Lacey's House - Joanne Graham

'I wanted to walk right out of my life and leave it behind.'

Sometimes one way I can see how much I loved a book is by how many sentences or paragraphs I tab with little sticky notes to come back to and think about again once I've finished. There were a lot of places I marked in this book. There were parts of the prose that resonated with me, that moved me, and parts where the use of language particularly appealed to me. In summary, I thought this was a very special book. 

Rachel Moore has suffered a sad loss and moves from Birmingham to the countryside, to get away and start afresh. She is a solitary soul, having grown up in care, though having a brief period with some loving foster parents. She meets Lacey Carmichael, the older lady living next door. Lacey is another isolated soul, teased by the local children, labeled as the mad woman down the road, she is misunderstood and lonely. Then she is accused of a terrible crime.

A connection forms between them, and they begin to trust each other, and to share painful things with each other that they have never told anyone else. They've both experienced such sadness and from sharing their secrets a friendship blossoms despite the difference in their ages. The development of this friendship between Rachel and Lacey over the course of the book is wonderful and fascinating to observe. As time passes, Rachel thinks about how she feels about Lacey: 'I found that I cared for her very deeply, that her vulnerability had somehow pulled me closer and I carried her words, her story, like a heavy cloak about my shoulders.' Rachel attempts to express the pain and sorrow in Lacey's past through her artwork. 

'Her memories came home with me. Walking straight into my studio, I mixed them with acrylics; different shades of blue and deep, swirling turquoise that I threw at the huge canvas as I painted her sorrow, a raging, tumultuous thing that, when I was finished, left me breathless and empty.'

The chapters alternate between the two of them, Rachel's in the first person and Lacey's in the third, and the story progressed and worked really well written in this way.

Rachel likes and trusts Lacey, but doesn't yet know the whole truth; she, and the reader, are kept in suspense. Rachel fears that in the future she too might experience the depths of isolation that Lacey has;

'In fifty years time would it be me standing where Lacey was, with the past eating into me from the inside? I recoiled from the idea of experiencing for myself the stark loneliness that had been so apparent in Lacey's eyes.'

Joanne Graham writes with immense insight, empathy, warmth and poignancy about these women's lives and pasts, and writes sensitively and honestly about themes of mental health, loneliness and loss of a child, about damaging things that happen in people's lives which they are scarred by and understandably spend much time and energy grappling with. I felt emotional as I read, I was angry at the cruelty in Lacey's past, at what people could get away with. So much of a person's past can be hidden away, unknown, unvoiced. I empathised with and liked both Rachel and Lacey, and they both felt very real to me as I was reading. As Lacey thinks to herself, 'How sad for them both that they had to grow up without loving families.' As well as creating engaging, rounded characters, the author tells a powerful story. 

For me, Lacey's House is a wonderful, incredibly moving and very special story of female friendship across generations. It has stayed in my mind since reading it and it made me think. Beautifully, sensitively written, perceptive and touching, I think it was a very worthy recipient of the Luke Bitmead Bursary, a superb debut novel and I'd say it's one of my reading highlights of the year so far.


Thank you to the publisher for kindly sending me a copy of this novel for an honest review. 

Author links - twitter @YarrowH | website

Published by Legend Press

In Too Deep - Bea Davenport

'How had it come to this, I thought. What do I do now?'


Maura Wood is looking back, something has triggered a memory. A photograph in a newspaper. It's of Kim Carter. For a short time they were best friends. Except Kim is dead and Maura 'ran away and became another person.' It was five years ago when Kim died, and Maura has a new identity, and has moved to live and work in South London and try to escape the past. 

Taking us back to five years ago, we drop in on Maura's life then. She lived in Dowerby, a market town in northern England, having moved there with her husband Nick and their young daughter Rosie. From the way Maura describes Dowerby, with its castle and tourist attractions, and the locals who aren't keen on newcomers, it's clear she isn't overly enamoured with the place, to put it mildly, a view that subsequently turned to hatred: 

'Does it seem crazy to feel hatred for a place? Or do you really just hate what happened there? I think I really hate Dowerby, as much as if it was a person. For its smallness, its unwelcoming feeling, its inability to change. I'm grateful to London, though, for allowing me and those like me, to blend into its people-wallpaper, totally unseen.'

