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The Gone & the Forgotten
Summer, 1993. In the aftermath of her mother's suicide attempt, 16-year-old Prue must spend the summer holidays on a remote island in the Shetlands with her favourite Aunt Ruth and Uncle Archie, a man she's barely met since her aunt married him. Prue hopes to re-establish the relationship, and that her aunt might help her understand some of the parts of the past she has been forbidden to discuss by her mother – including the identity of her father.
Prue soon finds out her uncle was the only suspect in the disappearance of a local girl some twenty years ago. As she grows closer to him, she learns there are different views on how the beguiling Evelyn O'Hara disappeared, but is he innocent?
A single version of the truth seems impossible to lock down, and the truth is something Prue has a fractured relationship with.
Prue soon finds out her uncle was the only suspect in the disappearance of a local girl some twenty years ago. As she grows closer to him, she learns there are different views on how the beguiling Evelyn O'Hara disappeared, but is he innocent?
A single version of the truth seems impossible to lock down, and the truth is something Prue has a fractured relationship with.
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2022
16 people are currently reading
1859 people want to read
About the author
Clare Whitfield
5 books134 followersClare Whitfield was born the fourth child to ex-Armed Forces parents. She grew up on St Helier Estate in Morden before moving to Sutton and currently lives in Hampshire.
People of Abandoned Character, her first novel, was published in 2020 and won the Goldsboro Glass Bell 2021 Award and was shortlisted for the HWA Crime Debut 2021. The Gone and the Forgotten, her second novel, was published in June 2022. Her third novel, Poor Girls, was published in November 2024.
People of Abandoned Character, her first novel, was published in 2020 and won the Goldsboro Glass Bell 2021 Award and was shortlisted for the HWA Crime Debut 2021. The Gone and the Forgotten, her second novel, was published in June 2022. Her third novel, Poor Girls, was published in November 2024.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
May 7, 2022
This story, part coming of age and part gothic mystery, was really very good! After her grandmother’s death and her mother’s latest suicide attempt 16 year old Prue is summoned to spend the summer holidays in the Shetlands with her Aunt Ruth, Ruth’s husband - her Uncle Archie and Archie grandmother Veronique (call me Ronnie). The family pile is on the small remote island of Noost in the Shetlands. Prue can’t think of anything she would rather do less but Ruth tells her this will give them a chance to really talk and Prue takes this to mean she may finally find out who her father is as her mother has been tight lipped about that little nugget.
The house fits the description of gothic to a “T” - large and rambling, old, draughty and with numerous secret passages and priest holes. When she arrives though, Ruth is not keen on talking and Prue is frequently left to her own devices. In the village, such as it is, she learns that Archie was suspected of the murder, 20 years ago, of his then girlfriend Evie O’Hara. No evidence of this was ever found. Evie’s mother still stalks the Anderson lands in a deranged way. Prue moves herself into Archie’s former room. The elders are not happy about this but let it go telling her in no uncertain terms to not touch the books. Of course Prue touches the books. Inside she finds stashed money but also the occasional letter from Evie to Archie and these are enough to confirm in her mind that the two were very much in love and she doubts that Archie would have killed her.
Ruth and Archie are artists. She sneaks into Ruth’s studio and doesn’t know what to make of the rather disturbing artworks. Archie works out of the summer house and his artwork is rather more erotic. Meanwhile Prue is exploring her developing sexuality and is sneaking around more and more in the search for answers - about her father and about the death of her younger sister Holly, about her mother’s melancholia.
It all comes to a head one night when she has gotten too close to some uncomfortable truths and the resulting confrontation was a jaw dropper for sure. This story builds up a head of steam. The characters were fantastic, so devious, so many hidden secrets. This was a very well put together mystery with dark psychological undertones. There was always a sense of creeping menace which blossomed into fully fledged horror at the end of the book. I would never have picked that ending! Many thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
The house fits the description of gothic to a “T” - large and rambling, old, draughty and with numerous secret passages and priest holes. When she arrives though, Ruth is not keen on talking and Prue is frequently left to her own devices. In the village, such as it is, she learns that Archie was suspected of the murder, 20 years ago, of his then girlfriend Evie O’Hara. No evidence of this was ever found. Evie’s mother still stalks the Anderson lands in a deranged way. Prue moves herself into Archie’s former room. The elders are not happy about this but let it go telling her in no uncertain terms to not touch the books. Of course Prue touches the books. Inside she finds stashed money but also the occasional letter from Evie to Archie and these are enough to confirm in her mind that the two were very much in love and she doubts that Archie would have killed her.
Ruth and Archie are artists. She sneaks into Ruth’s studio and doesn’t know what to make of the rather disturbing artworks. Archie works out of the summer house and his artwork is rather more erotic. Meanwhile Prue is exploring her developing sexuality and is sneaking around more and more in the search for answers - about her father and about the death of her younger sister Holly, about her mother’s melancholia.
It all comes to a head one night when she has gotten too close to some uncomfortable truths and the resulting confrontation was a jaw dropper for sure. This story builds up a head of steam. The characters were fantastic, so devious, so many hidden secrets. This was a very well put together mystery with dark psychological undertones. There was always a sense of creeping menace which blossomed into fully fledged horror at the end of the book. I would never have picked that ending! Many thanks to Netgalley and Head of Zeus for the much appreciated arc which I reviewed voluntarily and honestly.
September 20, 2022
This has to be one of the most memorable books I have read this year. Young Prue, with her crazy family troubles, is sent for the summer to live with her aunt and her husband and mother-in-law. Prue makes some bad decisions and is affected by the bad decisions of others. There are quite a few twists and turns in the plot, some foreseen and some not. Truly an engaging read and I would recommend this book to everyone.
My thanks to the publisher, Head of Zeus, Ltd. and the author, Clare Whitfield, for my ebook and the opportunity to review this exciting novel. This was a Goodreads Giveaway.
My thanks to the publisher, Head of Zeus, Ltd. and the author, Clare Whitfield, for my ebook and the opportunity to review this exciting novel. This was a Goodreads Giveaway.
June 9, 2022
Review coming soon.
June 11, 2022
The Gone and The Forgotten is the second novel by British author, Claire Whitfield. At her Aunt Ruth’s insistence, Prue MacArthur reluctantly travels from South Croydon, London to the tiny island of Noost, in the Shetlands for her summer vacation. With her Nan gone and her mother in rehab after a suicide attempt, her preferred option, staying with her best friend Subo’s family has been rejected. The main draw for her is that her aunt has promised to reveal what she knows about Prue’s father.
Bus, car and ferry trips finally deposit her at Dynrost House, the Anderson family home, where she meets Veronique Charlotte Lewthwaite MacNair Anderson, aka Ronnie, who is the grandmother of Uncle Archie, Aunt Ruth’s new husband. Ronnie has filled Dynrost House to bursting with plants that she regards as her children, and from which she formulates skin care products, medicines and cocktails.
Prue is given Archie’s old nursery as her bedroom, but is kept awake by the sound of dripping, a wardrobe with lively doors, and lights that keep failing. Nightmares about a certain incident when she was seven plague her, too. And she later discovers the room housed a suicide victim.
The islanders share rumours with Prue about Archie’s involvement in the disappearance of seventeen-year-old Evie O’Hara, some twenty years earlier, as well as various tales of other strange happenings at Dynrost House. All are wary of its inhabitants.
Prue is frustrated that Ruth keeps putting her off about her family secrets, but she is used to “the MacArthur family policy of stoic silence on all unpleasant matters”. She fills her days helping Ronnie in her greenhouse and hooks up with eighteen-year-old James, a barman at the hotel.
The uncle she barely knows turns out to be an artist of provocative paintings featuring teenaged girls, but seems to offer sound advice about what troubles her, and Prue begins to doubt this charismatic man could be a murderer, especially when she comes across the victim’s letters to him. But can he really be trusted?
There is such a lot going on in this novel: family secrets, drug use and trafficking, gossiping islanders, grooming and seduction, grief and guilt, all against a backdrop of a gothic manor and insular neighbours. Most of the characters range between quirky and downright crazy; the house is creepy; proper care for this vulnerable protagonist is sorely lacking.
Prue appears to be an unreliable narrator, indulging in rather a lot of alcohol and drugs for a sixteen-year-old; she is also affected by other substances of which she is unaware; and has been taught by her mother at an early age to compartmentalise unpleasant memories, some of which spill out when she is under stress. That given, her poor decisions shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Whitfield’s descriptive prose is evocative and several mysteries draw the reader in and keep the pages turning; all are resolved to jaw-dropping or chilling effect. A gripping read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Head of Zeus/Apollo.
