On The Edge

By Jane Jesmond

Published by Oldcastle Books/Verve Books https://www.vervebooks.co.uk/bookpage.php?isbn=9780857308160

288 pages ISBN 9780857308160

Publication date 26 October 2021

I was allowed access to a pdf review copy on Net Galley.  Thanks to the authors and publisher for organising this.

From the blurb

Jen Shaw has climbed all her life: daring ascents of sheer rock faces, crumbling buildings, cranes – the riskier the better. Both her work and personal life revolved around it. Until she went too far and hurt the people she cares about. So she’s given it all up now. Honestly, she has. And she’s checked herself into a rehab centre to prove it.

Yet, when Jen awakens to find herself drugged and dangling off the local lighthouse during a wild storm less than twenty-four hours after a ‘family emergency’ takes her home to Cornwall, she needs all her skill to battle her way to safety.

Once safe, the real challenge begins. Jen must face her troubled past in order to figure out whether something triggered a relapse to this risky behaviour, or if there is a more sinister explanation hidden in her hometown. Only when she has navigated her fragmented memories and fraught relationships will she be able to piece together what happened – and trust herself to fix it.

Synopsis

Jen and her brother seemingly had an idyllic childhood in a large house with their dysfunctional parents in Cornwall.  Their mother all new age mysticism and at one with the earth; Pa a celebrated mountaineer only ever at home to plan his next expedition away. 

As adults they drift away to London.  Kit forms a business to provide specialist rigging service to film and TV companies.  He excels at planning and Jen has the courage and skills to tackle the difficult climbs.  The business is a success, and all is going well until two incidents change everything.

Jen is an adrenalin junkie and gets her kicks free climbing, particularly in an urban setting.  Whilst climbing a tower in poor condition one of her friends falls after his hold crumbles away and she faces the dilemma of cutting the rope and saving three of them or all four going over.  She cuts the rope and condemns her friend to life changing injuries.  Kit begs her to stop climbing which she reluctantly does.  She then spirals into a life of hedonistic parties and cocaine to get her highs.

Their mother takes the ostrich approach to fiscal responsibility by ignoring it, but as the bills mount to an unsustainable level, she calls on Kit for help.  He sells the business and moves his wife and child to Cornwall to try and resolve the finances and keep the house.  He has plans to convert the house into a holistic care and conference centre, but these plans drain the finances as well to the level that everything will implode, and an enforced sale will take place.

Jen realises that she cannot continue as she recently has and checks into rehab.  She is making great progress but then gets a desperate call to help Kit out.

Returning to Cornwall stirs up memories and rekindles friendships, but Jen realises all is not as it once was.  On the first evening she comes to in a storm hanging from the lighthouse by a cord with no recollection of how she got there.  Was someone trying to kill her?  She soon realises that she has stumbled into something, but she doesn’t know what, only that someone wants her dead.

Jen can’t trust anyone; she even suspects her family and friends as she faces up to some home truths.

To get to safety she is going to need all her skills and ingenuity

My thoughts

Cornwall is a great setting for fiction, a rugged coastline, an unforgiving sea, and stark moorland, all very atmospheric.  Add to the mix a lighthouse, a mine and some smuggling and the writer has a lot to work with and in this case the author has used them all and thrown in a red Aston Martin for a bit of glamour.

Although Jane Jesmond is not a native of Cornwall her affection for the county shines through in her writing.

This is a tale of the individual facing up to their past mistakes and finding a kind of redemption through doing what they are best at rather than hiding away or finding oblivion through drink or drugs.  Jen has been selfish and foolish but cannot put right all her mistakes and wrong doings, something she must come to terms with it order to be able to move on in her life.  She also needs to find some kind of focus and do the things she’s good at which bring her joy, but to do so in a way that doesn’t hurt others.

The story is told in first person by Jen and her drug past allows for doubts to creep in particularly at the start of the story when it is not clear if she has relapsed.  The style is unfussy, and the plot unfolds in a straightforward way albeit with a whodunnit element to keep the reader guessing.  A good approach for a first novel to take.

The introduction of the mine I thought was going to be a distraction but later in the book it dovetails with the smuggling aspect. The author makes it clear her moral stance on the subject but without it being preachy and derailing the action.  The action scenes were good, and the climbing aspects not overused but still remaining essential; there is no need to be a climbing enthusiast to enjoy it.  I thought the dialogue was a little weak at some of the confrontations, but this was a minor point.

There are some interesting characters but most of the characterisation is of Jen, which is understandable as this is the first of a planned series.  Its going to be interesting to see how the series develops and hopefully there will be some recurring characters as it progresses.

