Keep You Safe by Melissa Hill. Review and Giveaway.

As the HPV vaccination debate heats up in Ireland, there is a very timely new release from Irish author, Melissa Hill. Every parent has their own views on vaccines and no matter which side of the debate you are on, this is a novel that will drag you in to its story and may even introduce doubts that you never had. The MMR vaccine has saved million of lives and introduced the concept of herd immunity. But what happens when your child is not vaccinated and then contracts measles? Hill explores this idea in Keep You Safe, and it is a page-turning experience.

 I have five copies of this book, in a hat trick of giveaways: Two copies here on the blog (just leave a comment below); Two copies on twitter @margaretbmadden (see pinned tweet) and a copy over on the facebook page of Bleach House Library, (see pinned post). The giveaways end on 1st October and are open INT. Good Luck!

Photo from @MelissaHillBks

My Review

(originally posted in The Sunday Independent, 11 Sep 2017)

Kate's five-year-old daughter Rosie could not be vaccinated because of an intolerance to the gelatine used in live vaccines. Her classmate Clara was not vaccinated either - her mother Madeleine chose not to, fearful of its side-effects. Neither women anticipated the outcome of their decision, and Melissa Hill's new novel examines how both their worlds are turned upside down when their children are hit by the measles virus.

It is not against the law to refuse the childhood vaccination programme in Ireland, and Madeleine and her husband Tom genuinely believe they are protecting their daughter by refusing it: "They'd been hugely uncomfortable about the vaccine's link to autism, and while the original research paper suggesting the connection had long been discredited, it was very difficult to ignore the multitude of real-life anecdotal experiences that were so prevalent". On the other hand, nurse Kate, who thoroughly researched her decision, would gladly have vaccinated Rosie were it not for her allergy. While she is now widowed, her husband had approved her decision: "We had no choice but to opt Rosie out of the standard childhood vaccination programme and hope against hope that herd immunity would prevail".

Kate finds herself in a terrifying situation when Rosie is hospitalised. Meanwhile, Clara recovers from her illness but parenting blogger Madeleine is feeling the pressure in another way: "The public loved to express an opinion - never more so than on the internet - and right now, the full force of those primarily negative opinions was heading directly her way". The two women find themselves embroiled in a legal battle which seeks to assign blame. The media are having a field day with sympathy leaning toward Kate and Rosie while Madeleine and Tom are not being afforded the same respect: "It wasn't just her and Tom's decision on vaccination that was on trial here - it was their parenting".

Kate is homely, medically trained and dealing with the long-term effects of her daughter's illness; Madeleine - wealthy and media-savvy, is judged more for her personality than for her decision. Told from both mothers' perspectives, Keep You Safe is both astute and divisive and Hill (pictured left) has addressed the vaccine debate in a fictional tale of fear, judgement and choice. A topical, timely read.


Keep You Safe is published by HQ and is available in HB, TPB and ebook format. You can order your copy, with Free Worldwide Postage, HERE. The ebook can be ordered via amazon link below:

Book Review: The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor.

Yorkshire, England 1917: When cousins Frances and Elsie take pictures, at the bottom of the garden, they have no idea that the photographs will take on a life of their own.  Their determination to make their parents believe in fairies turns in to a national fascination, with Arthur Conan Doyle falling under the spell of the photographs. In a time of war, people truly want to believe in something.

Ireland, 2017: Olivia Kavanagh inherits her grandfather’s quirky bookshop. Discovering a manuscript and a copy of a 1917 fairy photograph, she reaches back one hundred years to find out the truth surrounding the Cottingley story. How could so many people be fooled by two young girls, with no photographic expertise? Why would an Internationally acclaimed author place his stamp of approval on such controversial documents? Could there be any truth in the girls claims?

