Ursula's Secret

by Mairi Wilson

In just a few heartbreaking days, Lexy Shaw's world has fallen apart. After her mother is killed in a tragic hit-and-run, her mother's childhood guardian, Ursula, also dies suddenly, leaving everything to Lexy. But as Lexy reads through Ursula's hidden papers, what she discovers raises doubts about her own identity and if she really is now all alone in the world.

Desperate to find out if she has any surviving family, Lexy travels to Africa hoping she can unravel the mystery she's now tormented by, only to find that she's stumbled into a past full of lies and deceit and that her life is in grave danger.

Winner of the Sunday Mail Fiction Competition 2014

"Part detective thriller, part emotional journey, Ursula's Secret is a highly enjoyable and intelligent adventure that will appeal to fans of Kate Atkinson and Maggie O'Farrell. A very promising debut."
SOPHIE COOKE, author of The Glass House

"Lovely straightforward and absorbing story telling of complex lives and a secret that spans decades and continents."
ISLA DEWAR, author of Dancing in a Distant Place

"The complex story accelerates to a dramatic denouement that leaves Lexy enlightened and chastened, and on the verge of a new phase in her life, and leaves the reader wholly satisfied with Wilson's adept, sympathetic and colourful storytelling."
MORAG JOSS, award-winning author of the Sara Selkirk novels

'Ursula's Secret is packed full of tension, questions, problems, secrecy and intrigue right until the concluding chapter.'
EMMA CROWLEY, Shaz's Book Blog

'This book is filled with twist after twist, secret after secret which will keep you guessing right to the end.'
PORTOBELLO BOOK BLOG

'I was completely captured from the beginning of Ursula's Secret, enveloped in the mystery and memories of Ursula and the beauty of her home. With it's 'smiling' staircase and Lexy's obvious wonder I was lost to the tale and it's descriptive content... I loved this read.'
**** TRACY SHEPHARD, Postcard Reviews Blog

Genres: Fiction

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 2015

Reviews

[Bookread2day · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first draft of Ursula's secret won the Sunday Mail Fiction Prize in 2015.I loved every page of Ursula's Secret. If you like reading Lisa Jewell books then you will like author Mairi Wilson.

Lexy Shaw was really all alone. She was in limbo between daughter and orphan, fiancée and a single woman. Lexy's mother was left to die on a quite suburban street by a hit and run. And her mother's childhood guardian Ursula died in an accident falling down the stairs and was found by Ursula's carer Jenny. Lexy gets a big shock when she discovers that Ursula has a son in Malawi. And Lexy's relationship with Danny has come to end. A lot of things happen along the way and I see why Mairi Wilson won the Sunday Mail Fiction Prize in 2015.
This story is part detective thriller, part emotional journey.

[Emma Crowley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ursula's Secret is the début novel from Mairi Wilson and winner of the Sunday Mail Fiction Prize for 2015. Described as part detective thriller part emotional journey, the blurb for this book was instantly appealing and knowing it was going to be partly set in Malawi I thought it was going to be a very interesting read. If you were judging this book straight away based on the cover you would presume you were in for a nice, light, easy romance read, this couldn't be further from the truth as Mairi Wilson takes her readers on one hell of a journey that proved very hard to put down. It's easy to see why this won the award as there is something strangely compelling in the story of a young girl seeking to uncover the truth and discover just exactly who she is. I’ll confess to not being a huge fan of the detective/murder/thriller genre and did have my doubts as to whether I would really enjoy this book. Ursula’s Secret doesn't have a real gory element nor a heavy police involvement, instead a secret waiting to be uncovered after so many years hidden is at the heart of this novel. A secret which had me guessing right up until the end as the story grew and grew and became ever more twisted in its explanation, finally culminating in a tense, electrifying conclusion.

