Joseph Scott has just left prison after serving three years for manslaughter. He killed his wife Zoe in front of their three children. During the time that Joseph was imprisoned his children have grieved for their mother, and managed to move on with their lives. They are now being brought up by Hannah and Freddie, Zoe’s parents. Now he is out all he wants is to rebuild a relationship with Scarlett, Theo and Ben and become a proper father to them, but his mother in law Hannah is determined not to allow this.
The story is told from the points of view of Scarlett, Hannah and Joseph and each one felt very real to me; Scarlett’s fear, Hannah’s anger and Joseph’s desperation. Through their eyes we see the effect that seeing their mother’s death has had on the children. It has also had a major effect on Zoe’s parents and how they feel about their grandchildren. This book speaks very frankly about mental illness and it is done well. The themes of love, loss and redemption are also all present in this book.
I have said before about Charity Norman’s books that she brings the characters and their world to life, and it is very true of this book. York, where a large amount of the book is set, is really brought to life and it is very easy to imagine exactly where things are happening. This was a fantastic read!
5/5 stars
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