Spanning one hundred years, The Cottingley Secret is a story of dreams, hopes and how a little white lie can turn into something much, much bigger…

Francis Griffiths

Hazel Gaynor has taken the true story of Francis Griffiths and Elsie Wright and weaved it with a fictional tale of grief and challenges in modern-day Ireland. By providing a link between the past and present, she introduces the concept of a desperate need for positivity and hope in times of war and uncertainty.  Her research is meticulous and brings Frances to life, page by page. The small town of Cottingley is lovingly described and is juxtaposed against the coastal village of Howth, Dublin. The world of much-loved, used books is where the reader finds Olivia: her bookshop, Something Old sounding like an oasis in a land of chain-store commercial ventures. Early editions of Peter Pan, The Water Babies and The Flower Fairies all get a mention, instilling a longing for any book-lover/collector.  Escaping from London, Olivia turns her back on her old life, instead choosing to walk in her Grandfather’s shoes. She takes a chance on a dream. Dipping into the Cottingley story helps bring her dream closer than she ever anticipated.

The innocence of the two 18C girls is one that rarely exists today, except in the very young or extremely sheltered: the belief in complete goodness, in dreams coming true, in fairies, unicorns and magic. It is almost unbelievable that the photographs were not revealed as hoaxes until the 1980s. Such is the power of trust surrounding photographic ‘evidence’. The days of ‘fake-news’ are not a by-product of the internet and social media. Untruths have always existed: from whispered gossip to inherited stories; the beginning of the printing press and pamphlets; to radio and television. However, the origins of the fake fairy photographs were innocent. There was no agenda, just a desire to raise spirits and inspire hope in a time of despair.  This is a warm and endearing novel. It oozes old-fashioned charm and has a magical air. A perfect feel-good, fire-side read. 

*I received a copy of this title, from the publishers, in return for an honest review

The Cottingley Secret is published by Harper Collins and is available in TBP and ebook format. Available in all good bookshops or via amazon link below:

The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor: Exclusive excerpt and giveaway.

Thanks to Harper Collins in Ireland, I have an exclusive excerpt from Hazel Gaynor's latest novel, The Cottingley Secret, published on 7th September. There is also an amazing giveaway of an  early copy of the book and a fairy house, for one lucky winner! Just enter via rafflecopter link below. Open IRL/UK and closes on 25th August. Good luck!

Giveaway Prize

The Blurb

The New York Times bestselling author turns the clock back to a time when two young girls convinced the world that fairies really did exist…

1917: When two young cousins, Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright from Cottingley, England, announce they have photographed fairies at the bottom of the garden, their parents are astonished. But when the great novelist, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, endorses the photographs’ authenticity, the girls become a sensation; their discovery offering something to believe in amid a world ravaged by war.

One hundred years later When Olivia Kavanagh finds an old manuscript and a photograph in her late grandfather’s bookshop she becomes fascinated by the story of the two young girls who mystified the world. As Olivia is drawn into events a century ago, she becomes aware of the past and the present intertwining, blurring her understanding of what is real and what is imagined. As she begins to understand why a nation once believed in fairies, will Olivia find a way to believe in herself? 

Exclusive Excerpt from The Cottingley Secret:

                   Fairies will not be rushed. I know this now; know I must

                   be patient.

                   Stiff and still in my favourite seat, formed from the

                   natural bend in the bough of a willow tree, I am wildly

                   alert, detecting every shifting shape and shadow; every

                   snap and crack of twig. I dangle my bare feet in the beck,

                   enjoying the cool rush of the water as it finds a natural

                   course between my toes. I imagine that if I sat here for

                   a hundred years, the water would smooth and round

                   them, like the pebbles I collect from the riverbed and keep

                   in my pockets.

                   In the distance I can see Mr Gardner, the man they sent

                   from London, with his round spectacles and bow tie and

                   endless questions. He peers around the trunk of an oak

                   tree, watches for a moment, and scribbles his observations

                   in his notebook. I know what he writes: remarks about

                   the weather, our precise location, the peculiar sense of

                   something different in the air.