Bus, car and ferry trips finally deposit her at Dynrost House, the Anderson family home, where she meets Veronique Charlotte Lewthwaite MacNair Anderson, aka Ronnie, who is the grandmother of Uncle Archie, Aunt Ruth’s new husband. Ronnie has filled Dynrost House to bursting with plants that she regards as her children, and from which she formulates skin care products, medicines and cocktails.
Prue is given Archie’s old nursery as her bedroom, but is kept awake by the sound of dripping, a wardrobe with lively doors, and lights that keep failing. Nightmares about a certain incident when she was seven plague her, too. And she later discovers the room housed a suicide victim.
The islanders share rumours with Prue about Archie’s involvement in the disappearance of seventeen-year-old Evie O’Hara, some twenty years earlier, as well as various tales of other strange happenings at Dynrost House. All are wary of its inhabitants.
Prue is frustrated that Ruth keeps putting her off about her family secrets, but she is used to “the MacArthur family policy of stoic silence on all unpleasant matters”. She fills her days helping Ronnie in her greenhouse and hooks up with eighteen-year-old James, a barman at the hotel.
The uncle she barely knows turns out to be an artist of provocative paintings featuring teenaged girls, but seems to offer sound advice about what troubles her, and Prue begins to doubt this charismatic man could be a murderer, especially when she comes across the victim’s letters to him. But can he really be trusted?
There is such a lot going on in this novel: family secrets, drug use and trafficking, gossiping islanders, grooming and seduction, grief and guilt, all against a backdrop of a gothic manor and insular neighbours. Most of the characters range between quirky and downright crazy; the house is creepy; proper care for this vulnerable protagonist is sorely lacking.
Prue appears to be an unreliable narrator, indulging in rather a lot of alcohol and drugs for a sixteen-year-old; she is also affected by other substances of which she is unaware; and has been taught by her mother at an early age to compartmentalise unpleasant memories, some of which spill out when she is under stress. That given, her poor decisions shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Whitfield’s descriptive prose is evocative and several mysteries draw the reader in and keep the pages turning; all are resolved to jaw-dropping or chilling effect. A gripping read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Head of Zeus/Apollo.
April 25, 2024
Absolutely disappointed with this book.
The main character Prude was insufferable.
Archie… the uncle such a creep.
Fan of Ronnie.
The main character Prude was insufferable.
Archie… the uncle such a creep.
Fan of Ronnie.
February 20, 2022
Many thanks to Netgalley and Publishers Head of Zeus for this ARC to comment and review.
This read will have great appeal to readers of all ages. As an older reader I had my teenage self sitting alongside me remembering all those things that were so important then that are so important for the teenage Prue. Set in one of the remotest of the Shetland Islands, Prue, at the insistence of her Aunt Ruth goes to stay with her and husband Archie as well as the matriarch (Veronica) Ronnie after the death of Nana and hospitalisation of her Mother. The author introduces three mysteries, two related to her directly and one related to her island relatives.
Prue is reluctant to go, preferring to stay with her long-time school buddy for the time being until her final exam results are issued. However, with the insistence of Ruth she placates her by going. How disappointed Prue is on arriving at this desolate place having it set her in her head that Archie's family were rich and owned much of the island. What Prue encounters is a run down cottage that seems to be inhabited in every corner of the house with exotic plants. She is warned that many are not to be touched due to their toxicity.
Prue's life has been one of difficulty with a possessive Mother and unyielding Nana. She has never been informed of whom her father was, which is a constant thorn niggling at her and for which Aunt Ruth has made it clear that they would talk while she's on the island. Her mother's return to hospital has been brought about by the news of the release of the woman who abducted Prue's much younger baby sister some years previous. Nana and her mother fight which leads to Nana's death, her mother in hospital, leaving Prue by herself.
The bedroom, an old nursery, is where Prue is to stay but with the constant noises and weird things happening in this room, doors open after they were locked, the disappearance of her glasses and other noises best left for readers to discover, no longer able to tolerate the sleepless nights, Prue moves her bags into a study much to the chagrin of the others. Ronnie flaps about warning Prue not to touch any of the books that are packed onto shelves but of course as an inquisitive teenager she can't help herself and eventually goes through the whole collection. Many of the books give Prue insight into the household's mystery of a missing girlfriend of Archie's when he was a young man and another collection of books are loaded with money where she eventually discovers their origins.
Ronnie is a weird one, delving into all sorts exotic herbal concoctions and alcoholic drinks. Prue as a teenager of limited experience isn't used to drinking alcohol or alcohol laced with "whatever" concoction by Ronnie and as a consequence hallucinates along with any "weed" bought from Archie's arch nemesis, Charlie, brother of the longtime missing girl.
Prue strikes up a friendship with James, son of the hotel's owner who is a similar age to her and who helps to relieve the pressure from her strange relatives and surrounding mystery and Islanders' suspicions of the family, still considered interlopers.
Added to the complexity of the story is the dead girl's mother who is still unhinged with grief after all these years, a beautiful daughter who disappeared, the case still open with no conclusive proof of her demise or other and along with her son still believe that she was murdered by Archie.
After receiving high marks for her Finals Aunt Ruth decides on a celebratory dinner for Prue. The dinner and the entire evening completely blows up starting with Archie revealing that he has had discussions to sell the property. This completely unhinges Ronnie. She had insisted on creating the dinner adding her special ingredients, now needing time to collect her thoughts with this news from Archie heads for her special garden and plant collection. While waiting for Ronne to return Archie presses Ruth to reveal the mysteries of Prue's father and the death of her small baby sister with disastrous results for Prue, her imaginary loving father dissolves in disbelief and as for the death of her sister, the revelations are difficult to accept. Prue runs out of the house ending up at Charlie's where she intrudes on a meeting with his mates and in her poor state of mind gets herself involved. When this all goes pear shaped Prue, still in a confused state eventually finds her way back to the house but not before the black dog Ronnie hates presents her with a large bone. The house is in a mess, Ronnie's behaviour is weird and cold, Archie and Ruth are missing. Ronnie assumes Prue's behaviour is because of her special ingredient for the meal but rather Prue is suffering because of her own actions. Still, she is able to fool Ronnie into revealing all her secrets but of course now, Prue's life is in jeopardy.
This read will have great appeal to readers of all ages. As an older reader I had my teenage self sitting alongside me remembering all those things that were so important then that are so important for the teenage Prue. Set in one of the remotest of the Shetland Islands, Prue, at the insistence of her Aunt Ruth goes to stay with her and husband Archie as well as the matriarch (Veronica) Ronnie after the death of Nana and hospitalisation of her Mother. The author introduces three mysteries, two related to her directly and one related to her island relatives.
Prue is reluctant to go, preferring to stay with her long-time school buddy for the time being until her final exam results are issued. However, with the insistence of Ruth she placates her by going. How disappointed Prue is on arriving at this desolate place having it set her in her head that Archie's family were rich and owned much of the island. What Prue encounters is a run down cottage that seems to be inhabited in every corner of the house with exotic plants. She is warned that many are not to be touched due to their toxicity.
Prue's life has been one of difficulty with a possessive Mother and unyielding Nana. She has never been informed of whom her father was, which is a constant thorn niggling at her and for which Aunt Ruth has made it clear that they would talk while she's on the island. Her mother's return to hospital has been brought about by the news of the release of the woman who abducted Prue's much younger baby sister some years previous. Nana and her mother fight which leads to Nana's death, her mother in hospital, leaving Prue by herself.
The bedroom, an old nursery, is where Prue is to stay but with the constant noises and weird things happening in this room, doors open after they were locked, the disappearance of her glasses and other noises best left for readers to discover, no longer able to tolerate the sleepless nights, Prue moves her bags into a study much to the chagrin of the others. Ronnie flaps about warning Prue not to touch any of the books that are packed onto shelves but of course as an inquisitive teenager she can't help herself and eventually goes through the whole collection. Many of the books give Prue insight into the household's mystery of a missing girlfriend of Archie's when he was a young man and another collection of books are loaded with money where she eventually discovers their origins.
Ronnie is a weird one, delving into all sorts exotic herbal concoctions and alcoholic drinks. Prue as a teenager of limited experience isn't used to drinking alcohol or alcohol laced with "whatever" concoction by Ronnie and as a consequence hallucinates along with any "weed" bought from Archie's arch nemesis, Charlie, brother of the longtime missing girl.
