More than once I’ve proclaimed myself not to be a thriller fan on this blog, usually before going on to review one, so it may seem surprising that several of the books in the second part of May’s preview appear to have a definite thread of suspense running through them beginning with Rachel Edwards’ Darling which has cropped up frequently recently in my neck of the Twitter woods. It seems to be a spin on the old stepmother/daughter trope. Lola is unwilling to have much to do with her new stepmother who’s only been with her father for three months. Darling’s not so fond of Lola either but she is of her dad and so has to put up with his teenage daughter. Lola, it seems, has other plans. That may sound a little hackneyed but what spices this premise up a little is that Lola is white and Darling is black.
The synopsis for Melanie Finn’s The Underneath reminds me a little of Elizabeth Brundage’s All Things Cease to Appear which I enjoyed very much. A journalist and her children are left in their rented Vermont farmhouse when her husband is called away. Kay becomes convinced that something dreadful has happened in the house and enlists the help of a local man who is wrestling with his own demons just as she is with hers. ‘The Underneath is a tense, intelligent, beautifully written thriller which is also a considered exploration of violence, both personal and national, and whether it can ever be justified’ say the publishers.
Louise Levene’s Happy Little Bluebirds is set in 1940s Hollywood with recently widowed Evelyn, fresh from her mundane life in Woking. Evelyn is to help persuade an Anglo-Hungarian producer to create war propaganda but when she arrives she finds her contact has been called to Bermuda leaving her to fend for herself. ‘Happy Little Bluebirds has all the allure, glamour and intrigue of a golden age Hollywood film. Packed with meticulous historical research which is handled with a light, deft touch, Louise Levene brings her acerbic, whip-smart wit to a glittering period in recent history’ says the publishers which sounds great and I enjoyed Levene’s debut, The Following Girls, very much.
Alison Moore has quietly gained a growing following for her atmospheric novels. Her new one, Missing, is set in the Scottish Borders to where Jessie Noon has moved. Her husband walked out a year ago and she hasn’t seen her son for years, leaving her free to begin a relationship with a local man until she begins to receive messages. ‘This is a novel about communication and miscommunication and lives hanging in the balance (a child going missing, a boy in a coma, an unborn baby), occupying the fine line between life and death, between existing and not existing’ say the publishers which seems like an awful lot going on but Moore’s writing makes it well worth investigating.
Rounding off May’s new title preview is Janice Pariat’s The Nine-Chambered-Heart which sounds more like a collection of linked short stories but is billed as a novel. Nine characters tell the story of one woman’s life from their own points of view, ranging from her art teacher to the female student who comes to love her. That’s a catnip structure for me but what seals the deal is the blurb’s description of ‘gem-like chapters’ in ‘deeply intimate, luminous and fine-boned novel that explores the nature of intimacy and how each connection you make forms who you are’.
A click on a title will take you to a more detailed synopsis for any that take your fancy and if you’d like to catch up with part one it’s here. Paperbacks soon…
Melanie Finn’s previous novel was excellent. I’m pleased to hear she has another on the way. I never would have known without this post, so thank you!
That’s encouraging, and you’re very welcome!
Louise Levene’s Happy Little Bluebirds sounds good. I’ve read two recent Golden Age of Hollywood novels, so this might be interesting to add to those two.
It does, doesn’t it, and The Following Girls was excellent – pin-sharp satire. I’ll be posting a review next month.
I want to read ALL of these….*sigh*.
Great month, isn’t it, and there are still paperbacks to come…
All of these are new to me… and they all sound good! If I had to choose, I’d go with The Underneath, Missing, or The Nine-Chambered Heart. You didn’t think I’d be able to zero in on just one, did you? 😉
Absolutely not! It’s a great month although I always seem to say that.
I did enjoy Alison Moore’s To the Lighthouse a few years ago. A very thoughtful writer who can get under the skin of a character
I’ve only read Death at the Seaside, quite an unsettling book but with very strong characters.
Oh another one for me to add to my wishlist in that case
“Darling” looks really interesting to me. Also, I’ve heard there’s a strong trend of 2018 books with flowers on the cover, and this one is a clear example of that! Keep your eye out for it, they are everywhere…
I will! It will make a pleasant change from the woman walking away dressed in red trend which took hold a few years ago, briefly changing to blue before fizzling out.
ugh I know exactly what you mean!
I’ll wait for your reports on the thrillers – I’m invariably disappointed by thrillers so prefer a reliable recommendation before starting one!
I love linked stories so Nine Chambered Heart sounds terrific.
Funnily enough, I have the opposite experience but perhaps that’s because my expectations are pretty low at the outset. Nine Chmbered Heart is the one I most want to read of those I haven’t already.
I’m fascinated by golden age Hollywood so Happy Little Bluebirds really appeals. I hope it lives up to the publishers hype!
Me, too. I’ll let you know. I have a copy and will be posting a review next month.
Happy Little Bluebirds sound really interesting. I’m looking forward to seeing what you think of it.
I thoroughly enjoyed The Following Girls so hopes are high!