Member Reviews
A quote (from ARC):
“Solitariness was closing in on her, and even her husband felt like a stranger now.”
A gripping and suspenseful novel about loneliness, pain and secrets, and how the past always catches up with you.
Set in a Surrey (England) small community, “Hope Close”, by Tina Seskis (Lake Union Publishing), features four neighbors, three women and one man with different ages and backgrounds, each with secrets of their own.
The writing is very good and the novel structure, told from the neighbors’ (three women and one man) perspectives, very smart.
The romance takes a back seat but the story is still very rewarding as we get to know the characters’ secrets and even the more horrible ones become a little more human and friendly.
Andy is such a broken, tortured hero, I felt glad that in he was able to find some peace, although the redemption process seemed a bit undeveloped.
This was an excellent thriller based around a cul de sac of houses in the English countryside. Right from the beginning I just knew that this book would suck me right in and yes it sure did do that. This book had everything I love in a good book, great storyline, strong characters, mystery, intrigue and plenty of thrills. I highly recommend this book and have no hesitation rating it a 5⭐ read.
My thanks to the author Tina Seskis for the opportunity to review an advance copy of this book and my opinions are all entirely my own.
Tina Seskis is on form with this intriguing story of a secretive, reclusive young man with regrets about something shameful in his past. Her depiction of Hope Close as an environment of anxious, claustrophobic, mis-matched people and their random houses, which is supposed to be a pleasant retreat in a beautiful area is skillful. The diverse characters and dissatisfactions, jealousies and fear of discovery, leading to neighbourly, and often un-neighbourly, interactions, which eventually give rise to a series of denouements, some unexpected as per Tina's clever storytelling, some quietly but satisfyingly predictable. Sensitive, observant, timely. A good read all round.
DNF. Could not get past chapter 8. Not my type of read, too drawn out and boring. Thanks for the ARC.
This book was hard to put down. I devoured it in two sittings. The story was so captivating it made you not want it to end. I love it!
I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Eventhough it is quite a lot of backstory with secrets woven in, that back story in so necessary for the twists and secrets to be revealed. I also feel that the descriptive elements made you feel that you were part of Hope Close, just another neighbour peeking out of her curtains to see what was going to happen next.
The thing about this book, is that all of it is so believable especially if you have lived on a cul-de-sac. Everyone knows your business and nothing can be kept secret. Even if you think it is!
I’ve only read one of Tina Seskis’s books so when I was offered the chance to read an ARC copy of her newest novel I was keen to take part!
I loved the previous book I read and this was no exception. The characters who live in Hope Close are all well developed, described in detail and made me feel like I knew them. But, they all held their own secrets! I felt compassion, intrigue and suspicion of all of them and was eager to find out what those secrets were.
Through the book there were many suspicions which grew and revolved about all characters and mostly the new resident in Hope Close, Andy. The neighbours all had their own views about him but which of them will be the one to rumble his secrets?
A fantastic thriller! Thoroughly recommend you read this!
I have read and thoroughly enjoyed all books by this author, so when offered the opportunity to read an ARC for this one in return for an honest review, I jumped at the chance.
The book follows the residents of a small cul-de-sac in Surrey who all have various issues in their home lives, including a new neighbour who you learn has recently been released from prison and has suffered from addiction and mental health issues.
The characters in this book were so well fleshed-out that I felt like I really knew them and genuinely cared for where their stories were going. I especially enjoyed the character of Joan, we all know a 'Joan' and I laughed out loud at a couple of her observations about her fellow neighbours. I liked Andy's character as well, I found it interesting to follow his journey as he attempted to readjust to normal life.
My only criticism would be that the story is a little bit slow-going in parts but in my opinion it is completely worth it to be involved in the lives of these wonderful characters.