Gilly Macmillan

Odd Child Out by Gilly McMillian is a 2017 William Morrow publication.

Deeply absorbing literary suspense.

Inspector Jim Clemo is back at work, after having completed his requisite counseling. His first assignment, on the surface, is a low priority case, a probable accident.

However, the circumstances are murky and the incident did leave a terminally ill boy in a coma and another boy so traumatized he can’t – or won’t- speak.

The question Clemo and his partner much determine is if foul show more play was involved, or if it was a horrible accident. But, the situation is much more complicated than anyone would have imagined.

Noah, a teenager dying of terminal cancer, lies in a hospital bed, comatose, but the reader is privy to his thoughts, as he narrates the events of that fateful night.

Meanwhile, Noah’s best friend, Abdi, a Somalian refugee, hasn’t uttered a word since that night, but there may be more troubling him than his friend’s condition. Still, suspicion hangs over him, which complicates matters even more, especially when Jim’s former lover, a woman who has taken a job as a journalist decides to fan the flames of social tension surrounding Somalian refugees.

This author has a unique writing style, employing both first and third person narratives. Noah and Jim speak to us directly, while the other characters converse in third person. Switching narratives may be met with skepticism, but in my opinion, it complimented the flow of the story and truly made sense, in this case.

This story is a traditional police procedural, but it is also augmented with the deeply absorbing and heartbreaking backstory of both sets of parents. As such, the book could also easily pass as a work of contemporary fiction.

The story does not unfold in the same way many other mysteries do, with a slow pace, and much more emphasis on character and deliberately shakes out strong emotions.

Abdi’s family endured extreme cruelty in their lives, and carry deeply embeded scars, while Noah’s family has dealt with his cancer diagnosis for nearly half of his life and now must face his eminent death.

The author also delves into Jim’s personal life, adding yet another thought provoking element to the story, and once again touching upon key social issues.

While the suspense builds at an unorthodox pace, once it reached its pinnacle, I was utterly still, holding my breath, completely riveted as unexpected events began to unfold.

The characters are unique, conflicted, flawed, and completely human, some of them more likeable than others, but all very well drawn. The story is very well crafted, written in such splendid prose, with incredibly profound elements that made me think about all the many layers of humanity and the very strong bonds of family and friendship.

The ending is very stirring and I admit I may have swallowed down a lump in my throat, which is not something that happens much when I'm reading a dark and moody procedural.

This story goes much deeper than the usual mystery novel, dealing with very grim topics, but has so much added depth and emotion, that I could easily recommend it to anyone who enjoys good fiction.

4.5 stars show less

I've really enjoyed Gilly Macmillan's previous books and knew I was settling in for another great read with her latest - The Manor House.

When Tom and Nicole win the lottery, they give up their starter home, and instead they build Nicole's dream house - in a very wealthy neighborhood.

What's that saying? Money is at the root of all evil? Match that avarice with a nod to one of Hitchcock's best movies and you've got an idea about what you'll find inside Macmillan's novel.

But Macmillan has made show more this idea her own. More than once, she completely caught me off guard with a twist, an unexpected development, red herrings, reveals I couldn't have imagined.

The characters are so well drawn! You'll have your favorites and your ones to loath. But are they each telling the truth? Are they really what they present to the world?

The Manor House was a great, page turning read for me. Really well done! show less

Nach dem plötzlichen Unfalltod ihres Mannes kehrt Jo mit ihrer Tochter Ruby zurück nach England. Eigentlich wollte sie nie mehr einen Fuß in ihr Elternhaus Lake Hall setzen, nur schlechte Erinnerungen hat sie an die kaltherzige Mutter und den ebenso wenig empathischen Vater. Nur ihre ehemalige Nanny, die hat sie geliebt, doch Hannah verschwand eines Tages plötzlich und die Eltern sagten ihr, ihr schlechtes Benehmen sei der Grund dafür. Das Verhältnis zwischen Jo und ihrer Mutter show more Virginia ist angespannt, die Dame der Oberschicht scheint an allem etwas zu kritisieren zu haben und pflegt einen Lebensstil, wie man ihn nur noch auch Fernsehserien wie Downton Abbey kennt. Beim Spielen entdecken Jo und Ruby zufällig einen Schädel im Teich des Anwesens, Virginia ist entsetzt, kommt jetzt etwas ans Licht, das sie seit vielen Jahrzehnten sicher im Wasser versteckt dachte? Jo hat einen bösen Verdacht und dieser befeuert ihr Misstrauen gegenüber der eigenen Mutter noch mehr. Doch dann steht eine unerwartete Besucherin vor der Tür.

Gilly Macmillans Roman merkt man an, dass die Autorin Kunst studiert hat, denn diese spielt eine wichtige Rolle in der Geschichte auf dem herrschaftlichen Landsitz. Dieser schafft auch die passende Atmosphäre für einen Kriminalfall, der mit erstaunlichen Wendungen aufwartet. Das große alte Haus mit seinen vielen Zimmern und geheimen Gängen bietet die passende Kulisse für ein Familiendrama, in dem der äußerliche Schein wichtiger zu sein scheint, als echte Emotionen und Zuneigung, wo angemessenes Verhalten – gemessen an einer seit Jahrhunderten tradierten Etikette – über echtem Empfinden steht und somit die Figuren keine Bindung eingehen und schon gar kein Vertrauen zueinander aufbauen kann. Darin liegt der größte Reiz: keine der drei Frauen kann den anderen trauen und auch als Leser weiß man nicht, welcher Perspektive man folgen soll.

Zugegebenermaßen sind alle drei gleichermaßen unsympathisch. Virginia als grantige alte Hausdame, die auf den Pöbel herabschaut und dies auch offen zeigt; Jo, die ziemlich naiv nach dem Tod ihres Mannes hilf- und mittellos dasteht und ganz offenkundig mit eigenständiger Lebensführung und Kindererziehung maßlos überfordert ist und sich in ihrer grenzenlosen Vertrauensseligkeit wirklich jeden Bären an die Backe binden lässt; und zuletzt die Nanny Hannah, die lange in ihrer Motivation mysteriös bleibt. Unausgesprochene Vorbehalte, Erinnerungen, die mal richtig, bisweilen aber auch falsch sind, und ein grundlegendes Misstrauen befeuern den subtilen Kampf – ja, worum eigentlich? Auch das wird erst nach und nach klar und ist dann doch ganz anders als man vermutet hätte.

Ein clever konstruierter Plot, der geschickt mit Sein und Schein spielt. Ein paar Brüche in der Figurenzeichnung lassen diese für mich nicht ganz authentisch wirken, die unerwarteten Wendungen machen dies aber locker wieder wett. show less

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for a review. This did not effect my opinions of the book, or the review itself.

"Be careful what you assume, is what I'd say to that. Be very careful. I should know."

Rachel Jenner's son Ben is missing. This readers know this from the start; Rachel tells us directly. But that is all we truly know.

What She Knew explores exactly that-what can we truly ever know, about ourselves, about those we love? Every character has something in show more their past or present yet to be revealed. If we can lie to others, others can lie to us. While the story is ostensibly the hunt for a missing child, and all the emotional and professional turmoil that entails, it is also the story of what it means to be human, to be family, to be a best friend, to be a mother. It is a cautionary tale to assume nothing.

What She Knew is also a suspenseful mystery with a well-done plot twist ending, and a book that utilizes the format of social media and book and newspaper excerpts well. This is a read I would definitely recommend. show less