Jen P

Another thrilling tale by Laura Purcell. I read this after [b:Bone China 44597241 Bone China Laura Purcell https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1556549547l/44597241.SY75.jpg 69230264] and thought “how can anything top that?” Well, The Silent Companions doesn't top it but is on par. A strong storyline that again keeps you guessing from start to the finish. Although this ending was less open ended and perhaps the bleakest one out of her novels. I found this story more chilling and there was a stronger sense of peril. I would recommend it as a must read. Laura Purcell once again has written a page turner.

Captivating story. Excellent debut storytelling that definitely makes me want to keep and eye out for further Bridget Collins works!

I found it interesting the way the story was split distinctly into 3 parts from 3 different perspectives though at first I was dismayed when it got to the end of the first part and the perspective changed - I was like “nooo I need to know what happens next, not what already happened!” But actually I did find the differing perspectives kept the overall story engaging. As I neared the last few chapters I had a sense of loss that the story was almost over and it didn't feel like there would be resolution. There was certainly a conclusion, one built on hope and some mystery remaining (perfect for a sequel?) but I did feel that the ending did seem rushed in comparison to the slower descriptive prose that dominated the rest of the book.

I found this very gripping from the first page to the last. Each page imbued with a sense of frantic dread. Very well rounded female leads that I was rooting for the whole way. The ending wrapped up the story very nicely with a little bit of a mystery at the end - was witchcraft real? I didn't know a lot about the Pendle Witch Trials so this inspired me to read more about what took place. For a debut novel this was fantastic and I quickly got a copy of Stacey Hall's second novel “The Foundling”, eager to read more.

A brilliant first novel by Megan Campisi. I found the very thinly veiled references to Elizabethan history quite tongue in cheek and amusing. A very emotive story, a few grim and ghastly moments but overall May's bright and guileless inner thoughts provided a sense of wry humour and more importantly, hope. I look forward to more works from Megan Campisi.

PS: I also found the cover art really stunning, one of my favourites ever.

Such a heartwarming and thought provoking story; you never know what goes on with a person behind closed doors. You root for Eleanor the entire journey and empathise with her quirks. Gail Honeyman has created a beautifully complex character. There's light humour mixed in with the poignant moments. I smiled through most of this story.