She Came to Stay: The debut novel from the author of THE UNSPEAKABLE ACTS OF ZINA PAVLOU, a BBC2 Between the Covers pick

by Eleni Kyriacou

'Secrets and lies, poverty and elegance, old loyalties and new friendships all combine to make Eleni Kyriacou's debut novel a compelling page-turner' - Fiona Valpy, bestselling author of The Dressmaker's Gift

One of Woman & Home 's Best Historical Fiction Reads of 2020

In a city of strangers, who can you trust?

London, 1952. Dina Demetriou has travelled from Cyprus for a better life. She's certain that excitement, adventure and opportunity are out there, waiting - if only she knew where to look.

Her passion for clothes and flair for sewing land her a job repairing the glittering costumes at the notorious Pelican Revue. It's here that she befriends the mysterious and beautiful Bebba.

With her bleached-blonde hair and an appetite for mischief, Bebba is like no Greek Dina has ever met before. She guides Dina around the fashionable shops, bars and clubs of Soho, and Dina finally feels life has begun.

But Bebba has a secret. And as thick smog brings the city to a standstill, the truth emerges with devastating results. Dina's new life now hangs by a thread. What will be left when the fog finally clears? And will Dina be willing to risk everything to protect her future?

A story of friendship, family, love and loss set against the grimy and glittering streets of fifties Soho. For fans of Kate Furnivall and Rachel Rhys.

Further praise for SHE CAME TO

'An atmospheric page-turner perfectly set in the smoke and glitter of a vanished world . . . gripping' - Erin Kelly , bestselling author of He Said/She Said

' Compelling and beautifully observed . Kyriacou brilliantly evokes the violence and the grime beneath the sequins and surface glamour of 1950s Soho' - Rachel Rhys , bestselling author of Dangerous Crossing

'I absolutely loved it. A g ripping, enthralling story . . . I was completely engrossed ' - Laura Marshall , bestselling author of Friend Request

'An absorbing story of friendship, betrayal and resilience' - Sarah Maine , bestselling author of Beyond the Wild River

'A gripping, evocative story . . . well researched and utterly convincing. A real gem of a book ' - Gill Paul , bestselling author of The Lost Daughter

'An evocative page-turner full of memorable characters. A wonderful debut' - Jenny Quintana , author of The Missing Girl

Readers are loving SHE CAME TO STAY, too!

'I can highly recommend this book. You will be hooked from start to finish.' 5 STARS

'A cracking storyline packed with secrets, as well as unexpected twists and turns make this, cliche or no, a proper page-turner.' 5 STARS

'A brilliant read.' 5 STARS

'The plot moves quickly and is gripping. I didn't want to put the book down but then was sorry to leave the characters and their London haunts behind when I got to the end.' 5 STARS

'A really enjoyable read.' 5 STARS

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction

432 pages, Paperback

Published July 6, 2021

Reviews

[Anne]

I absolutely adored this book. I was lucky enough to read it whilst in Cyprus last month, which was perfect as the story revolves around a young Cypriot woman who leaves the island in 1952 to travel to London for a better life.

The 1950s era is one of my favourite periods to read about and I especially love stories set in and around Soho, London. Add the wonderful Cypriot people and traditions into the novel and I'm won over from the beginning.

Dina has arrived in Soho with hope. She's left behind the small community on Cyprus where everyone knows everything. She's nursing heartbreak and disappointment and London seems like the place of opportunity, somewhere that she can turn her life around and be just what she wants to be. Dina shares a run-down flat with her brother Peter who takes on the traditional male Cypriot role. Peter holds old fashioned views about women and marriage and has plans for Dina, however these beliefs do not stop him from taking his own risks. Peter is a gambler and Dina knows that no matter how much she loves him, and despite his assurances, she has to make sure that she will survive.

Dina's job in a local cafe gives no hopes for her future, but when she takes a position in a local theatre, repairing the costumes of the dancing girls, she is in her element. Peter must never know though and Dina does this in secret, squirrelling away any extra cash that she can.

