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Homecoming
Welcome to The Starlings... sun, sea and neighbours to die for.
Security, a sparkling sea view and the best kind of neighbours - The Starlings gated community has it all. Here, doors are left open, children run free, and at the heart of it all is the entrepreneurial Gold Family, who first dreamed up this aspirational vision of 'Dorset's Safest Community'. To the outside world the popular family appears glitteringly blessed... until an idyllic party takes a dark turn and one of their number is found slumped at the foot of the clocktower. Who knows what really happened? And what answers are harboured within the old building, the former Highcap Mother and Baby Home?'
Security, a sparkling sea view and the best kind of neighbours - The Starlings gated community has it all. Here, doors are left open, children run free, and at the heart of it all is the entrepreneurial Gold Family, who first dreamed up this aspirational vision of 'Dorset's Safest Community'. To the outside world the popular family appears glitteringly blessed... until an idyllic party takes a dark turn and one of their number is found slumped at the foot of the clocktower. Who knows what really happened? And what answers are harboured within the old building, the former Highcap Mother and Baby Home?'
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 24, 2022
105 people are currently reading
297 people want to read
About the author
Isabel Ashdown
15 books254 followersIsabel Ashdown is an award-winning author and writing coach. 'One Girl, One Summer' is her tenth novel.
Isabel’s writing career launched with her critically acclaimed debut 'Glasshopper', which was twice named among Best Books of the Year after winning first prize in a national competition judged by Fay Weldon, Sir John Mortimer, and Michael Ridpath. Since then, her thrillers 'Little Sister' and 'Beautiful Liars' have been shortlisted in the Dead Good Reader Awards, while '33 Women' was an Amazon bestseller within weeks of release. Alongside her own work, Isabel is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow and a coach to developing writers.
Born in London, Isabel grew up on the south coast, and she now spends much of her time in a writing cabin in West Dorset, built for her by carpenter husband, Colin. She is a member of the Society of Authors and is represented by Kate Shaw of The Shaw Agency. Isabel lives with her husband, with whom she has two grown-up children and a pair of ageing dogs. Her happy place is anywhere with a coastal view.
Find out more about Isabel via her website, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.
Isabel’s writing career launched with her critically acclaimed debut 'Glasshopper', which was twice named among Best Books of the Year after winning first prize in a national competition judged by Fay Weldon, Sir John Mortimer, and Michael Ridpath. Since then, her thrillers 'Little Sister' and 'Beautiful Liars' have been shortlisted in the Dead Good Reader Awards, while '33 Women' was an Amazon bestseller within weeks of release. Alongside her own work, Isabel is a Royal Literary Fund Fellow and a coach to developing writers.
Born in London, Isabel grew up on the south coast, and she now spends much of her time in a writing cabin in West Dorset, built for her by carpenter husband, Colin. She is a member of the Society of Authors and is represented by Kate Shaw of The Shaw Agency. Isabel lives with her husband, with whom she has two grown-up children and a pair of ageing dogs. Her happy place is anywhere with a coastal view.
Find out more about Isabel via her website, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
October 25, 2024
This is a fantastic book, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. There are well developed characters, and it's a domestic thriller with lies and secrets to uncover. The Golds purchased The starlings and developed it to be a gated community, which previously was a mother and baby home where atrocities occurred, the home telling mothers that their babies had not survived where in actual fact they were taken away for adoption. The story unfolds to give the reader moral questions while also being a psychological thriller. My favourite character is Frieda, closely followed by Ginny. The men in the book are positively mysogonistic, apart from Hugo, whom I had a soft spot for. It's a gripping, beautifully written, atmospheric, with surprises aplenty it's a super book.
May 21, 2024
Homecoming by Isabel Ashdown
Blurb -
- [ ] Welcome to The Starlings... sun, sea and neighbours to die for. Security, a sparkling sea view and the best kind of neighbours - The Starlings gated community has it all. Here, doors are left open, children run free and at the heart of it all is the entrepreneurial Gold Family, who first dreamed up this aspirational vision of 'Dorset's Safest Community'. To the outside world the popular family appears glitteringly blessed... until an idyllic party takes a dark turn and one of their number is found slumped at the foot of the clocktower. Who knows what really happened? And what answers are harboured within the old building, the former Highcap Mother and Baby Home?'
Review -
- [ ] I finished this book last night and strangely enough it’s still been on my mind all today. I felt like I was a personal friend of Katrin and also developed a motherly connection to teenager Frida. I am now actually missing their company and the story in general. The author really captured my love and concern for the female characters in the story and a very strong bond quickly blossomed with them. The male characters were generally portrayed as misogynistic, unfaithful and uncaring, with the exception of Hugo who I had a soft spot for. The subject of the story involves a former Mother and Baby Home, “The Starlings” which closed in the early 1980’s with the babies who have now grown up searching for their birth mothers. This was quite upsetting at times with a deep harrowing secret at the heart of ‘The Starlings’ and the anguish was genuinely palpable for the characters involved.
- [ ] This character driven suspense novel with a mystery element was very addictive and so well written. I’ve been introduced to a new author, who I’m hoping will be a regular author for me soon and I have no qualms at all in recommending “Homecoming” and Isabel Ashdown!
#Homecoming - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to ‘Compulsive Readers’ for inviting me on the tour and to the author for my copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Blurb -
- [ ] Welcome to The Starlings... sun, sea and neighbours to die for. Security, a sparkling sea view and the best kind of neighbours - The Starlings gated community has it all. Here, doors are left open, children run free and at the heart of it all is the entrepreneurial Gold Family, who first dreamed up this aspirational vision of 'Dorset's Safest Community'. To the outside world the popular family appears glitteringly blessed... until an idyllic party takes a dark turn and one of their number is found slumped at the foot of the clocktower. Who knows what really happened? And what answers are harboured within the old building, the former Highcap Mother and Baby Home?'
Review -
- [ ] I finished this book last night and strangely enough it’s still been on my mind all today. I felt like I was a personal friend of Katrin and also developed a motherly connection to teenager Frida. I am now actually missing their company and the story in general. The author really captured my love and concern for the female characters in the story and a very strong bond quickly blossomed with them. The male characters were generally portrayed as misogynistic, unfaithful and uncaring, with the exception of Hugo who I had a soft spot for. The subject of the story involves a former Mother and Baby Home, “The Starlings” which closed in the early 1980’s with the babies who have now grown up searching for their birth mothers. This was quite upsetting at times with a deep harrowing secret at the heart of ‘The Starlings’ and the anguish was genuinely palpable for the characters involved.
- [ ] This character driven suspense novel with a mystery element was very addictive and so well written. I’ve been introduced to a new author, who I’m hoping will be a regular author for me soon and I have no qualms at all in recommending “Homecoming” and Isabel Ashdown!
