This was a very interesting book and very original. Unfortunately it did not hold a great deal of appeal for me. The concepts were, I understand, well researched and I can appreciate that it was cleverly constructed and well written. I think it important to say that the fact that it didn't appeal to me does not mean that it wouldn't hold appeal for other readers.

Our unreliable narrator, Jasper, is a 13 year old boy who suffers from a form of autism that means he cannot recognise faces but references everything in terms of colours and tumultuous hues (synthaesthesia). He ‘hears’ in colour and every page of this unusual story is littered with descriptions taken from his paint box. As apparently the only witness to Bee Markham’s murder no one could be less use in solving the mystery of who the man in the navy blue baseball cap standing over her body could be. Or is he?
This book had all the hallmark reasons for me loving it: beautiful descriptive language and a point of view told from the perspective of a talented, extraordinary young man. Disappointingly however it did not wow me as I had expected and, in fact, I found myself skim reading quite a bit. Jasper’s voice for me is just too repetitive and monotonous to make good reading. I wanted to like him and empathise with him, which I did up to a point, but as a narrator I became irritated by the repetition and I just couldn’t wait for the story to end.

Loved this book, bit different.
Jasper is autistic, sees colours when he hears sounds, and has face blindness - he doesnt recognise anyone from looking at their faces.
He witnesses his neighbours murder. The story unfolds as he tries to communicate what he knows to the police but they are finding it difficult to understand what he is saying as he sees the world differently.
I found it really interesting seeing things from another angle.
Thank you netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book has a very endearing main character who is sadly also very vulnerable and easily lead. Readers are told the story through his eyes but also get a clear picture of the challenges his father endures to cope as a single parent. Both Jasper and his father grow throughout the story and the ending is believable.

13 year old Jasper is an unusual kid.  He has synaesthesia, which means he sees colours when he hears different sounds.  He also suffers from face blindness and is unable to recognise people without hearing their voices.  Jasper forms an unlikely friendship with his neighbour Bee Larkham, and is distraught when she disappears.  The police are investigating and are keen to talk to Jasper as they know he often watched birds from his bedroom window, and are hoping he might be able to tell them something that leads to her being found.  Unfortunately Jasper is very confused.  He's certain something has happened to Bee, and determined to get things straight in his head and figure out what that something is.

This was an unusual book to read.  I've heard of the condition synaesthesia before, and also face blindness (prosopagnosia) but never really stopped to consider the impact they would have on day to day life for sufferers.  I enjoyed reading about a character with more unusual conditions than we often see, and learning about how he coped with it.

I've seen several reviews complaining about the way Jasper described many of the colours he saw in the book, often in a lot of detail.  I personally thought this worked really well and helped to remind me as a reader that Jasper sees these colours for every sound he hears, not just from time to time.  I thought the author did a great job of describing and giving an insight into a condition that many people would have little experience of. 

I like how the book was written, and that it jumps backwards and forwards in time between now and Jasper's memories of events leading up to Bee's disappearance.  I felt like we were learning things as Jasper remembered them, and that kept me interested.

I did think from very early on that a lot of the problems that seemed to arise could have been resolved by clearer communication.  I understand that Jasper struggles with that aspect of life, and can see how new people wouldn't know how to approach that, but his father should.  That side of things annoyed me.  At first I assumed that his dad was struggling because he had always worked away, and only recently become sole carer for Jasper, but we eventually learn that this isn't the case, Jasper's mum passed away when he was very small.

The other issue I had was that there was several side storylines here which were actually quite disturbing topics, but were never properly explored or resolved.  I felt like these were partly to give the reader some alternative scenarios and make it less obvious what had actually happened, but to me these topics are things that need more coverage.  I can understand the author not wanting to detract from Jasper, but these side stories needed more exploration for me.

Ultimately I enjoyed reading this book, it was refreshing to read about something so totally different.  The drawback for me was that I felt like some things were glossed over and not properly addressed.  It seems like this is a book that has polarised a lot of readers, but I'm going with a more middle of the road rating.  It's definitely worth reading, and I'd say it's likely I'd read more by this author if she writes more.

Thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, HarperFiction and The Borough Press for my copy in exchange for an honest review

An usual and very enjoyable read.
The description by colour was superb and really enhanced the novel for me. I was very impressed that the author was able to sustain it in a way that added to the book without it becoming intrusive. It made for kaleidoscopic reading!
The storyline was both moving and poignant but also well laced with humour too.
I would unreservedly recommend this novel to any reader.
Another great author to add to my (ever growing, thanks to netgalley) list!!

What an original, fascinating and colourful novel! Jasper is an endearing boy with many problems but he turns these problems into a wonderful gift. Sarah J. Harris uses superb descriptions of colour which makes Jasper's pictures come alive. As with so many 'different' children Jasper is used and abused by others and yet still comes across as a delightful character. He also suffers from face blindness so he doesn't even recognise his own father by his face.
Thought-provoking and captivating. Can't wait to see what this author writes next!
Many thanks to Netgalley/Sarah J. Harris/Harper Collins UK for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

If you liked The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, you might very well enjoy The Colour of Bee Larkham's Murder.

