Behind Closed Doors by Catherine Alliott #Review

It is a real pleasure to be taking part in the celebrations for the publication of Catharine Alliott's Behind Closed Doors. Penguin Michael Joseph published it on March 4th and there has been great praise for it already:

‘Her writing is both intelligent and sparkling’ -  Marian Keyes

‘A huge treat. Hilarious yet poignant’ - Sophie Kinsella

'Compulsively readable’ - The Times

‘Warm, witty and wise’  Daily Mail 

‘Hilarious and full of surprises’ - Daily Telegraph

‘Classy, wonderfully gossipy and breathless’ - Red

‘An addictive cocktail of wit, frivolity and madcap romance’ - Time Out

When Lucy is unexpectedly widowed, she doesn't know where to turn.

She seeks refuge with her elderly parents in Oxfordshire, hoping for an escape from past memories -  and from her overbearing sister-in-law.

But she gets much more than she bargained for when she returns home. Her parents' bungalow is falling apart, and their surprisingly busy social life throws her in the path of an old childhood friend she hasn't seen for decades.

Yet as Lucy begins to move on, others start to ask questions.

Is she running away from her grief? Or did she leave something far worse behind . . .

Witty, poignant, at times heartwrenching, and drenched in Catherine’s characteristic warmth and humour, this is Michael Joseph’s lead Mother’s Day title – a story about love, loss, family, and above all, second chances.

                                                                                       My Thoughts

 Reading this book feels as though you are slowly unpicking a tapestry of a family and exposing the complex family dynamics which are being laid bare. It took me some time to decide whether I was going to take Lucy's version of events at face value or not and you soon understand that many are hiding aspects of their characters and their past. Family is absolutely central and there are several examples of co-dependent relationships. Some are extremely manipulative and others have gone along with a version of the truth to preserve appearances or to protect feelings.

    Despite some rather menacing themes, there are plenty of lighter episodes. Dealing with aging parents and the inevitable role reversal between parents and grown- up children offers rich pickings and there are lots of warm and witty moments. I also enjoyed Lucy's ability to analyse her own behaviour. It is as if she takes a step back and becomes an onlooker to herself. You don't however ever dislike her for this hyper self-awareness. In some ways it is a puzzle how she has allowed Michael to send her to the dark places he does. Her writing becomes her safety valve and at times, her revenge. 

In short: Clever writing, full of dark and shade

                                                                                About the Author

 

Catherine Alliott is the author of fifteen bestselling novels including About Last Night, My Husband Next Door, A Rural Affair, One Day in May, The Secret Life of Evie Hamilton, and Wish You Were Here. She lives with her family in Hertfordshire

 You can read my review of A Cornish Summer here.

You can follow Catherine here:  Twitter  |  Goodreads

Book link: Amazon UK 

Thanks to Catherine Alliott and Sriya Varadharajan of Michael Joseph for a copy of the book and a place on the tour.

Follow the rest of the tour!