You would think the premise of the story sounds simple enough, Lexy Shaw is still reeling from the death of her mother Isobel when her mother's former guardian Ursula also dies. OK straight forward enough as Lexy travels to Edinburgh to wrap up Ursula's affairs and tidy up the flat. Lexy wants to get the business concluded as quick as possible, she needs to move on from the recent trauma in her life as well as from the breakup of her relationship with Danny who is a junior lecturer. Typically he had been having an affair and said woman is now pregnant much to the dismay of Lexy. Whilst Lexy is looking through the flat, memories coming flooding back of some happy times spent visiting Ursula with her mother. But these visits tapered off as Isobel had fallen out with Ursula. But the question still remains – what could have caused such a massive falling out after everything Ursula did in bringing up Isobel? Lexy must visit Ursula's solicitor after all she is the sole beneficiary of her estate now that there is only herself remaining. What she hears here leaves her stunned and faced with plenty of questions that she needs answers to in order to move forward with her life. What if there was the possibility she is not the orphan she believed she now was? Are there relatives waiting out there to be found or do they wish to left alone? Lexy takes on the quest for the truth and this mission will take her deep into the heart of sweltering Malawi and back again to cold Edinburgh. Alot of water flows under the bridge before the true nature of what has happened in the past will reveal itself.

This book is just full of questions that had me turning the pages rapidly. Even after reading just a few chapters so much had happened and I will admit to two minor faults with the first couple of chapters. It felt like the author had told us pieces of information but she hadn't. We were supposed to know what had happened previously but it hadn't been said because surely I wouldn't have forgotten that quickly. Secondly there were so many characters introduced that I did become confused. When Lexy was looking through a photograph album of Ursula's from her time spent working as a nurse in Malwai in the 1940's there were countless people mentioned and I didn't have a clue who they were or what connection they had to the main characters. These were the only faults I found with the book but over time they did resolve themselves and everything become clear but it took us an awful lots of twists, turns and complications to get there. But I'm not complaining as these kept me on my toes and guessing as to the final outcome, one I never thought possible on reading the blurb.

When Lexy travels to Africa she is almost an innocent in a way believing all she has to do is read the letters and diary belonging to Ursula and she will unlock a story that many have attempted to cover up. On the other hand I do have to admire Lexy's persistence, so much was thrown at her and she never quite knew who to trust or believe. Could Doctor Robert be trustworthy or was he only there to protect his grandmother Evie Campell and his own interests? Just who is Richard Chakanaya and what role does he have to play in this story? Coupled with the fact her home back in London has been ransacked Lexy begins to wonder just what she has gotten herself involved in? This book wouldn’t have had the same impact if we were left solely reading of Lexy in the present day. It needed to go back to the past to give the reader an insight into the lives of Ursula and her friends back in the 1940's. Interspersed throughout are flashbacks and detailed sections of Ursula and the situation she finds herself in. A complicated love for a man who to my mind was just pure evil, a scoundrel, a rogue, a cheat, dishonest and abhorrent. His actions reverberate throughout the book and have the most far reaching of consequences for all the players involved. We come to know a little of Ursula's friends Helen and Evie and once Lexy digs deeper she uncovers a past of lies, betrayal and deceit a past which if comes to light in the present day will place her in the utmost of danger. But her steely determination and gut instincts make her push on no matter how intimidated or frightened she feels by those around her. She just needs to learn to put her trust in the right person who won't betray her confidence. I can't even begin to give you any more insight as to the plot of this book as you now have the general idea and so much happens that I did have to concentrate to keep track . Needless to say what started out as a tidying up of an old woman's affairs turns into something a whole lot bigger and sinister than one would first think.