                   Elsie stands on the riverbank beside me, her camera

                   ready. ‘Can’t you ’tice them?’ she urges. ‘Say some secret

                   words?’

                   I shrug. ‘They’re here, Elsie. I can feel them.’ But like

                   the soft breath of wind that brushes against my skin, the

                   things we feel cannot always be seen.

                   I know that the best time to see them is in that perfect

                   hour before sunset when the sun sinks low on the horizon

                   like a ripe peach and sends shafts of gold bursting through

                   the trees. The ‘in between’, I call it. No longer day, not

                   yet night; some other place and time when magic hangs

                   in the air and the light plays tricks on the eye. You might

                   easily miss the flash of violet and emerald, but I – according

                   to my teacher, Mrs Hogan – am ‘a curiously observant

                   child’. I see their misty forms among the flowers and leaves.

                   I know my patience will be rewarded if I watch and listen,

                   if I believe.

                  Tired of waiting, Elsie takes her camera and returns to

                  the house, where Aunt Polly is waiting to hear if we

                  managed any new photographs. The others soon follow:

                  Mr Gardner, the newspaper reporters, the ‘fairy hunters’

                  who come to snoop and trample all over the wildflowers

                  and spoil things. My little friends won’t appear just to

                  please these onlookers. They move according to the patterns

                  and rhythms of nature, not the whims of so-called experts

                  from London. Fairies, I understand. These men, I do not.

                  Glad to be alone again, I watch the pond skaters and

                  dragonflies, listen to the steady giggle of the water, sense

                  the prickle of anticipation all around me. The sun dazzles

                  on the water and I squint to shield my eyes as the heat

                  at the back of my neck makes me drowsy and tugs at my

                  eyelids, heavy with the desire to sleep.

                  I press my palms against the bark, smoothed from

                  decades of weather and countless children who have sat

                  here. How many of them have seen, I wonder? How many

                  of them have known? I wait and I wait, whispering the

                  words from my picture book: ‘“There shall be no veil

                  between them, / Though her head be old and wise. / You

                  shall know that she has seen them, / By the glory in her

                   eyes.”’

                  And then . . .

                  The lightest ringing at my ears. The slightest movement

                  of fern and leaf.

                  My heart flutters. My eyes widen with excitement.

                  A flash of vibrant emerald. Another of softest

                  lavender-blue.

                  I lean forward. Draw in my breath. Don’t make a sound.

                  They are here.

The Cottingley Secret is published on 7th September in TPB and ebook format. You can order your copy via amazon link below:

To be in with a chance of winning an early edition of The Cottingley Secret, with a delightful and magical Irish Fairy Door (you just need to believe), just enter via rafflecopter link below:

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via tumblr.com

The Treatment by C.L. Taylor. Review from Mia Madden, aged 13.

Review from Mia Madden, aged 13.

This is the stunning YA debut from C.L. Taylor. It is about sixteen-year-old Drew Finch, who's brother, Mason, has been sent to a reforming school.  One day, Drew meets Dr. Cobey, a person who has been working at the school. Cobey gives Drew a letter from Mason saying that the school has been brainwashing teenagers. She dismisses it at first, thinking that her younger brother is just pranking her, but then she starts to grow worried. What if her brother is being serious? What if Norton House actually was brainwashing teenagers?

She does a little bit of research and finds nothing, except for a single person claiming to know the truth about Norton House. Drew meets up with this person, who calls themself Zed Green. Zed brings her boyfriend, who was a victim of Norton House's 'treatment'. The boy, that was once a rebellious skater-kid, was now a mindless, polite, contributor to society. Drew decides to take action. She has to find a way to be sent off to Norton House to rescue Mason, without raising too much suspicion. Will she get to the school to save Mason? And will she be able to avoid the treatment, herself?