An entertaining read with plenty of incident and a strong female lead.

The Heights #LouiseCandlish #TheHeights

By Louise Candlish http://www.louisecandlish.com/

Published by Simon & Schuster https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/

429 pages ISBN  9781471183492

Publication date 5 August 2021

I received a proof copy to review thanks to an online competition.  Thanks to Louise and Jess at Simon & Schuster for arranging this.

From the blurb

He thinks he’s safe up there.  Can he ever be safe from you?

The Heights is a tall, slender apartment building among the warehouses of Tower Bridge, its roof terrace so discreet you wouldn’t know it existed if you weren’t standing at the window of the flat directly opposite.  But you are.  And that’s when you see a man up there – a man you’d recognise anywhere.  He’s older now and his appearance has subtly changed, but it’s definitely him.

Which makes no sense at all since you know he has been dead for over two years.

You know this for a fact.

Because you’re the one who killed him.

Synopsis

Things are going well for Ellen Saint; she is a happily married self-employed lighting consultant with two teenagers and an ex-husband she is still in speaking terms with.  Then one day everything is shattered when at a client’s apartment she sees Kieran Watts standing on the roof of the building opposite.  This can’t be the case, he died two years ago…

Just as he is starting sixth form Lucas, Ellen’s son, is buddied up Kieran a new pupil.  Kieran has been fostered and the school feel that Lucas will help him find his feet and some stability in the early days.  Initially things are great the two of them get on like a house on fire and Kieran is accepted into the circle of friends that include Jade, Lucas’ girlfriend, and Tom, often hanging out and gaming at Lucas’ home or his father Vic’s.  Then the two of them start to dabble with alcohol and recreational drugs and their behaviour suffers as they get into scrapes.  There’s an unauthorised jolly to France and Lucas manages to get himself suspended whereas Kieran always seems to cover his own back.  Ellen starts to despise Kieran and while she can keep him from visiting, she is powerless at keeping them apart.  She intervenes with Prisca, Kieran’s foster mother, but she thinks he’s faultless.

Lucas goes to university and things start to improve as the distance separates them.  When he comes home for Christmas, they meet up again and on the fateful night they crash into a reservoir.  Kieran who is driving manages to save himself through the passenger window, but Lucas doesn’t make it.  Kieran is prosecuted and given a short sentence as a young offenders’ unit.

Ellen believes the sentence is too lenient and starts a campaign to have it increased which eventually becomes vitriolic.  Justice has been served but it doesn’t feel like enough for her, especially when she sees Kieran back in the area after only two years.  Together with Vic they execute a plan to eliminate the memory of the night once and for all.

So, when Ellen sees Kieran a couple of years later it doesn’t make sense.  This man is Sam Harding a rising star of IT who is living in a penthouse apartment and is backed by a business angel James Ratcliffe and in the coming days Ellen’s life unravels.

My thoughts

This is a cleverly constructed book.  It starts with an extract from an article published in the Sunday Times Magazine covering a creative writing course being taught at a library.  It then moves to an autobiographical novel ‘Saint or Sinner’ by Ellen Saint who is one of the attendees at the writing course.  This novel is runs on two-time frames, one set as the current in October 2019 and another set initially a few years earlier but which catches up the current narrative.  In between this is inserted further extracts from the Sunday Times piece, plus some thoughts from Ellen’s ex-husband Vic.  I must confess it took me a few chapters to figure this out, but it works, its well-crafted rather than being gimmicky.

Ellen we are told has problems with heights, but its not vertigo so there disappears analogies to the Hitchcock movie so titled.  Ellen suffers from ‘high place phenomenon’ a condition where the sufferer on a ledge or high place gets an urge to jump off.  Strange but obviously problematic for someone whose business is lighting design.  This is not a major part of the story but does play a part towards the end when we arrive at the confrontation.

The narrative itself starts relatively sedately and ratchets up in intensity until the meeting on the titular Heights.  There the truth is exposed; everything is effectively flipped on its head and the whole dynamic changes.  It is a story of human character and feelings rather than incident packed adventure.  Ellen initially seeks the truth and when that is not forthcoming, she settles for revenge at any cost to her, her family, and relationships.

The characterisation is excellent; its easy for the reader to feel empathy for Ellen and Vic as they seek the truth and sympathy for Justin as he tries to support Ellen and hold their family together.  Then as Ellen becomes obsessed, seeking revenge and in the end just the death of Kieran, she becomes embittered, and another side is seen.  Perhaps she should try to accept that justice was seen to be done and move on and find some kind of peace or closure.  Sympathy for Vic also dries up when it becomes clear the deception he has pulled although he has feared exposure since the event.