Five years ago, preparations were in motion for the annual Dowerby Fair, and Nick is a key organiser of the events, seeking more publicity for the fair to attract higher visitor numbers.  Kim Carter arrives in the town to work as the new district reporter for the regional evening paper. Maura gets to know her, and is friendly towards her unlike many of the locals. Kim is talented and confident, and she becomes like a sister/best friend that Maura has never had before; up until Kim arrives, she made do with her husband and child's company, with no real friends. A firm bond grows between them. Maura laughs and relaxes in Kim's company, and finds a new side to herself, a side she can't express at home. Her behaviour changes through her friendship with Kim. She even starts working with her, gaining more independence, though she is fearful that Nick won't approve of this. He is often unkind and critical in the way he speaks to her, and as the story moves on, we realise that his cruel, controlling and abusive treatment of Maura is not limited to words. I liked a lot of things about Maura, I was glad she had this new friendship and the work that boosted her self-esteem, but I felt saddened at how she was still with Nick after some of his actions had been described; a couple of times I willed her to act differently. 

Back to the present and there is talk of the fair being revived after a five year absence, cancelled as we learn at the start of the novel after Kim's death. Talk of a possible revival has reignited interest in the events surrounding the fair five years ago. Maura, living her new life, working two jobs, surviving alone, suddenly realises that someone is watching her, following her, a reporter asking about her and wanting to resurrect the past. 

I really enjoyed In Too Deep and once I started reading, I raced through it eager to learn more and discover what exactly had happened in the past and how everything fitted together, as well as wanting to know what would happen in the present. I thought there was a good amount of suspense in the story, and the author caused me to ask myself questions, to doubt characters, to question their motives. The characters are well-drawn, they are rounded, with good qualities and with faults. I was convinced by the portrayal of Nick, a nice man on the face of it, his true, awful nature shown in his home. Similarly Kim felt real to me, a beautiful and clever lady, good at her job, but perhaps too keen to ruffle people's feathers and one of those people who can mean so much more as a friend to others than they might to her - though I do think she cared for Maura. I liked the insight into journalism too. The setting, the claustrophobic, at times small-minded community, was vividly depicted. I hoped that things would be better for Maura and there was one aspect of her current life, something missing from it, that I thought must have been incredibly painful.

I found this a tense, compelling, well-paced and nicely structured story, and I would definitely read more from this author in the future. 

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this novel for an honest review. 

Author links - twitter @BerwickBabs | website

Published by Legend Press

Sleeping Patterns - J. R. Crook

This a short work of just over a hundred pages and it is an unusual narrative of layered stories. The opening surprised me and heightened my interest - the novel is 'dedicated to the memory of the author'. Then we have an introduction by Annelie Strandli, know to her friends as Grethe, who is also a character in the book, alerting us to the fact that the story we are about to read consists of fifteen elements of a tale by the writer. Berry Walker is a withdrawn and introverted insomniac and an aspiring writer who Annelie lives with (amongst others) in a student residence. She hopes to discover more about him through his writings. Within the elements of the story that describe Annelie's narrative, there is another layer recounting the story of a boy, Boy One, a dreamer, and the story explores the notion of dreaming, not just whilst asleep but whilst awake; 'he allowed his dreaming to overflow into the daylight hours.' 

I enjoyed this book, in fact I think I was a little unsure whether at first I would like it, and it pleasantly surprised me; it offered me something different and I felt the way it was written made me sit up and pay attention. I discovered that the fifteen chapters or pieces of the story are numbered non-sequentially; first I read 5, then 1, then 11. I was intrigued, and tempted to rearrange them and read them from 1 to 15 as per usual, but I resisted and read the book as it was presented to me. It made me think and re-evaluate what I expected from a work of fiction, after all, the author is named in the book, so is this entirely fiction? How does the relationship between the reader and the writer and the story work? I could imagine readers having varied reactions to this novel and therefore sharing an interesting discussion about it.

There are some lovely passages; one in particular I liked was this, describing Annelie's curiosity about the Berry as she anticipates uncovering his writing: 'She would be hoping that small fictions and understated truths were there for her to find. She would be fancying the image of the writer's hands, like those of an illusionist's, revealing to her all manner of things invisible before.'

For me this is the work of an inventive and talented writer who has taken a chance and is unafraid to challenge the reader's expectations with the unconventional style and structure of his storytelling here. As I've said, it was quite different from a lot of what I read and I liked the challenge and uniqueness of it. I think I'd like to read it again one day and see what else I discover, and the short length of the book encourages me to do this as does the attractiveness of the edition.

I would certainly try more fiction by this author and after reading this book I would be interested to see what approach he takes to his future works.

