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The Testament of Vida Tremayne
A lonely novelist, A devoted fan, A journal that speaks of unspeakable things...
Author Vida Tremayne lies silent in a hospital bed. The forces which brought about her terrifying decline are shrouded in mystery. Meanwhile, her estranged daughter Dory is forced to abandon her fast paced city life to be by her mother’s bedside. Dory is resentful. She hates the country and she and her mother were never exactly close. Luckily Vida already has a carer, the enigmatic Rhiannon Townsend. A long-standing fan of Vida’s, Rhiannon is happy to take care of the bedside vigil. Dory is free to resume her life. Or is she? Then she discovers her mother’s journal. Vida’s chilling testament reveals the trigger for her spiralling into madness. It also reveals the danger that still lurks close by. A danger that will call on Dory’s every reserve of courage if she’s to free her mother, and maybe in doing so, to free herself.
Author Vida Tremayne lies silent in a hospital bed. The forces which brought about her terrifying decline are shrouded in mystery. Meanwhile, her estranged daughter Dory is forced to abandon her fast paced city life to be by her mother’s bedside. Dory is resentful. She hates the country and she and her mother were never exactly close. Luckily Vida already has a carer, the enigmatic Rhiannon Townsend. A long-standing fan of Vida’s, Rhiannon is happy to take care of the bedside vigil. Dory is free to resume her life. Or is she? Then she discovers her mother’s journal. Vida’s chilling testament reveals the trigger for her spiralling into madness. It also reveals the danger that still lurks close by. A danger that will call on Dory’s every reserve of courage if she’s to free her mother, and maybe in doing so, to free herself.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 2, 2014
2 people are currently reading
660 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Vincent
10 books28 followersSarah Vincent has two grown up children and lives in the South Shropshire countryside with her husband and her Jack Russell terrier, Beryl.
She writes in a converted coal-shed at the back of the house.
In the early days she juggled writing with various jobs, most of which she was hopeless at. These included a stint as a Tourist Information Assistant where she got into trouble for giving people the wrong bus and train information and sending them off on mystery tours!
For the past 12 years she has worked as an editor for two leading Literary Consultancies and loves helping other writers to achieve their goals.
She writes in a converted coal-shed at the back of the house.
In the early days she juggled writing with various jobs, most of which she was hopeless at. These included a stint as a Tourist Information Assistant where she got into trouble for giving people the wrong bus and train information and sending them off on mystery tours!
For the past 12 years she has worked as an editor for two leading Literary Consultancies and loves helping other writers to achieve their goals.
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
February 1, 2016
This is a great book – it is one of those I read off the back of many conversations with the author on Twitter and it has to be said I’ve had some great reads that would not otherwise have been on my radar without that particular social media black hole and I’m glad I did not miss out on this one.
Vida is suffering a mystery illness and reluctantly her daughter returns to sit vigil – however there is more going on all round than meets the eye and Dory finds herself on a dark path..
This is a compelling, beautifully written story that may defy expectation – the author has a way of sucking you in with really quite gentle prose that is still unsettling and atmospheric. As Dory arrives at a place she does not want to be and finds somebody there who might help make it easier, from the start you are aware that there is something lurking just beneath the surface..it is a cleverly woven web indeed.
It is really quite gripping – I’m loathe to give anything away as most things I could say might necessarily spoil the reasons that this novel is so very good – but one thing I can say quite easily is it is one of those character driven psychological thrillers with a hint of something “other” that might well have you looking nervously over your shoulder.
The themes of dysfunctional family and mental illness are running through the narrative, the descriptive prose when it comes to setting is really very excellent. It is at turns surprising and creepy, with a touch of humour thrown in for good measure upon occasion.
If you are looking for something a little different to offset all the grip lit (yes I’m using that term now since I saw it the other day, I mean why not?) this is one I would definitely recommend. The Testament of Vida Tremayne is very much its own thing, a little gem that waits to be discovered.
Vida is suffering a mystery illness and reluctantly her daughter returns to sit vigil – however there is more going on all round than meets the eye and Dory finds herself on a dark path..
This is a compelling, beautifully written story that may defy expectation – the author has a way of sucking you in with really quite gentle prose that is still unsettling and atmospheric. As Dory arrives at a place she does not want to be and finds somebody there who might help make it easier, from the start you are aware that there is something lurking just beneath the surface..it is a cleverly woven web indeed.
It is really quite gripping – I’m loathe to give anything away as most things I could say might necessarily spoil the reasons that this novel is so very good – but one thing I can say quite easily is it is one of those character driven psychological thrillers with a hint of something “other” that might well have you looking nervously over your shoulder.
The themes of dysfunctional family and mental illness are running through the narrative, the descriptive prose when it comes to setting is really very excellent. It is at turns surprising and creepy, with a touch of humour thrown in for good measure upon occasion.
If you are looking for something a little different to offset all the grip lit (yes I’m using that term now since I saw it the other day, I mean why not?) this is one I would definitely recommend. The Testament of Vida Tremayne is very much its own thing, a little gem that waits to be discovered.
November 24, 2014
I love discovering new authors - I especially love coming across a debut author whose work is so compelling you don't even realise how sucked into the story you've become until you look up and find you've been lost in the book for hours, this is one such book.
In “The testament of Vida Tremayne”, the author has obviously drawn on her own experiences in the world of writing to create this darkly menacing story. It’s deceptive gentle pace belies the sinister under tones and menacing, macabre darkness that seeps into the story like fog.
In this book we are introduced to 3 women, all very different and none of them very likeable, if I’m honest. But you don’t have to like the characters in a book to find what happens to them compelling.
Firstly there is the eponymous Vida Tremayne, a middle aged author who has lost her creativity, it deserted her at about the same time as her husband absconded with a younger woman, and Vida feeling lonely and isolated in her quaint old tumbledown cottage, begins to realise the extent she shut out her own daughter, whilst in her writing heyday.
We are also introduced to her daughter, the impatient, chain smoking, Dory, or Dorothea, living in the city, with a busy career as an estate agent, a string of failed relationships and a desire not to be drawn back into her slightly eccentric Mothers life.
But Vida becomes ill, nobody knows quite what is wrong with her, Dory is summoned to her aid and upon returning to Vidas home, The Gingerbread house, she is surprised and somewhat relieved to find Vida has a friend staying there, the rather hippy, dippy Rhiannon, who seems prepared to take some of the pressure off Dory’s shoulders whilst Vida lies in hospital. Catatonic and unresponsive, has Vida had a nervous breakdown? Is there any hope for her recovery? Can Rhiannon help or has she an ulterior motive?
The story is told in part by Dory and the remainder in the form of Vidas diary notes, which begin to go some way to throwing a little light on what has happened, who the Rhiannon is and where she came from and it becomes obvious sinister forces are at play, with an enigmatic large cat like creature we keep catching glimpses of.