Ursula's Secret is really a just one more chapter kind of book and then you found you've read over a 100 or so pages and it's all hours of the night. I'm not quite sure as to what made this so absorbing as there were so many characters that I never actually pinpointed one I could really engage or connect to. There was the sheer volume of writing as well several pages to explain something when a paragraph or two would have sufficed. Saying that I was hooked and had to keep going until I knew the final outcome. In fact I think I slowed down a bit towards the end because I didn't want the book to finish. I just wanted more secrets to spill out. Just when you think you had it all figured out another major curve ball was presented putting you once again tight off track and maybe it was the inquisitive side of me that was there step by step with Lexy. I was as eager as her to unearth her true heritage. Do watch out for every character though no matter how inconsequential they may seem as no one is above suspicion.

Ursula's Secret is packed full of tension, questions, problems, secrecy and intrigue right until the concluding chapter. The reader is kept guessing and alert and I loved that element. Do not fooled by the cover this book deserves to reach a wide audience. Don't let it pass you by as it proved to be real page turner and a surprisingly good find as we hurtle towards the end of the publishing year.

[Alina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexis “Lexy” Shaw nie ma lekkiego życia - niedawno rozstała się z narzeczonym, dopiero co w wypadku samochodowym zginęła jej matka Isobel, a zaraz po niej zmarła jej prawna opiekunka Ursula, przyszywana babcia Lexy. Na barkach pogrążonej w żałobie dziewczyny spoczywa rozporządzenie majątkiem zmarłych kobiet, w tym celu udaje się do Edynburga, do mieszkania Ursuli. Tam Lexy trafia na list, który budzi wiele pytań dotyczących jej rodziny, ale i budzi w niej nadzieję, że nie została sama na świecie. Odpowiedzi na swoje pytania Lexy nie znajdzie jednak w Szkocji ani w Anglii, ale musi udać się w podróż aż do Afryki, do odległego Malawi. Problem w tym, że komuś wyraźnie nie podoba się grzebanie w przeszłości i im więcej nowych informacji odkrywa Lexy, tym większe niebezpieczeństwo jej grozi. Czy odkrycie prawdy jest warte narażania życia? Zwłaszcza, że prawda nie zawsze bywa przyjemna…

Bardzo lubię książki pełne rodzinnych sekretów i stopniowo odkrywanych elementów układanki; historie, w których przeszłość nie daje o sobie zapomnieć, ale depcze teraźniejszości po piętach, domagając się uwagi i wyciągnięcia na światło dzienne tego, co do tej pory pozostawało w ciemności. Taką właśnie książką jest debiut Mairi Wilson - opowieść rozpoczyna się w XXI-wiecznej Szkocji, ale poprzez wspomnienia bohaterów, listy i kartki z pamiętnika, autorka zabiera czytelników w podróż w czasie i przestrzeni, cofając się do połowy ubiegłego wieku i przenosząc akcję do barwnej Afryki, za czasów kiedy Malawi było jeszcze kolonią brytyjską. Fabuła naszpikowana jest tajemnicami do odkrycia, intrygami i spiskami, nie brakuje też akcji i niebezpieczeństw, czyhających na główną bohaterkę.

A skoro o wilku mowa… Główna bohaterka, Lexy, jest dla mnie niestety najsłabszym ogniwem tej powieści. Nie wiem, czy taki był zamysł autorki, ale stworzyła jedną z najbardziej antypatycznych protagonistek, z jakimi miałam okazję się zetknąć. Już od samego początku Lexy irytuje swoją nieporadnością, naiwnością i odkładaniem wszystkiego na później. Chociaż ma ponad trzydzieści lat, jest strasznie dziecinna w swoim zachowaniu. Dalej wcale nie jest lepiej, ponieważ wraz z rozwojem akcji na jaw wychodzą kolejne negatywne cechy naszej bohaterki - przede wszystkim jest straszliwą egocentryczką, której brakuje empatii, żeby chociaż spróbować zrozumieć motywy działania innych. Pod tym względem ma czarno-białe spojrzenie na świat - jeśli coś ją skrzywdziło, to znaczy, że było złe, niezależnie od tego, czy służyło większemu dobru. Jest też bardzo roszczeniowa i nie obchodzi jej, że swoim poszukiwaniem odpowiedzi może zrobić krzywdę komuś innemu. Mogłabym wymieniać dalej, ale może zamiast tego wspomnę o jej pozytywnych cechach: z pewnością nie jest sztucznie przesłodzoną, idealną bohaterką, nie można jej też odmówić determinacji i odwagi. Godne pochwały jest też to, że prawda jest dla niej ważniejsza niż pieniądze, chociaż biorąc pod uwagę rozwój wydarzeń, mogłaby ulec chęci zysku.