#Homecoming - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to ‘Compulsive Readers’ for inviting me on the tour and to the author for my copy of the book in return for an honest review.
December 11, 2022
A slow burn Homecoming was an entertaining domestic thriller with intriguing characters and enough secrets to keep you guessing till the end
October 22, 2024
Homecoming by new to me author Isabel Ashdown offered an intriguing story filled with lies, betrayal and deception but unfortunately fell flat for me. I became increasingly frustrated that absolutely nothing of noteworthy importance happened until well past the 50% mark. Instead there were a lot of innuendo and red herrings and I admit, it worked to keep me holding onto hope that something big was about to happen.
When events started to occur, it brought my anticipation level back up, but the ending fell flat for me. The list of suspects were numerous and this story could have gone in a lot of different directions, but the ending felt rushed and didn’t make sense.
I thought the author did a very good job with character building, giving the reader a lot of characters that were easy to empathize with and relate to as well as characters the reader immediately dislikes upon meeting. I also enjoyed the detail the author put into creating this master planned community. I had an excellent visual in my mind’s eye while reading and would have enjoyed being part of a beautiful community like this one. She also gives enough detail of what transpired so many years ago on this property to give the reader a lot of apprehension about the place.
My Final Verdict: Overall, I was disappointed with the direction and outcome of this story, but I enjoyed the author’s skill at character and locale building and am open to reading more of her work. Readers who don’t mind how long a story takes to get going or less than jaw dropping conclusions will likely enjoy this one.
When events started to occur, it brought my anticipation level back up, but the ending fell flat for me. The list of suspects were numerous and this story could have gone in a lot of different directions, but the ending felt rushed and didn’t make sense.
I thought the author did a very good job with character building, giving the reader a lot of characters that were easy to empathize with and relate to as well as characters the reader immediately dislikes upon meeting. I also enjoyed the detail the author put into creating this master planned community. I had an excellent visual in my mind’s eye while reading and would have enjoyed being part of a beautiful community like this one. She also gives enough detail of what transpired so many years ago on this property to give the reader a lot of apprehension about the place.
My Final Verdict: Overall, I was disappointed with the direction and outcome of this story, but I enjoyed the author’s skill at character and locale building and am open to reading more of her work. Readers who don’t mind how long a story takes to get going or less than jaw dropping conclusions will likely enjoy this one.
April 23, 2023
There’s a barbecue in celebration of the one year anniversary for the residents of The Starlings, a gated community and then, suddenly, a body is discovered. Who’s dead and is anyone responsible for this death? I was a bit overwhelmed with the start of the novel as all the characters were present and I didn’t know them yet but it was nothing to worry about because I had the chance to really get to know each of them throughout the story.
At first glance the Gold family are living the dream and they have the perfect family. Katrin and Bill and their young twins are residents (and founders) of The Starlings, and close to Hugo and Amelie and their daughter Frida. The drama seemed to be centered at first around Frida (there’s clearly something going on at school) and her parents (Amelie is not a devoted mother and poor Hugo just has to keep all the balls in the air) but looks can be deceiving. Then there’s Ginny who befriends Katrin and becomes her bestie but is clearly hiding something as well. Her fear is plain to see but the author did a great job at hiding what she’s fearful for.
Homecoming is a really intriguing read with a lot of mystery and I couldn’t quite put my finger on the situation there but it often felt not quite right. People are having secrets, they are hiding things, and some know things about others, others are completely oblivious… There was a lot left unsaid and I was very excited to see how everything would unfold and how it would eventually culminate to a situation that involved a dead body.
Before Katrin and her husband developed The Starlings into the luxury houses of the present day, the site was a Mother and Child care home and then an asylum in the past. That past setting was suspiciously often referred to and my feelers were out because I had a strong sense of foreboding that there was more to discover about the site and the clocktower that they had kept. Ginny volunteered to help Katrin with the restauration but there’s no real progress made after months and for the life of me I couldn’t understand why that was.
Homecoming has domestic suspense and family drama in spades and I really enjoyed the journey towards the fateful ending. I didn’t know anything at all and that’s what I love the most.
I you loved Big Little Lies (or if you like to watch a soap like Neighbours) then this will definitely be up your street, it had the same vibe for me although I liked this one better than both of these references, probably because it was slightly more atmospheric and there was a simmering unsettling feeling that the author was able to maintain from start to finish.
At first glance the Gold family are living the dream and they have the perfect family. Katrin and Bill and their young twins are residents (and founders) of The Starlings, and close to Hugo and Amelie and their daughter Frida. The drama seemed to be centered at first around Frida (there’s clearly something going on at school) and her parents (Amelie is not a devoted mother and poor Hugo just has to keep all the balls in the air) but looks can be deceiving. Then there’s Ginny who befriends Katrin and becomes her bestie but is clearly hiding something as well. Her fear is plain to see but the author did a great job at hiding what she’s fearful for.
Homecoming is a really intriguing read with a lot of mystery and I couldn’t quite put my finger on the situation there but it often felt not quite right. People are having secrets, they are hiding things, and some know things about others, others are completely oblivious… There was a lot left unsaid and I was very excited to see how everything would unfold and how it would eventually culminate to a situation that involved a dead body.
Before Katrin and her husband developed The Starlings into the luxury houses of the present day, the site was a Mother and Child care home and then an asylum in the past. That past setting was suspiciously often referred to and my feelers were out because I had a strong sense of foreboding that there was more to discover about the site and the clocktower that they had kept. Ginny volunteered to help Katrin with the restauration but there’s no real progress made after months and for the life of me I couldn’t understand why that was.
Homecoming has domestic suspense and family drama in spades and I really enjoyed the journey towards the fateful ending. I didn’t know anything at all and that’s what I love the most.
I you loved Big Little Lies (or if you like to watch a soap like Neighbours) then this will definitely be up your street, it had the same vibe for me although I liked this one better than both of these references, probably because it was slightly more atmospheric and there was a simmering unsettling feeling that the author was able to maintain from start to finish.
February 27, 2023
Most disappointing. I loved Glasshopper even though it was difficult to follow the plot. Here it's easy to keep track of what is going on, but both the plot and the characters turn out to be quite inconsistent with the reader's expectations, as well as giving us a detective story where Ali the detective doesn't do very much detecting.
Fascinating how starlings have such different reputations in Britain and America. Perhaps like some football hooligans, they behave much worse when abroad. As a Yank, I always feel guilty about the offensive behaviour of grey squirrels towards their red English cousins, but perhaps the bad treatment American birds have received from starlings should also be weighed in the balance.
