The Vacation by John Marrs

 

This is a well-constructed story which comes to a slow boil. There is a large cast of characters who are each introduced in their own separate chapter; and the tricky technique of moving backwards and forwards in time which, although I don’t usually like, works beautifully here. It’s all quite innocuous until it’s not and it suddenly becomes a nail biting page turner.

The action takes place mainly in a backpackers’ hostel in Venice Beach, Los Angeles and the subjects of this story are American, English, Irish and Australian. Flashbacks slowly reveal their lives before they came to Venice Beach and their reasons for being there. Issues of love, hate, obsession, friendship, betrayal and a murder or two are all part of the story. The twists and turns are very clever and I for one got a few surprises which made for a most enjoyable read. 

John Marrs has written another book, The One, which was bought by Netflix and became a miniseries. I can definitely see that happening with The Vacation as well! 

Published by Macmillan

The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan

 

This is a book about four women living in England during World War 2. Food rationing called for imagination and ingenuity and it was a daily struggle to keep families fed. The Kitchen Front in this story was a BBC program on behalf of the Ministry of Food in which a male presenter gave advice and tips to the housewives of Britain on how best to utilise their rations in food preparation. When the radical idea is floated that maybe a woman should appear on the program occasionally, it is decided to hold a competition to find the best and, of course, the most adaptable (female) British cook whose prize will be a place as co-presenter of The Kitchen Front.

It’s not a light and fluffy story. The four lead characters, Audrey, Gwendoline, Zelda and Nell, personify the struggles and hardships endured by those who stayed at home through those terrible years. So many women were left alone to raise children while dealing with grief over the loss of a husband to the war; there was the ongoing pre-war discrimination against women; there was class discrimination and the hidden shame of domestic violence, and also judgmental attitudes towards those who stepped outside the perceived bounds of the morality of the day.

On the other side of the coin it’s a story celebrating endurance in the face of adversity; friendship; inclusivity; bravery, compassion and love. There are recipes from that time dotted throughout the book using wartime rations of which I, as someone who has never mastered the art of cooking, stand in awe.

All in all, a lovely, heartfelt book which will stay with me for a long time. I congratulate Jennifer Ryan on a 5/5 star read.

Published by Macmillan

A Change of Circumstance by Susan Hill

 It was a very happy day for me when I discovered a new Simon Serrailler Case by the brilliant Susan Hill. This is an absolutely superb series of crime novels. Simon Serrailler is a detective chief superintendent in Lafferton, a fictional cathedral town in the south of England, Simon is also an artist who sometimes exhibits his art works and he has a flat in a beautiful Georgian house in the cathedral close. He has a twin sister, Cat, who is a doctor. Cat’s first husband died, leaving her with two sons and a daughter and she is now married to Kieron, Simon’s boss. 

This case relates to the increase of drugs in the area and, in particular, to the practice of ‘county lines’ which has vulnerable young people acting as messengers, taking drugs in packets to assigned places, usually first having been  given gifts and then told they owed the giver a favour, or being threatened with exposure or blackmail. There are some very nasty individuals involved and Simon’s purpose is to try and get to the higher-ups in the organisation and put an end to at least part of the insidious illegal drugs trade in his area.

Simon’s family life, and his romantic life, are fascinating subjects. In this book Simon is considering leaving his perfect flat in its wonderful setting and buying a house and moving out into the countryside. He is wondering if he is at last ready to share his life with Rachel, the woman he loves - or does he? 

As with all of Susan Hill’s books I was faced with the dilemma of wanting to read until my eyes dropped out; or, alternatively, taking it slow so I didn’t get to the end too soon. Well, my eyes did drop out (or, almost) but I have put them back in and wish I had taken the slow option so there was still more of this terrific story waiting for me.

For anyone who hasn’t read Susan Hill’s Simon Serrailler series, I recommend starting them from the start.  I rate them all 5 out of 5.

Published by Vintage.