📖 Book Review ~ The Storytellers by Caron McKinlay

 

Bloodhound Books
16 May 2022

My thanks to the author for my copy of this book

Trapped between life and the afterlife, three women met and share their stories while discovering the truth about the men in their lives—and about themselves.

Suspended in an eerie state of limbo, an entity called the Gatekeeper tells Nikki, Ronnie, and Mrs. Hawthorne they are on the cusp of entering the afterlife—but only if the women can persuade him that in their earthly lives, they knew the meaning of love.

Fragments of their memories return, plunging them back into their pasts, and forcing them to face the desires, disappointments, addictions, lies, and obsessions they battled in life.

But before time runs out, will they find the answer to the ultimate question: what is love?

📖 My Review...

I didn't know what to expect when I started reading The Storytellers but as each of the main characters are introduced there was something quite intriguing about all of them and it is this intrigue which kept me turning the pages. The story takes a little getting used to but once I had the author's writing style fixed and as I got to see the way the story was panning it it became a real delight to ponder on just how everything would eventually play out in the wider scheme of the story.

The idea that when we depart this life we may have the chance to change things is the premise of the story but for the three women Nikki, Ronnie and Mrs Hawthorn, there is rather more to them, and their lives, than we are led to believe. Each of the characters come vibrantly life and whilst they are not always very likeable there is something quite defining about them which makes their individual stories quite fascinating. I'm being quite deliberately vague as The Storytellers is a story which you should go into with no fixed idea of where these three women will take you, so just relax and let this clever storyteller take you on an emotional, and rather clever, journey.

Brutally honest, with flashes of dark humour The Storytellers is a multi-layered novel about the intricacies of life and, ultimately, about the power of love

🍷Best read with..a double vodka and coke

About the Author

© Chris Watt Photography

Caron grew up in a mining town on the east coast of Scotland where her dad would return from the pit and fill her life with his tall tales. She never thought about making a career in writing – that was what posh people did, not someone from a working-class council estate. However, her father’s death was the cause of deep introspection and her emotions gave birth to a short story, Cash, which was published in the Scottish Book Trust’s anthology, Blether. This gave her the confidence to try and believe in herself. When not blogging, reading, and writing, Caron spends her time with her daughters. She doesn’t enjoy exercise – but loves running around after her grandsons, Lyle and Noah, to whom she is devoted. Caron had three childhood dreams in life: to become a published author, to become a teacher, and for David Essex to fall in love with her. Two out of three ain’t bad, and she’s delighted with that.

Twitter: @caronmckinlay #TheStorytellers

Facebook: @mckinlaycaron

Instagram: @caronmckinlay

Website www.caronmckinlay.com

@Bloodhoundbook