When Dina meets Bebba, her life changes completely. Whilst Bebba also hails from Cyprus, she is so different to the women that Dina is used to. She's glamorous and daring and soon shows Dina the brighter lights of Soho and London. Dina is dazzled by Bebba, but when she introduces her to her brother, things change once more.

This author brings Soho to life, her descriptive prose add so much to the intriguing storyline, with an air of menace that begins to run through it, alongside the all pervading and ever present smog of the city.

As long-held secrets are revealed and Dina's life begins to spiral out of control, the reader becomes engrossed in the multiple threads, not really knowing what is the truth and what is fantasy.

A fine historical novel that I enjoyed very much and that exposes the darker side of what appears on the surface to be a glittering world.

[Sam Knight]

I really enjoyed this book. I found that this book would suit people who like history and also thrillers.
I found it really interesting what it was like for people first coming to the uk in the 50s.
I also liked the different twists throughout the story.
Will recommend this to anyone :) so glad I read it.

[Emma Crowley]

She Came to Stay is the debut novel from Eleni Kyriacou and it’s quite different from my usual kind of reads. It’s a real dark and atmospheric story which I found difficult to get into but once I reached the halfway mark, I really began to appreciate the complex tale unfolding. It’s an excellent story about friendship, family and the meaning of home with betrayal and resilience being its central themes. As a young woman arrives in the city of London in 1952 from another country and a different way of life she has a persistent feeling that this place will be her undoing. She has come for a new and more promising life from the simple, uncomplicated one that she left behind. She left for numerous reasons, mostly because of a marriage that never came to fruition but also because she knows there is something better out there for her. The question is will she find it in London or has this city other plans in store for her?

Dina, a Greek Cypriot, has been in London for 8 months. She shares a small, dark, damp and foul room with her brother Peter. They arrived hoping to find a better life and the bright lights of Soho, so dimmed in this story by the never-ending fog, had promised so much. But she has yet to strike it lucky and the café she works in does nothing to inspire her or go anyway near to fulfilling her dreams. An opportunity for work at the Pelican nightclub where girls perform for men throws some hope and expectancy her way. She is to work with other women of many varying nationalities as a seamstress repairing the costumes for the girls. She keeps this job secret from her brother as she has plans to save money and get a better place for herself. Peter does have a job but his gambling problem leads to many issues and complications arising throughout the story. Dina wants more than the life she was born into. She wants to escape the country where land and family and generations of traditions and poverty would entrap her. A failed marriage before she even walked down the aisle put paid to this. She still feels under pressure from Peter as he is trying to find a good man for her to marry. It’s almost like he is replacing her father and trying to ensure traditions continue even though they are in a different country.

Dina has ambition but the circumstances she finds herself in prevent her from really getting out there and seeing what the world can offer her. Unless she has money she can do nothing but meeting Bebba, a fellow seamstress at the club, changes everything for Dina and from this point on nothing will ever be the same. There is an air about Bebba, that she knows how to have a good time yet at the same time she holds many things back and keeps things close to her chest. She holds a secret and a mystery that will intensify the further the book progresses. It’s like Bebba casts a spell over Dina, which in turn grows to a shadow that engulfs Peter too. She seems so glamourous and that she has it all and with the flick of a switch the world will be at her feet. Bebba too comes from Cyprus but she holds her cards tight and doesn’t reveal much but she seems to have plenty of money and shows Dina a good time at different clubs and fancy shops. Things that Dina can only dream about as they are out of her reach.

With this book you never knew whether to take statements at face value or were you to read more into simple comments or actions. Everything was so carefully constructed by the author and it all came together brilliantly but I can’t say I actually liked any of the characters apart from Dina. There still remained an air of innocence about her even with everything that began to become apparent. I did click at one point what exactly was going on before things were revealed because something was annoying me that wasn’t being said. A simple thing but when it was revealed, and I was proven correct, it turned the whole story on its head.