I have read comparisons made, to Stephen Kings Misery and I would also say there is an element of The Thirteenth tale by Diane Setterfield, (although very loosely), the main characters share the same first name Vida, and are authors. I think this will appeal to people who enjoyed the aforementioned book.
This creepy and menacing psychological chiller, looks at difficult family relationships, loneliness, stress and mental health frailties. The settings are painted beautifully, especially the Long Mynd in Shropshire and the Gingerbread house which plays a large part and almost has its own personality. An intensely disturbing yet very engrossing tale and I look forward eagerly to any future work by Sarah Vincent.
In “The testament of Vida Tremayne”, the author has obviously drawn on her own experiences in the world of writing to create this darkly menacing story. It’s deceptive gentle pace belies the sinister under tones and menacing, macabre darkness that seeps into the story like fog.
In this book we are introduced to 3 women, all very different and none of them very likeable, if I’m honest. But you don’t have to like the characters in a book to find what happens to them compelling.
Firstly there is the eponymous Vida Tremayne, a middle aged author who has lost her creativity, it deserted her at about the same time as her husband absconded with a younger woman, and Vida feeling lonely and isolated in her quaint old tumbledown cottage, begins to realise the extent she shut out her own daughter, whilst in her writing heyday.
We are also introduced to her daughter, the impatient, chain smoking, Dory, or Dorothea, living in the city, with a busy career as an estate agent, a string of failed relationships and a desire not to be drawn back into her slightly eccentric Mothers life.
But Vida becomes ill, nobody knows quite what is wrong with her, Dory is summoned to her aid and upon returning to Vidas home, The Gingerbread house, she is surprised and somewhat relieved to find Vida has a friend staying there, the rather hippy, dippy Rhiannon, who seems prepared to take some of the pressure off Dory’s shoulders whilst Vida lies in hospital. Catatonic and unresponsive, has Vida had a nervous breakdown? Is there any hope for her recovery? Can Rhiannon help or has she an ulterior motive?
The story is told in part by Dory and the remainder in the form of Vidas diary notes, which begin to go some way to throwing a little light on what has happened, who the Rhiannon is and where she came from and it becomes obvious sinister forces are at play, with an enigmatic large cat like creature we keep catching glimpses of.
I have read comparisons made, to Stephen Kings Misery and I would also say there is an element of The Thirteenth tale by Diane Setterfield, (although very loosely), the main characters share the same first name Vida, and are authors. I think this will appeal to people who enjoyed the aforementioned book.
This creepy and menacing psychological chiller, looks at difficult family relationships, loneliness, stress and mental health frailties. The settings are painted beautifully, especially the Long Mynd in Shropshire and the Gingerbread house which plays a large part and almost has its own personality. An intensely disturbing yet very engrossing tale and I look forward eagerly to any future work by Sarah Vincent.
December 30, 2014
A wonderful literary thriller. All the elements are there: the isolated cottage; the once-so-famous novelist, now forgotten and lonely; and the madly obsessive fan, who insidiously sneaks into the cottage, and turns the novelist’s life into a nightmare.
Though you can read 'The Testament' as a pure suspense, it was the milieu I loved most: the descriptions of a writer’s career gone awry (in this the story is superbly reminiscent of Francine Prose’s Blue Angel), the difficulty of combining art and family life, or the cold logic of the publishing industry.
Carefully crafted, elegantly written and enjoyable.
Though you can read 'The Testament' as a pure suspense, it was the milieu I loved most: the descriptions of a writer’s career gone awry (in this the story is superbly reminiscent of Francine Prose’s Blue Angel), the difficulty of combining art and family life, or the cold logic of the publishing industry.
Carefully crafted, elegantly written and enjoyable.
December 22, 2014
The Testament of Vida Tremayne
begins with Dory arriving at her mother's cottage to sort out her affairs. Her mother Vida Tremayne, the award winning novelist, is in a catatonic state in hospital but there is no love lost between mother and daughter, Dory's been dreading this moment, she feels sick but why? Already I'm intrigued and curious. She's rarely visited the house on the isolated Shropshire-Welsh border since her mother moved there.
She has a shock when she discovers someone living in the cottage, Rhiannon, who at first appears very willing and anxious to help Dory, who is herself relieved that she can share the burden with Rhiannon. She resents her mother's breakdown, having to visit her, be away from her work and is only too happy for Rhiannon to take all the responsibility from her.
Vida's diary entries give us a real insight into her life and meeting Rhiannon, how lonely she was after her husband left her, how selfish and moody Dory was, how she seems to despise Vida. I felt so sorry for her and really disliked Dory from the start.
But the crux of the story is what happened to Vida, what kind of terrible situation had shocked her so much to put her in a silent world in hospital? The diary entries slowly build up a picture of Vida's life and mental state, how Rhiannon gains her trust, but can she really trust her or is she imagining situations?
I felt the whole story was compelling, the writing was so descriptive and brought the characters alive, the atmosphere was chilling in parts. I changed my mind several times as to what I thought was happening.
Midway through the book I did wonder where it was going, what the writer was trying to say and my concentration did wane slightly but the plot picked up and the tension was eked out till the end.
Overall, a well-written atmospheric psychological thriller.
Taken from my book blogCarole's Book Corner
She has a shock when she discovers someone living in the cottage, Rhiannon, who at first appears very willing and anxious to help Dory, who is herself relieved that she can share the burden with Rhiannon. She resents her mother's breakdown, having to visit her, be away from her work and is only too happy for Rhiannon to take all the responsibility from her.
Vida's diary entries give us a real insight into her life and meeting Rhiannon, how lonely she was after her husband left her, how selfish and moody Dory was, how she seems to despise Vida. I felt so sorry for her and really disliked Dory from the start.
But the crux of the story is what happened to Vida, what kind of terrible situation had shocked her so much to put her in a silent world in hospital? The diary entries slowly build up a picture of Vida's life and mental state, how Rhiannon gains her trust, but can she really trust her or is she imagining situations?
I felt the whole story was compelling, the writing was so descriptive and brought the characters alive, the atmosphere was chilling in parts. I changed my mind several times as to what I thought was happening.
Midway through the book I did wonder where it was going, what the writer was trying to say and my concentration did wane slightly but the plot picked up and the tension was eked out till the end.
Overall, a well-written atmospheric psychological thriller.
Taken from my book blogCarole's Book Corner
November 19, 2014
Vida Tremayne, an author in her 50s, has been deserted. By her husband, for a younger woman, by her 30-something daughter Dory, for work and a hectic life in London, by her agent and publisher, by her inspiration and muse and even her fertility and womanhood as she goes through the menopause. It is into this lonely and empty life in the cottage that was the inspiration for Vida’s acclaimed novel, ‘The Gingerbread House’, that the enigmatic Rhiannon Townsend is invited. Is Rhiannon just a New Age do-gooder, who can help Vida re-kindle the creative fire, or has she more sinister plans?