Fascinating how starlings have such different reputations in Britain and America. Perhaps like some football hooligans, they behave much worse when abroad. As a Yank, I always feel guilty about the offensive behaviour of grey squirrels towards their red English cousins, but perhaps the bad treatment American birds have received from starlings should also be weighed in the balance.
October 27, 2024
A twisted tale of dangerous secrets slowly being revealed in an affluent new gated community.
Full review to follow
Full review to follow
November 23, 2022
I’m a huge fan of Isabel Ashdown’s writing, so I jumped at the chance to join the blog tour for her latest book, Homecoming. I love a thriller that zooms in on a tight knit community and this is what Isabel Ashdown does in this book and it is a gripping read.
The setting of this novel is a former Mother and Baby Home which does carry with it, a dark and intriguing past. But the home is now a luxury development called The Starlings, created by the Gold family who also live there. Some of the residents who have moved in, have a connection to its past, and they are keen to bring the knowledge of what happened at the home into the public domain. This sort of setting, a new luxury retreat, with top of the range security, can be idyllic, but it also gives the feeling that there are people watching you, and that everyone knows everyone’s secrets and Isabel Ashdown describes it very well.
It’s the characters who really pulled me into the story and the secrets they might be hiding. This is what creates tension. I felt as though there was something dark going on here, especially when things take a more sinister turn, with the discovery of a body at the foot of the clock tower. As the police get involved, it feels as though Isabel Ashdown really is putting her characters under the microscope. I was especially keen to find out more about Ginny and her past and what happened at the top of the clock tower.
I loved the way how Isabel Ashdown peeled back the layers of what is really going on inside this community. I wouldn’t describe this as a particularly fast paced book, but Isabel Ashdown’s writing is very addictive. Isabel Ashdown builds characters really well and they are what make her books stand out. There is also a lot of emotion in her book, especially as the history of the starlings is explored further, and there are some harrowing secrets which come to light.
Isabel Ashdown is a brilliant writer. If you haven’t discovered her books yet, you need to read them.
The setting of this novel is a former Mother and Baby Home which does carry with it, a dark and intriguing past. But the home is now a luxury development called The Starlings, created by the Gold family who also live there. Some of the residents who have moved in, have a connection to its past, and they are keen to bring the knowledge of what happened at the home into the public domain. This sort of setting, a new luxury retreat, with top of the range security, can be idyllic, but it also gives the feeling that there are people watching you, and that everyone knows everyone’s secrets and Isabel Ashdown describes it very well.
It’s the characters who really pulled me into the story and the secrets they might be hiding. This is what creates tension. I felt as though there was something dark going on here, especially when things take a more sinister turn, with the discovery of a body at the foot of the clock tower. As the police get involved, it feels as though Isabel Ashdown really is putting her characters under the microscope. I was especially keen to find out more about Ginny and her past and what happened at the top of the clock tower.
I loved the way how Isabel Ashdown peeled back the layers of what is really going on inside this community. I wouldn’t describe this as a particularly fast paced book, but Isabel Ashdown’s writing is very addictive. Isabel Ashdown builds characters really well and they are what make her books stand out. There is also a lot of emotion in her book, especially as the history of the starlings is explored further, and there are some harrowing secrets which come to light.
Isabel Ashdown is a brilliant writer. If you haven’t discovered her books yet, you need to read them.
November 25, 2022
Thanks to Compulsive Readers & Orion for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This story is about a very luxurious gated community in Southern England. From the outside the Gould family look perfect, Katrin & Bill, their twin boys, Bill’s brother Hugo, his wife Amelie and his step daughter Frida. All is not what it seems! There is so many twists and turns I did not see coming. I really liked Katrins character. This is one of them books once you put it down you are still thinking about the characters later on wondering what’ll happen next.
Synopsis;
Welcome to The Starlings... sun, sea and neighbours to die for.
Security, a sparkling sea view and the best kind of neighbours - The Starlings gated community has it all. Here, doors are left open, children run free, and at the heart of it all is the entrepreneurial Gold Family, who first dreamed up this aspirational vision of 'Dorset's Safest Community'. To the outside world the popular family appears glitteringly blessed... until an idyllic party takes a dark turn and one of their number is found slumped at the foot of the clocktower. Who knows what really happened? And what answers are harboured within the old building, the former Highcap Mother and Baby Home?'
Thoughts: A really good thriller. With lots of secrets hidden. I’d quite like a second book to see what happens to them all later on it life. Really enjoyed it!
This story is about a very luxurious gated community in Southern England. From the outside the Gould family look perfect, Katrin & Bill, their twin boys, Bill’s brother Hugo, his wife Amelie and his step daughter Frida. All is not what it seems! There is so many twists and turns I did not see coming. I really liked Katrins character. This is one of them books once you put it down you are still thinking about the characters later on wondering what’ll happen next.
Synopsis;
Welcome to The Starlings... sun, sea and neighbours to die for.
Security, a sparkling sea view and the best kind of neighbours - The Starlings gated community has it all. Here, doors are left open, children run free, and at the heart of it all is the entrepreneurial Gold Family, who first dreamed up this aspirational vision of 'Dorset's Safest Community'. To the outside world the popular family appears glitteringly blessed... until an idyllic party takes a dark turn and one of their number is found slumped at the foot of the clocktower. Who knows what really happened? And what answers are harboured within the old building, the former Highcap Mother and Baby Home?'
Thoughts: A really good thriller. With lots of secrets hidden. I’d quite like a second book to see what happens to them all later on it life. Really enjoyed it!
March 28, 2023
3,5 🌟
Qualquer livro comparado a Pequenas Grandes Mentiras cativa-me logo a atenção. Se Homecoming tivesse o mesmo sarcasmo divertido, teria mais uma estrela, não tenho dúvidas. Assim, foi uma leitura agradável mas sem aqueles sobressaltos que dão um sabor melhor a tudo.
} Uma adolescente suspensa do colégio interno por andar com um rapaz;
} Uma comunidade acabada de construir no que foi antigamente uma propriedade para mães jovens e solteiras terem os seus "bastardos" - e muitos segredos se escondem num lugar destes;
} Um crime que ocorre durante as celebrações do primeiro ano da dita comunidade;
} Segredos, muitos segredos em todo o lado.
É daqueles livros em que o leitor é bem enganado, levado a crer nisto e naquilo e, afinal, não é nada disso 😆. Aquele twist final foi muito giro.
Fiquei foi muito desiludida por não haver um último capítulo ou epílogo, aquilo não podia acabar assim. Então? São precisas mais informações, pontas soltas têm de ser rematadas. Só por isso, leva meia-estrela a menos.