Bebba just seemed too good to be true and I think Peter became enchanted with her and the spell she cast he couldn’t break free from it. In fact, in a way she trapped both Dina and Peter and they find themselves involved with something so dangerous that meant their lives were lived on a knife edge so easy to fall from with no way of getting back up. Bebba was a mistress of manipulation. She carefully plotted and executed everything so well that the reader too believes she is this glamorous girl who can bring Dina places. But she had a long term goal in mind and nothing or no one would prevent her from straying from the path she was treading to achieve her end goal. Who cares what happened in the process and whether friendships or families were tested, marked and crumbled through her actions and operations?

I mentioned above that this story is dark and that’s because the fog that enshrouds London and plays such a pivotal role throughout the book gives the story this stifling, claustrophobic feeling. It never leaves but grows denser and denser weighing the characters down as the story becomes ever more complex and twisted. The heavy, impenetrable fog allows a menacing and sombre feeling to pervade throughout the chapters and in turn also always for certain dangerous situations to develop. The author has done very well to use this type of weather in such a way that it mirrors the characters actions and feelings. Some of them can hide what they are doing because with the fog never lifting what they are doing and trying to conceal can go unnoticed. What takes place under the cover of the gloom, damp, smoke and vapour will have severe and long lasting repercussions for all involved and by the end of the stifling and depressing atmosphere created you are in shock at was has occurred and realise everyone is not as they seem. I say depressing but use this word in a good way because there is no light and happiness emanating from this book given the themes and subject matter there is no room for this.

But it’s not an awful read that is a trudge to get through therefore leaving you depressed. In fact it is far from this description .This is just the most suitable adjective I can think of to sum up the sense of danger, threats, double crossing and restlessness that the characters are facing. I don’t think when Dina arrived in London she expected to be caught up in a very tangled web of someone else’s creation that only seemed to grow tighter with each twist of the knife. Can she endure and emerge unscathed out the other side? Will London and in particular Soho eventually give her the life she has craved or will a friendship built on brittle lies be her downfall?

No doubt about it She Came to Stay is an impressive debut novel and it’s only as you reach the end you truly appreciate how the author has written a story that leaves you questioning everything and wondering just you can believe, trust and have faith in. Eleni Kyriacou is certainly an author to watch in the future.

[Cathy]

Switching between the first person point of view of Dina and the third person point of view of her friend, Bebba, She Came To Stay cleverly combines two elements. The first is a vivid picture of daily immigrant life in 1950s London: the poor housing, the unstable work, and the streets filled with smog that has the ability to seep through into buildings.  Added to that are the challenges of learning a new language and integrating into a culture very different from village life back in Cyprus. Indeed, Dina’s over-protective brother, Peter, clings to what he sees as his traditional role, arranging a suitable marriage for Dina whereas she views their move as an opportunity for independence.

It’s no wonder that Dina is attracted to the free-spirited and unpredictable Bebba. There’s a particularly amusing scene in which Bebba and Dina hoodwink the assistants in a famous department store. I also enjoyed seeing Dina’s growing delight at the buzz of Soho life – the coffee bars, the jazz clubs and the colourful characters who work, perform, or occupy the tables at the Pelican nightclub.  The author certainly creates a great sense of time and place throughout the book.

Things start to unravel when Dina, having introduced Bebba to Peter, begins to feel increasingly isolated.  “They were the two people I loved the most in the world, and yet when they were together something unnerved me. What was it? I couldn’t decide. And then…it struck me. They were behaving as if I didn’t exist.”  Eventually, what started as japes turns into something much darker and more dangerous.  It’s at this point the thriller element of the book comes to the fore as Bebba’s past threatens to catch up with her. The story is increasingly punctuated by moments of melodrama, certainly justifying the publisher’s description of She Came To Stay as “a page-turning novel of friendship, secrets and lies”, but some of which pushed the limits of credibility for me.

[Yasmin Hounsell]

The story is set in 1952 in Soho and briefly in Liverpool. It captures the essence of post war London, including the terrible smog. I was born in 1958 with Soho on my doorstep and I recognised the sort of characters portrayed in the book.
As a person of mixed heritage, I could identify with people coming here to make a better life for themselves. I loved feisty Dina and I would love to know what happens to her next. A really enjoyable read.