‘The Testament of Vida Tremayne’ is an excellent psychological thriller that tracks the terrifying disintegration of one woman’s mind. The story has parallels with Stephen King’s ‘Misery’ in its theme, with a subtle touch. Here the horror is created slowly in the reader’s mind until the book, like Rhiannon, has wormed its way into your life and won’t let you put it down!
The way that the cottage and landscape are not simply a backdrop, but act with the characters – sometimes benevolent, sometimes malevolent – is very well done, as is the sense of season. Vida’s decline is set against the turning of late summer into autumn and then the chill of winter.
The underlying themes in the book include creativity – where does it come from, and where does it go? – as well as the mother/daughter bond and the question of madness and sanity. It’s certainly not a heavy-going book, however, and there is plenty of astute observation as well as touches of humour, especially regarding the London literary scene.
I’m not sure, but I think a book within a book is what’s called a device of metafiction . Whatever it is called, I’d not only recommend ‘The Testament of Vida Tremayne’ to readers who love a good thriller with cracking characters, but I’d also like to read ‘The Gingerbread House’!
‘The Testament of Vida Tremayne’ is an excellent psychological thriller that tracks the terrifying disintegration of one woman’s mind. The story has parallels with Stephen King’s ‘Misery’ in its theme, with a subtle touch. Here the horror is created slowly in the reader’s mind until the book, like Rhiannon, has wormed its way into your life and won’t let you put it down!
The way that the cottage and landscape are not simply a backdrop, but act with the characters – sometimes benevolent, sometimes malevolent – is very well done, as is the sense of season. Vida’s decline is set against the turning of late summer into autumn and then the chill of winter.
The underlying themes in the book include creativity – where does it come from, and where does it go? – as well as the mother/daughter bond and the question of madness and sanity. It’s certainly not a heavy-going book, however, and there is plenty of astute observation as well as touches of humour, especially regarding the London literary scene.
I’m not sure, but I think a book within a book is what’s called a device of metafiction . Whatever it is called, I’d not only recommend ‘The Testament of Vida Tremayne’ to readers who love a good thriller with cracking characters, but I’d also like to read ‘The Gingerbread House’!
April 16, 2015
The beautiful writing in this book is matched by a gripping plot - think Stephen King’s Misery. When author Vida Tremayne descends into a catatonic state, her estranged daughter Dory arrives to sort out her mother’s affairs. Dory meets her mother’s seemingly attentive carer Rhiannon Townsend.
Told from Dory’s point of view as well as extracts from Vida’s diary, what unfolds is a creepy, page-turning tale which kept me up late and made me burn several slices of forgotten toast.
Just what has happened to drive Vida mad and is Rhiannon all that she seems? Spooky, pacey, with characters that leap off the page, this book is a real winner. Psychological thrillers are never my first reading choice, but this one was compelling and convincing. If you’re looking for an exciting, quality read, this is it.
Told from Dory’s point of view as well as extracts from Vida’s diary, what unfolds is a creepy, page-turning tale which kept me up late and made me burn several slices of forgotten toast.
Just what has happened to drive Vida mad and is Rhiannon all that she seems? Spooky, pacey, with characters that leap off the page, this book is a real winner. Psychological thrillers are never my first reading choice, but this one was compelling and convincing. If you’re looking for an exciting, quality read, this is it.
March 2, 2016
I enjoyed this book in the same way that I enjoy a night-time walk. It made me more alert, it heightened my senses and made me think in new ways about what I do as a writer. The characters were vivid and believable. At times I wondered about the device of the journal, whether it was really convincing, but it, and the rest of the book, is so well written that I abandoned my doubts well before the end. I would certainly recommend it, especially to people who like high-tension, well characterised psychological stories.
June 19, 2018
Dory has never understood why her mother, the once successful author Vida Tremayne, decided to live in a house in the middle of nowhere on the Welsh border. However, when she learns that her mother has suffered a breakdown and is in hospital, she abandons her successful business in London to go to her mother.
When she arrives, she discovers the formidable Rhiannon Townsend who has been living in Vida’s house for some time. A fan of Vida’s writing, she is more than happy to take on the role as Vida’s carer. Indeed, she encourages Dory to return to London. Rhiannon has Vida’s best interests at heart and is more than happy to remain while Vida is unwell.
None of this quite adds up, as the reader discovers from the sections of Vida’s journal that she kept throughout Rhiannon’s stay. Rhiannon, we learn, is a woman with a ragbag of New Age beliefs who claims she has the ability to unlock the creative potential of blocked artists like Vida. Vida’s diary entries explaining how Rhiannon’s ‘Programme’ unfolds reveals just how manipulative, controlling and unstable Rhiannon actually is.
This is a story thick with tension as the reader gradually becomes aware of the threat Rhiannon still poses. Meanwhile, in the present moment, we see Dory grappling with what Rhiannon’s presence might mean as she simultaneously battles her own demons: the resentment she feels against her mother, who always seemed to put her work before her daughter; the loss of her boyfriend, who has already moved on to another woman; the pull of London and her career against the pull of her mother who, she realises, needs her more than ever.
A psychological thriller revealing the sinister within the domestic, this is a beautifully written and very readable book. The underlying simmering tensions, and the gradual reveal through Vida’s diary of what has really been going on, makes this a real page turner.
When she arrives, she discovers the formidable Rhiannon Townsend who has been living in Vida’s house for some time. A fan of Vida’s writing, she is more than happy to take on the role as Vida’s carer. Indeed, she encourages Dory to return to London. Rhiannon has Vida’s best interests at heart and is more than happy to remain while Vida is unwell.
None of this quite adds up, as the reader discovers from the sections of Vida’s journal that she kept throughout Rhiannon’s stay. Rhiannon, we learn, is a woman with a ragbag of New Age beliefs who claims she has the ability to unlock the creative potential of blocked artists like Vida. Vida’s diary entries explaining how Rhiannon’s ‘Programme’ unfolds reveals just how manipulative, controlling and unstable Rhiannon actually is.
This is a story thick with tension as the reader gradually becomes aware of the threat Rhiannon still poses. Meanwhile, in the present moment, we see Dory grappling with what Rhiannon’s presence might mean as she simultaneously battles her own demons: the resentment she feels against her mother, who always seemed to put her work before her daughter; the loss of her boyfriend, who has already moved on to another woman; the pull of London and her career against the pull of her mother who, she realises, needs her more than ever.
A psychological thriller revealing the sinister within the domestic, this is a beautifully written and very readable book. The underlying simmering tensions, and the gradual reveal through Vida’s diary of what has really been going on, makes this a real page turner.
August 16, 2018
This book has a slow start, but once the intrigue picked up I couldn't put it down. The drip-feed of information kept me guessing, and the dual POV of mother and daughter worked quite well. However I always question diary format POV because I know in the same position I wouldn't be so lucid. If you read your diaries they probably aren't as specific and attentive to detail as literary diaries... unless you're from the 19th century.
