povesti de viata: cea din prezent, a Nicolei, care are doua fetite si o relatie oscilanta cu acestea din cauza unei traume din trecut, a mamei Nicolei, care e distanta si rautacioasa si care se inchide in ea, si a bunicii Nicolei si a familiei acesteia, a carei viata din timpul celui De-al Doilea Razboi Mondial devine punct central. Toate aceste femei sunt legate de o trauma comuna, sunt dominate de frica si rusine. Nicola e cea care incearca astfel sa rupa acest lant al nenorocirilor si sa depaseasca stigmatul familiei in care s-a nascut, pentru a le asigura fetelor ei un viitor frumos. E o poveste despre sacrificiile facute de trei mame, despre relatia lor cu copiii si felul in care propria copilarie influenteaza vietile lor de adult. Mi-a placut!
Romanul surprinde pozitia femeii in societate si abuzurile pe care femeile in general, de-a lungul anilor, le-au suportat cu umilinta si rusine intr-o lume a barbatilor, in care doar ei detin puterea.
Povestea se deschide cu dezvaluirea bunicii lui Nicola pe patul de moarte, care ii lasa casa nepoatei sale si ii spune ca in gradina sunt ingropate cadavrele unor copii. Incep astfel sapaturile in trecut: cine a fost Betty, bunica Nicolei? Ce stie mama Nicolei despre asta? Cine a omorat si ingropat copiii si de ce? Astfel se intercaleaza trei povesti de viata: cea din prezent, a Nicolei, care are doua fetite si o relatie oscilanta cu acestea din cauza unei traume din trecut, a mamei Nicolei, care e distanta si rautacioasa si care se inchide in ea, si a bunicii Nicolei si a familiei acesteia, a carei viata din timpul celui De-al Doilea Razboi Mondial devine punct central. Toate aceste femei sunt legate de o trauma comuna, sunt dominate de frica si rusine. Nicola e cea care incearca astfel sa rupa acest lant al nenorocirilor si sa depaseasca stigmatul familiei in care s-a nascut, pentru a le asigura fetelor ei un viitor frumos. E o poveste despre sacrificiile facute de trei mame, despre relatia lor cu copiii si felul in care propria copilarie influenteaza vietile lor de adult. Mi-a placut!
May 19, 2019
Really enjoyed this one - a thoroughly good twisty page turner.
July 12, 2019
A fabulous read from Linda Green.
This was a mystery told from three generations of the same family. Full of tense, gripping moments and many twists and turns the story was intensely exciting to read and the characters were well fleshed out. It was also very emotional and heartbreaking and it had me hooked from the start. I would definitely recommend The Last Thing She Told Me.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Quercus Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
This was a mystery told from three generations of the same family. Full of tense, gripping moments and many twists and turns the story was intensely exciting to read and the characters were well fleshed out. It was also very emotional and heartbreaking and it had me hooked from the start. I would definitely recommend The Last Thing She Told Me.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Quercus Books via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.
May 3, 2020
*thank you to Netgalley, Linda Green and Quercus Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
2 stars.
TRIGGER WARNING: sexual abuse, rape, death of a baby.
I decided that I was not going to of myself at further risk and read the last 20% of this book. While I enjoyed parts of it, the abuse was way too triggering for me. I have PTSD and am rather angry that this did not come with a warning. While I did like her writing and the way the story captures your interest, the abuse scenes were far too detailed. For that reason, I can not give it more than 2 stars.
2 stars.
TRIGGER WARNING: sexual abuse, rape, death of a baby.
I decided that I was not going to of myself at further risk and read the last 20% of this book. While I enjoyed parts of it, the abuse was way too triggering for me. I have PTSD and am rather angry that this did not come with a warning. While I did like her writing and the way the story captures your interest, the abuse scenes were far too detailed. For that reason, I can not give it more than 2 stars.
January 8, 2020
Echte aanrader.
November 21, 2020
Odlična!
