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The Cottage at Brambleton Hall by Debbie Morrison #Review #BrambletonSeries

  The Cottage at Brambleton Hall by Debbie Morrison was published on 8th October by Prosperina Press . What if your best friend wanted your new life too? Sammy Jenkins only comes to Brambleton because her best friend Chloe needs a favour. Again. One shift serving canapés at a North Devon country mansion. Then it’s back to mounting bills and a life that's going nowhere. Except the owner of the estate sees something in her. Suddenly, Sammy is being offered a full-time job as housekeeper, complete with a cottage of her own. It’s more than she ever dreamed of, even if Chloe thinks it should all have been hers. But settling into life at Brambleton Hall isn't easy. Magnus, the butler, demands perfection. And Nate, the handsome, reserved gardener, gives nothing away. Somehow, though, Sammy is making it work. She has a home that's just for her, a job she’s good at and Nate might not be quite as distant as he first seemed. Then Chloe comes to stay. And while Sammy understands the r...
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Little Friends by Jane Shemilt #Review

Jane Shemilt's Little Friends was published on February 20th by Penguin and I am delighted to be taking part in the celebrations for its publication. You can read my review of her novel, How Far We Fall  here.

Their children are friends first. They hit it off immediately, as kids do. 

So the parents are forced to get to know each other. But as they get closer, they start to take their eyes off their children. 

And while they have been looking the other way, evil has crept in.

Every parent's biggest nightmare is about to come true...

My Thoughts

This is one of those immersive novels which draws you in. You are given the story from the perspectives of the three mothers in the group, Eve, Grace and Melissa. They are all such different personalities but have been put together because of their children who are being tutored by Eve. As the three couples meet and socialize, they are so self- obsessed that they do not notice how their children are running wild. You know from the beginning that something terrible has happened and the little insights into the children's lives are unsettling as you realise how unaware the parents are.

    The  horror that is going on within the setting of domesticity seems to add to the tension. You realise early on that there is unhappiness in all the couples' lives and a lot of covering over the cracks going on at all levels. From the beginning you are told to look beneath the surface to the darkness below. Truth is in short measure. This is a great read to keep you on the edge of your seat. Even the title seems to hold a hidden meaning. Glance at it and it can quickly turn to fiends.

In short: Cruelty lies just beneath the surface.
About the Author

 While working as a GP, Jane Shemilt completed a postgraduate diploma in Creative Writing at Bristol University and went on to study for the MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa, gaining both with distinction. Her first novel, Daughter, was selected for the Richard & Judy Book Club, shortlisted for the Edgar Award and the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize, and went on to become the bestselling debut novel of 2014.

She and her husband, a professor of neurosurgery, have five children and live in Bristol. 


You can follow Jane here: Twitter   |  Website 

Book links: Amazon UK

Thanks to Jane Shemilt and Sriya Varadharajan from Michael Joseph, Penguin Random House for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.


                                     Be sure to check out the rest of the tour!

 
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