February 18, 2017
Interesting characters a good story even though it was bit slow in parts
July 16, 2016
‘You can’t ignore the Muse. When she comes at whatever time of day or night, you must welcome her in and allow her to lead you wherever she will.’
The Testament of Vida Tremayne is a novel by Sarah Vincent. Published in 2014 by Three Hares Publishing, I received my copy earlier in the Summer from the author. The cover of this book is so eye catching and as I was going away on holidays it seemed like the perfect read for the beach. I hope you enjoy my review.
‘A lonely novelist,
A devoted fan,
A journal that speaks of unspeakable things…
Author Vida Tremayne lies silent in a hospital bed. The forces which brought about her terrifying decline are shrouded in mystery. Meanwhile, her estranged daughter Dory is forced to abandon her fast paced city life to be by her mother’s bedside.
Dory is resentful. She hates the country and she and her mother were never exactly close. Luckily Vida already has a carer, the enigmatic Rhiannon Townsend. A long-standing fan of Vida’s, Rhiannon is happy to take care of the bedside vigil. Dory is free to resume her life. Or is she?
Then she discovers her mother’s journal. Vida’s chilling testament reveals the trigger for her spiralling into madness. It also reveals the danger that still lurks close by. A danger that will call on Dory’s every reserve of courage if she’s to free her mother, and maybe in doing so, to free herself.’
The Testament of Vida Tremayne. What a striking name for a novel!!
I was really curious to read this book. It has an amazing cover, a most unusual title and even the paper the novel is printed on draws you in asking you to read it.
Vida Tremayne is a writer with one major literary prize to her name. Her husband has left her. Her daughter, Dory, lives in London and rarely visits. She is alone, living a rural life, that is her choosing.
Vida has been unable to recreate the success of her previous novel, The Gingerbread House, and has reached that stage known to many writers…writers block.
While happy with the success of her fellow acquaintances /writers, the friendships have dried up over the years. Her agent/publisher have all but given up on her and Vida is feeling lonely.
Unexpectedly, Dory comes back to find Vida ‘in the kitchen on her hands and knees, with the quarry tiles littered in mud and blood and feathers’
Vida is hospitalized and so begins a journey of discovery by Dory of what happened to her mother.
Vida is unable to communicate, obviously traumatized by an event or events that had occurred in Dory’s absence.
The Testament to Vida Tremayne introduces us to a very sinister character, Rhiannon Townsend. Rhiannon comes into Vida’s life as a fan who would do anything to help Vida regain her writing mojo. Dory is surprised to find Rhiannon in her mother’s house. She appears to be very comfortable living there and initially, Dory is happy with this arrangement.
Dory lives a very fast life in London. She lives a life intertwined with social media. Personal relationships have moved out of her reach, as her dependence on her followers on twitter seems to have become a compulsion.
She has grown up with issues with her mother. Dory felt unloved as a child. She felt she was always in her mother’s way and as a result she harbours resentment all her life with Vida. This resentment clouds Dory’s initial judgement with Rhiannon and Dory is quite happy to let Rhiannon lead with Vida’s recovery.
In the novel, we are introduced to Vida’s journal where the truth is gradually revealed. Mixed with Dory’s narrative, we gain an insight into a very strange story.
Alfred Hitchcock comes to mind when reading this book.
Sarah Vincent takes us on a journey fraught with suspense. Psychotic behaviour, obsessiveness, adoration and loneliness are all brought together in this chilling story. Vida Tremayne is a victim and as Dory discovers, her mother was not all she thought.
Can Dory save her mother? Is it too late for Vida?
Without giving away anymore of this intriguing plotline, it is now up to you the reader, to find out what happened to one woman and her struggle to remain sane.
A twisted, quirky, compulsive read from Sarah Vincent. I hope you enjoy!!
About the author:
Sarah Vincent has two grown up children and lives in the South Shropshire countryside with her husband and her Jack Russell terrier, Beryl. She writes in a converted coal shed at the back of the house.
In the early days she juggled writing with various jobs as a care assistant, school dinner lady and museum guide.
For the past twelve years she has worked as an editor for two leading Literary Consultancies. She also teaches Creative Writing online, and gets a buzz out of helping new writers achieve their goals.
She loves world music, and visiting art galleries when she’s in town. Her greatest thrill though is going off-grid for a few days, and camping in remote places in her tiny caravan.
The Testament of Vida Tremayne is a novel by Sarah Vincent. Published in 2014 by Three Hares Publishing, I received my copy earlier in the Summer from the author. The cover of this book is so eye catching and as I was going away on holidays it seemed like the perfect read for the beach. I hope you enjoy my review.
‘A lonely novelist,
A devoted fan,
A journal that speaks of unspeakable things…
Author Vida Tremayne lies silent in a hospital bed. The forces which brought about her terrifying decline are shrouded in mystery. Meanwhile, her estranged daughter Dory is forced to abandon her fast paced city life to be by her mother’s bedside.
Dory is resentful. She hates the country and she and her mother were never exactly close. Luckily Vida already has a carer, the enigmatic Rhiannon Townsend. A long-standing fan of Vida’s, Rhiannon is happy to take care of the bedside vigil. Dory is free to resume her life. Or is she?
Then she discovers her mother’s journal. Vida’s chilling testament reveals the trigger for her spiralling into madness. It also reveals the danger that still lurks close by. A danger that will call on Dory’s every reserve of courage if she’s to free her mother, and maybe in doing so, to free herself.’
The Testament of Vida Tremayne. What a striking name for a novel!!
I was really curious to read this book. It has an amazing cover, a most unusual title and even the paper the novel is printed on draws you in asking you to read it.
Vida Tremayne is a writer with one major literary prize to her name. Her husband has left her. Her daughter, Dory, lives in London and rarely visits. She is alone, living a rural life, that is her choosing.
Vida has been unable to recreate the success of her previous novel, The Gingerbread House, and has reached that stage known to many writers…writers block.
While happy with the success of her fellow acquaintances /writers, the friendships have dried up over the years. Her agent/publisher have all but given up on her and Vida is feeling lonely.
Unexpectedly, Dory comes back to find Vida ‘in the kitchen on her hands and knees, with the quarry tiles littered in mud and blood and feathers’
Vida is hospitalized and so begins a journey of discovery by Dory of what happened to her mother.
Vida is unable to communicate, obviously traumatized by an event or events that had occurred in Dory’s absence.
The Testament to Vida Tremayne introduces us to a very sinister character, Rhiannon Townsend. Rhiannon comes into Vida’s life as a fan who would do anything to help Vida regain her writing mojo. Dory is surprised to find Rhiannon in her mother’s house. She appears to be very comfortable living there and initially, Dory is happy with this arrangement.
