A 30-year mystery
Mixed reviews of a book can sometimes be a curse as well as a blessing, as they can cloud your decision to buy it. Happily, in this case, I decided to make up my own mind, in spite of a few negative opinions.
Saffron Cutler and her partner Tom have just moved into a cottage, inherited from Saffy’s grandmother Rose, in the small village of Beggars Nook. Expecting their first child, the couple believe they have finally found their dream home. However, that dream suddenly becomes a nightmare when the unidentified remains of a man and a woman are uncovered by their builders while digging up the patio for an extension in the back garden.
Having established the bodies had lain there for at least 30 years, the police are keen to speak to everyone who lived in the cottage between the years 1970 to 1990, including Saffy’s grandmother who was the legal owner of the cottage back then. Sadly, Rose is now in a care home suffering from Alzheimer’s and her moments of lucidity are few and far between. Nevertheless, when the police insist on interviewing her, it soon becomes apparent, from some of the random comments she makes, that she might know something about what happened. Unfortunately, with the disease rapidly robbing Rose of her memories, the answers remain out of reach.
However, not everyone is keen for Rose to recover her memory. So, when Saffy’s mother, Lorna, spots a man lurking at the back of the cottage one night, she decides to enlist the help of her ex-husband – the chief reporter for one of the national tabloids – to help her pursue her own investigation into the murders. This then sets in motion a string of events that potentially puts all of them in danger.
‘The Couple at No.9’ is a complex story spanning a period of over 30 years. Like the fragments of Rose’s fragile memory, the tangled web of lies, deceit and murder are gradually pieced together through the alternating viewpoints and time frames of each of the main characters, until the truth is finally revealed.
All the characters are well-drawn personalities, identifying both their strengths and weaknesses. It is therefore easy to empathise with their emotions, particularly Lorna, who is forced to confront and deal with her own failings as a mother in order not to lose her daughter Saffy.
In short, ‘The Couple at No.9’ is a masterclass in how to build suspense and keep readers fully engrossed, by introducing just enough information to keep them hooked until the final revelation. It certainly worked for me, enabling me to happily join the list of positive reviews and thoroughly recommend it as a good read.
Saffron Cutler and her partner Tom have just moved into a cottage, inherited from Saffy’s grandmother Rose, in the small village of Beggars Nook. Expecting their first child, the couple believe they have finally found their dream home. However, that dream suddenly becomes a nightmare when the unidentified remains of a man and a woman are uncovered by their builders while digging up the patio for an extension in the back garden.
Having established the bodies had lain there for at least 30 years, the police are keen to speak to everyone who lived in the cottage between the years 1970 to 1990, including Saffy’s grandmother who was the legal owner of the cottage back then. Sadly, Rose is now in a care home suffering from Alzheimer’s and her moments of lucidity are few and far between. Nevertheless, when the police insist on interviewing her, it soon becomes apparent, from some of the random comments she makes, that she might know something about what happened. Unfortunately, with the disease rapidly robbing Rose of her memories, the answers remain out of reach.
However, not everyone is keen for Rose to recover her memory. So, when Saffy’s mother, Lorna, spots a man lurking at the back of the cottage one night, she decides to enlist the help of her ex-husband – the chief reporter for one of the national tabloids – to help her pursue her own investigation into the murders. This then sets in motion a string of events that potentially puts all of them in danger.
‘The Couple at No.9’ is a complex story spanning a period of over 30 years. Like the fragments of Rose’s fragile memory, the tangled web of lies, deceit and murder are gradually pieced together through the alternating viewpoints and time frames of each of the main characters, until the truth is finally revealed.
All the characters are well-drawn personalities, identifying both their strengths and weaknesses. It is therefore easy to empathise with their emotions, particularly Lorna, who is forced to confront and deal with her own failings as a mother in order not to lose her daughter Saffy.
In short, ‘The Couple at No.9’ is a masterclass in how to build suspense and keep readers fully engrossed, by introducing just enough information to keep them hooked until the final revelation. It certainly worked for me, enabling me to happily join the list of positive reviews and thoroughly recommend it as a good read.
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