I would never be able to do this book justice. I absolutely adored it. It's probably the best book I've read this year and I would be surprised if it doesn't win some form of award. C.L. Taylor is now my favourite (non-Irish) YA author. I just couldn't see the end coming! I love Drew's character, probably because she reminded me of myself. At one stage, she claims she was Emo. I'm sort of an Emo now. I mean if she listens to Evanescence, Fall Out Boy, Paramore and other bands that I like, she's basically an older, British, fictional version of me! Anyway, I would definitely recommend this book for ages 11+.

The Treatment is published by HQ Young Adult on 19th Oct 2017, in PB and ebook format. You can pre-order your copy via amazon link below:

**We received a copy of this title, from the publishers, in return for an honest review...

The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor: Exclusive Cover Reveal and Giveaway

Thanks to Harper Collins in Ireland, I have the pleasure of the revealing the UK/IRE cover of The Cottingley Secret by Hazel Gaynor, published on 7th September 2017. There is also a chance to win a limited edition ARC. Just enter via the rafflecopter link below. Open INT and ends on 5th June.

Drum Roll Please...

The Blurb

The New York Times bestselling author turns the clock back to a time when two young girls convinced the world that fairies really did exist…

 Cottingley, Yorkshire, 1917: When two young cousins, Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright, announce they have photographed fairies at the bottom of the garden, their parents are astonished. But when the great novelist, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, endorses the photographs’ authenticity, the girls become a sensation; their discovery offering something to believe in amid a world ravaged by war.

One hundred years later: When Olivia Kavanagh finds an old manuscript and a photograph in her late grandfather’s bookshop it sparks a fascination with the story of the two young girls who mystified the world. Delving deeper into the past, and the truth behind an innocent game that became a national obsession, Olivia begins to question her own beliefs. And as she begins to understand why a nation once believed in fairies, will Olivia find a way to believe in herself? 

Praise for The Cottingley Secret

The Cottingley Fairies

“I adored The Cottingley Secret. Gaynor has penned in majestic prose an enchanting and enthralling tale of childhood magic, forgotten dreams, and finding the parts of ourselves we thought were lost forever." - Pam Jenoff, New York Times bestselling author of The Orphan's Tale

"There is real magic in these pages. And beauty. And heart." - Nicole Mary Kelby, author of The Pink Suit

About The Author

Hazel Gaynor’s debut novel The Girl Who Came Home—A Novel of the Titanic—was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller and was awarded the 2015 RNA Historical Novel of the Year award. Her second novel A Memory of Violets, also hit the New York Timesbestseller list and her third, The Girl from the Savoy was an Irish Times and Globe & Mail Canada bestseller. The book was also a finalist for the 2016 Irish Book Awards. Hazel is also a contributing author to WWI anthology Fall of Poppies: Stories of Love and the Great War. Her novels have been translated into several languages.

Hazel was selected by US Library Journal as one of ‘Ten Big Breakout Authors’ for 2015, was a WHSmith Fresh Talent selection in spring 2015, and the recipient of the 2012 Cecil Day Lewis Award for Emerging Writers. As features writer for national Irish writing website writing.ie Hazel has interviewed Philippa Gregory, Sebastian Faulks, Kate Mosse, Jojo Moyes and Cheryl Strayed, among others.

Following American publication in August, THE COTTINGLEY SECRET will be published by HarperCollins in Ireland in September 2017, with UK paperback publication to follow in March 2018. Later this year, Hazel’s epistolary novel LAST CHRISTMAS IN PARIS, co-written with Heather Webb, will also be published by HarperCollins.

Hazel lives in Kildare with her husband and two children. She is represented by Michelle Brower of Aevitas Creative, New York. For more information visit www.hazelgaynor.com, @HazelGaynor on Twitter, or @hazelgaynorbooks on Facebook

  

Hazel Gaynor & Margaret Madden

Praise for Hazel Gaynor:

*‘Addictive, charming and gleaming with Jazz Age glitz’ The Lady 

*‘Sumptuous, gorgeous, authentic and surprising, Hazel Gaynor has written another hit.’ Sunday Independent 

*‘Peopled with unforgettable characters…Once begun, I dare you to put it down.’ Kathleen Tessaro, author of The Perfume Collector

The Cottingley Secret is published by Harper Collins in Ireland, in TPB and ebook format, on the 7th September and is available for pre-order HERE. 