Królowymi “Listu z przeszłości” jest dla mnie trio: Ursula, Helen i Evie, trzy przyjaciółki, na zawsze połączone przez wspólny sekret i jego konsekwencje, które spadły na życie każdej z nich. W przeciwieństwie do marudnej Lexy są to postacie wielowymiarowe, niejednoznaczne, które trudno jest ocenić wyłącznie pozytywnie bądź negatywnie. Wszystkie musiały podejmować trudne, często niezrozumiałe dla otoczenia decyzje, a następnie zmagać się z ich skutkami, które objęły również kolejne pokolenia. Ta powieść w ciekawy sposób pokazuje, jak daleko mogą sięgać efekty błędu jednej osoby, podobnie jak pojedynczy kamyk, zrzucony ze szczytu góry, pociąga za sobą kolejne, wywołując niebezpieczną lawinę. Podoba mi się też, że autorka nie poszła w stronę cukierkowego zakończenia - niektóre problemy zostają rozwiązane, inne nie, i tak jak w prawdziwym życiu bohaterowie muszą nauczyć się żyć z konsekwencjami swoich działań.

“List z przeszłości” to wciągająca opowieść o poszukiwaniu własnej tożsamości, o prawdziwej przyjaźni, która jest w stanie przetrwać największe burze, o tym, jak destrukcyjny wpływ na człowieka może mieć chciwość i pogoń za bogactwem, a także o tym, że czasem rozsądniej jest pozostawić przeszłość w spokoju i skupić się na teraźniejszości.

[eva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Źródło: https://toreador-nottoread.blogspot.c...

Pierwsze kilkanaście stron udało mi się przeczytać podczas jazdy tramwajem. Wtedy byłam zaciekawiona i wręcz chciałam dalej zgłębiać tajemnice rodziny Lexy, ale nie mogłam się temu oddać, bo jednak trzeba było wysiąść na odpowiednim przystanku. Ten początek nastawił mnie dość optymistycznie do całości, tym bardziej że przeczytałam już wcześniej kilka niepochlebnych recenzji. Ale kurczę, moje zainteresowanie minęło równie szybko jak się pojawiło. Straciłam je gdzieś po 50 stronach i niestety, ale później albo nie miałam go wcale, albo wracało w śladowych ilościach.

Rzecz, która najbardziej rzuciła mi się w oczy to ilość bohaterów. Ich liczby nie powstydziłby się nawet sam George R. R. Martin, bo tak dużo przewijało się ich na stronach Listu z przeszłości. Oczywiście główną postacią jest Lexy, ale wraz z biegiem akcji odsłaniają się wątki dotyczących innych osób, mniej lub bardziej związanych ze wszystkimi tajemnicami. Nie miałam większego problemu, by odróżnić wydarzenia opisywane jako fragmenty dziennika czy wspomnienia, ale za każdym razem, gdy już myślałam, że wiem, jak wygląda sytuacja rodzinna Lexy, autorka wrzucała kolejne naście postaci i motała relacjami tak, że znowu nie wiedziałam nic. Dlatego w ostatecznym rozrachunku z nikim się nie zżyłam, nikomu nie kibicowałam i nie jestem do końca przekonana do sposobu, w jaki powieść się zakończyła.

