By Chloe Michelle Howarth
Goodness me. This is certainly a book. And it’s definitely not a coincidence that it’s coming out at Halloween. The back of my proof copy says: “A creeping story of sibling rivalry and dangerous obsession”, and I’d say that’s one of the most accurate descriptions of a book I’ve ever read.
Creeping is exactly the right word for it. Initially I was lulled into enjoying the calm, rural setting of this novel – Ireland, 1965 – but by the final chapters my face was held in a tense grimace, as the plot unravelled and reached its conclusion.
The book starts with four siblings leaving their hometown to have a fresh start. The chapters are narrated in turn by Jack, Anna and Tom, the three older siblings, as well as Betty, who they meet in Ballycrea, the town they end up in. It’s interesting who does and doesn’t get a voice in this book. Howarth makes excellent choices when it comes to whose point of view to share at various stages of the story; the switches in voice are timely and help create suspense. She develops each character with skill and care, gradually revealing more and more about the complex ways each of the siblings has dealt with the past.
Not for the faint hearted – it certainly hasn’t left the same taste in my mouth as Howarth’s first and much lighter novel, Sunburn – but very much an enjoyable, twisting, and cleverly crafted read.
Review by Jamie