276°
Posted 20 hours ago

Suspects: The emotionally gripping Sunday Times bestseller from Britain’s favourite storyteller

£9.9£99Clearance
ZTS2023's avatar
Shared by
ZTS2023
Joined in 2023
82
63

About this deal

From an outsiders perspective Willow Close appears to be an idyllic place to live but it seems that all of the residents of Willow Close have secrets that they don’t want discovering. All of the residents are suspects, with each suspect being focused on at various points giving you insight into each of their lives. With her father in the Royal Marines, Lesley and her older brother spent three years in grim orphanages before her father remarried – a veritable dragon of an ex army nurse – and Lesley and her older brother were brought home again, to be joined by two other children who were later adopted by her father and stepmother, and a continuing stream of foster children. As the police carry out interviews with each resident, it becomes clear that every neighbour has a secret to hide and some will go to extreme lengths to prevent exposure.

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and Penguin and I am leaving this review voluntarily When 13 year old Chloe is murdered, the residents of her street must try to hide their own secrets as the police try to solve the crime. New home owners, Nina and Conrad are soon wondering what kind of street they’ve moved into! It leads to a quite disjointed feel, the women are cut-out stereotypes of the ‘ tart with a heart’, ‘brazen hussie’‘curtain twitcher’variety, and there were several references to domestic violence which were framed as though it was ‘a woman’s lot’ which I took exception to. I would like to thank Netgalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for an advance copy of Suspects, a stand-alone novel set in Cheltenham in 2009.The extensive dramatis personae is full of stereotypes. The characters are so wooden that I felt I was in serious danger of getting splinters simply from holding my Kindle.

The truth in places like Willow Close, is that behind the neat gardens and spaciously arranged homes, the owners live very, very different lives. Not only does Chloe’s death shake the complacent, very white, upper middle class enclave, it acts as a catalyst. Her first novel was published in 1993 and is called Georgia. It was followed by the novels Tara, Charity, Ellie, and several more. She has also been published in the Great Escapes Collection. Lesley and her brother ended up in orphanages for three years after their mother died because their father was in the Royal Marines. They eventually got to go home again when their father remarried a sharp ex-Army nurse and was joined later by two more kids that were adopted by their father and stepmother, as well as a series of foster children that would come through. Pearse’s Belle Series debuted in 2011 with the publication of Belle. It was followed by The Promise, where main character Belle is desperate to do anything to make her life better. The third book in the series came out in 2014 and is titled Survivor.

Publication Order of Anthologies

Then her husband enlists in the Army and is sent to the battlefields. Belle starts to realize slowly that her entire life is on the verge of falling apart. But she is resilient and will not stand by and watch it happen. Belle volunteers to help treat the wounded and ends up working abroad as an ambulance driver for the Red Cross In France.

Over the pas few years I have been grateful to have been offered the opportunity to read Lesley Pearse’s thrillers, and I have enjoyed every one of them. Her new offering is Suspects, set in a a leafy susburb of Cheltenham, Willow Close. Nina and Conrad have been looking for their perfect new home for a while, and find it in Willow Close with its perfect front gardens, tranquil setting and perfect houses with gleaming windows. But on the day they move in the body of a young girl from Willow Close is found murdered in the woods. As the police investigation starts, and residents questioned, Nina and George begin to wonder if Willow Close is less Stepford Wives and more Nightmare on Elm Street. A fast-paced, psychological drama . . . with an enthralling plot, a cast of fascinating characters, and Pearse's addictive storytelling, Suspects will grip from start to finish The Best Life Project She is married now to her sweet husband. His name is Jimmy and he supports her as she supports them both on the hat shop she finally opened– her dream for so long, ever since she was young. But they can’t see what’s coming as the first world war gathers on the horizon and it is certain that a storm is coming. Belle’s life is so crazy but it’s about to change more than she ever knew possible– is she ready for it? So, a pretty THIN blonde girl is killed. She lives in a horseshoe shaped close where all the neighbours know each other.Thank you to the author, publishers Michael Joseph and online book club Pigeonhole for access to read this book for free. This is an honest and voluntary review. Lesley, I’m sorry to be so blunt, if this was your first draft of your first novel then it was good, for at that time, but it hasn’t aged well. I’m not trying to be cruel, but I’m struggling.

We then meet everyone else who lives in the cul-de-sac, plus Jim Marshall the investigating DI. I assume the plot is then meant to tantalise and intrigue, making the reader believe any of the residents could have been the killer, but sadly I was left cold, uninterested and frankly aghast at the outdated and offensive views of women, marriage, body shape, jobs and general attitudes. Full of deep secrets and drama, it’s engrossing to read and is very strong in its characterisation, so the reader gets to know all the residents through the individuals' perspectives and also the opinions of their neighbours. Filled with mistrust, blame and many questions, the author cleverly blurs lines and casts doubt all over with turns and unexpected reveals. Suspects is definitely worth a look. I'll say now, this book is apparently "not up to her usual standards", which is really good as there's no way to give no stars... I am afraid I cannot give a star rating to this book which is unusual given that I am a liberal giver of 4 and 5 stars. Nina, a florist and care worker, Conrad Best have found their dream home - 3 Willow Close. The Bests move in but on the same day, a body is found. The subsequent police investigation centres on the neighbours and uncovers more secrets than the residents would wish for.

There is a scene which I found so well written, tensions escalate into alcoholic excess and the entire Close come out shouting at each other. The way that the previously well thought of people let their guards down felt authentic, however, with a child being murdered, would these people have gone and had a drunken verbal assault within feet of grieving parents? The suspects is a mystery thriller surrounding the murder of a young, teenage girl on a close-knit street. As the investigation progresses, it begins to surface that not all is as it seems in this jolly community. As the truth begins to unfold in the lives of those you thought you knew, and as two nee residents move in, you are taken on a whirlwind of a ride, full of twists and turns, until finally the truth comes to light! Suspects is very much a character driven tale with everyone a suspect for something. It is a tale about a neighbourhood with many secrets that can no longer be kept hidden, a dead body and a determined policeman with justice in his sights. A gentle mystery from Lesley Pearse…. Belle is a simple courtesan, but she knows that the assets she has now will not last. She is going to have to find a way out of this world, whether finding something else to do or escaping completely. Belle has to get out and get away from the men who want her attention and this world entirely. But the road ahead will be full of dangers, even for someone as resourceful as she is.

Asda Great Deal

Free UK shipping. 15 day free returns.
Community Updates
*So you can easily identify outgoing links on our site, we've marked them with an "*" symbol. Links on our site are monetised, but this never affects which deals get posted. Find more info in our FAQs and About Us page.
New Comment