Dory lives a very fast life in London. She lives a life intertwined with social media. Personal relationships have moved out of her reach, as her dependence on her followers on twitter seems to have become a compulsion.
She has grown up with issues with her mother. Dory felt unloved as a child. She felt she was always in her mother’s way and as a result she harbours resentment all her life with Vida. This resentment clouds Dory’s initial judgement with Rhiannon and Dory is quite happy to let Rhiannon lead with Vida’s recovery.
In the novel, we are introduced to Vida’s journal where the truth is gradually revealed. Mixed with Dory’s narrative, we gain an insight into a very strange story.
Alfred Hitchcock comes to mind when reading this book.
Sarah Vincent takes us on a journey fraught with suspense. Psychotic behaviour, obsessiveness, adoration and loneliness are all brought together in this chilling story. Vida Tremayne is a victim and as Dory discovers, her mother was not all she thought.
Can Dory save her mother? Is it too late for Vida?
Without giving away anymore of this intriguing plotline, it is now up to you the reader, to find out what happened to one woman and her struggle to remain sane.
A twisted, quirky, compulsive read from Sarah Vincent. I hope you enjoy!!
About the author:
Sarah Vincent has two grown up children and lives in the South Shropshire countryside with her husband and her Jack Russell terrier, Beryl. She writes in a converted coal shed at the back of the house.
In the early days she juggled writing with various jobs as a care assistant, school dinner lady and museum guide.
For the past twelve years she has worked as an editor for two leading Literary Consultancies. She also teaches Creative Writing online, and gets a buzz out of helping new writers achieve their goals.
She loves world music, and visiting art galleries when she’s in town. Her greatest thrill though is going off-grid for a few days, and camping in remote places in her tiny caravan.
March 24, 2016
The Testament of Vida Tremayne, by Sarah Vincent, tells the story of a faded writer and a supposed fan who inveigles herself into Vida’s life to offer practical care and help reignite her stalled creativity. It also explores the sometimes difficult relationship between a mother and daughter, the grudges that linger from childhood.
Vida’s daughter, Dory, felt sidelined by her mother’s writing, resentful that their family life revolved around Vida’s need for peace and solitude in order to work. She believes that a character in Vida’s best selling novel – a spoiled, selfish, nasty piece of work with few redeeming features – is based on her.
Dory runs a successful property search business in London. She lives alone having recently separated from her boyfriend who struggled to accept that she would always put her business first.
The story opens with Dory returning to her mother’s lonely cottage on the Shropshire-Welsh border, “a no-man’s land of misty horizons fit only for sheep.” Vida called it the Gingerbread Cottage as it reminded her of the setting of her prize winning novel and was bought with the proceeds from this book.
That was before, when Vida lived with her family and sought a peaceful sanctuary in which to write. Now her daughter has moved away, establishing herself in the city. Last year Vida’s husband left her to move to France with his new partner. Vida has written nothing of note since.
It is a cold and desolate January. Vida lies catatonic in a hospital. Worried about her mother Dory had reluctantly travelled to the cottage and found Vida on the floor of the kitchen surrounded by blood and feathers. She has no idea what caused this breakdown. The doctors cannot yet say how likely it is that Vida will ever recover.
Dory enters the cold, damp cottage and finds it occupied by a stranger, an earth mother type who introduces herself as Rhiannon Townsend. She tells Dory that she is a friend of Vida’s who has been staying to help out. Shocked and upset by recent events Dory accepts Rhiannon’s presence, pleased that her mother had a friend but discomfited by how at home this unexpected guest appears to be.
Dory struggles with her desire to return to the business she has worked so hard to build in London and her concern for her mother’s health. Rhiannon encourages Dory to leave if she wishes, assuring her that she will care for Vida as she has been doing for the past three months. Each solicitude contains an undercurrent of criticism, each criticism hitting Dory’s suppressed guilt that she, the daughter, should have been the one to offer her mother care.
Through Vida’s diary the reader is taken back three months to the circumstances under which Rhiannon entered her life. She introduced herself as an avid fan at a time when Vida had few taking notice of her books. Insidious manipulations masked by flattery and concern hone in on Vida’s loneliness, on every failing she feels but tries to hide from the world.
The power play between the women is revealed gradually. The rooms in the cottage are as seats around the table of a king, occupation of the throne shifting and unclear. As rain and snow beat down outside, the isolation of each is palpable.
This is a tale where the journey is as intriguing as the denouement. The author lays bare the recognisable human weaknesses of Vida and Dory: their selfishness at odds with their desire to be better; their yearning for appreciation; the oft conflicting bonds of friendship and blood.
As the tension builds and Rhiannon’s motivations are revealed I wondered who would survive. Her ability to hide behind polite society’s unwillingness to probe too deeply into another’s life disturbs. The twists at the end were darkly perfect.
The layers of plot, perceptiveness and character development make this a difficult book to slot into a genre. It is a psychological thriller but so much more. As a mother and a daughter I felt uncomfortable with much of what was explored. It gets under the skin; it is powerful writing.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the author.
Vida’s daughter, Dory, felt sidelined by her mother’s writing, resentful that their family life revolved around Vida’s need for peace and solitude in order to work. She believes that a character in Vida’s best selling novel – a spoiled, selfish, nasty piece of work with few redeeming features – is based on her.
Dory runs a successful property search business in London. She lives alone having recently separated from her boyfriend who struggled to accept that she would always put her business first.
The story opens with Dory returning to her mother’s lonely cottage on the Shropshire-Welsh border, “a no-man’s land of misty horizons fit only for sheep.” Vida called it the Gingerbread Cottage as it reminded her of the setting of her prize winning novel and was bought with the proceeds from this book.
That was before, when Vida lived with her family and sought a peaceful sanctuary in which to write. Now her daughter has moved away, establishing herself in the city. Last year Vida’s husband left her to move to France with his new partner. Vida has written nothing of note since.
It is a cold and desolate January. Vida lies catatonic in a hospital. Worried about her mother Dory had reluctantly travelled to the cottage and found Vida on the floor of the kitchen surrounded by blood and feathers. She has no idea what caused this breakdown. The doctors cannot yet say how likely it is that Vida will ever recover.
Dory enters the cold, damp cottage and finds it occupied by a stranger, an earth mother type who introduces herself as Rhiannon Townsend. She tells Dory that she is a friend of Vida’s who has been staying to help out. Shocked and upset by recent events Dory accepts Rhiannon’s presence, pleased that her mother had a friend but discomfited by how at home this unexpected guest appears to be.
Dory struggles with her desire to return to the business she has worked so hard to build in London and her concern for her mother’s health. Rhiannon encourages Dory to leave if she wishes, assuring her that she will care for Vida as she has been doing for the past three months. Each solicitude contains an undercurrent of criticism, each criticism hitting Dory’s suppressed guilt that she, the daughter, should have been the one to offer her mother care.
