This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Kelly Allen
When Helen arrives at a small Yorskshire village she becomes the talk of the town. Rumours ranging from her being a rock star to seeing out her final days there spread like wildfire, but the truth is even more fascinatingly dark than even the local gossip could imagine.
Helen moves into a run down hall, bolting and closing herself in to a small part of the building in the hope of being left alone.
The problem is, Helen doesn't even know the full extent of what really happened the night she fled from a burning building, the memory of her estranged husband's body forming her nightmares.
However, retired journalist Gil notices that all is not right, and even with his distaste for gossip, he cannot resist piecing together the truth about Helen, her past and her reason for hiding away in Wildfell Hall.
This book was very easy to get into, both through the style of writing and the subject matter. Everyone likes a bit of mystery and suspense, right?
Helen is the kind of character you can only half get to know, because she actually remembers very little about who she really is. She is edgy, scared and verging on paranoid, all of which transmits beautifully from the page and into imagination.
Because of Helen's standoffish attitude, it was hard, but not impossible, to really like her. Because no-one really knows what happened the night of the fire, you can't be sure about her innocence in the whole thing. This caused me to feel wary of her as a person, a great skill from writer Sam Baker, in my opinion.
Gil is my favourite character in this book, he seems so kind and concerned yet he also has his own issues. I like how 'real' he is as a person. I really looked forward to the chapters set from his point of view, I felt like he was somebody I would really click with in real life.
As for the story, it is full of suspense and questioning. Even the last few chapters keep you guessing about the 'truth' and whether Helen has been honest or not. I really like that it kept me guessing for so long and when all the pieces of the puzzle begin to fit into place it all makes sense.
I enjoyed reading this book, it was interesting and heartbreaking as well as extremely intense (especially towards the end). It is definitely an edge-of-your-seat kinda read, so make sure you lock up your house before you begin!
7/10