Prue strikes up a friendship with James, son of the hotel's owner who is a similar age to her and who helps to relieve the pressure from her strange relatives and surrounding mystery and Islanders' suspicions of the family, still considered interlopers.
Added to the complexity of the story is the dead girl's mother who is still unhinged with grief after all these years, a beautiful daughter who disappeared, the case still open with no conclusive proof of her demise or other and along with her son still believe that she was murdered by Archie.
After receiving high marks for her Finals Aunt Ruth decides on a celebratory dinner for Prue. The dinner and the entire evening completely blows up starting with Archie revealing that he has had discussions to sell the property. This completely unhinges Ronnie. She had insisted on creating the dinner adding her special ingredients, now needing time to collect her thoughts with this news from Archie heads for her special garden and plant collection. While waiting for Ronne to return Archie presses Ruth to reveal the mysteries of Prue's father and the death of her small baby sister with disastrous results for Prue, her imaginary loving father dissolves in disbelief and as for the death of her sister, the revelations are difficult to accept. Prue runs out of the house ending up at Charlie's where she intrudes on a meeting with his mates and in her poor state of mind gets herself involved. When this all goes pear shaped Prue, still in a confused state eventually finds her way back to the house but not before the black dog Ronnie hates presents her with a large bone. The house is in a mess, Ronnie's behaviour is weird and cold, Archie and Ruth are missing. Ronnie assumes Prue's behaviour is because of her special ingredient for the meal but rather Prue is suffering because of her own actions. Still, she is able to fool Ronnie into revealing all her secrets but of course now, Prue's life is in jeopardy.
June 2, 2022
‘A lot has happened, Prue, and you’ve dealt with it incredibly well.’
Summer, 1993. After her mother attempts suicide, 16-year-old Prue agrees to spend the summer holidays on Noost, a remote island in the Shetlands with her Aunt Ruth and her husband Archie. Although reluctant to stay with her aunt at first, Prue hopes that her aunt will shed some light on the past. Prue has grown up not knowing who her father is, and her mother has forbidden any discussion about his identity. Prue is also dealing with the recent death of her grandmother as well as the death years earlier of her baby sister.
But when Prue arrives from London, she finds that Ruth is reluctant to talk. Prue also finds out that Archie is the only suspect in the disappearance of his then girlfriend, local girl Evelyn O’Hara, twenty years earlier. Evelyn was on her way to meet Archie when she disappeared. Within days of arrival, Prue has more questions, and no answers at all. Ruth seems unwilling to talk and the house she is staying has its own mysteries. Archie’s grandmother Veronique (Ronnie) tends her abundance of obscure plants and tries to interest Prue in their various properties.
Prue is missing her friend Subo back in London and while she becomes close to James, a university student, home for the holidays helping his mother run the local hotel, she is determined to find answers to some of the mysteries surrounding her.
What follows is a very twisty and complex psychological thriller. I did work out a couple of aspects of the story but not others. Did I enjoy the story? Mostly, although there was too much family drama (and too many secrets) for me to suspend my disbelief enough to flow with the story.
The mysteries will be solved by the end, and I imagine some readers will find the story more satisfying than I did.
‘We’re rather good at keeping secrets, aren’t we?’
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Summer, 1993. After her mother attempts suicide, 16-year-old Prue agrees to spend the summer holidays on Noost, a remote island in the Shetlands with her Aunt Ruth and her husband Archie. Although reluctant to stay with her aunt at first, Prue hopes that her aunt will shed some light on the past. Prue has grown up not knowing who her father is, and her mother has forbidden any discussion about his identity. Prue is also dealing with the recent death of her grandmother as well as the death years earlier of her baby sister.
But when Prue arrives from London, she finds that Ruth is reluctant to talk. Prue also finds out that Archie is the only suspect in the disappearance of his then girlfriend, local girl Evelyn O’Hara, twenty years earlier. Evelyn was on her way to meet Archie when she disappeared. Within days of arrival, Prue has more questions, and no answers at all. Ruth seems unwilling to talk and the house she is staying has its own mysteries. Archie’s grandmother Veronique (Ronnie) tends her abundance of obscure plants and tries to interest Prue in their various properties.
Prue is missing her friend Subo back in London and while she becomes close to James, a university student, home for the holidays helping his mother run the local hotel, she is determined to find answers to some of the mysteries surrounding her.
What follows is a very twisty and complex psychological thriller. I did work out a couple of aspects of the story but not others. Did I enjoy the story? Mostly, although there was too much family drama (and too many secrets) for me to suspend my disbelief enough to flow with the story.
The mysteries will be solved by the end, and I imagine some readers will find the story more satisfying than I did.
‘We’re rather good at keeping secrets, aren’t we?’
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Head of Zeus for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
January 28, 2022
Talk about family drama! I thought this book was pretty good. It dragged a bit in places but the plot twists were good.
In 1963, after her mother attempts to commit suicide, Prue is sent to live with her Aunt Ruth and Uncle Archie. They on a remote island in the Shetlands. Prue hopes to reconnect with her favorite relatives and hopefully figure something it some of the questions that plagued her like who her father is. Prue discovers that her relatives are not fans of the “townies” those who live on the mainland.
It also doesn’t take long for Prue to find out that her Uncle Archie is the prime suspect involving the disappearance of a girl twenty years ago. Prue will hear many different people perspectives on what happened that night. As she starts digging into her family’s past, she is not prepared for the skeletons she finds.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
In 1963, after her mother attempts to commit suicide, Prue is sent to live with her Aunt Ruth and Uncle Archie. They on a remote island in the Shetlands. Prue hopes to reconnect with her favorite relatives and hopefully figure something it some of the questions that plagued her like who her father is. Prue discovers that her relatives are not fans of the “townies” those who live on the mainland.
It also doesn’t take long for Prue to find out that her Uncle Archie is the prime suspect involving the disappearance of a girl twenty years ago. Prue will hear many different people perspectives on what happened that night. As she starts digging into her family’s past, she is not prepared for the skeletons she finds.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.
March 18, 2022
What a beautiful, absorbing, emotional book. I was ON that remote island with these characters, lost in their unfolding dramas and the barren lanscape and long-past secrets. I was with young Prue on her quest to disperse the shadows of her past, and certainly identified with many of the things she had been through. A tunning read.
June 30, 2022
This is a dark tale that is full of scary twists. I found this book to be a slow read, taking my time turning the pages as the horrible events unfolded. There are times when I simply had to pull myself away from this story. At the same time, I had to know how it would end. This book is guaranteed to crawl in under your skin and keep you going back for more.
The author tells this dark, disturbing tale in a manner that might make your skin crawl, but she keeps you engrossed in her young character's life. She draws a picture of every mother’s nightmare while allowing this young girl to forge her way ahead, finding the courage to deal with the events she has been born into. This is a creative, gripping story that the author brought to light in all its gory detail.
Prue’s mother attempted suicide and her grandmother passed away. Now she is forced to spend the summer with her aunt on an isolated island. Prue does not want to go, but the hope of learning the truth about her biological father motivates her to do as she is told.
Arriving on the island, Prue finds herself in a strange house filled with unusual plants, a curious old woman, an absent aunt and an uncle she battles to get a take on. When locals start sharing rumours about a missing girl, Prue starts digging for the truth. But is she ready to deal with what she is about to discover?
As a mother, I found it hard to wrap my head around the alcohol, drugs and sex that fill this sixteen-year-old girl’s life. Prue is a child, there is no way I can see her as an adult at sixteen. Yet, as disturbing as these details were, I found it impossible to leave this book unfinished, I had to know how it would end.
Prue is a naïve, innocent child who tries really hard to behave like an adult. She is gullible and silly in her trust and need to satisfy everyone around her. As the details unravel and she finally discovers the truth about her father, you think things cannot get worst, until they do. This child discovers so much more than she bargained on and still, she manages to absorb the facts and then continues the family tradition of keeping her mouth shut to protect herself.
This is a haunting read that will stay with you even when you walk away from the book. A coming-of-age story, wrapped into a psychological thriller that will leave your hair standing on ends. It is a book that will keep you engrossed from start to finish.
https://featzreviews.com
The author tells this dark, disturbing tale in a manner that might make your skin crawl, but she keeps you engrossed in her young character's life. She draws a picture of every mother’s nightmare while allowing this young girl to forge her way ahead, finding the courage to deal with the events she has been born into. This is a creative, gripping story that the author brought to light in all its gory detail.
Prue’s mother attempted suicide and her grandmother passed away. Now she is forced to spend the summer with her aunt on an isolated island. Prue does not want to go, but the hope of learning the truth about her biological father motivates her to do as she is told.