[Liz]

Dina Demetriou has travelled from Cyprus looking for a better life - and in London she finds it, or at least, the promise of it. Her new friend Bebba - bleached blonde, glamorous - seems to offer her a doorway into the life she's dreamed of. But Bebba also brings complications. Deadly ones.

This book brought 1950s Soho alive for me really vividly, and I loved both Dina's and Bebba's stories. The twisty drama kept me reading fast right to the end. Brilliant first novel.

[Julie]

Soho, London in 1952. Dina is a young woman from Cyprus, keen to discover life in her adopted home. An unexciting job in a grimy cafe, a shared damp flat with an over protective brother and a London frequently beset by fog could be a sad existence, but quietly getting a job at the Pelican, a nightclub, excites her. Sewing costumes from vivid and beautiful materials is a treat in a drab postwar London. This is a novel of the details and descriptions that reawakens a sense of a battle scarred city, where opportunities for a new life seem just out of reach, and dampness and dark dominate.

Dina has travelled from her homeland for a new beginning, and is eager to grasp for everything that London has to offer, but has also confined her with her Peter, a brother who is determined that she should live as a good Cypriot girl, and make a good marriage. This is a brother who drinks, smokes and gambles compulsively, spending any money that they earn, unless it is extra and hidden. A powerful story of the squalid rooms and flats inhabited by immigrants in post war London, it speaks of the fear of those new to the country of authorities and absolute poverty in a country where dreams had led them. The characters are intensely drawn, physical beings who come alive on the page, realised by an author alert to the slightest gesture and expression. The advent of Bebba, bleach blonde and determined to move on from a life on Cyprus, rocks Dina’s world, and this intense novel goes on to describe that change. I was very pleased to have the opportunity to read and review this compelling book written in the voice of a young woman and a narrator who seeks out the motives for life changing action.

The excitement of achieving a job in a somewhat tatty nightclub may not seem significant, but Dina sees it as a way of escaping “the damp and the rats and cramped bedsit”. She is skilled at sewing, and the glimpses of the young female performers are realistic, but speak of a different life. She encounters Bebba, who has little respect for any rules, and who seems determined to experience Soho life in every sense. As she becomes a friend, she takes the inexperienced Dina to the clubs and the bars of Soho, showing her new ways to live. She visits the room which Dina shares with Peter, and begins to weave her way into their lives, helping with the rent, distracting both of them with her fashionable clothes. Dina becomes a little suspicious of her friend, jealous of her increasing influence over Peter, but has a secret romance of her own. When Bebba’s secrets erupt into their lives, the tension between the three of them takes a dangerous new turn.

This is a memorable book, with powerful emotions brilliantly described in the two narrative strands, the third person narrator describing some of Bebba’s actions and feelings, the other the voice of a frequently incredulous young woman trying to cope with unforeseen pressures while desperate to experience life in London. I found it very well written, brilliantly paced and full of atmosphere which goes beyond the blinding, choking fog which descends onto London, cloaking life in so many ways. This is a strong novel of immense research, much of which is listed at the back of the book, but which never interrupts the flow of the narrative. I recommend it as a brilliant read, a female led novel with much to say about a young woman’s life and challenges in a London full of post war opportunities.

[Julie]

An emotional and atmospheric historical novel set in 1950s London, Eleni Kyriacou’s She Came to Stay is a captivating tale of love, loyalty, friendship and secrets sure to appeal to fans of Victoria Hislop.

Dina Demetriou has left her homeland of Cyprus behind in search of a better life in London. Far from everything she has ever known, Dina is armed with only her innocence and talent for sewing and flair for design. The streets of London are teeming with opportunity and chances for Dina to make something out for herself. The world is hers for the taking and even though she is initially rather lost in the hustle and bustle of the big city, it soon becomes clear to her that she cannot continue to hide her light under a bushel and allow her fear to squander any chance she might have of becoming a success. When her passion for clothes at the notorious Pelican Revue catches the eye of mysterious and beautiful Bebba, little does Dina realise that her life is about to change forever…but will it be for all the right reasons?