Published by Legend Press

Sleeping Patterns was the winner of the 2011 Luke Bitmead Bursary.

Here's a link to a great review of Sleeping Patterns on Vishy's Blog

Thank you to the author for kindly sending me a copy of this novel to read and review.

You can find the author on twitter @JRCrookkk and visit his website here.

Author in focus - Iain Broome

I am delighted to welcome author Iain Broome to my blog today! Iain's debut novel, A is for Angelica, is published by Legend Press.

What gave you the initial inspiration for A is for Angelica?

Well, I'm not sure I knew I wanted to write this particular novel until I started writing it. It began as something of a character piece, where I had this middle-aged man curtain-twitching from his bedroom window. I also had the big reveal, that he had a wife who was there with him, '...asleep upstairs'.

In fact, I'd already written 10,000 words before I really decided what the book would be about. I was in the pub one Friday evening and a woman had a stroke on the table next to us. The ambulance came and took her to hospital, but I was struck by how easily life carried on around her. Even the group she was continued to chat and drink once she'd gone.

Anyway, it left an impression and I knew that I wanted to write about stroke and illness, especially its effect on family and loved ones.

Did the characters take on a life of their own as you began to write?

Yes, they really did. I think good characters are at the heart of every great book. You can have all the plot twists in the world, but if the characters aren't interesting, then what's the point? A good book makes you feel something. You need to care about what happens. It's all about characters.

As an author, I think I found my voice through Gordon Kingdom, the narrator in A is for Angelica. He started out a fairly quirky kind of a chap, but the more I wrote, the more I felt guided by him as a character.

Has writing always been your main passion?

Well, I loved reading from a very early age and I decided I wanted to be a writer when I was in my teens. I went to Sheffield Hallam University because I knew its English degree had a significant creative writing element to it, and that its MA Writing course had a great reputation. I wanted to put myself in the best possible position for getting published.

That said, I thought for some time that I was going to be a professional footballer. I know a lot of people say that, but I was actually quite good! I was in Notts County's youth academy from nine years old and left when I was 16 to do my A levels. But alas, it wasn't to be. I think things turned out for the best, really.

What was your journey to getting published like?

Pretty normal, I think. I wrote Angelica as part of Sheffield Hallam's MA Writing course, which meant I had a good idea of how to approach agents and how the industry works.

I managed to get an agent pretty quickly, but it did take a little longer and a reasonable amount of editing work before the book found a happy home at Legend Press. Again, that's pretty normal, especially in the current climate.

How was it seeing your finished book for the first time?

Pretty fantastic, I have to say. Although I was very lucky in that I was able to choose who designed my cover. I worked with hugely respected and rather brilliant Sheffield artist, Jonathan Wilkinson, who gave me a sneak preview before it was finally finished.

Seeing almost a decade's worth of work come together was very special. Still is in fact!

Where do you write?

Well, good question. Last year we bought our first house and then a week after moving in my wife fell pregnant with (identical) twins. What would have been my work area is now 90% nursery. I've managed to blag a small bureau, which was my granddad's, in the corner of the room, but it's hardly a writer's paradise.

To be honest though, I think that you can more or less work anywhere. It's all about having the ideas and the time. As a new parent, I'd happily take an extra hour or two a week to write over a spiffy new desk and view of the ocean.

Which authors do you enjoy reading?

I love Ray Carver's short stories and they are a big influence on my writing. But I also enjoy Margaret Atwood and, actually, my old tutor, Simon Crump. I also like to read a lot of non-fiction and I'm currently half way through Identically Different by Tim Spector. It's about genetics and twin studies, so I have a vested interest!

What do you do to take a break from writing?

I currently spend most of my time rearing identical twins and little else. Not that I'm complaining. They're ace. I suppose I also put a lot of time into my online world, usually my blog and podcast for readers and writers, Write for Your Life.

What do you have on the go/what is next for you with regards to writing?

Well, I'm working on a second novel, but I'm not far enough into yet to say any more, because I know how quickly things can change! There's a screenplay that I keep coming back to now and again too.

I've also got 20,000 words of non-fiction that I'm collaborating on and currently editing. It's about writing and being a writer, but from a very specific point of view. Hopefully, we'll be able to release it later this year in one form or another. 

Thanks very much to Iain for featuring on the blog and answering my questions.

