My review
If life came with a ‘replay‘ button, would we keep pressing it every time when life felt overwhelming and we knew we would sink soon? This was the question the book left me with.
My first book by Author Pamela Crane had me scrambling to keep up the lives of the 4 mums all of whose lives got seeped in the daily drudgery, responsibilities of kids and school, uncaring husbands, loss of careers. Frustrations, anger, secrets past and present, maintaining a “all’ s well” facade, soon led to the cracks getting formed, too wide to jump chasms appeared, and friendships were all these mums struggled to hold on to.
Pamela Crane’s domestic noir was a full-on thriller, it had a wife murdering the husband and kids and another mum’s daughter getting kidnapped. The story was depicted on the background, and sometimes on the foreground of these events, which led me on a merry ride, skipping into the past and coasting on the flimsy paths of the present.
My only niggle, the book initially had me confused as it told me the story in multiple points of view. I was lost in the lanes of the names of mum, kids, and husband. That kept slowing me down. I certainly don’t like my thrillers slowing me down.
But I could read this in a few hours, so I liked the book. Enjoyable!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and publisher Bloodhound Books, and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.
My rating : 4 stars
About the Author
PAMELA CRANE is a professional juggler. Not the type of juggler who can toss flaming torches in the air, but a juggler of four kids, a writing addiction, a horse rescuer, and a book editor by trade. She lives on the edge (ask her Arabian horse about that-he’ll tell you all about their wild adventures while trying to train him) and she writes on the edge. Writing murder mysteries is her escape from the real world of dirty diapers and cleaning horse stalls, and she bases her characters on real people, so be warned!
Book blurb
Jo’s idyllic life would make most people jealous. Until one day her daughter is abducted and the only way to find her is to unravel her dark past.
Ellie is a devoted wife… until she discovers the pain of betrayal. Now vengeance is all she can think about.
Party-girl Shayla knows how to hide her demons. But when she’s confronted with a life-shattering choice, it will cost her everything.
June knows suffering intimately, though the smile she wears keeps it hidden.
Soon the lives of these four women intersect and one of them is about to snap…
Product Details
Publication date : 18th July, 2018
Publisher : Bloodhound Books
34 Responses
Well, it’s a question I have often asked myself as well. But I always come back to..no I would not. I think that past pain has also made me into who I am today, and while there are certainly a lot of things I could live without, I usually always manage to find a way to overcome the overwhelming things (Doesn’t mean it’s easy though…it never is).
As always you wrote a great review and I like the premise this book offers. I would probably have that same niggle though 😊 Wonderful post! ❤️
My niggles are gaining their fans huh? Hahaha… Thank you for your lovely comments.. 😍
Lol…yeah I guess they are lol 😂😂😂 You are welcome, always 😘❤️
Sounds like an interesting read.
It was fun.. Got confused with characters
When a book leaves you pondering and wondering, then it did it’s job. This one sounds interesting. I think there have been times when I would want to rewind, but it would probably change something else so maybe not.
It just had too many characters… I ended up confused had to go back and forth to remember some of them. On the whole a good book
Wonderful review! I thoroughly enjoyed this book as well, I can see the confusion though, but that ending was crazy!
I agree…. I had problems with too many characters… I just went back and forth.. Fun read
Sounds like real true life. Thank you for the review, Shalini. Best wishes for the rest of the week. Dont stress you! Michael
Hey Michael all okay with you? How is life? Have a wonderful week.. We are midway
Thank you Shalini! Yes, its all okay. Hope you are also fine? Best wishes for the rest of the week, and thank you for great reviews. Michael
Gah….I dislike it too when I get confused with the characters, and I’d have to write them down so that I’m on track… 😦
Ya… I had to go back and forth 😂
I love that there is a genre called domestic thriller. Lol. This certainly fits the bill.
There is… When you write, make sure less and more noteworthy characters 😉😉
Excellent advice my friend.
Great review, Shalini. I always enjoy reading them. I get frustrated when it’s hard to keep up with the characters. But since you read this in a few hours I’m impressed.
Hope you’re having a great day. 😊
I am having a good day.. How is your health Laurie
Yay!!! ☺️
It’s never been great. I’m of the sickly sort. But let’s just hope for the best. 😂
😘😘
Oh sending all good vibes to you… ❤️❤️💕💕🤗🤗
Thanks Shalini. 🤗🤗
I am honestly getting so tired of books told from multiple viewpoints… It’s different if it’s a romance or something being told back and forth between two people… But, people are getting too crazy about it. I can barely keep those two straight, let alone FOUR CHARACTERS!! I’m thinking I wouldn’t do well with this one. 😕
Four characters with their husbands and their children… I had to keep a note… Till I threw it out… Got bored of writing and doing a schematic diagram of family line… It is a novel not a science exam.. I hate exams📖😏😉😉😂😂
Wow… That’s definitely an entire family tree!! Ya… Don’t think I’ll be reading this one! 😂😂
Great review, Shalini. This sounds interesting especially because of all the drama with the murders and kidnapping. Sorry to hear that the multiple POVs were confusing but I am glad that you enjoyed the book. Adding it to my TBR.
Yayy.. Thank you so much.. It was still a fun read❤️
Great and honest review there, Shalini! Yah, at my age I’d need a score card to keep up with that many POI’s. I need simple. I’ll wait for your next head’s up review. Thanks!
Hahaha this had too many at one point, I just gave up and just read it as a thriller instead of connecting the chapters
These mums sure have it tough. I’d probably have had similar issues with the different point of views too. Especially if there’s no significant characteristic to discern one from another! Great review, Shalini. 😀
I had kept a pen and paper… Then Lashaan, got bored, distracted, take your pick… So just read and reviewed
That, Shallini, was an excellent review. But, then again, what else is knew?
Hahaha… Just like your beauty and your attitude… 😘😘😍😍❤️❤️
💙😍💙