Qualquer livro comparado a Pequenas Grandes Mentiras cativa-me logo a atenção. Se Homecoming tivesse o mesmo sarcasmo divertido, teria mais uma estrela, não tenho dúvidas. Assim, foi uma leitura agradável mas sem aqueles sobressaltos que dão um sabor melhor a tudo.
} Uma adolescente suspensa do colégio interno por andar com um rapaz;
} Uma comunidade acabada de construir no que foi antigamente uma propriedade para mães jovens e solteiras terem os seus "bastardos" - e muitos segredos se escondem num lugar destes;
} Um crime que ocorre durante as celebrações do primeiro ano da dita comunidade;
} Segredos, muitos segredos em todo o lado.
É daqueles livros em que o leitor é bem enganado, levado a crer nisto e naquilo e, afinal, não é nada disso 😆. Aquele twist final foi muito giro.
Fiquei foi muito desiludida por não haver um último capítulo ou epílogo, aquilo não podia acabar assim. Então? São precisas mais informações, pontas soltas têm de ser rematadas. Só por isso, leva meia-estrela a menos.
August 5, 2023
Disclaimer: I have read all of Isabel Ashdown’s books and I enjoyed them all tremendously. I went into this latest one, The Homecoming, fully expecting it to be as great as all the others. It was.
This book is full of complex, extremely well-crafted characters - some likeable to the end, some not so much, despicable really, some casting doubt on the reader. Having read more than my share of psychological thrillers in the past couple of years, I have become good at guessing some things… but I didn’t get one right in with this one. The plot is so well interwoven and the secrets are so unexpected when they are finally disclosed that the reader really does not have a clue what’s going on.
The other thing that sets this writer apart, in this book as in many others, is her compassion. Ashdown has a deep understanding of the human heart and it shows in her characters, in how they live their lives and how they relate to each other.
Isabel Ashdown is definitely one of my favourite writers and this is surely one of the best books she’s written.
This book is full of complex, extremely well-crafted characters - some likeable to the end, some not so much, despicable really, some casting doubt on the reader. Having read more than my share of psychological thrillers in the past couple of years, I have become good at guessing some things… but I didn’t get one right in with this one. The plot is so well interwoven and the secrets are so unexpected when they are finally disclosed that the reader really does not have a clue what’s going on.
The other thing that sets this writer apart, in this book as in many others, is her compassion. Ashdown has a deep understanding of the human heart and it shows in her characters, in how they live their lives and how they relate to each other.
Isabel Ashdown is definitely one of my favourite writers and this is surely one of the best books she’s written.
November 29, 2022
Being a new author to me, I was not sure what to expect with this book. I thought the plot had that level of intrigue and intensity that made me want to drop everything and start reading straight away. Each chapter is a different person so you get many people's perspective on the current situation which I liked. I felt that the beginning took it's time to build up but that gave it a really good level of tension. It is a very dark thriller that will wrap around you and won't let you leave until the very last page. It was a good thriller and I want to read more of this author's books now.
October 23, 2024
A bit of a slow burn mystery book rather then a super fast paced thriller. I enjoyed the high cap house story & did feel I connected with characters I liked ginny & felt for Hugo
July 7, 2024
a great plot
I loved the characters in this one. The plot was great. The twists and turns kept me reading and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The ending was unexpected and rounded off the story so well
I loved the characters in this one. The plot was great. The twists and turns kept me reading and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. The ending was unexpected and rounded off the story so well
December 7, 2022
I'm always a fan of a closed community story, they always have that eerie creepy edge that I enjoy in a book. 'Homecoming' is set in The Starlings. a luxury living community built in the grounds of an old mother & baby home - and in 'Homecoming' the setting is as much of a character as the residents.
We first meet the new residents of The Starlings at their anniversary get-together, where they all seem to be getting along wonderfully. Glamourous neighbours with luxury lifestyles are mingling over champagne and canapes, when suddenly a scream pierces the party atmosphere, and they discover that a body has been found...
We then go back a year to when the first residents move into The Starlings, and soon learn that its not as glamourous and perfect as it looks on the outside. Secrets are unveiled, alliances built, families and friendships challenged, all against this magnificent backdrop of the ex mother-baby home.
I enjoyed reading Homecoming - I was drawn in by the characters and their perspectives on life, though I did get a little confused in the very full cast-list, I had to check back to find out who was who, and what their backstory was. This means it the story is slower to get going than I was expecting and I had to adjust my expectations a little to go with the flow. I guessed one of the big reveals, but another was a complete revelation to me and as someone who reads a lot of crime fiction, that doesnt always happen! I wouldnt necessarily describe this as a thriller or a police procedural though it does have strong elements of both- it is more about the people and relationships contained in the book.
i found Homecoming to be enjoyable and entertaining and I would give it 3.75 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
We first meet the new residents of The Starlings at their anniversary get-together, where they all seem to be getting along wonderfully. Glamourous neighbours with luxury lifestyles are mingling over champagne and canapes, when suddenly a scream pierces the party atmosphere, and they discover that a body has been found...
We then go back a year to when the first residents move into The Starlings, and soon learn that its not as glamourous and perfect as it looks on the outside. Secrets are unveiled, alliances built, families and friendships challenged, all against this magnificent backdrop of the ex mother-baby home.
I enjoyed reading Homecoming - I was drawn in by the characters and their perspectives on life, though I did get a little confused in the very full cast-list, I had to check back to find out who was who, and what their backstory was. This means it the story is slower to get going than I was expecting and I had to adjust my expectations a little to go with the flow. I guessed one of the big reveals, but another was a complete revelation to me and as someone who reads a lot of crime fiction, that doesnt always happen! I wouldnt necessarily describe this as a thriller or a police procedural though it does have strong elements of both- it is more about the people and relationships contained in the book.
i found Homecoming to be enjoyable and entertaining and I would give it 3.75 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
November 29, 2022
Katrin and Bill Gold purchase The Starlings which was originally the old workhouse and, more recently, the old Mother and Baby Home where Katrin was born. Their dream is that this will be billed as Dorset’s safest gated community and provide a happy haven for its residents in stark contrast to its past sad, and often brutal, purposes.
The dream is all set to be realised until a body is discovered in the old clock tower and the dreams suddenly take a sinister turn and past dark secrets are unravelled.
This was a super multi-stranded mystery where the layers slowly but steadily peel away to reveal the final answers. I absolutely loved the characterisation in this book - not all the characters are likeable but I did particularly like Frida in this one. I also loved the background story of the building’s history which added to the drama and the sinister atmosphere. I thought it was very well plotted with chapters of perfect length each ending with a generous dollop of intrigue which leaves you hungry for the next chapter - ohhh…go on then, just one more chapter….!! You know the feeling…
I’ve read it in a few places that there is a feeling that this would make a brilliant TV drama and I have to wholeheartedly agree! So I’ll keep my fingers crossed for that one but meantime have absolutely no hesitation in recommending that you read this book! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
The dream is all set to be realised until a body is discovered in the old clock tower and the dreams suddenly take a sinister turn and past dark secrets are unravelled.