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Book Review: The Woman At 72 Derry Lane by Carmel Harrington.

Rea may not have left her house in over a year, but she is well aware of what is going on next-door. Despite the sturdy walls of the houses on Derry Lane, she can hear the realities of her neighbour's marriage. But how can she help if she cannot place a foot over the threshold of her home?

Stella and Matt appear to have it all. The beautiful couple turn heads wherever they go and seem flawless. If only the truth was known.

Behind closed doors, the residents of Derry Lane have secrets. Some more dangerous than others...

The seaside town of Clontarf, Dublin, is the setting for Carmel Harrington's latest novel. A beautiful area, steeped in history and home to the affluent. But, as with many villages and towns located near a large city, the residents rarely know their neighbours. With busy lives and hectic schedules, we often find ourselves with 'wave and smile' relationships and never get to really know who we live close to. The sense of community can fade and loneliness can be a reality. Rea is alone in Derry Lane. Her family have moved on and she finds herself trapped in the confines of her home. Agoraphobia has taken over her life and she spends her days in mismatched PJs, eating food delivered to her door. A local teenager takes out her bins (for an extortionate fee) yet she craves his bravado and humour. When Stella arrives at her door, she is hesitant to let her into her life. She has heard what goes on in 70 Derry Lane and is not sure she wants to get involved. But Stella looks so lost. She invites the young woman in to her house and they immediately find solace in each other's company. The world suddenly seems wider; their friendship becomes linked through their mutual pain; the light begins to enter the rooms of Derry Lane.

Carmel Harrington is renowned for her emotional reads. She touches the reader by bringing hope, love and inspiration into their lives, through her characters and their journeys.  In The Woman At 72 Derry Lane she weaves stories from the past and present; riding on a wave of emotions. There are magical family times; laugh out loud nights with friends (with the BEST hairdresser ever!); gut-wrenching scenes of despair; tense moments of fear and pain. This novel has it all, and more. The characters are brought to life with genuine affection and their stories are mesmerizing. The author has researched her topics and it shows. There are scenes in this book that will have you holding your breath and gasping with empathy and despair. It is entirely possible that you may have a book-hangover when you turn the last page. You will most certainly realise that you need to be careful what you wish for. Sometimes all you need is right there in front of you. A compelling and emotional novel that will delight and hurt, in equal measures. Sure to be a summer sensation.  

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Follow the publication day fun using #UglyCry where there will be photos of readers reactions to the emotional scenes in #72DerryLane. @HCinIreland will have a copy of the book to giveaway to the best #UglyCry photo.

The Woman At 72 Derry Lane is published in TPB by Harper Collins in Ireland on 15th June 2017. The ebook is available for pre-order via amazon link below:

*I received an ARC of this title, for review purposes.

The Woman at 72 Derry Lane by Carmel Harrington. Exclusive Extract and Giveaway.

twitter prize

Thanks to Harper Collins, I have the pleasure of sharing a sneak-peek at the latest novel from Carmel Harrington, published on 15th June. There is also a chance to win one of two signed early editions of the book and a little extra prize (for twitter followers) of an A4-sized wooden wall plaque, which I thought captured the feeling of Carmel's novels perfectly.  Twitter winner will also receive a signed edition of the book.

To be in with a chance of winning The Woman at 72 Derry Lane, just enter via rafflecopter link below.  To enter twitter competition, see pinned tweet @margaretbmadden. Good Luck! 

The Blurb

On a leafy suburban street in Dublin, beautiful, poised Stella Greene lives with her successful husband, Matt. The perfect couple in every way, Stella appears to have it all. Next door, at number 72 however, lives Rea Brady. Gruff, bad-tempered and rarely seen besides the twitching of her net curtains, rumour has it she’s lost it all…including her marbles if you believe the neighbourhood gossip.