September 2, 2024
Nicola lives in Yorkshire with her husband James and two daughters, Ruby and Maisie. All of her life she grew up with the knowledge her mum and her Grandma did not get on and they rarely visited her grandparents home. Despite this, as Nicola becomes an adult and mother herself, she builds her own relationship with her Grandma. As the novel opens, Betty is dying and Nicola is sitting with her as she takes her last breath. Just before she passes she whispers to Nicola to watch over her babies at the bottom of the garden. Alone with her grief she wonders why, of all the things she could have said at the end, her Grandma chose to tell her this. The only thing at the bottom of Gran’s garden are fairy statues ones that Nicola used to talk to, sing to and dance around. On a visit to sort out some of her Grandma’s paperwork , Maisie finds a ‘fairy’ bone that she dug up next to the fairy statues. Nicola is now sure that on her death bed her Grandma revealed a family secret. Armed with a spade Nicola moves the statue and digs underneath it and as much as she hoped she wouldn’t find anything, she discovers remains of a human skeleton. Despite her mother warning her of to leave things as they are, Nicola goes to the police and reports her find, concerned that there will be more under the second fairy statue. Whose babies are they? Surely no one in her family will have murdered a baby? And why has her mum just cut her out and stopped talking to her? As the police dig up all the bones and do DNA checks, Nicola tries to piece together her family history and locate another family relative who was alive at the time this may have happened. As Nicola delves deeper into her families past, so her life as she knew it starts to unravel , yet she is sure her mother knows something despite all her denials.
July 26, 2018
The dilemma with a secret is should it go to the grave or finally be shared. Ninety year old Betty was close to dying but before she did she passed on two things to her granddaughter Nicola. Firstly she was leaving her in charge of the cottage where she had lived out most of her life, this then had to be left to Ruby, Nicola’s oldest daughter and secondly a secret. But had Nicola heard correctly? I must admit it sent shivers through me even though I was reading on a blistering hot day. Nicola literally dug up her grandmother’s past and set in motion events which couldn’t be put back in Pandora’s box.
This book is what I call a heart on your sleeve story because it comes from the soul, I just connected with the characters from the start. Beautifully written it covers three generations of women in the same family, all unknowingly tragically connected. The story is told from both ends of the secret as from present day it unravels back from its discovery to Betty as a young girl through WW2 and how the secret began to form.
The three generations secrets are shared with the reader in each emotional page. Nicola, who is the central character in the story, is one determined lady on a personal mission to find out why Betty’s secret tore the family apart years before. Wanting to know and getting to know are two different things though.
I felt myself invested in the lives of these three women and just held my breath that it wouldn’t all be repeated again like some Groundhog Day sort of eternal curse on the women of this family. Oh boy are there some surprises as the pages go by. The story does take off at a heart pulsing pace on the last few chapters with a punch in the air conclusion.
I wish to thank Quercus Books for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
This book is what I call a heart on your sleeve story because it comes from the soul, I just connected with the characters from the start. Beautifully written it covers three generations of women in the same family, all unknowingly tragically connected. The story is told from both ends of the secret as from present day it unravels back from its discovery to Betty as a young girl through WW2 and how the secret began to form.
The three generations secrets are shared with the reader in each emotional page. Nicola, who is the central character in the story, is one determined lady on a personal mission to find out why Betty’s secret tore the family apart years before. Wanting to know and getting to know are two different things though.
I felt myself invested in the lives of these three women and just held my breath that it wouldn’t all be repeated again like some Groundhog Day sort of eternal curse on the women of this family. Oh boy are there some surprises as the pages go by. The story does take off at a heart pulsing pace on the last few chapters with a punch in the air conclusion.
I wish to thank Quercus Books for an e-copy of this book which I have reviewed honestly.