The nub is what would a parent do to protect their child?  Once Kieran is in touch with her daughter Freya Ellen is motivated to prevent her being corrupted, but what of Justin her husband and Freya’s biological father who compared to Ellen seems almost ambivalent about it.  Readers who have children may be able to solve this conundrum. 

The Height’s is Louise’s fifteenth novel and I must confess to not having read any of them, one thing I intend to rectify shortly as I have just purchased the audiobook version of The Other Passenger to accompany me on my long dog walks.

This is a powerful novel, cleverly told, covering the emotional effects of the loss of a teenager and the corrupting effects of the desire for revenge when those closest feel that justice hasn’t been served.

The Unheard #NicciFrench #TheUnheard

By Nicci French

Published by Simon & Schuster https://www.simonandschuster.co.uk/

464 pages ISBN 9781471179310

Publication date 1 October 2021

I was allowed access to a pdf review copy on Net Galley.  Thanks to the authors and publisher for organising this.

From the blurb

A child sees everything

But who will believe her?

Synopsis

Schoolteacher Tess Moreau is busy rebuilding her life after the separation from her partner who is the father of her daughter.  She is now in a relationship with Aidan, a quiet and kind man, who is somewhat different to her former partner the charismatic and forceful school headteacher Jason Hallam.

One day Jason drops off Poppy after his day of access and it quickly becomes apparent to Tess that something is not right with her daughter.  Poppy is a normal well-adjusted three-year-old but she shows Tessa a drawing she has made in black crayon which seems to show a figure falling off a tower.  She then starts saying odd things like asking if Tessa was still dead, talking about death, about when she was a witch, swearing and bed wetting.  Clearly something has disturbed her, but what has she seen or heard? 

Tess feels she needs to do something, but what?  Through a friend she gets an unofficial visit to a psychologist, Alex Penrose, who is unable to find anything obviously wrong with her but suggests keeping an eye on her and informing the nursery, which she does.  Tess, however, remains concerned.

Feeling desperate Tess goes to the police, who indulge her to a degree but query what the actual crime is she is reporting as they are all unsure.  Tess then begins looking online for any murders that Poppy could have witnessed but cannot find any that fit her drawing.  Then a few days later she hears of an apparent suicide of a young woman who fell from some flats.  Again, she goes to the police who are reluctant to impinge on another case and point out that this suicide happened after Poppy made the drawing, so she couldn’t have seen it happen.  The forensic examination at the post-mortem proves that it was murder, not suicide so there could be a potential link but still the authorities are slow to react.

Tess feels that to protect her daughter she must follow up on this lead, but it is becoming detrimental to her own mental help.  She discovers that she briefly met the dead woman and a chain of events is set in place that results in another murder.

Tess starts to question her personal relationships, particularly with her male acquaintances, she cannot trust anyone and begins to suspect everyone.

My thoughts

What would you do if your child had seen something that disturbed them?

Having read the Frieda Klein series of books by the husband and wife author team (Nicci Gerard and Sean French) this stand-alone novel is something a little bit different whilst still with their niche in the crime genre.

This is a psychological drama in the style of the ‘golden days’ of Hollywood and is the sort of novel which would have interested directors like Hitchcock.  It’s a tale of the principal character not being believed and every step they make undermining their credibility such that they start to question their own sanity.

The plot is nicely paced.  The seed of the story is planted early and once it is nicely developed the narrative picks up in tempo as Tess becomes frantic.  This allows the sense of doubt and paranoia to build up the tension for the reader.

Keeping the number of characters small helps as it keeps the story tight and prevents it going off in a tangent and reducing the intensity.  It also allows substance to be given to the main characters and enough doubts to be planted in the readers mind as to who may be responsible.  Memory comes into play as Tess begins to suspect everyone and the reader needs to consider what are red herrings and is there a MacGuffin in play?  The ex-partner Jason is a modern-day bounder; Jason’s brother in law Ben is struggling with life, Aidan is a bit of a Beta male and stay at husband Laurie is too good to be true.  All have the potential to be the killer and I admit to being slow on figuring out who it was.

This doesn’t follow the route of the regular police procedural, the police play a relatively small role in that Tess does most of the leg work in trying to find the answers.  They are there to be exasperated by her actions, bring the voice of reason and to highlight her feelings of self-doubt and of not being believed. In the end there is redemption for Tess and a grudging acceptance from the police.

The finale itself whilst not exactly being a set piece is carefully planned and executed and relies upon actions being taken which the police couldn’t take (at least not these days) to ensure that justice is served.  Troubling morally but in Tess’s position I guess many would take her choices left in her position.