But appearances can be deceiving and when Stella and Rea’s worlds collide they realise they have much in common. Both are trapped in a prison of their own making.

Has help been next door without them realising it?

With the warmth and wit of Maeve Binchy and the secrets and twists of Liane Moriarty, this is the utterly original and compelling new novel from Irish Times bestseller Carmel Harrington.

 What Readers Think Of Carmel Harrington's Books

‘Will make you see life in a different way’ Woman’s Way

‘Heartwrenching and heartwarming’
Evening Herald

‘Guaranteed to brighten your day’
Novelicious

‘Carmel Harrington has done it again! Brilliantly written … it surpasses all expectations’
Chicklit Club

‘A bittersweet, quietly brilliant novel that will make you cry, laugh and cry all over again’
Female First

‘Funny, poignant and bursting with heartfelt humour’
I Heart … Chick Lit

‘Completely stunning’
Reviewed the Book

‘It will stay with you, well after you have turned the last page’
Bleach House Library

Exclusive Extract from The Woman at 72 Derry Lane

Looking at the trees, Stella thought that maybe next door was her answer. Her gut, her every instinct told her that despite the gruff exterior, her neighbour, Rea, was a good person. It had to be her who called the Gardaí each time. That showed she cared, didn't it?

So, before she had a chance to talk herself out of it, she found herself knocking on her neighbour’s door.

'I was surprised to see you,' Rea said. 'A nice surprise, I might add, but one I wasn't expecting.'

Rea looked at Stella closely, taking in how agitated she seemed, her hands wringing in her lap. 'You have a look of someone with something on her mind. Spit it out.'

Stella nodded, then cleared her throat. 'Can I be frank with you?'

'I'd rather that. I've little or no patience for anyone who beats about the bush.'

Stella smiled, warming even more to this woman; while she was what many would call brusque, her eyes were kind. 'I should have practised what to say. Sometimes finding the right words is difficult.'

'When you get to my age, that's something that comes with the territory,' Rea smiled.

'Oh I doubt that. You're not so old.'

Rea took the compliment.

'First of all, please don't be offended by this question, but I need to ask it all the same,' Stella said, leaning in.

Rea brushed aside her apology, 'You don't know me, so I would think you have more questions than answers.'

Somehow even before she spoke, she knew the answer, 'Can I trust you? I need to be sure that you won't repeat this conversation to anyone.'

'When you say anyone, I assume you mean your husband?'

'Yes,' Stella nodded.

'You can say what you like here. Think of it as a confessional.'

'I gave up believing in God a long time ago,' Stella replied.

'I've a pretty up and down relationship with her myself too.'

'Her?'

'Why not?' Rea said.

Stella smiled, thinking that she liked that idea a lot and liked Rea even more.

'Well, leaving God and confessionals aside, would you take my word for it, that you can trust me?' Rea asked.

Stella felt her shoulders sag with relief, nodding. Her heartbeat accelerated so rapidly she thought it would jump out of her chest and bounce clear across the floor, right out the door.

'I want to leave him,' Stella said.

'Good for you.' Rea had never been so glad to hear a statement in her whole life. Maybe this one had more about her after all.

'Then why don't you? He's at work. You're not chained to the house. Just pack a bag and go.'

'He's clever. He's backed me into a corner. I need to sort some things out first before he ....'

Rea watched the girl before her tremble, unable to finish the statement. 'Before he hits you again?'

Stella nodded, looking so broken, lost and very alone, that it made Rea's stomach flip nervously for her.

'Matt has told me over and over that I'm all alone without him, that I'd not last a moment on my own. He's right about one of those things. I don't intend to prove the second.'

'You've got nobody?' Rea asked. When Stella nodded, Rea felt something give deep inside of her. The girl’s face looked so sorrowful and bereft and she recognised how that felt.