Arriving on the island, Prue finds herself in a strange house filled with unusual plants, a curious old woman, an absent aunt and an uncle she battles to get a take on. When locals start sharing rumours about a missing girl, Prue starts digging for the truth. But is she ready to deal with what she is about to discover?
As a mother, I found it hard to wrap my head around the alcohol, drugs and sex that fill this sixteen-year-old girl’s life. Prue is a child, there is no way I can see her as an adult at sixteen. Yet, as disturbing as these details were, I found it impossible to leave this book unfinished, I had to know how it would end.
Prue is a naïve, innocent child who tries really hard to behave like an adult. She is gullible and silly in her trust and need to satisfy everyone around her. As the details unravel and she finally discovers the truth about her father, you think things cannot get worst, until they do. This child discovers so much more than she bargained on and still, she manages to absorb the facts and then continues the family tradition of keeping her mouth shut to protect herself.
This is a haunting read that will stay with you even when you walk away from the book. A coming-of-age story, wrapped into a psychological thriller that will leave your hair standing on ends. It is a book that will keep you engrossed from start to finish.
https://featzreviews.com
December 19, 2022
In the summer of 1993, sixteen year old Prue is forced to spend her holidays on a remote island off Scotland with her Aunt Ruth and Uncle Archie. Her mother has attempted suicide and while she is recovering Ruth insists that Prue stay with her enticing her with promises to tell her about all the family secrets including the identity of Prue’s father. Once on the island, Prue soon discovers that there are more secrets including that her uncle was the only suspect in the disappearance of a local girl around twenty years ago. So, who was Evelyn O'Hara and what did Archie have to do with it? As Prue gets closer to some of the locals the truth threatens to upend her whole world.
Listening to this on audio I was blown away by the Scottish accent of the narrator and how much this voice added to the atmosphere of the story. The Gone and the Forgotten was part coming of age story, part mystery. In fact it was almost gothic like in its mystery elements which I really quite enjoyed. The old house owned by Archie’s wealthy family was full of plants grown by Archie’s mother who makes her own beauty products and tonics. The secret passages and priest holes dotted throughout. The woods surrounding the house where Evie O’Hara went missing. The crows that appear at the house ominously. Ruth’s secrecy around her paintings. Archie’s obsession with taking photos of near naked women as part of his art. The many secrets that Prue slowly begins to unravel about her family. All these elements combined really well to give an eerie vibe with a dark psychological tone.
There are a bunch of bombshells dropped and while I had some inklings about the ending I didn’t quite get it all right. This was a genuinely engaging book that I enjoyed. I’d definitely recommend this as an audio read.
Listening to this on audio I was blown away by the Scottish accent of the narrator and how much this voice added to the atmosphere of the story. The Gone and the Forgotten was part coming of age story, part mystery. In fact it was almost gothic like in its mystery elements which I really quite enjoyed. The old house owned by Archie’s wealthy family was full of plants grown by Archie’s mother who makes her own beauty products and tonics. The secret passages and priest holes dotted throughout. The woods surrounding the house where Evie O’Hara went missing. The crows that appear at the house ominously. Ruth’s secrecy around her paintings. Archie’s obsession with taking photos of near naked women as part of his art. The many secrets that Prue slowly begins to unravel about her family. All these elements combined really well to give an eerie vibe with a dark psychological tone.
There are a bunch of bombshells dropped and while I had some inklings about the ending I didn’t quite get it all right. This was a genuinely engaging book that I enjoyed. I’d definitely recommend this as an audio read.
June 13, 2022
16 year old Prue’s mother has just attempted suicide so she is shipped off to a remote island in the Shetlands for the summer holidays. She’s staying with her Aunt Ruth and Uncle Archie, a man she has only met a few times. Prue is hoping to find answers to the past, namely; who is her father and why is she forbidden to discuss him?
While on the island Prue learns about the mysterious disappearance of a girl called Evelyn O’Hara twenty years ago. Her uncle was the only suspect, there were rumours they were dating at the time of the disappearance and she vanished on her way to visit him. As Prue gets closer to her Uncle and spends more time on the island, she gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets the island hides.
The setting of this book was perfect and you were given such a sense of desolation and isolation with undercurrents of sinister happenings. The descriptions of the island itself and the house Prue stays in were done so well and the eeriness they invoked really added to your sense of unease.
Prue really felt like a teenager, along with all the angst and drama that brings and while she didn’t always make the smartest decisions, the motivation for those decisions still felt authentic. Ronnie, Archie’s grandmother was one of the standout characters. An elderly, plant obsessed, strong willed woman who takes Prue under her wing.
The plot carried itself along at a good pace culminating in a finale with enough twists and turns to keep you satisfied. There are quite a few themes going on in this novel; secrets, family, grief, guilt and also stories involving sexual abuse and drug abuse. Even with all that, Whitfield doesn’t get bogged down and manages to weave everything together in a fitting way. I found the ending to be slightly predictable and some of the writing at the beginning to be slightly stilted, especially the dialogue of Prue. This improved as the book went on however and overall it was an enjoyable and creepy read.
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
While on the island Prue learns about the mysterious disappearance of a girl called Evelyn O’Hara twenty years ago. Her uncle was the only suspect, there were rumours they were dating at the time of the disappearance and she vanished on her way to visit him. As Prue gets closer to her Uncle and spends more time on the island, she gets closer and closer to uncovering the secrets the island hides.
The setting of this book was perfect and you were given such a sense of desolation and isolation with undercurrents of sinister happenings. The descriptions of the island itself and the house Prue stays in were done so well and the eeriness they invoked really added to your sense of unease.
Prue really felt like a teenager, along with all the angst and drama that brings and while she didn’t always make the smartest decisions, the motivation for those decisions still felt authentic. Ronnie, Archie’s grandmother was one of the standout characters. An elderly, plant obsessed, strong willed woman who takes Prue under her wing.
The plot carried itself along at a good pace culminating in a finale with enough twists and turns to keep you satisfied. There are quite a few themes going on in this novel; secrets, family, grief, guilt and also stories involving sexual abuse and drug abuse. Even with all that, Whitfield doesn’t get bogged down and manages to weave everything together in a fitting way. I found the ending to be slightly predictable and some of the writing at the beginning to be slightly stilted, especially the dialogue of Prue. This improved as the book went on however and overall it was an enjoyable and creepy read.
Thank you to Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
June 24, 2022
This was an uncomfortable read. Clare Whitfield packs this story with lots of secrets, a creepy old house, a dead younger sister for main character Prudence “Prue”, a flamboyant grandmother, a super creepy uncle, sex, drug use, murders and drug smuggling.
Prue is convinced to come up from London and stay with her artist aunt Ruth in the Shetlands after Prue’s mother Caroline attempts suicide. Prue goes in the hope of learning more about her long absent father, and anything else she can about her family.
She meets Archie, Ruth’s artist husband who has a disturbingly weird relationship with his teenaged female models, and Archie’s grandmother Veronique “Ronnie”. Prue almost immediately experiences nightmares each night, gets no answers from Ruth about her family, and discovers Archie was a suspect in the disappearance of his girlfriend twenty years earlier. And there’s tension and bad blood between Archie’s family and the locals, who are convinced he murdered the girl.
Add in both neglect and weird manipulative behaviour from all her family here, and her escalating drug use, as well as recurring illness and nightmares, and it’s all a recipe for Prue making successive poor decisions. And when the family revelations do come, they’re pretty awful, with Prue spiralling, understandably.
To reiterate, an uncomfortable read, but compelling. I didn’t care for any of the characters, but also could not stop reading, even though I figured some stuff out before the author revealed it. Definitely gothic, with the noises and randomly opening doors, plants festooning and overtaking all the house interiors, the pervasive feelings of darkness and tension, and the difficulty Prue had in discerning between what was real and what wasn’t.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Head of Zeus for this ARC in exchange for my review.
Prue is convinced to come up from London and stay with her artist aunt Ruth in the Shetlands after Prue’s mother Caroline attempts suicide. Prue goes in the hope of learning more about her long absent father, and anything else she can about her family.
She meets Archie, Ruth’s artist husband who has a disturbingly weird relationship with his teenaged female models, and Archie’s grandmother Veronique “Ronnie”. Prue almost immediately experiences nightmares each night, gets no answers from Ruth about her family, and discovers Archie was a suspect in the disappearance of his girlfriend twenty years earlier. And there’s tension and bad blood between Archie’s family and the locals, who are convinced he murdered the girl.