With her bleached blonde hair and her fearless attitude to life, Bebba is like nobody sheltered Dina has ever met before. Bebba has no time for shyness and diffidence but has the confidence to not care what other people think and to grab life by the horns and live it to the fullest. Bebba exposes Dina to a whole new world to which she had been previously impervious to that forces her to make her first tentative steps out of the shadows. With Bebba by her side, Dina becomes a regular visitor to the tempting streets of Soho full of fashionable shops, bars and clubs. Dina thinks that there is nothing she cannot conquer if she has her good friend close to her, but how well does she know Bebba? Is she somebody she should trust implicitly? Or is Bebba harbouring a secret that could plunge Dina into danger?

As Bebba makes a shocking revelation that has far-reaching consequences and repercussions, Dina’s new life hangs in the balance. But how far is she willing to go for her friend? And is Dina prepared to do whatever it takes to protect her future – even if it means hurting the people who have come to mean the world to her?

Eleni Kyriacou’s She Came to Stay paints a vivid and colourful picture of life in 1950s Soho in a beautifully written tale that looks beneath the glitz and gloss of the past and exposes its dark and violent underbelly. However, She Came to Stay is not a sad or melodramatic novel, but a triumphant and wonderfully observed of two young girls who want to conquer the world and their strength, resilience and courage to keep forging ahead when the odds are stacked against them.

Eleni Kyriacou’s She Came to Stay is a powerful, emotional and absorbing historical novel from a gifted new writer.

[Ellie Hawkes]

She Came to Stay is such an atmospheric novel – the thick swirling smog that fills the streets, creeps under doorways, catches in the characters’ throats, becomes a sinister presence in the story, a poisonous, yellow-tinged evil that aligns perfectly with the darker side of this book. London in 1952 is perfectly evoked, from the fashion to the first stirrings of a more emancipated post-war era, and the details and descriptions are wonderful.

What I liked most about the story is that it genuinely took me by surprise. This makes it quite hard to review, as I don’t want to give away the unexpected swerve I felt the story took – suffice to say it is a brilliant exploration of the changing dynamics between the three main characters, and as Dina, Beppa and Peter move into closer proximity, the results are dramatic and gripping. All three characters are nuanced and intriguing, and, as with real life, we don’t see all sides of them at once. Instead, as the story progresses, their complexities are revealed, in a way that rings very true.

There is a really good balance of thoughtful examination of what it means to be an immigrant, to leave your home country behind in search of the fabled ‘better life,’ and a full-blown mystery that dramatically unravels. It’s not easy to hold both strands confidently in a narrative, but Eleni Kyriacou does it with aplomb, and it creates a lovely tension between the interior lives of the protagonists and the thriller-esque events they have to face. I liked the change of pace as the novel gathers momentum and becomes more thriller-like in its second half – I always enjoy reading books that play around with mode and genre, and She Came to Stay does this brilliantly.

Conventional attitudes at the time are similarly juxtaposed with the real feelings of the characters, creating yet more conflict and tension as they struggle to fit into a world that seems set against them. It is a fascinating story, full of intrigue and excitement, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. She Came to Stay would appeal to lovers of both historical fiction and thrillers, marrying as it does both genres in an interesting and compelling way.

[Shelley]

She Came To Stay is a strong debut that kept me enthralled. Atmospheric and engrossing 1950s Soho was almost as much of a character as Dina and the mysterious Bebba. Still very much under the watchful eye of her older brother, Dina dreams of breaking free to live her life her way. She doesn’t want to be found a husband and settle down to a quiet life as wife and mother. She dreams of making a life for herself as well as finding her own husband. She meets the glamorous, exciting Bebba and begins to feel her confidence grow but Bebba is not all she seems. Dina soon to realises that lies surround her and danger is not far behind.