An enjoyable psychological thriller taking a classic form but with a modern twist.

The Bad Things

By Mary-Jane Riley

Published by Killer Reads (an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers) https://www.killerreads.com/

Published on 27 August 2015

322 pages ISBN 9780008153786

The signed paperback copy I read was a prize won on a Twitter run by @ScotlandYardCSI and the author.

From the blurb

Alex Devlin’s life changed forever fifteen years ago when he sister Sasha’s two small children were snatched in broad daylight.  Little Harry’s body was found a few days later, but Millie’s remains were never discovered.

Now Jackie Wood, jailed as an accessory to the twins’ murder, has been released, her conviction quashed by the Appeal Court.  Jackie can reveal where Millie is buried, Alex goes to meet her.

But the unexpected information Wood reveals shocks Alex to the core and threatens to uncover the dark secret she has managed to keep under wraps for the past fifteen years.  Because in the end, can we ever really know what is in the hearts of those closest to us?

Synopsis

Fifteen years ago, Sasha’s two children were spirited away.  Shortly after detective Kate Todd finds Harry’s body zipped into an abandoned suitcase and it has a profound impact upon her.  There is no sign of the other child, Millie, either dead or alive.

After a tip off suspicion falls upon Martin Jessop and librarian Jackie Wood, thought to be his lover, as accomplice and they are ultimately convicted.  Jessop commits suicide in prison, but Wood serves her time until the conviction is quashed as unsafe due to questionable expert witness testimony.  Its Wood’s release that prompts buried secrets to be uncovered and there are whispers of police conspiracy.

Sasha’s sister Alex is a journalist and being keen to discover what she can about the whereabouts of Millie, or her body, contacts Wood’s solicitor to try an obtain an interview.  She manages to see her and on her second visit finds her murdered in her caravan after finding out about a diary kept by Jessop but also piquing the interest of Wood’s nosey but lonely neighbour.  Alex is now desperate to lay hand on this diary.

Kate has maintained an interest in the original case, it being one of her first, and buried memories and emotions resurface as she investigates the murder.  These have a direct impact on her own marriage.

The diary is the key to unlocking the original case and setting matters straight, but where is it?

My thoughts

This was one of those pleasant surprises we all get from time to time, a gift or prize which exceeds your expectations.  This was Mary-Jane’s first novel and it’s a great debut, I found it both enjoyable and well written, though the latter perhaps should be no surprise considering her background in journalism at the BBC.

The story revolves around family relationships and the impact of children on them.  There is the sibling rivalry of Sasha and Alex the dynamic of which changes when Sasha settles down with Jez, Alex’s ex-boyfriend, and starts a family whilst Alex has a son of her own the result of a hedonistic one-night stand.  Jackie Wood is fond of children and her excessive interest marks her out as being ‘creepy’ which places her under suspicion in the original case.  Finding Harry’s body has a profound impact on Kate and her desire not to have children through the fear of not being able to protect them.  A cauldron of emotions that builds up throughout the book which ultimately boils over to an unpredictable ending (at least for me it was).

The setting of the book in Sole Bay, an isolated outpost on the Suffolk coastline, resonates to me as a lifelong resident of Hull.  The nearest town of any consequence is Ipswich and the area itself is probably best known for the Adnams brewery.  It’s amazing that our overpopulated small islands can produce these desolate pockets of isolated life of which there are so many on the East Court be it in East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, or Suffolk.  This isolation is key to the plot itself in keeping it tight and claustrophobic.  At 322 pages there is no padding no surplus characters or side plots.

The character development is excellent, probably due to the small number of characters and as the plot unfolds their flaws and secrets are revealed.  All the main characters are deceitful in some way, ranging from the lies needed for an undercover policeman to operate to some absolute whoppers.  That said the reasoning behind much of the deceit is understandable and there is an attempt to avoid betrayal which naturally arises.  All of which means the characters are believable if not quite likeable at times and leaves the reader wondering what they might do in a similar situation.

The release of Jackie Wood and her subsequent murder is the catalyst to the plot escalating.  Her conviction as being unsafe provides mirrors real life dilemma faced by prisoners released in such circumstances.  In the eyes of the Courts and the ‘Law’ they are innocent, but the victims’ parents still believe in her guilt with her ‘’getting off on a technicality and the police being unsure but generally siding with the victims.  Getting released under such circumstances must be a double-edged sword, freedom of sorts but never being believed by some and never getting their old life back.  Thought provoking but deftly handled by the author.

This is a tremendous exploration of the effects that the loss of young children can have on an extended family, grief, uncertainty, desperation and anger are all there.