Tajemnice rodziny Lexy były takie sobie. Nie wciągnęły mnie i nie sprawiły, że umierałabym nie mogąc przeczytać kolejnego rozdziału oszałamiającego dochodzenia prowadzonego przez dziewczynę. Zagadki też wypadły dość przeciętnie. A elementy thrillera? Coś tam niby się pojawiło, ale także szału z tego powodu nie było. Wszystkie części twarzy mam na miejscu, szczęki z podłogi zbierać nie musiałam. I mam spory żal do Mairi Wilson, że nie wykorzystała w pełni potencjału, jaki dawał jej fakt umieszczenia akcji w Afryce czy Szkocji.

Książka okazała się być zwykłą lekturą, która być może jest dobrym umilaczem, być może dobrym usypiaczem. Nie każdego porwie historia Lexy, ale być może komuś się spodoba. Bo mimo wszystko powieść bardzo dobrze się czyta i chociaż mało jest tu ciekawej akcji, kolejne strony przerzuca się bez większego wysiłku. List z przeszłości nie jest zły, nie jest wyśmienity. Jest po prostu normalny.

[MiriCa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kniha začala celkom dobre a zaujímavo ale rýchlo sa to začalo kaziť. Hlavná hrdinka postupovala veľmi nelogicky a neprirodzene (na jednej strane submisívna, na druhej strane nakričí na umierajúcu starú ženu), aj to naťahovanie "tajomstva" už nebolo prirodzené (impulzívne sa vyberie do Afriky a tam na ňu čaká list, najskôr je celá prekvapená, že kto jej ho mohol dať a vzápätí naň "zabudne" a prečíta ho až za 2-3 dni? to skrátka neverím). Takže celkový dojem z knihy bol skôr slabší, ani atmosféra nebola vykreslená tak ako by mohla byť, príbeh mal potenciál ale žiaľ nezostal využitý.

[Helen Ewers · Rating 3 out of 5]

After reading the reviews for this book I thought it would be just my cup of tea. I didn't get round to reading it for a while and I had forgotten the synopsis by the time I started it - this may not have been a good thing for me. I found the twists and turns a bit contrived, and the story seemed to drag on at points. However, I didn't give up, and found the overall story enjoyable - hence three stars.

[Książkowe_Wyliczanki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Trochę się bałam tej książki, ale wychodzi na to, że nie było czego. Świetna, wciągająca i niezwykle przewrotna lektura. Do samego końca pojawiają się tajemnice, które wpływają na rzeczywistość. Naprawdę warto!

[Mary Geraghty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Needed a notebook

The story started off with good intentions, however it was very difficult to get to grips with the myriad of characters. It then came to an abrupt end. Disappointing. 😕

[Dominika Witkowska · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bardzo naiwna historia, główna bohaterka strasznie mnie irytowała. Historia szyta bardzo grubymi nićmi i zagmatwana do tego stopnia, ze jej realizm pozostawia wiele do życzenia.

[Czytatnik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Świat Lexy wali się w gruzy, kiedy w ciągu kilku dni traci dwie najbliższe jej sercu kobiety.
Matka i przybrana babcia to była jej jedyna rodzina. Do tego niedawno rozstała się ze swoim ukochanym, który jak się okazało spodziewa się dziecka innej kobiety. W celu uporządkowania rzeczy zmarłej Ursuli udaje się do Edynburga. Na miejscu odkrywa, że jej opiekunka zastępująca prawdziwą babcię skrywała o wiele więcej tajemnic,niż ktokolwiek mógłby przypuszczać. Najważniejszy wydaje się być list adresowany do Ursuli, z którego wynika, że Lexy ma więcej krewnych, niż kiedykolwiek sądziła. Pod wpływem impulsu postanawia odbyć wyprawę do Malawi, gdzie ma nadzieję dowiedzieć się więcej na temat swojej rodziny. Dużą pomocą okazują się być notatki Ursuli,lecz także opowieść jej bliskiej przyjaciółki Evy, która w końcu postanawia przerwać wieloletnie milczenie i wtajemniczyć Lexy w sprawy, które dawno zostały pokryte kurzem zapomnienia. Ktoś jednak bardzo nie chce, żeby dziewczyna odkryła prawdę i na każdym kroku stara się jej utrudnić odkrycie czegokolwiek.