This was a super multi-stranded mystery where the layers slowly but steadily peel away to reveal the final answers. I absolutely loved the characterisation in this book - not all the characters are likeable but I did particularly like Frida in this one. I also loved the background story of the building’s history which added to the drama and the sinister atmosphere. I thought it was very well plotted with chapters of perfect length each ending with a generous dollop of intrigue which leaves you hungry for the next chapter - ohhh…go on then, just one more chapter….!! You know the feeling…
I’ve read it in a few places that there is a feeling that this would make a brilliant TV drama and I have to wholeheartedly agree! So I’ll keep my fingers crossed for that one but meantime have absolutely no hesitation in recommending that you read this book! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
July 6, 2023
I’m quite disappointed in this book. I was looking forward to reading it but I got tired of it quickly. Too many ‘nice’ , wealthy people. No real genuine characters I could relate too. I thought the story itself had potential but unfortunately it wasn’t for me.
November 28, 2022
Although billed by the publishers as a thriller, I'd argue that Isabel Ashdown's latest novel Homecoming is more akin to a domestic suspense novel, with crime and mystery elements thrown into the mix.
Homecoming follows the lives of the entrepreneurial Gold family - lead developer Katrin, her charming husband Bill, his brother Hugo, Hugo's beautiful wife Amélie, and their 15-year-old daughter Katrin - as they celebrate the culmination of their most ambitious project to date: the planning and development The Starlings, an exclusive residential development perched on the edge of the Dorset coastline. Combining heritage restoration with contemporary living, The Starlings has been Katrin Gold's passion project.
Born in the former Victorian hospital turned Mother and Baby Home that makes up the centre of The Starlings, Katrin is thrilled to see a safe, friendly, and welcoming residential neighbourhood rise from the ashes of site's dark past. But at lease one of Katrin's new neighbours is less than pleased to see old secrets and lost histories being excavated. As the development nears completion, dangerous secrets are being bought to life that could threaten the Gold family's exclusive idyll...and the lives of the people who live within it.
With a simmering, under-the-surface tension from the off, Homecoming is a slow-burning but compelling read that gradually introduces the reader to a substantial cast of characters whose lives - and past lives - will gradually intersect over the course of the novel. Opening in the aftermath of an idyllic party gone wrong, the novel then rewinds to the grand opening of The Starlings before moving forward to reveal exactly who has been found crumpled at the bottom of the clocktower, and how they ended up there.
The answer involves several interweaving plot strands that take in the history of the Mother and Baby Home, the mystery behind 15-year-old Frida's suspension from her private boarding school, and the fraught histories of the Gold family and several of their new neighbours. As such, the novel touches on several challenging topics including forced adoption, pregnancy, abandonment, drug use/abuse, child neglect, infidelity, grooming, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, abuse of power, and gaslighting, and it is commendable that the author handles these very difficult subjects with sensitivity whilst retaining both an emotionally compelling storyline and a hopeful resolution.
Indeed, it was the characters - and the way in which the layers of their lives are pulled back, exposed, and then knotted together - that really kept me engaged in Homegoing. Whilst none of the plot revelations are especially unexpected or shocking, the emotional investment of the characters in their respective dilemmas came across really well on the page. As such, the writing is addictive even though the novel itself doesn't have the fastest of paces.
Readers looking for an edge-of-your-seat thriller might find Isabel Ashdown's latest a little sedate for their tastes. For those who prefer a tense atmosphere and tight plotting, however, Homecoming provides a stylish combination of psychological tension and emotional realism that incorporates several contemporary moral debates into a compelling suspense thriller.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
Homecoming follows the lives of the entrepreneurial Gold family - lead developer Katrin, her charming husband Bill, his brother Hugo, Hugo's beautiful wife Amélie, and their 15-year-old daughter Katrin - as they celebrate the culmination of their most ambitious project to date: the planning and development The Starlings, an exclusive residential development perched on the edge of the Dorset coastline. Combining heritage restoration with contemporary living, The Starlings has been Katrin Gold's passion project.
Born in the former Victorian hospital turned Mother and Baby Home that makes up the centre of The Starlings, Katrin is thrilled to see a safe, friendly, and welcoming residential neighbourhood rise from the ashes of site's dark past. But at lease one of Katrin's new neighbours is less than pleased to see old secrets and lost histories being excavated. As the development nears completion, dangerous secrets are being bought to life that could threaten the Gold family's exclusive idyll...and the lives of the people who live within it.
With a simmering, under-the-surface tension from the off, Homecoming is a slow-burning but compelling read that gradually introduces the reader to a substantial cast of characters whose lives - and past lives - will gradually intersect over the course of the novel. Opening in the aftermath of an idyllic party gone wrong, the novel then rewinds to the grand opening of The Starlings before moving forward to reveal exactly who has been found crumpled at the bottom of the clocktower, and how they ended up there.
The answer involves several interweaving plot strands that take in the history of the Mother and Baby Home, the mystery behind 15-year-old Frida's suspension from her private boarding school, and the fraught histories of the Gold family and several of their new neighbours. As such, the novel touches on several challenging topics including forced adoption, pregnancy, abandonment, drug use/abuse, child neglect, infidelity, grooming, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, abuse of power, and gaslighting, and it is commendable that the author handles these very difficult subjects with sensitivity whilst retaining both an emotionally compelling storyline and a hopeful resolution.
Indeed, it was the characters - and the way in which the layers of their lives are pulled back, exposed, and then knotted together - that really kept me engaged in Homegoing. Whilst none of the plot revelations are especially unexpected or shocking, the emotional investment of the characters in their respective dilemmas came across really well on the page. As such, the writing is addictive even though the novel itself doesn't have the fastest of paces.
Readers looking for an edge-of-your-seat thriller might find Isabel Ashdown's latest a little sedate for their tastes. For those who prefer a tense atmosphere and tight plotting, however, Homecoming provides a stylish combination of psychological tension and emotional realism that incorporates several contemporary moral debates into a compelling suspense thriller.
NB: This review also appears on my blog at https://theshelfofunreadbooks.wordpre... as part of the blog tour for the book. My thanks go to the publisher for providing a copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased review.
June 7, 2023
Starlings is the vision of the Golds – husband and wife team Bill and Katrine and Bill’s brother Hugo, who run a successful property development company. It seems the perfect place to live. While the old workhouse - later to become Highcap, a home for unmarried mothers - has been given a fabulous makeover, creating luxury accommodation, Bill and Katrin have build their own piece of heaven nearby, in a beautiful newbuild overlooking the sea.
