Just What Kind of Mother Are You? by Paula Daly

I just finished reading Just What Kind of Mother Are You? by Paula Daly, two nights ago, and since I keep falling behind on reviewing, I figure I should talk about it right now.

Just What Kind of Mother Are You? is about a woman who is a working mother of three, married to a taxi driver and living in England's Lake Country. She works at an animal shelter and is so overwhelmed that she finds herself frequently spacing out, particularly around the children. Lisa is thinking about the fact that she needs to be more attentive when her friend Kate calls and asks her a strange question: "How are the girls?" This throws Lisa, but it's not till later that anyone realizes her friend's daughter, Lucinda, is missing. Lisa feels responsible. Lucinda was supposed to have spent the night with Lisa's daughter, Sally, but Sally became ill and missed school. Nobody knows exactly when Lucinda disappeared but she should have been with Sally. Lisa didn't bother calling Kate to let her know Sally was ill.

Lucinda is the second 13-year-old to disappear in England. The first was half naked when she showed up, having been repeatedly raped. A known rapist is out there. Does he have Lucinda? When a third girl goes missing and Lucinda hasn't shown up, does that mean Lucinda is dead?

There are all sorts of little twists and turns to Just What Kind of Mother Are You? While I figured out a couple of the questions that the story posed before they were revealed, I found the book impossible to put down for long and raced through it. The ending, while predictable in some ways, was still utterly satisfying. Unfortunately, reading a single suspense novel did not manage to usher in cold weather as I'd hoped, although it has cooled off a little bit. So, I need to read a second suspense and cross my fingers that a real cold front will show up as I'm reading.

Highly recommended - I love a suspense that has so many little strands that it poses a lot of questions. Just What Kind of Mother Are You? was apparently Paula Daly's first book. If so, I'm impressed. It is very well-written with believable, very human characters and suspense that keeps going, right till the answers are revealed. It didn't even matter that I figured out a couple of the mysterious plot points because there was enough left hanging that I was still in suspense, even when I thought I knew what exactly was going on. Now, I'm wishing I had more of Daly's books sitting around. I may look to see if there are more titles I can order. I've enjoyed both of the books I read by Daly and I'm glad I saved Just What Kind of Mother Are You? for a time when I needed a slump-breaker.


©2016 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

Keep Your Friends Close by Paula Daly

Keep Your Friends Close by Paula Daly
Copyright 2014
Corgi (an imprint of Random House UK) - Suspense/Crime
399 pp. incl. Q & A with author

You already know I won Keep Your Friends Close and another of title from the author, Paula Daly, if you hang around here much. Well, I was just emerging from a slower-paced title and craving a quicker pace when the two books walked in the door. I kept looking at this one and I love the cover; it's appealing in a creepy way and just looked like something suspenseful enough to keep the pages flying. So, I gave in within 24 hours of the book's arrival.

Good decision. Keep Your Friends Close is the story of Natty, a woman whose family owns a hotel and house next door to each other in England's Lake District. How Natty and her husband Sean managed to acquire such a prime bit of property is never mentioned but they have succeeded due to a lot of hard work, drive extraordinarily expensive cars to show for it, and clearly cater to a wealthy clientele.

Natty is obsessive to the point of neglecting her husband and even her health. She's growing a bit too thin. Her children are her other priority. Alice is a bit sulky. Felicity is more laid-back. Felicity is on a school trip to France as the book opens and Natty is cleaning like a madwoman. She's so obsessive about cleanliness that it's almost a family joke; she even follows the maids, whom she thinks not quite dedicated enough to do the job right.

Natty's best friend from college is dropping by for a visit. Just as Eve arrives, though, Natty receives a dramatic call from Felicity's teacher. Felicity has fallen ill and is in surgery. It's unknown whether or not she'll survive. Natty hastily packs and Eve offers to watch after Alice and the hotel but Sean can only get a single ticket on the next flight and Natty insists that she must be the one to go. Their manager is on vacation so Sean ends up remaining behind at Natty's request, even when he's able to join her.