'I have family living in France. That's where I'll go,' Stella shifted her weight slightly, wincing in pain as she did.

'That bastard, how could a man do that to a woman, to anyone?'

'He's not a man when he loses his temper. He's an animal. And each time he loses it with me, less of the man I married remains. I'm afraid that soon they'll be none of him left.' Stella took a deep breath and continued, 'I know you don't know me. I know that me landing on your doorstep is a terrible imposition. But I'm desperate. I don't have anyone else to turn to.'

It took Rea all of a nano second to reply. 'Now stop that. I'm very happy you called in to me. What do you need? Because if it's in my power to give it to you, it's yours.'

Rea reached over to hold one of Stella's hands between her own. 'He seems to be losing his temper with you more frequently. The walls may be thick in these Victorian houses, but they are linked all the same, so noise travels....'

Stella felt her old friend shame come back to torment her. The embarrassment of knowing that the most horrific, dark, secret part of her life was silently witnessed by her neighbour was a difficult pill to swallow.  'Yes, you're right.'

'You've got to get out of that house sooner rather than later. Do you hear me?' Rea said, her voice rising in anger.

There was a time that Stella would have disagreed with this. But things were different now. She didn't plan on dithering. 'I know. It’s hard when you are in the middle of it, to see a way out. He's been chipping away at me for so long, I've forgotten who I am.'

'Well then, that's the first thing you have to work out. How to get back the Stella you were before he came into your life. As for being trapped, the only person who can hold you back, is you,' Rea said.

She stood up and walked to the door, saying, 'I better make some tea. A large pot too. I think we'll need it, to work through this mess. But work through it we will. Two heads are better than one.'

'Thank you,' Stella said, almost breathless with gratitude.

Rea stopped at the doorway and said to her, 'You were wrong about something else you know. You're not on your own. Not anymore.'

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The Woman at 72 Derry Lane is published by Harper Collins in Ireland on 15th June 2017 in TBP and ebook format. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Book Review - Our Little Secret by Claudia Carroll.

This review was originally posted in Sunday Independent, 24 April 2017.

A good deed leads to despair with a sinister twist

Fiction: Our Little Secret, Claudia Carrroll, Avon €18.20

1

Our Little Secret

Margaret Madden

April 24 2017 2:30 AM

 

Taking someone under your wing. We have all done it. With the best of intentions, we see someone who may be down on their luck, and draw them closer into our fold.

But often there is a downside to this approach and Claudia Carroll explores the darker side of befriending a stranger in Our Little Secret.

Sarah Keyes has a comfortable life. She spends her days balancing her demanding job in a small law firm with her role as a mother to her teenage daughter, Darcy. Recently separated, she has no time for romance.

When she encounters a young law graduate, Lauren, she thinks nothing of giving the girl a helping hand. Before long, her protege has a post in Sarah's law firm and has inserted herself into Sarah's life, especially with Darcy. They seem to get on fantastically so Sarah is surprised to learn that her daughter is not happy Lauren is moving into their spare room. "Looking back, I should have seen the signs. Because they were all there, only I chose to ignore them," Sarah muses.

Meanwhile, in the workplace, Lauren is making her mark. She conveniently seems to be in the right place at the right time and is a huge hit with the partners. Sarah's life is slowly crumbling around her and she thinks she knows who is responsible. But how does she prove it or, indeed, gain back control?

In her 14th novel, Claudia Carroll dips into domestic noir. Sarah is a frustratingly naive victim, who ignores all the warning signs, while Lauren takes advantage of this.

Darcy is used as a pawn in Lauren's game with a secret being the bait: "I won't tell if you don't," was all Lauren would say. Because who knows?" she says casually. "Maybe someday I'll need you to repay the favour for me."

This sinister tale is a modern-day version of the Bette Davis film, All About Eve, showing how trust can be abused and kindness can be dangerous.

Sunday Indo Living