Written from various viewpoints, the first section of the story, which is divided into two parts, opens with Katrin’s fortieth birthday celebrations where the reader gets to meet some of the residents. One of them, Anne Ashbourne, is researching the history of the site when it was used as a home for unmarried mothers in the seventies and early eighties. She is one of the children who were born there and later adopted, as is Katrin. Ginny, an older resident who has befriended Katrin, is the only one who appears to be uncomfortable with Anne’s actions.
On the day of the party celebrating Starlings first year as a residential development, someone is found badly injured at the bottom of the stairs in the Clock Tower – the one remaining place on the site waiting for renovation. DS Ali Samson arrives to investigate, but as she begins to build a picture of the place and its occupants, what seems to have been an tragic accident, appears to be something far different.
A brilliant read, so many twists and turns, cleverly taking me in the wrong direction. I thought I'd had some things worked out, but clearly not! Everything is here amongst this small community – cleverly written characters, family life, infidelity, secrets and lies. Then there is the backdrop of idyllic Starlings and the Dorset coastline. Wrapped together, the story delivers a thoroughly absorbing and unputdownable read. Highly recommended.
Written from various viewpoints, the first section of the story, which is divided into two parts, opens with Katrin’s fortieth birthday celebrations where the reader gets to meet some of the residents. One of them, Anne Ashbourne, is researching the history of the site when it was used as a home for unmarried mothers in the seventies and early eighties. She is one of the children who were born there and later adopted, as is Katrin. Ginny, an older resident who has befriended Katrin, is the only one who appears to be uncomfortable with Anne’s actions.
On the day of the party celebrating Starlings first year as a residential development, someone is found badly injured at the bottom of the stairs in the Clock Tower – the one remaining place on the site waiting for renovation. DS Ali Samson arrives to investigate, but as she begins to build a picture of the place and its occupants, what seems to have been an tragic accident, appears to be something far different.
A brilliant read, so many twists and turns, cleverly taking me in the wrong direction. I thought I'd had some things worked out, but clearly not! Everything is here amongst this small community – cleverly written characters, family life, infidelity, secrets and lies. Then there is the backdrop of idyllic Starlings and the Dorset coastline. Wrapped together, the story delivers a thoroughly absorbing and unputdownable read. Highly recommended.
July 1, 2024
TRIGGER WARNING: teen pregnancy, forced adoptions, miscarriage, sexual abuse, drug abuse
Katrin Gold seems to have the perfect life. She has created it for herself, having come from nothing. But as she hosts a celebration for her latest achievement, an incident occurs that could change her life forever and reveal secrets...
Homecoming is a psychological thriller set in Dorset.
Katrin and her family are property developers and pride themselves on having created a perfect little community at the Starlings. But a night of celebration with their friends and neighbours ends in tragedy and the past haunts the attendees.
The book begins with the party and then leaves a cliffhanger so we don't know who is missing or what might have happened to them. We are taken back in time to see the tensions, emotions and relationships between the characters. Lots of potential scenarios are set up and I was kept guessing about how the plot would progress.
There is also a lot of emotion in the book. I felt deeply saddened by the information about the history of the mother and baby home that treated young women so abominably. Frida's awful family situation and the neglect she suffers is also very upsetting.
I felt that perhaps there was a little too much delay in getting back to the present day and finding out what had happened at the party and who was affected, but I loved the ensuing police investigation when we return to it. There are plenty of clues about secrets and lies that are hidden by various characters which are then gradually revealed.
Homecoming has an intriguing mystery at its heart.
Katrin Gold seems to have the perfect life. She has created it for herself, having come from nothing. But as she hosts a celebration for her latest achievement, an incident occurs that could change her life forever and reveal secrets...
Homecoming is a psychological thriller set in Dorset.
Katrin and her family are property developers and pride themselves on having created a perfect little community at the Starlings. But a night of celebration with their friends and neighbours ends in tragedy and the past haunts the attendees.
The book begins with the party and then leaves a cliffhanger so we don't know who is missing or what might have happened to them. We are taken back in time to see the tensions, emotions and relationships between the characters. Lots of potential scenarios are set up and I was kept guessing about how the plot would progress.
There is also a lot of emotion in the book. I felt deeply saddened by the information about the history of the mother and baby home that treated young women so abominably. Frida's awful family situation and the neglect she suffers is also very upsetting.
I felt that perhaps there was a little too much delay in getting back to the present day and finding out what had happened at the party and who was affected, but I loved the ensuing police investigation when we return to it. There are plenty of clues about secrets and lies that are hidden by various characters which are then gradually revealed.
Homecoming has an intriguing mystery at its heart.
June 21, 2024
Today marks the start of the Isabel Ashdown blogathon hosted by Compulsive Readers. Consisting of 6 books in total. One of which will be reviewed each month.
First up is Homecoming. A compelling, engaging, thought-provoking, tense, twisty, action-packed, thrilling, and suspense filled tale of deceit, lies, affairs, privilege, revenge, love, sisterhood, strength, community, belonging, secrets, bravery, loyalty, family, loss, abuse, and more importantly, finding the truth, healing and justice.
The prologue brilliantly sets the tone of the story, quickly drawing in its reader and capturing their attention in a vice like grip.
What follows is an intricate and very clever plot that seamlessly weaves its way into your heart, head, and imagination without skipping a beat.
Isabel effortlessly and expertly peels back the complex layers of all of the secrets that are buried within The Starlings community. Engaging her readers with plenty of red herrings, deviations, strong, relatable, and realistic characters. Some you will and other you'll love to hate. Providing you with the benefit of multiple POV's. All whilst building up a whole raft of potential outcomes/endings and a suspect list to match.
Throw in the beautiful setting of Devon and an unexpected but perfect ending and you are left with a psychological thriller that you would be a fool not to add to your tbr!
If Homecoming is a sign of what is to come. I can't wait to get stuck into the next book, One Girl One Summer.
Make sure to keep an eye out for my review on the 18th of July.
First up is Homecoming. A compelling, engaging, thought-provoking, tense, twisty, action-packed, thrilling, and suspense filled tale of deceit, lies, affairs, privilege, revenge, love, sisterhood, strength, community, belonging, secrets, bravery, loyalty, family, loss, abuse, and more importantly, finding the truth, healing and justice.
The prologue brilliantly sets the tone of the story, quickly drawing in its reader and capturing their attention in a vice like grip.
What follows is an intricate and very clever plot that seamlessly weaves its way into your heart, head, and imagination without skipping a beat.
