This post was originally published at Novelicious.com and is now at WritingTipsOasis.com. WritingTipsOasis.com acquired Novelicious.com in June 2022.
Reviewed by Susan Lobban
Welcome back to the Mitchell Estate, where some of the residents are more welcoming than others.
When Lewis was away in the army the comforts of home and family were never far from his mind. However, now that he is back he cannot settle and his thoughts are forever clouded by the horrors of war.
When Megan was at school she had dreams beyond the estate, but despite now being grown up her insecurities are holding her back. A cuppa with her mum and the soaps on TV are the sum total of her social life.
When Donna got married and had a young family she thought that was her set for life. Unfortunately her husband had other plans. A new younger man is on the scene but she does not want her heart broken again.
Scars are not always visible but they always run deep.
I am relatively new to Mel Sherratt books but once I discovered The Estate series I was quickly hooked and devoured the first three, each one being better than the last. As soon as the fourth book came out I could not wait to return to the familiar streets. It certainly did not disappoint and I felt instantly at home as I feel I am beginning to know the area like the back of my hand. However, you could read any of the books as a standalone as events of the past are only briefly mentioned.
The grit of the past books have been compared to the writing of Martina Cole and if you like that style then you will certainly enjoy these. I prefer Mel’s tales though, as in amongst the grime of estate life the resident’s stories are heartwarming rather than despair driven.
To outsiders the Mitchell Estate may not seem the ideal place to live, but the characters we follow are able to find solace in their homes and with the support of their neighbours. Rather than unexpected plot twists, the internal struggles each character suffers with kept me gripped throughout. Mel Sherratt’s characters break the stereotypical mould by showing hidden depths.
Written in the Scars unearths the tender heart beneath the dirt of the rough streets.9/10