Add in both neglect and weird manipulative behaviour from all her family here, and her escalating drug use, as well as recurring illness and nightmares, and it’s all a recipe for Prue making successive poor decisions. And when the family revelations do come, they’re pretty awful, with Prue spiralling, understandably.
To reiterate, an uncomfortable read, but compelling. I didn’t care for any of the characters, but also could not stop reading, even though I figured some stuff out before the author revealed it. Definitely gothic, with the noises and randomly opening doors, plants festooning and overtaking all the house interiors, the pervasive feelings of darkness and tension, and the difficulty Prue had in discerning between what was real and what wasn’t.
Thank you to Netgalley and to Head of Zeus for this ARC in exchange for my review.
March 24, 2022
Set in 1993, we join Pru as she is shipped off to an island in the Shetlands to stay with her Aunt now that her Nana has died and her mother is hospitalized due to an attempt to take her own life. Pru wants badly to stay in her home with her friends but her Aunt entices her to come with a promise to reveal all of the family secrets which include the identity of Pru's father.
Pru arrives on the island and meets a crazy cast of true characters. There is a vein of coming of age throughout the book as Pru chases her first kiss and more. These parts are so well written you will undoubtedly feel that you are in high school again and lng for those long Summer days.
There is quite a bit of mystery featured in the book, the unnamed father, the death of Pru's younger sister and a missing young woman from 20 years before. Pru's family is tied up with all of these secrets and as the Summer draws to an end, Pru discovers more than she bargained for. If you reminisce about your 16th summer, love a family drama or long for well written coming of age story, then #TheGoneAndTheForgotten is for you! #HeadofZues #NetGalley #NetGalleyReads
Pru arrives on the island and meets a crazy cast of true characters. There is a vein of coming of age throughout the book as Pru chases her first kiss and more. These parts are so well written you will undoubtedly feel that you are in high school again and lng for those long Summer days.
There is quite a bit of mystery featured in the book, the unnamed father, the death of Pru's younger sister and a missing young woman from 20 years before. Pru's family is tied up with all of these secrets and as the Summer draws to an end, Pru discovers more than she bargained for. If you reminisce about your 16th summer, love a family drama or long for well written coming of age story, then #TheGoneAndTheForgotten is for you! #HeadofZues #NetGalley #NetGalleyReads
July 3, 2022
Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.
Honestly I'm still processing how I feel about this book but I definitely enjoyed it! It is basically a coming of age thriller which is not something I'd normally put together but it worked 😂
The story follows Prue a sixteen year old girl who just wants to find out what secrets her family are keeping from her. But she gets way more than she bargained for. I loved the setting of Shetland, it was atmospheric and added to the creepy nature of the story. The characters were interesting and we do see a lot of their flaws. I did like Prue and I admired her wanting to know the truth but I hated how she did things she was uncomfortable with to please others.
I did feel however that there were two separate mysteries and they were a bit disconnected. I thought this was really well written and the mysteries were well done with hints throughout but yet still shocking. It was a very good read but be warned there is some hard hitting content.
Honestly I'm still processing how I feel about this book but I definitely enjoyed it! It is basically a coming of age thriller which is not something I'd normally put together but it worked 😂
The story follows Prue a sixteen year old girl who just wants to find out what secrets her family are keeping from her. But she gets way more than she bargained for. I loved the setting of Shetland, it was atmospheric and added to the creepy nature of the story. The characters were interesting and we do see a lot of their flaws. I did like Prue and I admired her wanting to know the truth but I hated how she did things she was uncomfortable with to please others.
I did feel however that there were two separate mysteries and they were a bit disconnected. I thought this was really well written and the mysteries were well done with hints throughout but yet still shocking. It was a very good read but be warned there is some hard hitting content.
June 30, 2022
I loved Whitfield's first novel, People of Abandoned Character, but The Gone and the Forgotten didn't hit the same mark for me. It's a clever blend of a coming-of-age story and chilling gothic mystery, but I think Whitfield's strength lies in the latter genre; her prose is absorbing and evokes a haunting and sinister atmosphere as the mysteries surrounding a secretive family and isolated community unravel. I felt like I was right alongside the characters on the eerie, windswept remote island in Shetland, and experienced chills as the twists were revealed and I raced to the end to discover the truth. The characters themselves felt off to me however, their reactions and interactions seemed sometimes unnatural or forced, and the impacts of some of the events in the novel were glossed over too quickly in favour of other twists. As such I was incredibly drawn in by the gothic atmosphere and mystery but felt disconnected from the characters and storyline, though I still enjoyed reading it.
Many thanks to Head of Zeus for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
Many thanks to Head of Zeus for the copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 18, 2022
This book takes you on quite a ride. It is a slow burn for a lot of it, very descriptive of a time and place. Part mystery, party coming of age as the main character tries to understand her family's history. A father she has never known, a mother with severe depression, she goes off to stay with her aunt and more secrets are revealed there
July 25, 2022
A Really great storyline with unraveling mysteries, keeps you guessing until the end.
May 23, 2022
Enjoyed the book and would give it 3.5 stars. I had to keep reminding myself that it's 1993 not 2022. Not that it matters, because I'm pretty sure that island will be the same no matter what year. It's in the middle of no where and not even one of the main Shetland Islands. The Anderson Family home was scary, the people who lived inside didn't help, either did all the plants. I'm pretty sure every character in this book was crazy, at least everyone in Prue's family or associated with them. Prue made horrible decisions. She ignored every warning sign. She didn't have any great role models in her life and her mom put her down about everything. Every bad thing that you can imagine, happened to Prue. Most of it occurred while she was visiting her aunt. Agree with Prue that recorders were created to torture parents. I have heard Hot Crossed Buns to last me a life time. I'm not really sure why Ruth insisted Prue came to stay with them for the summer. Ruth ignored her and never wanted to answer Prue's questions. Plus, she knew what type of man her husband was. Didn't Ruth see anything wrong with Ronnie constantly giving Prue alcohol? Prue would have been safer if she stayed with her friend's family. When Prue finally learned the truth about the identity of her father, I was shocked. Definitely didn't expect that, no wonder everyone kept it a secret. Then throw in the truth about Holly and what happened to her all those years ago. The only thing Prue's family was good at, was keeping secrets. They had so many, I'm not sure how they kept track.
Definitely recommend the book. I couldn't stop reading because I had to know what was going on in that creepy house and if Prue ever got answers to her questions. Look forward to reading more books by the author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Head of Zeus through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Definitely recommend the book. I couldn't stop reading because I had to know what was going on in that creepy house and if Prue ever got answers to her questions. Look forward to reading more books by the author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Head of Zeus through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
September 17, 2022
I had to give this book 5/5 because it kept me reading all day with barely a break. There are twists you kinda expect and can predict, but then there are ones that smack you over the head. I definitely recommend this book!
January 11, 2024
I was not as captivated by this book as I was by the authors first book
I found it to be a bit tedious and I felt no empathy for the protagonist, she seemed reckless and spoiled , void of accountability in the decisions she made
The ending was not a surprise and rather dramatic
I found it to be a bit tedious and I felt no empathy for the protagonist, she seemed reckless and spoiled , void of accountability in the decisions she made
The ending was not a surprise and rather dramatic
May 17, 2022
via my blog: https://bookstalkerblog.wordpress.com/
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁, 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀.
Just how much does it cost to be given the keys to a kingdom?
Set in 1993: Prue doesn’t doesn’t know much about her family history, only thing she knows for sure is that her mother is unstable and that after sixteen years of being alive, she still has no clue who her own father is. Her mother breaks down, often, and this is just the latest collapse. Her Nana is gone, leaving grief in her wake, and years of unanswered questions. Aunt Ruth has never confided either but promises this time, if Prue comes for a sorely needed vacation in her home in Shetland, they will talk. Ruth, the aunt who married a wealthy man named Archie (a stranger to Prue) is easier to get close too but she isn’t exactly spilling any secrets. Ruth had no idea just how serious her sister had sank into her depression, this time Prue’s mother needs a place that can really help her and Prue needs room to breathe, away from her mother’s heavy needs. Prue reluctantly departs her best friend’s home and makes her way to the small island of Noost, never imaging the family secrets that are lying in wait.