The book is narrated by 13yo Jasper who is autistic, has prosopagnosia (face blindness) and synaesthesia (ability to see colours or smell scents upon hearing sounds or voices). Jasper is a humourous character, who's wonderful way of viewing the world (whilst trying to solve the murder of Bee Larkham) is a delight to read. The descriptions are absolutely fantastic, and really helped the audience (myself) feel as though I could empathise with a synaesthete. A warm and compelling read.

I just couldn’t get into this book which was disappointing as I’ve read so many good reviews. It just wasn’t for me but I appreciated the opportunity given to me to read it.

This is a spiky uncomfortable read because you are launched directly into the head of an autistic teenage boy who can’t remember faces and who hears in colours -a condition called synesthesia. Who knew there were so many colours in the world?? Jasper sees a murder but struggles to understand or explain to the adults in his chaotic life. The book is written with humour and empathy and the author does a good job of immersing her readers in Jason’s challenging world.

I am always on the look out for a new take on the standard and mystery and when I heard about Bee Larkham I knew it was the book for me.
The writing was so vivid which perfectly matched the tone, I could see and feel all the colours. A very intriguing and well thought out mystery that will stay with me

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher HarperCollins UK for the ARC.

What a uniquely wonderful, absorbing and fascinating novel!
Jasper, a young teenager, has lost his mum to cancer, followed quickly by the death of his nan. Dad Eddie (Ed) left his beloved Army life to look after him - because Jasper has been labelled as having 'profound learning difficulties'. Effectively, Jasper is autistic (avoids eye contact, cannot pick-up on social cues, everything must have order to it), has synaesthesia (all sounds are translated into appropriate colours and shapes), and face blindness (can recognise people through their clothing, jewellery, the colours of their voices or where they live). But - he cannot recognise faces. Which is a fact of some importance when he appears to be the only witness to the murder of a neighbour.
Honestly, when I began this book, immediately thrown into Jasper's world of sounds and colour, I was uncertain whether I could really 'get-into-it' -so, if the reader of this starts to feel the same, I would just ask that you do persevere. I'm so glad I did. It really is amazing.
Lots of little twists, lots of smiles when Jasper just has to say what he's thinking, several heart-stopping moments (I was so glad at one point when I audibly let out a NO!!! that I wasn't reading in public). You can't help but get to love Jasper and his different world, and of course, his view of the world colours (pun intended)everything to do with his neighbour's murder.
A really good whodunit from a completely different perspective.
Really well researched. Really well written. I thoroughly enjoyed it! - Hope you do too.

A murder with an unusual witness

Enjoyed this quirky whodunnit. Such an original concept to have an autistic boy who cannot recognise faces as the sole witness to a what he thinks is a murder. Jasper has synaesthesia, which means he recognises people and their voices in terms of colours and shapes, which he depicts in vivid abstract paintings. At first, he thinks his Dad was the killer. But was he? Great book, showing how Jasper's condition affects his personal relationships and how people can manipulate him because of this, though it is rather confusing at times.

Didn’t really work for me this book although I can see how it might appeal to others.

Well written with crisp tight prose and a new take on how witnesses to crime see things

I have loved reading this book - many similarities to the curious incident of the dog in the night time - great story about a boy with Synesthesia - he sees noises and his love of parakeets whose life is impacted when a long lost daughter returns to his street to pack up her dead mothers home.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-copy in exchange for an honest review but unfortunately it just wasn't my cup of tea. I've no criticism of the writing, it just wasn't for me.

Afrraid I didn't get very far with this one as I found it confusing. I am sure that it was good but not for me.

Completely glorious, this story creeps up on you, page by page, until you can't put it down.

Utterly compelling, you are drawn deeper and deeper into Jasper’s technicolour world with every turn of the page, and with each turn you learn more, understand more and feel more deeply for him and the situation he has found himself in.

Unable to see the world in the shades of grey those around him do, with the nuances of language and behaviour we all take for granted, Jasper struggles with engaging with his peers, neighbours and even his father. Devastated by the loss of his mother, he seeks safety with new neighbour, Bee Larkin, and the parakeets that fill the tree in her front garden. She isn’t all he believes her to be however, and when she breaks his trust, the results are devastating.

Your heart will break for him and you will rejoice for him, as he fights his way through a morass of misunderstandings, deceit and mistrust, to find the light and colour he dreams of.

Gosh this book was good. I really felt for his Dad who just didn't understand him, but kept trying. The book was a great page turner and I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review.

While this book was very cleverly written and obviously well researched I struggled with it. Jasper has a condition called Synasthaesia and sees life in colours. I found it quite tiresome as the book went on. Sorry on this occasion not for me.