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| Sarnia Press October 2017 My thanks to the author for my copy of this book |
As always this author brings the wonderful island of Guernsey to life in this the sixth book in the Guernsey Novels. It is an exciting dual time story which takes us back to the island in the 1940s and to the time of the German occupation and of the difficulties faced by Leo and his young wife, Teresa, and the trauma of their separation. In 2011, we meet with Fiona, who rises above personal tragedy to pursue the uncovering of a war time mystery which reveals a devastating betrayal. With a foot firmly in 1940 there is a distinctly historical fiction feel to the story and yet, as the story moves seamlessly into more modern times, there is also a contemporary atmosphere, which lends itself so well to the discovery of long buried secrets.
There is a distinctly darker feel to this story, with some supernatural elements, which worked really well. I especially enjoyed the contemporary mystery which allowed the story to go in a direction I didn't expect and as always, the fine attention to detail and the wonderful descriptions of Guernsey with its stunning beaches and delicious cafes come alive in the imagination. With the author's characteristic easy touch, there is a nice blend of light and shade and the inclusion into the story of a contemporary romantic element made the story such a joy to read.
As this is the sixth book it was interesting to catch up with characters that we have met in previous novels and the author does a great job of including these within the context of the story so that even new readers to the series can become involved with the lives of the other people who have come to mean so much to regular readers of the series.
Whilst The Betrayal can be read easily as a stand alone novel as the story is well contained within itself., however, there is great enjoyment to be had in following this series from the beginning, and I would urge readers who like historical and contemporary mysteries to give this series a chance. You won't be disappointed.
Thanks, Jo, for another lovely review. I'm so glad you continue to enjoy The Guernsey Novels series. Plan to publish book 7, The Inheritance, later this year. Happy New Year to you and your followers ☺
ReplyDeleteThank you, Anne for another lovely, Guernsey story. I'm already looking forward to Book 7 :)
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