Once on the island, Prue meets her Uncle Archie and his peculiar grandmother, Ronnie- the only relatives still alive in his family. In her seventies, the woman tends to her many plants like children and lives in a universe all her own, but she is sharp and in perfect control of her mind and body. She tells Prue right away that when she heard she was coming to stay, she just knew it would change everything. She tell her it’s a good thing she is there, ‘the spirits want it to happen,’ and gushes over her. Ronnie is a proud woman from a long, Scotish line of MacNairs, who landed on the island due to ‘following a boy’ long ago. Ronnie comes off as very intense, believing in energies, and extremely uptight about Prue touching her precious plants. Straight away, dreams from when she was a little girl of seven begin to haunt her. It’s the place, surely. Memories she has scrubbed away about her baby sister Holly, as slips of our early childhood hide from us with age, but surely there is more she just can’t recover? In a family of secrets, is it a surprise she keeps stories even from herself? Then the crime the woman Joan Gardner committed, it’s all returning to bite her. Ronnie seems to warm to her and where Aunt Ruth remains tight lipped, Ronnie gushes about her own past and that of their huge, old home.
The island has a magical energy that feeds the artistic palate of her aunt and new uncle, Archie. Ronnie warns her, their work is strange! It is unsettling and the house itself seems to be alive with eerie sounds. It isn’t the relaxing escape she was looking forward too, in fact, more questions than answers are arising, especially about Archie. He is ‘a proper bloke’, intimidating, a man who takes up space and is nothing near as welcoming as her Aunt Ruth’s first husband. Locals think he is guilty of something terrible, even if they can’t say what or prove anything. When she ventures out, fully immersed in her first taste of freedom, she encounters a local woman who warns her about Archie, the only good to come out of it is she meets a boy after being scared away. The two form a relationship, but she can’t help but poke the accusations she hears about Archie. Then to learn that there have been strange accidents, deaths, tragedies tied to the home only makes her more frightened of the place. In fact, the very room she is staying in has a story she can’t quite help but fear.
Is Prue ready to know what she has been asking for years? Does she truly want her own spoiled family history, that reeks of damning sins? Will it finally help her understand her mother’s lowest of lows? Archie, she should be weary of him, but even that is changing.
This was an engaging tale of family sins, of the ways people will bury their shameful history despite the cost. Prue may well have to face herself, and her own actions. A bit of a twist, with a sad past. A good read for anyone who enjoys mysteries of family sins and tragedies.
Publication Date: June 9, 2022
Head of Zeus
Apollo
𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘁, 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀.
Just how much does it cost to be given the keys to a kingdom?
Set in 1993: Prue doesn’t doesn’t know much about her family history, only thing she knows for sure is that her mother is unstable and that after sixteen years of being alive, she still has no clue who her own father is. Her mother breaks down, often, and this is just the latest collapse. Her Nana is gone, leaving grief in her wake, and years of unanswered questions. Aunt Ruth has never confided either but promises this time, if Prue comes for a sorely needed vacation in her home in Shetland, they will talk. Ruth, the aunt who married a wealthy man named Archie (a stranger to Prue) is easier to get close too but she isn’t exactly spilling any secrets. Ruth had no idea just how serious her sister had sank into her depression, this time Prue’s mother needs a place that can really help her and Prue needs room to breathe, away from her mother’s heavy needs. Prue reluctantly departs her best friend’s home and makes her way to the small island of Noost, never imaging the family secrets that are lying in wait.
Once on the island, Prue meets her Uncle Archie and his peculiar grandmother, Ronnie- the only relatives still alive in his family. In her seventies, the woman tends to her many plants like children and lives in a universe all her own, but she is sharp and in perfect control of her mind and body. She tells Prue right away that when she heard she was coming to stay, she just knew it would change everything. She tell her it’s a good thing she is there, ‘the spirits want it to happen,’ and gushes over her. Ronnie is a proud woman from a long, Scotish line of MacNairs, who landed on the island due to ‘following a boy’ long ago. Ronnie comes off as very intense, believing in energies, and extremely uptight about Prue touching her precious plants. Straight away, dreams from when she was a little girl of seven begin to haunt her. It’s the place, surely. Memories she has scrubbed away about her baby sister Holly, as slips of our early childhood hide from us with age, but surely there is more she just can’t recover? In a family of secrets, is it a surprise she keeps stories even from herself? Then the crime the woman Joan Gardner committed, it’s all returning to bite her. Ronnie seems to warm to her and where Aunt Ruth remains tight lipped, Ronnie gushes about her own past and that of their huge, old home.
The island has a magical energy that feeds the artistic palate of her aunt and new uncle, Archie. Ronnie warns her, their work is strange! It is unsettling and the house itself seems to be alive with eerie sounds. It isn’t the relaxing escape she was looking forward too, in fact, more questions than answers are arising, especially about Archie. He is ‘a proper bloke’, intimidating, a man who takes up space and is nothing near as welcoming as her Aunt Ruth’s first husband. Locals think he is guilty of something terrible, even if they can’t say what or prove anything. When she ventures out, fully immersed in her first taste of freedom, she encounters a local woman who warns her about Archie, the only good to come out of it is she meets a boy after being scared away. The two form a relationship, but she can’t help but poke the accusations she hears about Archie. Then to learn that there have been strange accidents, deaths, tragedies tied to the home only makes her more frightened of the place. In fact, the very room she is staying in has a story she can’t quite help but fear.
Is Prue ready to know what she has been asking for years? Does she truly want her own spoiled family history, that reeks of damning sins? Will it finally help her understand her mother’s lowest of lows? Archie, she should be weary of him, but even that is changing.
This was an engaging tale of family sins, of the ways people will bury their shameful history despite the cost. Prue may well have to face herself, and her own actions. A bit of a twist, with a sad past. A good read for anyone who enjoys mysteries of family sins and tragedies.
Publication Date: June 9, 2022
Head of Zeus
Apollo
June 20, 2022
Clare Whitfield’s second novel, The Gone and the Forgotten, is billed as part psychological thriller, part coming-of-age novel. I’d add to that by saying that it’s also part Gothic-inspired mystery, part family drama, and, in its entirety, a creepy and compelling read with some seriously dark psychological undertones.
Set on the remote island of Noost, The Gone and the Forgotten follows 16-year-old Prue as she endeavours to find out the truths behind the many silences that lie at the heart of her damaged and fractured family. Instead of a long-overdue chat with her Aunt Ruth, however, Prue is confronted with more forbidden pasts and long-held secrets on Noost, including the sudden disappearance of a local girl twenty years previously. And as the mysteries of Prue’s own past combine with those that lie beneath the historic disappearance of the beguiling Evelyn O’Hara, it isn’t long before Prue comes to realise that unravelling the past might be more of a curse than a blessing.
Prue makes for an interesting – if not entirely empathetic – narrator who comes complete with more than the requisite amount of angst and drama. Her voice reminded me, in many ways, of the protagonist of Emma Cline’s The Girls and, if you enjoyed that book’s fraught examination of a teenage girl’s coming-of-age, then I think The Gone and the Forgotten will appeal also. As with that protagonist, Prue doesn’t always make the smartest of decisions but, crucially, they always felt authentic, especially once the trauma of Prue’s past is fully revealed.
Because this is a book that comes chocked full of family drama and traumatic secrets. Whilst I don’t want to give away any spoilers, readers should be aware that the novel deals with suicide (and features a flashback to a suicide attempt), pregnancy, toxic relationships, gaslighting, child sexual abuse, child death, and murder. It also features scenes containing drug use and sexual content (including one scene that borders on rape/coercion), and the majority of the characters would benefit from several sessions with a very well-qualified therapist.
With revelations coming thick and fast, The Gone and the Forgotten is definitely a book that kept the pages turning. I did find myself guessing one of two of the plot beats and twists but Clare Whitfield manages to pack so much emotion into the pages that, for the most part, I was too absorbed in the plot to care about the occasional cliché. The novel really manages to capture both what it is like to be a frustrated, isolated, and confused 16-year-old – angry at the secrets being kept from her, and desperate to make sense of herself, the world around her, and her own place within it – and the ways in which that emotional melting pot makes Prue very vulnerable.
The novel also practically oozes atmosphere especially when it comes to the descriptions of Dynrost House – Prue’s ‘home’ on Noost – and the island landscape surrounding it. A real sense of desolation and isolation leaps off the page and there were several times when I wanted to reach into the book, grab Prue, and get her running for the Mainland ferry as fast as her legs could carry her! Some of the character writing felt a little more stilted in places – there were a couple of characters who just screamed ‘wrong ‘un’ to me the moment they arrived on the page – but, for the most part, I could suspend my disbelief and immerse myself in the complex tangle of damaging secrets and dangerous lies that lay behind the facades of MacArthur and Anderson families. I was also impressed by the way that Clare Whitfield managed to maintain a hold on several complex plot strands and to tie them together in a fitting way at the end.