This was certainly an exciting read. The beginning was a little slow but this enabled the scene to be set and London of the 1950s to be brought to life. The smog and hardship a juxtaposition against the glamour of jazz clubs, changing fashions as they moved further away from the war years. I loved the historical details of events of the time, they added a real depth to the story. The story soon picked up the pace as events moved on and I was soon gripped. Dina’s world slowly fell into nightmare as Bebba’s past caught up with her. I wondered how she was going to get through and how she could turn events around and save herself. It was certainly exciting and well plotted. I thought the end was particularly good.

[Julie]

'She came to stay' is a beautifully written story of what life was like in 1950s London for Cypriot immigrants. Not only does Eleni Kyriacou tell a page-turning story, but her turn of phrase is exquisite. So inspiring is this eloquent phraseology in a commercial fiction novel that I am going to cite it as inspiration for my Masters. I am telling all my friends to read this book as it has truly stayed with me. I will never forget the way she evokes the London smog or her description of spices, ' the aroma of yellow spices chased her all the way to the third floor' - so evocative and memorable. There is an undercurrent of menace that runs throughout the book, also extremely well portrayed. The characters are truly lifelike and if I'm honest, this is not just the kind of book I love reading, but the kind of book I aspire to write. Hard to believe this is a debut novel. For me, it's the stand out novel of the year so far. I love it. Bravo.

[G]

4.5 stars

This book was so good! Easy to read and packed full of mystery and suspense. I didn't have a clue what was coming next and everything was told in a way that made you want to keep on reading. I loved the characters - I think they were written well, with their own clear personalities, strengths and weaknesses. The plot itself was very good, with lots of unexpected twists. I hadn't pinned Bebba down as a villain at first, but by the end her character severely irritated me and I was just waiting for her to get found out! I was glad she got what was coming to her by the end, but I did wonder what would become of her and Peter now that there was no reason for her to continue using him. Overall, an enjoyable read and one I would definitely read again.

Recommended for: ages 14+. Sex references, violence, some swearing.

[Bookmarkthatuk]

I don’t read a lot of historical fiction, but when you find a book like She Came to Stay, you’ll have yourself wondering why.

Kyriacou’s writing – could not get enough! Incredibly stunning and top of the game for the genre. Everything comes to life in front of you – within a few pages, you know that you’re on to a fantastic read.

The topic of family and relationships were beautifully done – whether we’re looking at the key characters or the smaller ones who really make a difference. With this, you have lies and deceit, which really meant I held a grudge against some characters.

Gifted in exchange for an honest review.

[Melanie]

A well written story of Greek Cypriot immigrants in the 1950s, this really brought to life the smog of London and the inequality of women in those days. Poor Dina is in the care (control) of her brother Peter who is a gambler, then she makes friends with Bebba, and that's when things start to spiral in a way she could never have imagined. I can't say this was an enjoyable read as I found all the secrets and lies too stressful!

[Nikki Marmery]

I loved this atmospheric book about toxic friendship and betrayal among Cypriot immigrants in 1950's London. Smog-filled, dingy Soho is brilliantly evoked, as are the characters: strong-willed Dina, her controlling brother, Peter, and glamorous, mysterious Bebba. A wonderful debut, and engrossing, addictive read.

[Lynne Bellamy]

Brilliantly written.

This book drew me in from the very first page. The description of London in the smog and the characters all came across very realistic, it felt like I could imagine being there.
Loved this book , would definitely recommend to anyone that likes a twist to their plots.

[Sheila]

4.5 stars. I don't read a lot of historical fiction, so this would probably have passed me by if I hadn't won a copy. I'm grateful that I did get to read it and I enjoyed the writing very much. The descriptions of Soho and the fog made me feel as if I was right there experiencing it all.

[Claire]

Wonderfully woven story about Dina & her brother Peter and how the meeting of Bebba affected their lives. Loved the setting of Soho and the era it was set.