A is for Angelica is published by Legend Press

About the novel:

Set in a northern mining town, A is for Angelica deftly draws us into the secretive life of troubled Gordon Kingdom. Gordon struggles with the fate of his seriously ill wife and patiently observes the unusual goings-on of his neighbours in Cressingham Vale. The arrival of the enigmatic Angelica prompts Gordon to make difficult decisions, as well as to embark on a flurry of cake baking. The book elegantly weaves prosaic tragedy, dark comedy and Hitchcockian menace.

You can read my review here.

A is for Angelica - Iain Broome

'I stay at home, hide behind curtains and make notes. I wait for something to happen.'

Gordon Kingdom watches the happenings on Cressington Vale, a street in a northern town, where he lives with his wife Georgina and dog Kipling. He keeps files of notes and his observations about the lives of those on the opposite side of the street. His wife has suffered two strokes, the first of which happened eighteen months ago, and he patiently cares for her at home, trying to cope, to continue some sort of existence, so lonely and so sad. No longer working outside the home, and with no children, Gordon records what he sees outside from his concealed viewpoint upstairs, in the house they've shared throughout their married life. There are several characters we meet, all seen through Gordon's eyes; there's Benny, who paints at night with his eyes closed, there's Gordon's best friend Don, and the new lady who moves into the street, Angelica. Gordon recalls how he started observing the little world in miniature around him:

'I found myself sitting by the window for hours on end, surveying the street. Letting the world drift past. Taking my mind off things. I watched my neighbours and got to know them better than I ever had before. Their changes in behaviour. Their simplest of movements. Their finest of details.'

He rarely encounters some of the people he keeps his files on in fact, until the arrival of Angelica, when things start to change. Gordon rarely sees his parents now. As he sits and thinks, Gordon also recalls times from his past, times shared with Georgina, and their parents. These events are sometimes happy, often rather tinged with sadness though. One of my favourite sections was the chapter entitled 'Umbrage', in which Gordon recalls a memory from just under a couple of years ago, when it was Georgina's birthday and they went to the coast. It's a lovely, happy recollection amidst the more troubled and unhappy thoughts that often dominate the moments he looks back on.

This is Iain Broome's debut novel, and it's a well written, emotional and thoughtful book with a story that flows well throughout. The novel is composed of short chapters, each with a relevant title that takes us through the alphabet, from Angelica, then Benny, to Birthdays and then Cressington Vale, and so on. This makes for a fairly quick read, though this is an emotional rather than eventful plot, and it's all delivered through Gordon as the first person narrator throughout, so we are intensely involved with his life. The author depicts the intense sadness and at times despondency present in Gordon's current way of life as a carer for Georgina, yet he manages at times to inject an element of humour into some of Gordon's encounters that I felt was very real, I could imagine someone like Gordon saying some of things he says, and doing some of the things he does. One example is when Georgina suffers her first stroke, during a neighbourhood watch meeting arranged by Gordon. The attendees are discussing the spate of milk thefts, and allocating shifts for keeping a look out. Even after what happens next, Gordon still remembers to remind Don about his shift. This sort of mundanity in the face of tragedy appears both surprising and yet likely too; trying to keep a hold of the small things.

The reader observes Gordon and is made to think about him and his unconventional behaviour, just as he watches those around him. At times it felt painful for me to be present with Gordon and party to his thoughts, and it is difficult when he can't admit the truth about his situation to himself, never mind to anyone else. He is determined to persist with his way of thinking; the alternative seems too painful, too much to contemplate. I found this a moving read that made me think. It captures the quiet sadness and loneliness that envelopes many lives, the spark of interest that someone new can inject. Sometimes Gordon's behaviour angered me and I questioned his choices, with him leaving me feeling both sympathetic towards him and at other times disbelieving; hence the story makes you think - what would you do?

A is for Angelica is about love, fear, the small things that make up a life, and the huge things that can suddenly change a life forever. It is made up of poignant observations, reminiscences, memories of the past and thorough scrutiny of the present. Contained in these pages there is sadness, grief and loss, the mundane and everyday occurences in a random life, not without some dark humour, and certainly offering us some truths. I look forward to seeing what this writer does next.

Published by Legend Press in print on 1st September 2012, and available now as an ebook.

Thank you very much to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this novel. 

Legend Press is an independent book publisher - visit their website to find out more.

You can find out more about the author and the book on his website here and also follow him on twitter @iainbroome 

Here's a link to the author's video about the book, worth a watch to give you an idea of the weird and wonderful things it contains! 

The very fitting cover is beautifully designed by Jonathan Wilkinson.