The Gone and the Forgotten made for a quick and compelling read. Packing plenty of emotional punch and featuring an evocative setting, the unfolding dramas and unsettling revelations soon had me wholly immersed in the psychological darkness of Prue’s world.
NB: This review 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.
Set on the remote island of Noost, The Gone and the Forgotten follows 16-year-old Prue as she endeavours to find out the truths behind the many silences that lie at the heart of her damaged and fractured family. Instead of a long-overdue chat with her Aunt Ruth, however, Prue is confronted with more forbidden pasts and long-held secrets on Noost, including the sudden disappearance of a local girl twenty years previously. And as the mysteries of Prue’s own past combine with those that lie beneath the historic disappearance of the beguiling Evelyn O’Hara, it isn’t long before Prue comes to realise that unravelling the past might be more of a curse than a blessing.
Prue makes for an interesting – if not entirely empathetic – narrator who comes complete with more than the requisite amount of angst and drama. Her voice reminded me, in many ways, of the protagonist of Emma Cline’s The Girls and, if you enjoyed that book’s fraught examination of a teenage girl’s coming-of-age, then I think The Gone and the Forgotten will appeal also. As with that protagonist, Prue doesn’t always make the smartest of decisions but, crucially, they always felt authentic, especially once the trauma of Prue’s past is fully revealed.
Because this is a book that comes chocked full of family drama and traumatic secrets. Whilst I don’t want to give away any spoilers, readers should be aware that the novel deals with suicide (and features a flashback to a suicide attempt), pregnancy, toxic relationships, gaslighting, child sexual abuse, child death, and murder. It also features scenes containing drug use and sexual content (including one scene that borders on rape/coercion), and the majority of the characters would benefit from several sessions with a very well-qualified therapist.
With revelations coming thick and fast, The Gone and the Forgotten is definitely a book that kept the pages turning. I did find myself guessing one of two of the plot beats and twists but Clare Whitfield manages to pack so much emotion into the pages that, for the most part, I was too absorbed in the plot to care about the occasional cliché. The novel really manages to capture both what it is like to be a frustrated, isolated, and confused 16-year-old – angry at the secrets being kept from her, and desperate to make sense of herself, the world around her, and her own place within it – and the ways in which that emotional melting pot makes Prue very vulnerable.
The novel also practically oozes atmosphere especially when it comes to the descriptions of Dynrost House – Prue’s ‘home’ on Noost – and the island landscape surrounding it. A real sense of desolation and isolation leaps off the page and there were several times when I wanted to reach into the book, grab Prue, and get her running for the Mainland ferry as fast as her legs could carry her! Some of the character writing felt a little more stilted in places – there were a couple of characters who just screamed ‘wrong ‘un’ to me the moment they arrived on the page – but, for the most part, I could suspend my disbelief and immerse myself in the complex tangle of damaging secrets and dangerous lies that lay behind the facades of MacArthur and Anderson families. I was also impressed by the way that Clare Whitfield managed to maintain a hold on several complex plot strands and to tie them together in a fitting way at the end.
The Gone and the Forgotten made for a quick and compelling read. Packing plenty of emotional punch and featuring an evocative setting, the unfolding dramas and unsettling revelations soon had me wholly immersed in the psychological darkness of Prue’s world.
NB: This review 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.
January 27, 2023
A little predictable with the storyline and the outcome.
Loves the setting in the Shetland Islands and would have liked more description of the scenery and such.
Some interesting characters that I would have liked more in-depth analysis of. Quite an interesting family dynamic and lots of half truths and secrets to unfurl. Prue was an interesting young woman and as she begins to understand her family and herself she then realises that she has more to discover.
The older women in the book were controlling matriarchs. Their means and methods of this made for an intense ending.
Loves the setting in the Shetland Islands and would have liked more description of the scenery and such.
Some interesting characters that I would have liked more in-depth analysis of. Quite an interesting family dynamic and lots of half truths and secrets to unfurl. Prue was an interesting young woman and as she begins to understand her family and herself she then realises that she has more to discover.
The older women in the book were controlling matriarchs. Their means and methods of this made for an intense ending.
July 26, 2022
Life on a tiny island can be challenging enough for anyone, but for a confused sixteen year old in 1993 it is especially confusing. Prue has been told she must join her aunt Ruth on Noost, just off the mainland of Shetland after her mother tries to end her life. Prue’s only plan in joining her artist relative and her largely unknown husband Archie is to discover the truth about her family. When she arrives in the tiny community and atmospheric family home she discovers that the truth can be elusive and even dangerous.
This is a terrifically atmospheric book, full of the reality of life on a very small island with extreme weather. There are very few people who live there, including the mysterious and charismatic Archie, and the decidedly eccentric Ronnie. The house is a wonder, large and complex, with hidden corners and seemingly overrun with indoor plants which seem to grow on every surface and round every corner. Anxious as ever to fit in, to do as she is asked, Prue gets involved in a house which seems to conceal many secrets. The great mystery is the fate of the missing Evelyn or Evie from twenty years before; a decided lack of suspects makes some in the community look to Archie as the guilty party. Secrets seem to echo around the big house as accusations fly and some struggle to cope. Prue tries to fit in perhaps more than she realises with the extreme characters, especially with encouragement and memories of her more worldly wise friend Subo, and makes decisions that she would never have foreseen.
Beneath the dramatic events on the island and the challenges Prue faces is her almost instinctive truth about her parentage. She has long dreamt of a father who will sweep into her life and rescue her from her sad and repressive mother, but between her, Ruth and her late Nana she can get no answer to her question. She experiences nightmares on the island which cannot all be explained by the alcohol she is persuaded to consume.
This is a book of searching, trying to discover the truth amid layers of secrets and perhaps lies. It contains some amazing characters, including the unhappy family of the missing Evie, and the well intentioned James. Ronnie is a confusing and extravagant character, quite a creation within a book of remarkable people. The setting is well described, with the cut off feeling of island life, seemingly largely uninterrupted by outside influences. There are plenty of references to the plants, landscape and life on the island, yet the central narrative revolves around the largely bewildered Prue, her memories and her concerns for her present. It is a vividly written book, memorable for the descriptions of the people, place and events.
I found it a largely enthralling book written in a flowing style consistent with the place where Prue finds herself. There is a certain amount of violence and realism which is blended in with the questions that Prue feels she has come to answer. There is a great deal of honesty in this novel, realism and themes that challenge. Family secrets, the truth of what is happening and what has happened in the past are well blended into the story. This is a very enjoyable book which I felt drawn into, keen to discover what would happen next, and what Prue will discover. It is a book with great depth and plenty of action, even when the decisions that Prue makes are dubious. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this book, and particularly enjoyed the island setting.
This is a terrifically atmospheric book, full of the reality of life on a very small island with extreme weather. There are very few people who live there, including the mysterious and charismatic Archie, and the decidedly eccentric Ronnie. The house is a wonder, large and complex, with hidden corners and seemingly overrun with indoor plants which seem to grow on every surface and round every corner. Anxious as ever to fit in, to do as she is asked, Prue gets involved in a house which seems to conceal many secrets. The great mystery is the fate of the missing Evelyn or Evie from twenty years before; a decided lack of suspects makes some in the community look to Archie as the guilty party. Secrets seem to echo around the big house as accusations fly and some struggle to cope. Prue tries to fit in perhaps more than she realises with the extreme characters, especially with encouragement and memories of her more worldly wise friend Subo, and makes decisions that she would never have foreseen.
Beneath the dramatic events on the island and the challenges Prue faces is her almost instinctive truth about her parentage. She has long dreamt of a father who will sweep into her life and rescue her from her sad and repressive mother, but between her, Ruth and her late Nana she can get no answer to her question. She experiences nightmares on the island which cannot all be explained by the alcohol she is persuaded to consume.
This is a book of searching, trying to discover the truth amid layers of secrets and perhaps lies. It contains some amazing characters, including the unhappy family of the missing Evie, and the well intentioned James. Ronnie is a confusing and extravagant character, quite a creation within a book of remarkable people. The setting is well described, with the cut off feeling of island life, seemingly largely uninterrupted by outside influences. There are plenty of references to the plants, landscape and life on the island, yet the central narrative revolves around the largely bewildered Prue, her memories and her concerns for her present. It is a vividly written book, memorable for the descriptions of the people, place and events.