[Patsy]

This is a don’t buy it, borrow it book. It was long and nothing happened and when it did you expected it 🤷🏼‍♀️

[Lizzie]

Dnf 😭

[Susan]

You can tell it was a debut book, the books she wrote after were better scored and gripping. This was nothing unexpected. I'm glad she improved on this average book. Not bad for a bit of escapism.

[Alice]

She Came to Stay, by Eleni Kyriacou, is exciting right from the very first page. We meet young Greek Cypriot Dina at a pivotal time of her life, as she gets her dream job repairing intricate stage costumes, not far from her new home in London. She loves making and altering clothes, and the money, on top of her earnings in a greasy spoon café, will help her rent a better place.

I took to Dina straightaway because she’s so enthusiastic, talented, and full of hopes and dreams. I was so happy for her when she got the job, and there was even a hint of romance on the horizon. I also loved the descriptions of the costumes she works on, as well as the gaudy venue in Soho where the artifice is just high enough to convince the punters that it’s a glamorous contrast to the drab city outside, which is still reeling from the devastation of WWII.

Unfortunately, Dina’s new life is derailed by her foolish, gambling addict brother Peter and her new friend Bebba, who quickly turns nasty. Bebba is the perfect villain: she gets under the siblings’ skin by captivating Dina with her wild personality and fun antics, and seducing Peter, making him so lovesick that he will - and does - do anything for her. Bebba persuades Dina and Peter to move into a bigger flat with her, and when her murky past catches up with her, the siblings become bound up in her web of deceit.

Dina finds herself in danger and trouble thanks to Bebba, but can’t practically extricate herself from her even though she’s now aware of her true character. Peter thinks he’s making his own choices when he goes to life-changing lengths to protect and help Bebba, but he’s actually being cleverly manipulated and used by her, and he continually fails to see this despite Dina’s attempts to reason with him.

I absolutely sped through this book. Bebba’s escalating devious behaviour, and Dina’s refusal to give up on her dreams, made me eager to see whether Bebba would end up pushing her luck too far, and Dina would manage to get things back on track. Without giving too much away, I found the ending very satisfying, and I inwardly cheered at the two twists in the closing chapters!

She Came to Stay is dazzling, addictive and satisfying, with brilliant characters.

[Caroline Kerdouci]

She came to Stay is a terrific piece of fiction inspired by the author’s own family background.
This is an atmospheric novel set mainly in Soho in the early 1950’s when London was plagued by smog, providing the perfect backdrop for the storyline. Brother and sister Peter and Dina are trying to make a new life for themselves in England although times are hard. From the outset you gain a good understanding of their differing characters, sensing Dina’s desire to one day escape the clutches of her older brother who appears to be a good for nothing scoundrel, rather too fond of gambling. As a skilled seamstress Dina is overjoyed to find work at the glamorous yet seedy nightclub The Pelican, desperate to supplement her meagre wages from her coffee house job and it is here she meets Bebba, a fellow Greek Cypriot. Bebba oozes sophistication and glamour and mystery and adds some much needed excitement to Dina’s life that is all hard work and no play. Will Bebba prove to be a true friend Dina can trust or is she all smoke and mirrors? After Bebba meets Peter, this becomes a turning point in their friendship, where nothing will ever be the same again and lives are changed forever.
This is a novel not only about friendship but of greed and deception and whilst Bebba and Peter are both unscrupulous individuals I thought they were fantastic characters, seemingly well suited in their conniving ways. Peter though is weak willed and unworthy of his sister’s love, quite despicable, whereas Bebba is strong willed and focused and determined to get her own way in life. On the other hand Dina, hard working and equally blessed with a strong will is smart and never loses sight of her desire to escape her humble beginnings in a foreign and sometimes hostile country. She’s a force to be reckoned with and I admired her tenacity.
Well paced and extremely easy to read, I was sucked into this storyline from the beginning and loved every turn of events, so that this felt like three people playing a game of one upmanship, like cat and mouse. Except the stakes are high and who will win? With the storyline taking the reader from the fog filled streets of Soho to Liverpool and Cyprus, this is a brilliantly written mystery.
Highly recommend and if you like Rachel Rhys then this is a book for you.
My thanks as always to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura]

