The family secret by Terry Lynn Thomas #bookreview #ARC #providedforreview

Book Blurb

Will she find the truth?
England, 1940

After a sudden unexplained disappearance, Thomas Charles comes back into Cat Carlisle’s life with the suggestion she leave London – and the threat of bombs – to move to back her childhood village in Cumberland.

Back in her hometown Cat discovers her childhood friend, Beth Hargreaves, is suspected of murder. As Cat tries to prove Beth’s innocence, she discovers a scheme of deception that affects the whole village. Can she uncover the family truths behind the murder and expose the enemy hiding in plain sight?

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I wasn’t completely wowed by The family secret by Terry Lynn Thomas but I was entertained. 

Fancy a historical whodunnit with a slight Downton Abbey feel?

It was good.

It was well written.

And it was an easy no real effort read.

It was an ok mystery – something a bit lighter than the darker more twisty thrillers I’ve been enjoying of late. It’s a book I could recommend to my Gran – I love my Gran so that isn’t a criticism!

The family secret is the second book in the Cat Carlisle series. I do think it can be read as a standalone – I did. But at points, especially near the beginning, I felt I missed out on elements of the character’s back story. I felt some explanation for new readers was missing and might be useful.

The novel had quite the big cast. And I would struggle to say who the main character of the story actually was… I never had the chance to spend much time with Cat or Thomas. And I think that was probably a shame. I liked Cat, I just never saw much of her feisty, strong, amateur sleuth side that was hinted at. She was referred to as a trouble maker but didn’t make much trouble in this instalment.

It had a slow start. And maybe a bit of a slow middle. I felt like it took me several chapters and a good couple of hours of reading to get swept along by the cast of Rivenby villagers. The plot all unfolded at a slower pace than I would have preferred for a mystery. And I think the title gives away one of the main twists.

Although the book was set in the 1940’s I spent most of the time picturing the main characters as acquaintances of the Crawley family of Downton Abbey (Downton, I believe was set in the 1920s – It’s my imagination so no explanation needed :D). Something about the story, the characters or maybe the big expensive rural estates reminded me of Downton Abbey. And that is never a bad thing.

Overall, I enjoyed it and I would read more by Terry Lynn Thomas in the future.

The family secret by Terry Lynn Thomas was published on the 1st March 2019.

Have you read it? Fancy it?

I received a copy of The family secret by Terry Lynn Thomas for review from the publisher via NetGalley, the review is my own opinion.