Babs Horton

The main story is set in a Welsh village in 1963: impoverished families, unwed mothers, damaged people, lots of secrets. Four children who get up to lots of mischief, who don't always understand what they see and hear, and then one of the children vanishes.

The second part of the tale is told thirty years later, with the narrative interwoven with the earlier tale. Will Sloane, retired, has always been haunted by what he didn't understand about the child's disappearance.

This is a lively plot, but I think the author tried too hard to keep the identity of the missing child secret. As a result there is a lot of confusing detail, because there is more to the story than just a missing child. For a small village there are lots of secrets and mysteries, made even more mysterious because we see so much of them through a child's eyes.… (more)

I loved this author's first outing "A Jarful of Angels" but feared this would be a re-write. The similarities are easy to spot: an out of the way setting in the 1960s peopled by oddballs, some imaginative children, a disappearance or two, a Mediterranean connection and everyone swears a lot. There's nothing wrong with writing to a winning formula I suppose - let's be honest it never stopped Dan Brown - but I had my concerns.

Having finished I can report that the two books are very different whilst retaining common themes. This one has more mysteries per square inch - probably more than any book I've ever read. Good in a way - there is something there to interest every reader - but also bad because the overall effect is confusing. There was also at least one event that pushed credulity a bit too far - right to the edge of the cliffs of disbelief, and sent it plunging into the Sea of Scepticism.

Overall, it's value for money and worth a look if you like a book with plenty going on. I just think it's one of those cases where less might have been more.… (more)

This tale from the Welsh valleys was an absolute treat, brimming with comedy and pathos, capturing perfectly the days when children were allowed – and indeed encouraged – to roam freely outdoors. It’s an admirable depiction of childhood in all its irreverent, sweary, sniggering, snotty-sleeved glory, a time when bodily functions are a constant source of fascination and amusement. Particularly the rude ones. The writing is so sure of its time and place it could make you nostalgic for the days of the outside privy even if you were too young to have ever had one.

There is a thread of mystery snaking through it, relating to the disappearance of one of the children, and the author recognises the importance of maintaining the element of suspense by withholding the child’s identity until well into the story. This necessitated some stilted conversation to avoid giving the child’s gender away but it was all done in the best interests of the reader. Worth bearing in mind, also, that there is a glossary at the end which can easily be missed – very useful if you don’t know your pwp from your gwlis.

In all, the best, funniest, foulest-mouthed book I’ve read in a long while – more more more from this excellent author, please!… (more)