Dina Demetriou arrives in London from Cyprus in the early 1950s. Although she's forced to share a tiny, damp flat with her brother Peter, things look up when she gets a job repairing costumes at a theatre and meets the glamorous Bebba. However, Dina could never have predicted how completely Bebba will turn her life and her brother's life upside down. Eleni Kyriacou's debut brings the fog and grime of postwar Soho vividly to life, evoking the glitter of the costumes Dina sews and the bars in which she drinks martinis. This novel has a light touch that's lacking in a lot of historical fiction, perfectly conveying the feel of the era without overloading the reader with detail. It's also a real pageturner, becoming more and more gripping as tensions tighten between Dina, Peter and Bebba. The Greek Cypriot background of the three central characters makes this story feel fresher and more original than much fiction set in the 1950s, and I particularly loved the way the writing conveys the insidious 'Great Smog' of 1952. I'd highly recommend this novel to anyone seeking an atmospheric and escapist historical thriller.

Disclaimer: Eleni Kyriacou is a friend of mine – we met while taking the Curtis Brown Creative novel-writing course in 2015/16. However, this review reflects my genuine opinion of this novel - I loved reading the early chapter drafts that Eleni shared on our course and have always had high expectations for the finished book.

[Jo-anne Atkinson]

Dina is a Greek Cypriot who has come to London in the 1950s along with her brother. Living in a dingy bedsit and working in a cafe her life is restricted and her brother's gambling means there is little chance of bettering herself. Then she meets the glamorous Bebba and this puts in motion of series of events that will turn Dina's life upside down.
I did like the setting of this book, both in terms of the Greek Cypriot immigrant community and also 1950s London. The restrictive and chaperoned life that Dina has to endure, the lack of independence and the naivety of her character are well described. Similarly the smog, the poverty and the greyness of post-Way London are imagined well. My issue with the book was in terms of the characters being very slightly drawn and the plot lurching towards the melodramatic in many places with a very obvious and rather cliched ending. However, it's a pleasant enough piece of escapism!

[Rob]

Set in smog-filled 1950s' London, She Came To Stay is the tale of two Greek Cypriot siblings and their friend who have all moved to the UK to make a better life.
The characters of Dina, Peter & Bebba are beautifully drawn, pulling you in from the get-go, and the descriptions of post-war London are thoroughly evocative - mentions of the original Pat Vals and bomb-damaged Soho ring so true.
A cracking storyline packed with secrets, as well as unexpected twists and turns make this, cliche or no, a proper page-turner.
Also, despite being set almost 70 years ago, the themes of xenophobia and women's struggle for equality that run through the novel continue to resonate.
I thoroughly recommend She Came To Stay and look forward to reading more from Eleni Kyriacou.

[Angela]

I loved this book. There was a strong sense of time and place - London, Soho, in the 1950s - when the capital was swathed in smog. Dina arrives from Greece full of excitement at the start of the book and I was soon wrapped up in her world, with its array of colourful and often untrustworthy characters. The plot moves quickly and is gripping. I didn't want to put the book down but then was sorry to leave the characters and their London haunts behind when I got to the end.

[Booklover BEV]

I found this such a gripping read. This book is set in Soho London 1952. Dina Demetriou hopes she can start a new life away from Cyprus. Lots of research in entailed in this book amd has everything from friendship to love and loss. I can highly recommend this book. You will be hooked from start to finish.

[Louise Fein]

I really enjoyed this book. Well researched, it was set in a time period (1950’s London), and told from the points of view of recent immigrants, in a way I’d not come across before. It was also an intriguing and unusual plot! I loved the development of the main character, Dina, and without any spoilers, it was a brilliant ending. A really enjoyable read!

[Kaytrina Jons]

Loved this. Set in London a few years before I was born, it took me back to my childhood. I felt strangely drawn to the characters even to Bebba. A brilliant read.