The
Hidden Legacy
Read: 11th
– 17th October 2015
Format: e-book
My
Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars
...So
what’s this book about?
This is Mr Minett’s debut novel; a crime/thriller/mystery tale
of about 436 pages. Although our main character is Ellen Sutherland, it’s also
written from the perspective of various other characters throughout this engaging
story.
The official blurb says:
1966. A horrifying crime
at a secondary school, with devastating consequences for all involved.
2008. A life-changing gift, if only the recipient can work out why . . .
Bearing the scars of a recent divorce - and the splatters of two young children - Ellen Sutherland is up to her elbows in professional and personal stress. When she's invited to travel all the way out to Cheltenham to hear the content of an old woman's will, she can barely be bothered to make the journey.
But when she arrives, the news is astounding. Eudora Nash has left Ellen a beautiful cottage, worth an amount of money that could turn her life around. There's just one problem - Ellen has never even heard of Eudora Nash.
Her curiosity piqued, Ellen and her friend Kate travel to the West Country in search of answers. But they are not the only ones interested in the cottage, and Ellen little imagines how much she has to learn about her past . . .
Graham Minett's debut novel, The Hidden Legacy, is a powerful and suspenseful tale exploring a mysterious and sinister past.
2008. A life-changing gift, if only the recipient can work out why . . .
Bearing the scars of a recent divorce - and the splatters of two young children - Ellen Sutherland is up to her elbows in professional and personal stress. When she's invited to travel all the way out to Cheltenham to hear the content of an old woman's will, she can barely be bothered to make the journey.
But when she arrives, the news is astounding. Eudora Nash has left Ellen a beautiful cottage, worth an amount of money that could turn her life around. There's just one problem - Ellen has never even heard of Eudora Nash.
Her curiosity piqued, Ellen and her friend Kate travel to the West Country in search of answers. But they are not the only ones interested in the cottage, and Ellen little imagines how much she has to learn about her past . . .
Graham Minett's debut novel, The Hidden Legacy, is a powerful and suspenseful tale exploring a mysterious and sinister past.
The publication date for this book is 5th November
2015 but I was lucky enough to be given this book for free from the publisher (Twenty7 Books) via Netgally.com in
exchange for a fair review. Thank you.
...So,
what did I like about it?
I was very impressed with Mr Minett’s writing style; his use
of language, the way he built the plot and added clever twists and turns to his
tale. I liked the way this story was told; revealing different aspects of the
tale using the viewpoint of his ongoing characters while transporting us to 3
important time frames to expose pertinent situations as they happen. Don’t worry, I think I’m making it sound more
complicated than it is ;-) Mr Minett subtitles each section so that we know who
we’re reading about and which time period we’re in. It all flows beautifully
allowing the plot to deepen and our connections with, and understanding of, the
characters to grow.
I was definitely gripped. I feel as though I’ve been on an
amazing journey, I’ve giggled, I’ve cried and I’ve been entertained with a well
written mystery that’s also left me asking my own questions about how I choose
to treat the people around me. I am the sort of person who sees the glass as
being half full rather than half empty so my interpretation of the ending may
differ from yours – this is not a definite “happy ever after” ending but it did
leave me with a smile on my face. I liked it.
...So, ummm, was there anything I disliked
about it?
I must confess that when I read in the blurb that part of this
story was about a child who’d killed another child, I was reluctant to start
reading (it’s not a theme I feel
comfortable with) however this part of the story was very well written and
left me questioning how we view these tragic instances and the people involved,
how the media almost certainly play their part in these events and how the
ripples of that one moment in time can still be felt throughout the decades.
...So, basically what I’m saying is...
I loved this amazing mystery
novel. What twists & turns! What raw emotions! I enjoyed every part of this
journey! It sort of reminded me of a few of Agatha Christie’s
Miss Marple mysteries in that it had a wealth of well written characters and a
plot that exposes the human complexities of life while keeping me reading right
to the last page. If you’re a fan of mystery stories I’d definitely recommend
buying The Hidden Legacy!
So, have I sparked an interested for THE HIDDEN LEGACY in you?
Just click on the links below and check out the book yourself.