Całość recenzji dostępna pod adresem: http://zapach-ksiazek.pl/list-z-przes...

[Tracy Shephard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely captured from the beginning of Ursula’s Secret, enveloped in the mystery and memories of Ursula and the beauty of her home. With it’s ‘smiling’ staircase and Lexy’s obvious wonder I was lost to the tale and it’s descriptive content.

Lexy is left an inheritance, her second, after her mother dies she discovers that her mothers friend has also gone.
Lexy always believed that Ursula died long before and was surprised that her mother had kept in touch and was planning a visit to Ursula, she wonders why her mother Isobel had kept it secret.

As you can tell by the title, they are a lot of secrets to be discovered, and it’s difficult to talk about this fabulous read without spoilers.

Lexy travels to Malawi to try and find out Ursula and her mothers history only to find that her life may be in danger.

The suspense of ‘what happens next’ is a killer, I almost went to the last few chapters to satisfy my curiosity, however I held out and was so glad I did. Mairi Wilson has written a belter of a tale. A lot goes on and travelling through Malawi and Ross-shire with the characters was amazing. The reader really does feel as though they are in that fictional world.

Ursula’s Secret is about family and the importance and value of the relationships. There is sadness and shock and a twist I didn’t see coming.

I loved this read.

[Joanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I hadn't actually read the synopsis of the book so along with Lexy was very surprised to discover that Ursula had connections in Malawi. In fact, this book takes you to several locations from London where Lexy was living, to Edinburgh and Ursula's house, to Malawi where all the secrets began and to a house in a remote part of the Highlands of Scotland. I loved how the reader gradually begins to find out along with the bewildered Lexy, firstly that Ursula had a secret and then just how many secrets and lies there were! I liked Lexy's impulsiveness as she decides to fly off to Malawi to try to find out more. I particularly enjoyed the memories of Evie, one of Ursula's friends. I thought those historical scenes were fascinating, such a different time and place.

This book is filled with twist after twist, secret after secret which will keep you guessing right to the end. Looking back, the clues were all there and when it finally clicked with me what was happening, there were some very tense and dramatic moments as I read through the final chapters. I liked that the ending had, to some extent, been left open with, I hope, the possibility that we may find out more about the consequences of the secrets being revealed.

[Wendy Jakob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this quite a confusing book. It revolves around 3 friends, Helen, Ursula and Evie, who meet on their way to Malawi.

The subsequent events include an illegitimate child, several marriages, a natural disaster and lots of secrecy.

Enter Lexy who, having lost her Mother Izzie (Helen's daughter), and Ursula within a short space of time, travels to Malawi to try and resolve the mystery of her past. Evie is still in Malawai and gradually Lexy unravels the various secrets, leading to a dramatic climax in Scotland.

I did enjoy the book as I thought it was going to be a story of unrequieted love in the beginning but it turned out to be very different but it was hard to keep track of who was related to who and how they fitted in to the story. I felt it didn't need to be quite so complicated.

[Louise Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hugely engaging family mystery that spans generations. Set partly in Scotland, part Malawi, it's the story of Lexy trying to unravel the mystery of who her family really are and what it is they've been trying to hide. The language is terrific. It's lyrical, flows in a way that just pulls you along, and has lovely touches of humour. Great pace which races along at the end as the multiple strands of the story are pulled together and Lexy finds herself in danger as she gets nearer to finding the truth.
The cover really doesn't do justice to just how meaty, involving and intriguing the book is.

