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The Elephant Girl (2013)

by Henriette Gyland(Favorite Author)
4 of 5 Votes: 2
ISBN
178189020X (ISBN13: 9781781890202)
languge
English
genre
publisher
Choc Lit
review 1: This novel is an intriguing mixture of crime, romance and mystery, with a heroine you root for from the word go. Having been a witness to her mother’s murder and then rejected by the rest of her family, Helen certainly has her demons, and it’s easy to see why she wouldn’t trust anyone. Not even the charismatic hero, Jason, who I loved, but who has his own problems to contend with and a family that is every bit as dysfunctional as Helen’s. As they search for hidden truths, trying to make sense of the past, the reader is taken on a very emotional journey. I was gripped by this story, wanting to know what had happened, and I wasn’t disappointed. For anyone who likes romantic suspense, this is a must-read!
review 2: This is a great romantic thriller/
... moremystery! I'm not going to say too much about the plot as I don't want to spoil it for future readers, but here's why I enjoyed it so much. First of all there is not one boring or superfluous paragraph, and the pace is really good. Gyland must have put a lot of thought into the characters' backgrounds and their environment. Everything seems to be properly thought through and researched, from the art/antiques dealing world which Helen reluctantly is dragged into to the epilepsy from which she suffers. The other characters, such as the stuttering Lee, the mischievous Charlie and the tragic Fay, are as interesting as the hero and heroine, with their own lives and demons to deal with. In the end Helen must learn to accept that people are people with their strengths and weaknesses, and that everything is not what it seems on the surface. In short, I love the realism of this novel. The problem with many romantic thrillers/mysteries is that the romance often softens the edges of the main conflict - or that the main conflict dominates the romance. I think Gyland has succeeded in creating a perfect balance. My only criticism is that I miss a proper surprise, a real twist, in the end. I think the genre requires it to be a hundred percent perfect. Having said that, I think it deserves 5 stars anyway as it kept me hooked from the first to the last page. I look forward to Gyland's next novel. less
Reviews (see all)
Winter
I loved this complex, well crafted and many layered tale. Another standout from Henriette.
Jan
This was very different. If you like a good who done it then this is for you.
iris
Nothing special. Characters were a little two dimensional
Ang3L
hmm, pretty formulaic but easy enough to read
TroyDutton
thoroughly enjoyed this murder mystery
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