August 27, 2019
It did manage to keep me engaged and I was curious about how it would end (although there weren't many possibilities). The mother's indignant attitude to bad decisions she was making for her family were annoying, almost as annoying as a husband who isn't challenging them. There was a clever little trick that, on looking back, had been out in the open for all to see from the beginning which intrigued me. I would have worried that I'd given the game away much too easily and yet it didn't. More sleight of hand than craftsmanship but it worked. I got through it pretty quickly but that's because I mainly wanted it to be over. The reveal (about a hundred pages from the end) was neatly done and definitely created tension however, being so far from the end, it was obvious that it would be sorted out successfully. If you want to kill a few hours without having to exercise the old brain then this does the job nicely.
July 14, 2018
Oh what a brilliant book! Started it today and read it over a couple of hours, I didn't want to put it down., it was so well written. I love books like these written about generations of a family and how the actions of someone many years ago reverberate through to the present. Some absolutely heartbreaking themes are explored, and it is mainly a story about family relationships, of secrets which have been kept hidden over a lifetime. My heart just broke for some of the characters especially when they were let down by the very people who should be protecting them.
Absolutely loved this book, very cleverly written with quite a few surprises. I would definitely recommend this book, thank you so much to Netgalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to read this as an arc.
Absolutely loved this book, very cleverly written with quite a few surprises. I would definitely recommend this book, thank you so much to Netgalley and to the publisher for the opportunity to read this as an arc.
January 24, 2020
Booooring! For 2/3th of the book nothing happens then something horrible i did not enjoy reading at all happened then it got boring again.
Not at all the ghost story i was expecting from the title, cover art and the back. When i picked it up i was expecting an the orphanage like story. How misslead was i? Instead i got a story about a random mundane family with a family 'sercret' that is by far not as interesting as alluded to.
It is safe to say this is not my thing. Besides the boring story i also found the repetetive writing style annoying. It could, and in my opinion should, have easily been a short story instead.
The author wants to send a message with this book. An important, though quite outdated, message it is. This does not make the book any less tedious to read.
Not at all the ghost story i was expecting from the title, cover art and the back. When i picked it up i was expecting an the orphanage like story. How misslead was i? Instead i got a story about a random mundane family with a family 'sercret' that is by far not as interesting as alluded to.
It is safe to say this is not my thing. Besides the boring story i also found the repetetive writing style annoying. It could, and in my opinion should, have easily been a short story instead.
The author wants to send a message with this book. An important, though quite outdated, message it is. This does not make the book any less tedious to read.
November 1, 2021
I think I read this in 2 seatings. The whole family mystery and the pain behind it were very hard to leave down for another day.
I have to admit that maybe the whole story felt a lot to take in, considering it was affecting all the women in the family with a different set of drama that makes it just a tad unrealistic to have everything happen in one family. However, who am I to judge?
The characters really conveyed the pain and the difficulties of each period they were living in and despite some over the top teenage drama that was handled maybe too ideally and adult-like for me, they realistic in their own drama.
The ending was cathartic in the sense after everything that went down and I was able to have a closure myself with this book.
I have to admit that maybe the whole story felt a lot to take in, considering it was affecting all the women in the family with a different set of drama that makes it just a tad unrealistic to have everything happen in one family. However, who am I to judge?
The characters really conveyed the pain and the difficulties of each period they were living in and despite some over the top teenage drama that was handled maybe too ideally and adult-like for me, they realistic in their own drama.
The ending was cathartic in the sense after everything that went down and I was able to have a closure myself with this book.
November 19, 2018
Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
Nicola is caring for her dying grandmother and in her last moments she tells her to look after the babies in the garden. Betty passed away and Nicola is devastated. She speaks with her mum who tells her to leave it alone but when Nicola’s young daughter finds a bone, her whole world starts to crumble.
This story is interwoven with another POV from one of the women in the family and it’s so heartbreaking that I was in tears reading it. A beautiful read that had me hooked.
Nicola is caring for her dying grandmother and in her last moments she tells her to look after the babies in the garden. Betty passed away and Nicola is devastated. She speaks with her mum who tells her to leave it alone but when Nicola’s young daughter finds a bone, her whole world starts to crumble.
This story is interwoven with another POV from one of the women in the family and it’s so heartbreaking that I was in tears reading it. A beautiful read that had me hooked.
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