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have given this book 4 stars because of its ability to surprise me - with more twists and turns than you can imagine - there was no way I could guess what would happen next. Lexi was an infuriating character with very little common sense - she went to Africa without reading up all the information she had, she trusted an anonymous note arranging a secret meeting when she knew that things weren't right. Robert was also badly written aggressive sometimes - hiding information that there was no need to hide. Despite some annoying narrative mistakes the book was very enjoyable because of the tense plot - a real page turner.

[Jane Wilson-Howarth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather self-obsessed Lexy travels to Edinburgh to sort out the affairs of her recently deceased godmother. Lexy is an only child and believes her mother an orphan so when she discovers some family links she decides on a whim to go in search of family history in Malawi. The page-turning story unfolds as we are sucked into astonishing intrigues, lies, murder and complex plot twists as various unexpected family links emerge and characters squabble for a huge inheritance.

I agree with others that the cover is at odds with the content. It certainly isn't a soft pink cosy read.

[Toni Jenkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A journey you should take

This book will take you on a journey from the bonny shores of Scotland to the heady climes of Malawi. It’s so beautifully descriptive you’ll think you’ve actually been there. Mairi Wilson deals deftly with different locations and timelines and knits together a tale with one mystery after another unfolding across time and place. The ending had me on the edge of my seat! Mairi is a very talented writer and I’m looking forward to her next book.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the unravelling of the secret and Lexy's journey to discovery and would have given this four stars but for the ending. It was almost as though the author had suddenly realised she was reaching a limited wordcount it ended so abruptly. I turned the page (well the digital equivalent) fully expecting the start of another chapter to find that was it. The end. Although all had been explained fully, it just felt like the ending was rushed and I was left wanting more.

[Angela Dennis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very mixed feelings

A good plot I skipped a lot. Characters were unconvincing, heroine bad tempered and seemed to speak in broken sentences. It was very slow and repetitious, I give it two stars as I did finish it but it ended as if the writer had simply run out of ideas. Shame. Good story badly written.

[alessandra tumolo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good plot weak ending

Although it started slow and on more than one occasion got me to almost give it up, eventually the story kept up pace and the plot got interesting. However then end seemed rushed and was very disappointing. I would not recommend reading it, there are much better books of this kind out there.

[Chris Osborne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disappointed

Have just finished reading Ursula's Secret. Can only give it three stars. There is a lot of story there but found it didn't particularly flow. Felt I was unable to really get to know any of the characters. Needed to know how it ended but do feel a bit disappointed .

[Gillian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Be Prepared Emotional Rollercoaster!

Oh my goodness, this book starts of innocently enough after that it is an emotional rollercoaster with a family storyline 'Eastenders' would be proud of. I don't fully know how I feel about this book beside emotionally battered!?

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intriguing

Another five star rating for a really good book! This had me hooked from the first chapter. Full of twists and turns throughout. Loads of suspense and drama. Highly recommended.

[Judith Bell-Taylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to finish it but it took an effort

The book was longer than it needed to be. The constant flitting from past to present was very frustrating and confusing. It's the first book I have read by this author and I won't rush to read another.

[Marsha Thalin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Story line was good but a more pathetic character Lexy you'd have to look for. I finished the book because I needed something to read. Although I must admit the ending was better than I thought it would be.

[Judy Cable · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good read

A lot going on in this book , twists and turns in the story line , quite enjoyed it. Recommend.

[Emily Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well worth a read

I would recommend this book to read!
Thought it might be a little predictable but really enjoy it and I t did not end how I thought it would
Give it a go!

[Barb Porter · Rating 3 out of 5]

First read by this author

Story muddled and very difficult plot to follow. Wouldn't bother to read another book by this author unfortunately not to my taste

[Pauline Hughes · Rating 1 out of 5]

No stars

A very difficult book to read. Jumping from one scene to another with little connection. Sorry Maori Wilson but I did not enjoy your book.

[Jackie corrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripped

Wow couldn't put it down mairi Wilson kept u hooked right to the end making you wanting more will definitely look forward to reading books by her again