Louise Candlish

When you read a lot of mystery/thriller stories, they can start to feel formulaic. Sometimes you can even see the twists waaaay in advance and it's not as fun to read them - waiting for the rest of the characters to catch up to what you know.

this one is NOT like that! This one was a complete surprise. Sure, you will definitely feel like you know some twists, but this one will definitely surprise you at least once, if not multiple times.

I liked getting to know Melia & Kit, Jamie and Clare - show more getting to know their friendship and how it grows. But this isn't a pure, good buddy friendship - there is definite competition as each couple compares what they have and don't have and measure that next to the other couple. It felt realistic and I loved the added petty layer it gave to the story - because I believe that of them all.

I loved the pacing, the well told story - even the characters I struggled to like. I enjoyed the setting and the idea of their river commute, it sounded beautiful.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. show less

The Sudden Departure of the Frasers

I was fascinated by the premise of this book.

Why? Well, where to start? The title is intriguing enough in itself, (departure, not disappearance, a choice which highlights that they made a remarkably abrupt decision to leave, rather than being (say) spirited away by kidnappers, and 'The Frasers', creating a sense of unity (against who?) and almost mythology - they're not Mr and Mrs Fraser, they are The Frasers,) but the blurb is fascinating.

What's it show more about?

Christy and Joe Davenport have spent every penny they have, and a fair few they don't, on pursuing their dream of living on Lime Park Road, but as soon as Christy holds the keys to their dream home, her doubts kick in.

Why was the price so low? Why was the sale so rushed? Why did the previous owners go to so much trouble to renovate the whole house in luxurious style only to move out within a year? And why won't the neighbours speak to Christy? What is it they won't tell her?

One year earlier popular couple Amber and Jeremy Fraser brought a sparkle to the previously quiet road when they moved into the neighbourhood. Amber was a devoted wife, a great neighbour and friend to the other residents. Except, she tells us, 'This is a lie.'

So who was Amber Fraser really? And why did the Frasers depart so suddenly? Christy is determined to find out and as she struggles to uncover the truth, she moves closer to 'the dark and shocking story that tore the street apart'. Oooh.

What's it like?

Initially gripping. Typically compelling. Ultimately disturbing.

The first chapters are gripping as we meet Christy and experience her initial reservations, then meet Amber and are told that this is her 'confession'. We can only wonder what terrible thing she did. Back and forth we shift between wholesome Christy, being rejected by her new neighbours, and naughty Amber, being welcomed with ease.

It's interesting that Amber is given a first person narrative, the better to seduce the reader, perhaps, while Christy is kept slightly at arm's length by the third person narration, her gossipy dissertations on her neighbours' doings frequently undercut by Joe's disinterest and rational perspective.

And then. Then there are multiple chapters focusing on Christy's obsession and Amber's burgeoning secret. Given that the novel stretches to 500 pages, you'd be forgiven for wondering whether some of this could be cut. This will divide readers: some relishing the gradual slide into chaos and Candlish's careful depiction of character, others guessing the outcome and impatiently flicking ahead a few pages.

Finally, the denouement. And it's...somehow slightly underwhelming. It shouldn't be - Amber's crime is appalling, her husband is disturbingly complicit and the outcomes are severe - but it is perhaps a little predictable, and this can be hard to swallow when we've been promised something 'dark and shocking'.

Candlish's very brief, threat-laden prologue could hint at several outcomes, but once you know her characters well, and she ensures you know them inside-out, it sets like custard and we're waiting for nature to take its course.

That said, I loved the structure of this, the way Candlish layers the women's stories together with dark echoes and creates a plausible villain alongside her villainess. Leaving the events of the crucial day til so close to the end is cleverly done; removing Christy's narrative altogether by the end is a master stroke. Like the residents of Lime Park Road, it's Amber we're fascinated by, Amber whose past, present and future we yearn to understand, not Christy. (Amber has her own take on Christy, though arguably this once again simply reflects Amber's beliefs and concerns.)

Final thoughts

One reviewer compared Candlish's 'The Sudden Departure of the Frasers' to works by Liane Moriarty and Gillian Flynn. While I responded instinctually with yes - I already had 'Gone Girl' in mind - the comparisons also allowed me to shape my coalescing criticisms more precisely.

Unlike Moriarty's books, Candlish essentially follows one plot line here, despite having two central protagonists (or is Christy perhaps a Mrs de Winter figure, overwhelmed by Manderly and incapable of being a Rebecca?) Unlike Gillian Flynn's novels, there is ultimately one central question we zig zag our way towards resolving, rather than finding multiple twists that scatter the story in different directions.

'The Sudden Departure of the Frasers' has a different way of working than those novels, a more focused approach that encompasses a way of life rather than simply a clutch of exemplary or awful characters, but with its suspenseful title and its blurb proclaiming 'the dark and shocking secret' it is aligning itself with these kinds of writers and potentially encouraging readers to expect a slightly different experience from what Candlish has to offer. Think 'Rear Window' rather than 'Gone Girl' and you'll be ready to love this.

What Candlish does have to offer is an excellent story whose most disturbing elements will linger in your mind long after you've closed the final pages. show less

When Ellen spots a young man she recognizes but hasn’t seen in two years, she is shocked. That man was supposed to be dead! She made sure of that. Keiran was a friend of Ellen’s son, Lucas, and a very bad influence. Things went very wrong due to that friendship and Ellen just couldn’t stand to see Keiran around. How is it possible he’s back?

I really liked this. Much of the book was told from Ellen’s point of view and it was easy (at least for me) to get caught up in her anger and show more her adrenaline! The book did also show the POV of Ellen’s ex (and Lucas’ father) Vic. This certainly brought some interesting information and twists to light, but his POV was more business-like and so I wasn’t quite as caught up. At the same time, it also pointed out what an “unreliable narrator” Ellen might be (although I was already questioning that). Maybe that’s not the correct phrase, but it did show how obsessed she was (rightly or wrongly). show less

Lowland Way is the perfect neighborhood in every way. Family-oriented, quiet, upscale, beautiful homes and gardens. Perfect, that is, until those people move in and ruin everything.

Darren and Jodie simply aren’t Lowland Way material. Their used car lot in the front yard, loud music at all hours, and endless remodeling have enraged the residents on the street. They make sure Darren and Jodie know they’re not welcome, but what will it take to reclaim their perfect neighborhood?

THOSE PEOPLE show more was an entertaining, slow-burn mystery that really had me hooked from the beginning. Dealing with bad neighbors is something most people can relate to. Darren and Jodie were a nightmare, but even the seemingly perfect Lowland Way residents weren’t so flawless when you got beneath the surface. Lots of drama and tension there, which only gets exacerbated by the distressing situation.

I enjoyed this twisty, character-driven novel, and though none of the characters were particularly likable, I couldn’t look away. Satisfying follow-up to last year’s OUR HOUSE.

Disclosure: I received a copy of this book from the publisher thorough NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. show less