And, here is where the suspense begins. Eve is a dangerous woman who has set her sights on Sean, a man neglected enough that he's easily wooed. By the time Natty and Felicity return, Sean and Eve are a couple. Shocked to her core, Natty becomes irrational and gets into a bit of trouble. But, when Natty begins to suspect that there's something bigger going on than just a friend stealing her husband, she discovers that Eve is not the person she claims to be. Through the combined efforts of Natty and a detective named Joanne, Eve's history begins to form. But, will it be too late for Natty and her family?

Highly recommended - A genuine page-turner. There were some moments that I thought, "This is a bit implausible," but I didn't care. I found Keep Your Friends Close addictively readable and was astonished at how many times the author surprised me. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next . . . nope, wrong again. And, every time I put it down I kept thinking, "Argh, I want to read!!!" I love that. I'm looking forward to reading the other Paula Daly book I won in that Twitter drawing and particularly recommend Keep Your Friends Close for beach, train or plane reading.

©2015 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.

To Be a Cat by Matt Haig

To Be a Cat by Matt Haig

Copyright 2012

Corgi (a division of Random House) - Children's Fantasy/Middle Reader

312 pp.

From the cover:

What if I told you that tomorrow you'd wake up as a cat?  That's right.  You heard me. A cat.  Whiskers, fur, four paws, a tail -- the real deal.  You might not believe me.  But really, you should be thanking me.  Most people don't have any kind of warning, you see.  It comes as a complete shock to them.  It came as a shock to Barney Willow.

My little synopsis:

Barney Willow isn't very confident.  The kids pick on him at school and the head teacher seems to have a vendetta against him, though he can't say why.  His parents are divorced and his father has disappeared.  The only real light in his life is his best friend, Rissa. 

What Barney doesn't realize is that cats are magic.  And, when you wish to be a cat, you can trade places with one.  After Barney becomes a cat, he discovers something much more sinister is going on than just a simple magic bit of switcheroo.  Can Barney stay alive long enough to become human, again?  

Best opening, ever:

Here is a secret I shouldn't really tell you, but I will because I just can't help it.  It's too big.  Too good. OK, sit down, get ready, brace yourself, have some emergency chocolate handy.  Squeeze a big cushion.  Here it is: 

Cats are magic. 

~p. 1

The first chapter had me laughing out loud and it stays funny but it's equal parts humorous and creepy. As books for young readers go, To Be a Cat is awfully entertaining.  I read it in two big gulps.  Matt Haig has a delicious sense of humor and the story is unique enough to keep surprising even an adult.  

Highly recommended - A delightful story with a likable young hero, a quirky sidekick, a nicely sinister arch enemy and a clever storyline.  I learned about Matt Haig via Twitter (where he is one of my tweeps) and decided to start with a children's book about a cat for obvious reasons (Crazy Cat Lady alert).  

Good choice and now I'm anxious to read The Humans, Haig's latest adult novel.  In fact, I regret not picking up a copy in London.  It has a beautiful British cover but the American cover is hideous.  I can't imagine why they went with that image.  Wait, I'll show you:

American cover at left.

British cover at right.

Colorful vs. . . . what?  Were they going for "striking"?  A gorgeous, colorful cover is much more likely to grab my attention.  I came perilously close to buying it but restrained myself because it was a hardback and I try to shoot for buying only paperbacks when I travel. But, now I really want a copy.  I'm just going to have to go back to London. That's all there is to it.

I purchased my copy of To Be a Cat at Foyle's (the flagship store on Charing Cross Road -- go there if you're ever in London; you'll love it).  

Also, if you have experienced depression or know someone who is suffering, you must read Matt Haig's "Reasons to Stay Alive", which is very inspiring.  

©2013 Nancy Horner. All rights reserved. If you are reading this post at a site other than Bookfoolery  or its RSS feed, you are reading a stolen feed. Email bookfoolery@gmail.com for written permission to reproduce text or photos.