Isabel effortlessly and expertly peels back the complex layers of all of the secrets that are buried within The Starlings community. Engaging her readers with plenty of red herrings, deviations, strong, relatable, and realistic characters. Some you will and other you'll love to hate. Providing you with the benefit of multiple POV's. All whilst building up a whole raft of potential outcomes/endings and a suspect list to match.
Throw in the beautiful setting of Devon and an unexpected but perfect ending and you are left with a psychological thriller that you would be a fool not to add to your tbr!
If Homecoming is a sign of what is to come. I can't wait to get stuck into the next book, One Girl One Summer.
Make sure to keep an eye out for my review on the 18th of July.
June 14, 2023
We start in the present with a death at a street party celebrating the one year anniversary of The Starlings gated community. We then go back in time to witness the events leading up to the incident. We also learn the history that surrounds the building of said community and houses and meet the residents that move in. Further in the past is the original use of the main building. But I will leave you to discover all of that as the author intends.
Firstly there are a lot of characters to get to grips with all at once. But once I had resorted to my handy cast list notebook, it wasn't long before I got them all straight in my head and we were off and running. It helped that they were all well drawn.
As with all good books of this genre, the characters are larger than life and all have generous portions of secrets, lies and dysfunctional behaviour, as well as shady pasts. Delicious stuff that I willingly lapped up as I was reading... The author builds the interest and intrigue up layer by layer before getting to the point where it all starts to fall away to expose the truth... shocking as it was!
It's more of a slow burn but the pace suits the story being told. It also adds to the emotional side of things. As with other of her books which I have also read and enjoyed. I really must play catchup with the rest of her back catalogue.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
Firstly there are a lot of characters to get to grips with all at once. But once I had resorted to my handy cast list notebook, it wasn't long before I got them all straight in my head and we were off and running. It helped that they were all well drawn.
As with all good books of this genre, the characters are larger than life and all have generous portions of secrets, lies and dysfunctional behaviour, as well as shady pasts. Delicious stuff that I willingly lapped up as I was reading... The author builds the interest and intrigue up layer by layer before getting to the point where it all starts to fall away to expose the truth... shocking as it was!
It's more of a slow burn but the pace suits the story being told. It also adds to the emotional side of things. As with other of her books which I have also read and enjoyed. I really must play catchup with the rest of her back catalogue.
My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.
June 18, 2024
AD/PR - Homecoming centres around a newly built and very affluent gated community called The Starlings and its residents. We open with a first year anniversary celebration that ends in a death 👀👀, then we go back to a year earlier and build up a picture of what’s going on behind all the curtains and perfect family facades. It’s exactly the sort of addictive and juicy thriller I love, with rich people and their lives full of scandal and secrets. Bring it on!
Coastal Dorset was a dramatic and vivid setting which worked perfectly with the events of the book. I looooved how it all played out. Scandals hit, secrets were alluded to and slowly spilled out, relationships developing, crumbling and twisting… the DRAMA 😍. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting the deeply emotional history of The Starlings with its past as a mother and baby home and sanatorium. This history may have serious relevance to some characters 👀👀. I also adored the multiple povs of the women in the community. They were perfectly juggled and I felt a deep connection to them all straight away. What I enjoyed most was that it had me guessing right until the end. It was very atmospheric and filled me with unease throughout. I was trying to connect all the dots but I kept getting tied in knots! LOVED!
Coastal Dorset was a dramatic and vivid setting which worked perfectly with the events of the book. I looooved how it all played out. Scandals hit, secrets were alluded to and slowly spilled out, relationships developing, crumbling and twisting… the DRAMA 😍. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting the deeply emotional history of The Starlings with its past as a mother and baby home and sanatorium. This history may have serious relevance to some characters 👀👀. I also adored the multiple povs of the women in the community. They were perfectly juggled and I felt a deep connection to them all straight away. What I enjoyed most was that it had me guessing right until the end. It was very atmospheric and filled me with unease throughout. I was trying to connect all the dots but I kept getting tied in knots! LOVED!
December 4, 2022
Homecoming is a compelling read, a drama full of intriguing characters with an atmospheric setting and a simmering tension that starts from the first chapter and never lets up.
We meet the Gold family, Katrin and her husband Bill, his brother Hugo, Hugo’s wife Amelie and her daughter Frida. As property developers they create a luxury residential development, The Starlings, on the site of what was a workhouse and then a mother and baby home - and in fact was where Katrin was born.
The book opens in the aftermath of a tragic event after a party at The Starlings, and then goes back to its opening as we are introduced to its residents, several of whom have connections to the building’s murky past.
What Ashdown does extremely well is create a fascinating, if not entirely likeable, cast of characters, most of whom seem to be harbouring secrets - told from multiple perspectives, there are so many intriguing back stories and I was keen to understand more about all of them. Add to that the complex history of the building itself and it makes for a tense read as the pieces begin to slot together.
We meet the Gold family, Katrin and her husband Bill, his brother Hugo, Hugo’s wife Amelie and her daughter Frida. As property developers they create a luxury residential development, The Starlings, on the site of what was a workhouse and then a mother and baby home - and in fact was where Katrin was born.
The book opens in the aftermath of a tragic event after a party at The Starlings, and then goes back to its opening as we are introduced to its residents, several of whom have connections to the building’s murky past.
What Ashdown does extremely well is create a fascinating, if not entirely likeable, cast of characters, most of whom seem to be harbouring secrets - told from multiple perspectives, there are so many intriguing back stories and I was keen to understand more about all of them. Add to that the complex history of the building itself and it makes for a tense read as the pieces begin to slot together.
December 9, 2022
Wow, what a story! This is an intriguing page-turner with a host of characters who are not quite what they seem. The novel opens with a prologue alluding to an accident or crime at the Anniversary party of the opening of the Starlings, an exclusive residential community. Throughout the book the timeline switches between present day, the night of the party and the year leading up to the party. The main characters are all flawed and all interesting. They're well developed and I was invested in their stories. The Starlings is a renovation of an old mother and baby home and some of the residents where babies born there including Katrin, the owner of the development and Anne, a historian investigating the history of the place. It becomes clear that there were shady goings-on and it adds a huge level of intrigue to the story when we start to discover the links. Homecoming is one of those novels that keeps you guessing all the time. It's thrilling and twisty with real human interest. Covering themes of infidelity, drug use, child abuse, teenage pregnancy and concealed identity, it's a fabulous read.
November 21, 2022
I have been a fan of Isabel Ashdown books for some time now and looked forward to reading this, her latest book. I wasn’t disappointed! Although the book starts quite slowly, it is purposefully done, giving the reader a chance to get to know the wide range of quirky characters, all with backstories and connections to be revealed.
The setting of The Starlings is perfect to add suspense and mystery, with its history, being a workhouse and then more lately Highcap Mother and Baby home. Contrast this with the luxury of the site conversion and you are set for a cracker of a read as secrets begin to surface.