I found it a largely enthralling book written in a flowing style consistent with the place where Prue finds herself. There is a certain amount of violence and realism which is blended in with the questions that Prue feels she has come to answer. There is a great deal of honesty in this novel, realism and themes that challenge. Family secrets, the truth of what is happening and what has happened in the past are well blended into the story. This is a very enjoyable book which I felt drawn into, keen to discover what would happen next, and what Prue will discover. It is a book with great depth and plenty of action, even when the decisions that Prue makes are dubious. I was pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this book, and particularly enjoyed the island setting.
June 27, 2022
The Gone and the Forgotten, by Clare Whitfield, features great characters and elements I love to find in a book, keeping me hooked throughout.
Sixteen-year-old Prue hasn’t had an easy life. She was born when her mum was 15, nobody has ever told her who her father is, and when she was six, she lost her baby sister. More recently, the austere, unemotional, but stable grandmother who helped raise her died, and her mum is in rehab following a suicide attempt. Prue is hoping for some answers from her Aunt Ruth when she stays with her on the Shetland Island of Noost for the summer.
I adored Prue; she’s smart, curious, and funny but also, like myself at that age, awkward and lacking in confidence. It was rewarding to see her make a new friend (James, the only other person of around her own age on the island), start to figure out who she is as a person, and get a taste of freedom, even if that does mean making some mistakes and poor judgements.
I found it particularly relatable when Prue would imagine herself doing something bold, only to change her mind when the situation she’d envisaged came to pass. I shared her frustration at being over-protected and under-informed, though by the end, I could totally see why she was treated that way by the various adults in her life.
Also present are Ruth’s husband, Archie, a dodgy artist of ill repute locally, and Archie’s grandmother, Ronnie, a character who really leaps off the page and entertained me with her eccentricity and volatility. One minute, she’ll be nurturing towards Prue in a way that’s unique to her; the next, she’ll be issuing dire warnings about what Prue can and can’t do or touch in the house.
The house itself was something I especially loved about this book. I’m a sucker for sprawling, decaying houses with hidden spaces in fiction, and Dynrost House fits the bill perfectly. The electrics are temperamental, sound carries in strange ways, past inhabitants have met unfortunate ends, and the place is practically riddled with hidden entrances to priest holes and the “cellarium”, as Ronnie calls it. What’s more, a black dog and rooks abound in the nearby woods, Ronnie’s plants are running riot all over, and some of the art Ruth creates is pure nightmare fuel.
I also very much appreciated the more ‘historical’ mystery: what happened to Evie O’Hara? On her very first outing to the village, Prue finds out that many locals believe that Archie did away with his girlfriend two decades earlier. These include Evie’s deadbeat younger brother, Charlie, and crazed mother, Gladys - who even turns up at Dynrost in the middle of the night sometimes. As part of her mission to uncover this truth, too, Prue finds herself spending more and more time alone with Archie - even though she could be putting herself in danger by doing so.
The Gone and the Forgotten is a compelling and unnerving coming-of-age novel with some brilliant characters.
Sixteen-year-old Prue hasn’t had an easy life. She was born when her mum was 15, nobody has ever told her who her father is, and when she was six, she lost her baby sister. More recently, the austere, unemotional, but stable grandmother who helped raise her died, and her mum is in rehab following a suicide attempt. Prue is hoping for some answers from her Aunt Ruth when she stays with her on the Shetland Island of Noost for the summer.
I adored Prue; she’s smart, curious, and funny but also, like myself at that age, awkward and lacking in confidence. It was rewarding to see her make a new friend (James, the only other person of around her own age on the island), start to figure out who she is as a person, and get a taste of freedom, even if that does mean making some mistakes and poor judgements.
I found it particularly relatable when Prue would imagine herself doing something bold, only to change her mind when the situation she’d envisaged came to pass. I shared her frustration at being over-protected and under-informed, though by the end, I could totally see why she was treated that way by the various adults in her life.
Also present are Ruth’s husband, Archie, a dodgy artist of ill repute locally, and Archie’s grandmother, Ronnie, a character who really leaps off the page and entertained me with her eccentricity and volatility. One minute, she’ll be nurturing towards Prue in a way that’s unique to her; the next, she’ll be issuing dire warnings about what Prue can and can’t do or touch in the house.
The house itself was something I especially loved about this book. I’m a sucker for sprawling, decaying houses with hidden spaces in fiction, and Dynrost House fits the bill perfectly. The electrics are temperamental, sound carries in strange ways, past inhabitants have met unfortunate ends, and the place is practically riddled with hidden entrances to priest holes and the “cellarium”, as Ronnie calls it. What’s more, a black dog and rooks abound in the nearby woods, Ronnie’s plants are running riot all over, and some of the art Ruth creates is pure nightmare fuel.
I also very much appreciated the more ‘historical’ mystery: what happened to Evie O’Hara? On her very first outing to the village, Prue finds out that many locals believe that Archie did away with his girlfriend two decades earlier. These include Evie’s deadbeat younger brother, Charlie, and crazed mother, Gladys - who even turns up at Dynrost in the middle of the night sometimes. As part of her mission to uncover this truth, too, Prue finds herself spending more and more time alone with Archie - even though she could be putting herself in danger by doing so.
The Gone and the Forgotten is a compelling and unnerving coming-of-age novel with some brilliant characters.
August 26, 2022
Tbh I get the concept but the beginning was slow a little for secrets and I was honestly so shocked to the father part was a little concerning
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 26, 2022
A wonderful coming of age story.. I really felt Pru’s feelings and development of character were expertly written .. more a YA book but enjoyed the read
July 2, 2022
Sixteen year old Prue has grown up around secrets. Her grans stern silence, her mothers teary breakdowns, her aunts whispered assurances. But now, in the aftermath of her mums latest episode, Prue has decided she's old enough for the truth. She wants to know what it is that makes the adults around her turn tight lipped and distracted. She wants to know why her mum can't cope. Most of all she wants to know who her dad is. Forced to spend the summer in the Shetlands with her Aunt, Ruth, and new uncle, Archive, Prue arrives determined to find some answers. But she soon finds herself caught up in a web of family secrets, betrayals and perhaps even murder...
"What I'm saying, my dear girl, is that when you convince yourself you must have something so desperately, it can only ever end in one's own destruction.."
Almost a year ago to the day I picked a book up from my local bookshop called People of Abandoned Character because the synopsis sounded good and the cover was pretty. Bought on a complete whim, this book turned out to be one of the best pieces of modern Gothic literature I have ever read. I then waited patiently for the authors new book to be released and again I was not disappointed.
The Gone and the Forgotten is a triumph. Completely different from her first novel in every way possible but I loved it. Part coming of age, part Gothic, part family drama and part murder mystery, this book had me completely gripped from start to finish. It's a slow read, just as a good Gothic tale should be - every twist unfolds slowly - every twist is surprising and every twist will shock you. I disliked every character just as much as I liked them - they are all equal.in both their virtues and their flaws. The story of Prue, how she navigates through growing up, how she just wants to discover who she is, how she finds out about her past and uncovers terrible family secrets makes for one of the most compelling stories I have read for a long time.
It is gripping, emotional, dark, disturbing, upsetting, hilariously funny and deliciously shocking. Set on a beautiful but remote island in the Shetlands in a even more remote, creaky old house that holds many secrets amidst a highly dysfunctional family, this book is everything I love about Gothic literature and more. It is exquisite and I loved it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
"What I'm saying, my dear girl, is that when you convince yourself you must have something so desperately, it can only ever end in one's own destruction.."
Almost a year ago to the day I picked a book up from my local bookshop called People of Abandoned Character because the synopsis sounded good and the cover was pretty. Bought on a complete whim, this book turned out to be one of the best pieces of modern Gothic literature I have ever read. I then waited patiently for the authors new book to be released and again I was not disappointed.
The Gone and the Forgotten is a triumph. Completely different from her first novel in every way possible but I loved it. Part coming of age, part Gothic, part family drama and part murder mystery, this book had me completely gripped from start to finish. It's a slow read, just as a good Gothic tale should be - every twist unfolds slowly - every twist is surprising and every twist will shock you. I disliked every character just as much as I liked them - they are all equal.in both their virtues and their flaws. The story of Prue, how she navigates through growing up, how she just wants to discover who she is, how she finds out about her past and uncovers terrible family secrets makes for one of the most compelling stories I have read for a long time.
It is gripping, emotional, dark, disturbing, upsetting, hilariously funny and deliciously shocking. Set on a beautiful but remote island in the Shetlands in a even more remote, creaky old house that holds many secrets amidst a highly dysfunctional family, this book is everything I love about Gothic literature and more. It is exquisite and I loved it. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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