Through Vida’s diary the reader is taken back three months to the circumstances under which Rhiannon entered her life. She introduced herself as an avid fan at a time when Vida had few taking notice of her books. Insidious manipulations masked by flattery and concern hone in on Vida’s loneliness, on every failing she feels but tries to hide from the world.
The power play between the women is revealed gradually. The rooms in the cottage are as seats around the table of a king, occupation of the throne shifting and unclear. As rain and snow beat down outside, the isolation of each is palpable.
This is a tale where the journey is as intriguing as the denouement. The author lays bare the recognisable human weaknesses of Vida and Dory: their selfishness at odds with their desire to be better; their yearning for appreciation; the oft conflicting bonds of friendship and blood.
As the tension builds and Rhiannon’s motivations are revealed I wondered who would survive. Her ability to hide behind polite society’s unwillingness to probe too deeply into another’s life disturbs. The twists at the end were darkly perfect.
The layers of plot, perceptiveness and character development make this a difficult book to slot into a genre. It is a psychological thriller but so much more. As a mother and a daughter I felt uncomfortable with much of what was explored. It gets under the skin; it is powerful writing.
My copy of this book was provided gratis by the author.
March 11, 2017
Crickey! Where do I start with this one?
A terrific read from start to finish. Wonderful characters. Beautifully described settings. And a satisfactory ending for the main characters if not for everyone.
A terrific read from start to finish. Wonderful characters. Beautifully described settings. And a satisfactory ending for the main characters if not for everyone.
April 18, 2016
The quite wonderful novel opens with Dory's arrival at her mother Vida's home on the Shropshire-Welsh border to sort out her affairs. Her mother, a novelist struggling to follow up her earlier success with The Gingerbread House, has suffered an apparent breakdown and is unable to communicate - although the two women have had problems communicating for many years. Dory is surprised to find another woman living in the house - Rhiannon, a friend about whom she had heard nothing previously, well settled-in and apparently helping and supporting her mother. So begins a mesmerising story, beautifully constructed with past events revealed through Vida's diaries, current events seen through Dory's eyes - a tale of frustration, loneliness, vulnerability and dependency, with three magnificently drawn female characters at its core.
Dory is a wonderful portrait of the selfish, driven, self-sufficient and abrasive modern business woman - she seems to struggle with her every relationship. Her sharp edginess makes her initially totally unsympathetic - but more about the background, competing for attention with her mother's writing, helps reveal her softer edges. Vida is simply fascinating - her diary works perfectly to reveal her character, to understand her thoughts and feelings, to find out more about how the current situation has come about.
And then we have Rhiannon - vividly drawn, mesmerising from the moment she appears. It's quite impossible to tear your eyes away from her, as you try to figure out exactly what part she plays - devoted fan, supportive and loyal friend, angel of kindness, master manipulator, personification of evil, or something totally other as she shows her many different faces to both Dory and Vida.
I think it's fair - although you know I hate labels - to call this wonderful book a psychological thriller, but it's unlike any I've read before. There are elements of magic and the mystical, and the surrounding natural world, described in great detail, plays a major part. But there's also a lovely gentle humour - Vida's brushes with the publishing world are quite exquisitely observed, peopled with perfect caricatures of individuals within that world who will be familiar to everyone, and very funny. The way the story is constructed is simply perfect - the slow reveal of Vida's diary punctuating Dory's present day sorting-things-out so that she can return to her London life. There's real emotional depth too, particularly around the difficult mother and daughter relationship - and it tears at your heart at times.
Above all, it's an enthralling story of three strong and powerful women, struggling for supremacy, taking turns in the spotlight - and it really is quite impossible to put down and get on with your life until you've finished reading. And when I wasn't reading, it was constantly in my thoughts - and remained there long after I reached the end. There are times that it's good to be reminded that there are treasures to be found outside the bestseller lists or the latest big thing - I'm so glad I discovered this one.
Dory is a wonderful portrait of the selfish, driven, self-sufficient and abrasive modern business woman - she seems to struggle with her every relationship. Her sharp edginess makes her initially totally unsympathetic - but more about the background, competing for attention with her mother's writing, helps reveal her softer edges. Vida is simply fascinating - her diary works perfectly to reveal her character, to understand her thoughts and feelings, to find out more about how the current situation has come about.
And then we have Rhiannon - vividly drawn, mesmerising from the moment she appears. It's quite impossible to tear your eyes away from her, as you try to figure out exactly what part she plays - devoted fan, supportive and loyal friend, angel of kindness, master manipulator, personification of evil, or something totally other as she shows her many different faces to both Dory and Vida.
I think it's fair - although you know I hate labels - to call this wonderful book a psychological thriller, but it's unlike any I've read before. There are elements of magic and the mystical, and the surrounding natural world, described in great detail, plays a major part. But there's also a lovely gentle humour - Vida's brushes with the publishing world are quite exquisitely observed, peopled with perfect caricatures of individuals within that world who will be familiar to everyone, and very funny. The way the story is constructed is simply perfect - the slow reveal of Vida's diary punctuating Dory's present day sorting-things-out so that she can return to her London life. There's real emotional depth too, particularly around the difficult mother and daughter relationship - and it tears at your heart at times.
Above all, it's an enthralling story of three strong and powerful women, struggling for supremacy, taking turns in the spotlight - and it really is quite impossible to put down and get on with your life until you've finished reading. And when I wasn't reading, it was constantly in my thoughts - and remained there long after I reached the end. There are times that it's good to be reminded that there are treasures to be found outside the bestseller lists or the latest big thing - I'm so glad I discovered this one.
May 4, 2015
This review has been crossposted from my blog at The Cosy Dragon . Please head there for more in-depth reviews by me, which appear on a timely schedule.
Vida has become trapped in her own mind, while Dory is trapped in the suburbia of her job. When Dory comes to clear out her mother’s house, in preparation of Vida never recovering, she finds a house-guest who witnessed Vida’s demise – but the truth is to be found in a series of journals.
The novel starts out with Dory’s perspective, and you feel yourself thrust into her busy mindset. Dory is a woman who knows her own mind, and is determined to succeed in all of the ways her mother failed. The other chapters are excerpts from Vida’s journals, exposing both Dory’s childhood and Vida’s decline.
Honestly, it took me a while to write this review. This was a novel I needed to think deeply about and prod myself to dig into it. Initially I struggled to get into this novel. The prose put me a little bit off balance, and then, about 20 pages in, I suddenly got hooked. By about half-way through the novel, I couldn’t put it down, and spent time thinking about it while I wasn’t touching that gorgeous cover.
Vida. Dory. Vida. Dory. Rhiannon. They were all brilliantly characterised and had very separate voices. I never felt confused as to who was speaking. I was unfamiliar with the countryside, and the external world-building was good, but oh my, the characters were just so good.