The first chapter of the book is intriguing and I have to admit to rereading it once I’d finished the book, to see if I had missed anything. The descriptive writing is brilliant and evokes pictures in the reader’s mind of both the setting and the characters, which is one of the reasons I love this author’s books.
It is difficult to say more without giving any plot spoilers, but there is plenty to keep your mind engaged throughout. A great read.
The setting of The Starlings is perfect to add suspense and mystery, with its history, being a workhouse and then more lately Highcap Mother and Baby home. Contrast this with the luxury of the site conversion and you are set for a cracker of a read as secrets begin to surface.
The first chapter of the book is intriguing and I have to admit to rereading it once I’d finished the book, to see if I had missed anything. The descriptive writing is brilliant and evokes pictures in the reader’s mind of both the setting and the characters, which is one of the reasons I love this author’s books.
It is difficult to say more without giving any plot spoilers, but there is plenty to keep your mind engaged throughout. A great read.
March 15, 2023
This was a layered novel about family and belonging set at The Starlings, a luxury gated community in Dorset that has been built on the site of a home for unmarried mothers. Isabel Ashdown structures ‘Homecoming’ exceptionally well, opening the novel with the discovery of a body and then going back 12 months to when The Starlings opened. As a result, I devoured the first half desperate to find out who the victim was. With the twisted relationships deriving from the fact that several residents have secrets to hide about their associations with the mother and baby home, there’s plenty of potential for conflict and score settling. The second half of the novel following the discovery of the body is a more straightforward police procedural and, whilst I enjoyed it, I found the ending slightly underwhelming.
Having said that, if you’re a fan of domestic suspense and dysfunctional relationship novels, I would recommend’ Homecoming ’ wholeheartedly and it’s inspired me to explore Isabel Ashdown’s back catalogue.
Having said that, if you’re a fan of domestic suspense and dysfunctional relationship novels, I would recommend’ Homecoming ’ wholeheartedly and it’s inspired me to explore Isabel Ashdown’s back catalogue.
June 27, 2024
🤍Blog tour 🤍
Homecoming by Isabel Ashdown
Homecoming by Isabel Ashdown is an addictive read set in the seemingly perfect gated community of The Starlings. The entrepreneurial Gold family has created an idyllic neighborhood with a sparkling sea view and secure environment. However, beneath the shiny exterior lie dark secrets. When a resident is found murdered after a party, the facade begins to crumble.
The novel is rich with well-developed characters and engaging dialogue. Ashdown skillfully weaves an intriguing plot with numerous twists that kept me entertained throughout. Set in the UK, the story explores themes of found family and hidden truths. Despite the idyllic setting, not everything is as perfect as it seems. The suspense and mystery surrounding the murder make Homecoming a compelling read that I highly recommend for fans of psychological thrillers. This book kept me hooked from start to finish, proving once again that Isabel Ashdown is a master of the genre.
Very grateful to the publisher and @tracey for my copy , opinions are my own.
Homecoming by Isabel Ashdown
Homecoming by Isabel Ashdown is an addictive read set in the seemingly perfect gated community of The Starlings. The entrepreneurial Gold family has created an idyllic neighborhood with a sparkling sea view and secure environment. However, beneath the shiny exterior lie dark secrets. When a resident is found murdered after a party, the facade begins to crumble.
The novel is rich with well-developed characters and engaging dialogue. Ashdown skillfully weaves an intriguing plot with numerous twists that kept me entertained throughout. Set in the UK, the story explores themes of found family and hidden truths. Despite the idyllic setting, not everything is as perfect as it seems. The suspense and mystery surrounding the murder make Homecoming a compelling read that I highly recommend for fans of psychological thrillers. This book kept me hooked from start to finish, proving once again that Isabel Ashdown is a master of the genre.
Very grateful to the publisher and @tracey for my copy , opinions are my own.
June 27, 2024
Set in The Starlings - a gated community known for its safety, Seaview location and the friendliest neighbours, this thriller is one you will struggle to put down.
Katrin Gold, her husband and brother-in-law have turned the old Mother & baby hospital (previously a sanitorium) into a sprawling mansion and luxury neighbourhood. Its a place where doors are left unlocked and everyone is like a family. Our Main characters along with some neighbours are having a BBQ celebration for the one year anniversary but it ends in tragedy when a body is discovered at the base of the clocktower. Who is it? What has happened? And what secrets lie buried to be exposed.
This is a fast paced thriller that will keep you engrossed till the very end. The characters were so well fleshed out I felt like they were real people who I felt for. The plot was fantastic and I had no idea which way of was gonna go. Instant five star read for me and I cannot wait for the next book by this amazing author!
Katrin Gold, her husband and brother-in-law have turned the old Mother & baby hospital (previously a sanitorium) into a sprawling mansion and luxury neighbourhood. Its a place where doors are left unlocked and everyone is like a family. Our Main characters along with some neighbours are having a BBQ celebration for the one year anniversary but it ends in tragedy when a body is discovered at the base of the clocktower. Who is it? What has happened? And what secrets lie buried to be exposed.
This is a fast paced thriller that will keep you engrossed till the very end. The characters were so well fleshed out I felt like they were real people who I felt for. The plot was fantastic and I had no idea which way of was gonna go. Instant five star read for me and I cannot wait for the next book by this amazing author!
July 23, 2024
4.5 stars rounded to 5 for Goodreads.
This really was a character led thriller and I was here for it - my first book by Isabel and I'm hooked.
The characters just draw you in to their lives - their love and their grief. I adored Frida, she was such a wonderful and caring girl and I felt for her. The secrets that were going on within these pages were something else, but seeing how the characters dealt with them and stood with or against each other, that was the heart of this story.
Ginny's secret wasn't quite what I expected, I wish there was a little more about the history. Also, I'd have liked a bit more clarity over one aspect.
Overall, I'd recommend this and I wish I could meet this community. I can't wait for Isabel’s new book "One Girl, One Summer" coming out next month!
*I received a complementary copy of the book from Compulsive Readers and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
This really was a character led thriller and I was here for it - my first book by Isabel and I'm hooked.
The characters just draw you in to their lives - their love and their grief. I adored Frida, she was such a wonderful and caring girl and I felt for her. The secrets that were going on within these pages were something else, but seeing how the characters dealt with them and stood with or against each other, that was the heart of this story.
Ginny's secret wasn't quite what I expected, I wish there was a little more about the history. Also, I'd have liked a bit more clarity over one aspect.
Overall, I'd recommend this and I wish I could meet this community. I can't wait for Isabel’s new book "One Girl, One Summer" coming out next month!
*I received a complementary copy of the book from Compulsive Readers and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
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