Friday 1 September 2017

The Silence by Katharine Johnson ~ Book Review

TITLE - The Silence

AUTHOR - Katharine Johnson. 

PAGES - 295

BUY LINK - Click here



SYNOPSIS

Doctor Abby Fenton has a rewarding career, a loving family, an enviable lifestyle - and a secret that could destroy everything. 

When human remains are discovered in the grounds of an idyllic Tuscan holiday home she is forced to confront the memories she has suppressed until now and relive the summer she spent at the villa in 1992. A summer that ended in tragedy. The nearer she gets to the truth the closer she comes to losing her sanity. 

In order to hold onto the people she loves most, she must make sure they never discover what she did. But the reappearance of someone else from that summer threatens to blow her secret wide open.

MY REVIEW 

I really struggled with this story in the beginning and found it slow going, but not one to give up on a book I persevered as I'd heard good things about it. Abby the main character from who's point of view the story is told, is sent to stay with family friends in their Tuscan Villa, which is not as glamorous as it sounds. What went on in that time is what remains a mystery and keeps you guessing.

The story moves between the past and present and at times I felt it a little disconcerting as I was just getting into the story and it moved to a different era.

I liked the young Abby and felt sorry for her at times. It was as if she was a burden to the family she was staying with in Tuscany, but then not really wanted at home. She really wanted to be liked by Phillipa, one of the Daughters, but Phillipa didn't come across as a very nice person at times unlike Mina the younger sister.  Abby seemed to struggle to fit in. 


In the present day, Abby has become a successful physician and has married James who is about to embark on a political career. She then reads that bodies have been discovered in the grounds of a villa in Tuscany and realises that things are about to change. She returns to Tuscany to piece together what happened in that time with some help from an old boyfriend. I found some of the story at this point a bit far fetched. 

This is a crime/mystery novel and there are a lot of elements to the mystery, but the story line just did not grip me.  It would not however, put me off reading anything else by this author as I did actually liked her style of writing and the way she adapted her characters, making you either love or hate them. The story line just left me wanting more. 

Not my favourite read of the year, but I am among the minority so read it and make your own mind up. 



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katharine Johnson grew up in Bristol and now divides her time between Berkshire and Lucca, Italy. After doing a History degree she trained to be a journalist and has worked for a variety of magazines, writing about everything including the kitchen sink. She's loved writing since childhood and wrote her first book aged nine. When not writing she can usually be found walking her spaniel, doing the school run, playing netball or playing house in a stately home where she is a room guide. 

Katharine loves to hear from readers so if you fancy a chat do get in touch!

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