I wanted to talk about this book having finished reading it, almost to anyone who would listen. I doubted my own reading of it. I wondered if I had missed something. Somewhere, the lines of fiction and fantasy get blurred, and I couldn’t tell where that point happened. Arg! How could that happen! The action drove me to keep reading, and perhaps I missed some of the nuances. Or maybe, just maybe, the author tricked me into thinking I should know more, but leaving me wanting more instead. Either way, really compulsive reading.
The ending was haunting. Especially as it wasn’t clear what was actually wrong with ‘the monster’ or what had happened to ‘the animal’.
It’s a definite re-read for me. And I have a family member in mind who would absolutely LOVE to get her hands on this kind of novel, so I might offer it to her for a read.
Vida has become trapped in her own mind, while Dory is trapped in the suburbia of her job. When Dory comes to clear out her mother’s house, in preparation of Vida never recovering, she finds a house-guest who witnessed Vida’s demise – but the truth is to be found in a series of journals.
The novel starts out with Dory’s perspective, and you feel yourself thrust into her busy mindset. Dory is a woman who knows her own mind, and is determined to succeed in all of the ways her mother failed. The other chapters are excerpts from Vida’s journals, exposing both Dory’s childhood and Vida’s decline.
Honestly, it took me a while to write this review. This was a novel I needed to think deeply about and prod myself to dig into it. Initially I struggled to get into this novel. The prose put me a little bit off balance, and then, about 20 pages in, I suddenly got hooked. By about half-way through the novel, I couldn’t put it down, and spent time thinking about it while I wasn’t touching that gorgeous cover.
Vida. Dory. Vida. Dory. Rhiannon. They were all brilliantly characterised and had very separate voices. I never felt confused as to who was speaking. I was unfamiliar with the countryside, and the external world-building was good, but oh my, the characters were just so good.
I wanted to talk about this book having finished reading it, almost to anyone who would listen. I doubted my own reading of it. I wondered if I had missed something. Somewhere, the lines of fiction and fantasy get blurred, and I couldn’t tell where that point happened. Arg! How could that happen! The action drove me to keep reading, and perhaps I missed some of the nuances. Or maybe, just maybe, the author tricked me into thinking I should know more, but leaving me wanting more instead. Either way, really compulsive reading.
The ending was haunting. Especially as it wasn’t clear what was actually wrong with ‘the monster’ or what had happened to ‘the animal’.
It’s a definite re-read for me. And I have a family member in mind who would absolutely LOVE to get her hands on this kind of novel, so I might offer it to her for a read.
January 26, 2017
Vida Tremayne is a previously very successful author who has hit a block that she fears may be permanent. The prize winning novel she produced several years ago has long slipped out of the best seller charts. She lives in a ramshackle cottage somewhere on the Welsh border, unable to write and gradually sinking. Her husband has recently left her, her agent and publisher have given up on her, and her daughter, Dory, is in London, where she’s engrossed in the urban life and the property business she’s building.
One day Vida meets Rhiannon, who says she’s a devoted fan. Vida is curious about her visitor and flattered by the unaccustomed attention. Bit by bit she allows Rhiannon into her life, and that’s where the trouble starts.
Sarah Vincent weaves a compelling and disconcerting story, beautifully told. Reading The Testament of Vida Tremayne is like standing on an ice flow; you’re never quite sure what’s firm or where your feet are. Events which you thought were real turn out not to be and you’re never certain who’s telling the truth, if anyone is. The pace and the layers of intrigue are totally absorbing. Information is revealed tantalisingly. The main characters, Dory, Rhiannon and Vida herself are expertly drawn. Dory and Vida doubt and misunderstand each other in a wonderful picture of a very believable mother/daughter relationship; Riley, the Heathcliff-esque handyman, adds a sexual frisson, and Rhiannon is truly scary, a mistress of deceit who’s many layers only become fully apparent towards the end, when there’s a gripping climax.
The Testament of Vida Tremayne is beautifully written. The opening is an object lesson in how to draw a reader in and convey the essential information in the minimum space. The descriptions of both the physical and emotional topography are superb. In addition, Sarah Vincent has an enviable ability to give new and original expression to the commonplace. For those reasons it’s a book to be savoured. It’s highly recommended as a holiday read but take care; you’ll need extra suntan lotion. You’ll find yourself spending much longer reading on your sunbed than you expected you would.
One day Vida meets Rhiannon, who says she’s a devoted fan. Vida is curious about her visitor and flattered by the unaccustomed attention. Bit by bit she allows Rhiannon into her life, and that’s where the trouble starts.
Sarah Vincent weaves a compelling and disconcerting story, beautifully told. Reading The Testament of Vida Tremayne is like standing on an ice flow; you’re never quite sure what’s firm or where your feet are. Events which you thought were real turn out not to be and you’re never certain who’s telling the truth, if anyone is. The pace and the layers of intrigue are totally absorbing. Information is revealed tantalisingly. The main characters, Dory, Rhiannon and Vida herself are expertly drawn. Dory and Vida doubt and misunderstand each other in a wonderful picture of a very believable mother/daughter relationship; Riley, the Heathcliff-esque handyman, adds a sexual frisson, and Rhiannon is truly scary, a mistress of deceit who’s many layers only become fully apparent towards the end, when there’s a gripping climax.
The Testament of Vida Tremayne is beautifully written. The opening is an object lesson in how to draw a reader in and convey the essential information in the minimum space. The descriptions of both the physical and emotional topography are superb. In addition, Sarah Vincent has an enviable ability to give new and original expression to the commonplace. For those reasons it’s a book to be savoured. It’s highly recommended as a holiday read but take care; you’ll need extra suntan lotion. You’ll find yourself spending much longer reading on your sunbed than you expected you would.
May 11, 2015
This book is full of a dark menace which snakes out of the pages and makes the hairs stand up on the back of your neck. One of those books which stays with you – it’s the morning after the last chapter for me and I can still feel it. The tale is perfectly reasonable but as the pages turn you find yourself feeling rather unnerved by it all. Gradually the chill sets in until suddenly a break for a cup of tea seems like a good idea. If you like to be spooked then this novel is for you – psychologically twisted and yet…oh so normal. Isn’t it?
I have had a quick look at the other reviews and some readers say they didn’t like Vida’s daughter Dory much but I saw her as someone with her own set of problems whose work life, recent break up and need to succeed like her mother overshadowed everything else. We all expect our parents, those strong oaks who stand straight against every challenge, to go on regardless. We don’t expect them to be in need unless they are infirm so it isn’t until her mother is in hospital that Dory is really sure anything is amiss enough for her to make an emergency visit.
Sarah Vincent writes so well and I got into this story so deeply I was actually holding my breath at various points. Emotive? Oh yes.
I have had a quick look at the other reviews and some readers say they didn’t like Vida’s daughter Dory much but I saw her as someone with her own set of problems whose work life, recent break up and need to succeed like her mother overshadowed everything else. We all expect our parents, those strong oaks who stand straight against every challenge, to go on regardless. We don’t expect them to be in need unless they are infirm so it isn’t until her mother is in hospital that Dory is really sure anything is amiss enough for her to make an emergency visit.
Sarah Vincent writes so well and I got into this story so deeply I was actually holding my breath at various points. Emotive? Oh yes.
July 3, 2016
Set amongst the countryside of the Welsh borders The Testament of Vida Tremayne takes the age old story of mothers and daughters – which I always find so powerful – adding a psychological element. There is a wonderfully strong sense of place – which is always important to me as a reader and three fascinating women at the heart of the story.
“It’s the moment of arrival she’s been dreading the most. She’s often cursed the three-mile-long track to the house; cursed it for its jay-walking pheasants and canyon-deep cracks which flood in winter, but this afternoon it hasn’t seemed nearly long enough. Just the thought of pulling up outside the empty house made her feel sick. But here it is. End of the road. She’s reached her destination.”
Vida Tremayne is an author, she once won a big prize for the one novel of hers which remains in print, but her creativity has been blocked for some time, the only thing Vida has been able to write is her journals. Now, abandoned by her husband for a new life in France, Vida is trapped inside her own mind – confined to a hospital bed. Whatever it was that brought Vida to this frightening decline is a mystery.
Full review: https://heavenali.wordpress.com/2016/...
“It’s the moment of arrival she’s been dreading the most. She’s often cursed the three-mile-long track to the house; cursed it for its jay-walking pheasants and canyon-deep cracks which flood in winter, but this afternoon it hasn’t seemed nearly long enough. Just the thought of pulling up outside the empty house made her feel sick. But here it is. End of the road. She’s reached her destination.”
Vida Tremayne is an author, she once won a big prize for the one novel of hers which remains in print, but her creativity has been blocked for some time, the only thing Vida has been able to write is her journals. Now, abandoned by her husband for a new life in France, Vida is trapped inside her own mind – confined to a hospital bed. Whatever it was that brought Vida to this frightening decline is a mystery.
Full review: https://heavenali.wordpress.com/2016/...
March 16, 2015
This is a compelling, creepy, psychological thriller/suspense that drew me in from the very first page.
A once-successful novelist, Vida Tremayne lies in a hospital bed, in a catatonic state after suffering a break down. Her daughter, Dory, reluctantly comes down from London to stay in Vida's house (called The Gingerbread House after Vida's most famous novel) after she hears of her mother's break down. When she arrives at the isolated Gingerbread House, however, she's surprised by the presence of Rhiannon, a 'fan' of her mother's who has been staying with Vida.
But it is soon apparent that not everything is as it seems.
The novel is told from Dory's point of view (third person) and Vida's through her diary entries and slowly a story of what really happened to Vida to send her over the edge is revealed to us.
This is an intriguing, gripping novel about loneliness, mental health and insecurity. It's unsettling and creepy and a real page turner. I really enjoyed this excellent debut novel and look forward to other books by this author.
A once-successful novelist, Vida Tremayne lies in a hospital bed, in a catatonic state after suffering a break down. Her daughter, Dory, reluctantly comes down from London to stay in Vida's house (called The Gingerbread House after Vida's most famous novel) after she hears of her mother's break down. When she arrives at the isolated Gingerbread House, however, she's surprised by the presence of Rhiannon, a 'fan' of her mother's who has been staying with Vida.
But it is soon apparent that not everything is as it seems.
The novel is told from Dory's point of view (third person) and Vida's through her diary entries and slowly a story of what really happened to Vida to send her over the edge is revealed to us.
This is an intriguing, gripping novel about loneliness, mental health and insecurity. It's unsettling and creepy and a real page turner. I really enjoyed this excellent debut novel and look forward to other books by this author.
January 16, 2015
How did once successful author, Vida Tremayne, end up catatonic in hospital? From the very first chapter, you just have to know.
Vincent presents us with an unforgettable cast of very real (and horribly dysfunctional) characters in this masterfully written tale. Despite being set in the gentle backwaters of the Shropshire borderland, the plot unfolds at a deceptively brisk pace. All of the settings, from Vida’s lonely cottage to the sleepy nearby town and the rolling hillside of the final showdown, are so realistic you’ll believe you’ve been there and I loved how the story, told from Vida’s daughter’s point of view, was cleverly mixed with diary extracts.
It’s not often you can’t predict the ending of a book. No spoilers here but suffice to say The Testament of Vida Tremayne reaches a satisfying conclusion.
Highly recommended, spine-chilling read from a brilliant author.
Vincent presents us with an unforgettable cast of very real (and horribly dysfunctional) characters in this masterfully written tale. Despite being set in the gentle backwaters of the Shropshire borderland, the plot unfolds at a deceptively brisk pace. All of the settings, from Vida’s lonely cottage to the sleepy nearby town and the rolling hillside of the final showdown, are so realistic you’ll believe you’ve been there and I loved how the story, told from Vida’s daughter’s point of view, was cleverly mixed with diary extracts.
It’s not often you can’t predict the ending of a book. No spoilers here but suffice to say The Testament of Vida Tremayne reaches a satisfying conclusion.
Highly recommended, spine-chilling read from a brilliant author.
May 26, 2015
A dark and strangely compelling story
Dory grew up to be exactly like her mother Vida: self-centred and entirely focused on her career to the exclusion of all else.
One day she returns home to find Vida has suffered some sort of breakdown. She is in the care of her friend Rhiannon.
If Dory is to have any hope of helping her mother, she must unravel Vida's reclusive life history and find out exactly what part her 'friend' had to play in her illness.
Unbeknown to either of them, Vida kept a secret diary. If it was found, it could give all the answers.
This is one of the few books which I started reading and had to keep going, page after page, until I'd finished. An amazingly good story.
Dory grew up to be exactly like her mother Vida: self-centred and entirely focused on her career to the exclusion of all else.
One day she returns home to find Vida has suffered some sort of breakdown. She is in the care of her friend Rhiannon.
If Dory is to have any hope of helping her mother, she must unravel Vida's reclusive life history and find out exactly what part her 'friend' had to play in her illness.
Unbeknown to either of them, Vida kept a secret diary. If it was found, it could give all the answers.
This is one of the few books which I started reading and had to keep going, page after page, until I'd finished. An amazingly good story.
March 18, 2016
I won this in one of the goodread giveaways, and am so glad I did. I was introduced to a new writer through a story that I just could not put down. The mystery of the story hooks you from the beginning and doesn't let you go. The writer does a fantastic job of writing the emotions so that you feel everything the characters are going through, and takes you on a journey for the truth. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling mystery to read.
January 20, 2016
It probably didn't get a fair crack of the whip because I was knee deep in other stuff but it was rather slow to build and really I didn't really engage with any of the characters
February 8, 2016
Slow start but building the story to be really engaging. Really enjoyed it.
May 3, 2016
If that was my mum, no - just no.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews