Revenge of the Tide

Title: Revenge of the Tide

Author: Elizabeth Haynes

Number of pages: 344

Started: 10 May 2012

Finished: 15 May 2012

Opening words:

It was there when I opened my eyes, that vague feeling of discomfort, the rocking of the boat signalling the receding tide and the wind from the south, blowing upriver, straight into the side of the Revenge of the Tide.

Plot summary:

Genevieve has finally escaped the stressful demands of her sales job and achieved her dream: to leave London behind and start a new life aboard a houseboat in Kent. But on the night of her boat-warming party the dream is shattered when a body washes up beside the boat, and Genevieve recognises the victim.

As the sanctuary of the boatyard is threatened, and Genevieve s life seems increasingly at risk, the story of how she came to be so out of her depth is unfolded, and Genevieve finds out the real cost of mixing business with pleasure…

What I thought:

This was another enjoyable (again I use that word with some reservations when it comes to her books, given the subject matter) book by Elizabeth Haynes.  It was a decent story that set up an intriguing scenario – a woman living on a boat having given up her jobs in London, sales woman by day, pole dancer by night.

I did think the book was longer than it needed to be - it could have done with moving at a slightly faster pace in places.  The book also was not as good as Haynes debut novel, Into the Darkest Corner, but given all the plaudits that has received, that might not be the easiest to achieve.

It was a very readable book and possibly the reader would benefit from reading this book before Into the Darkest Corner because if you like this one, you then have an even better one to read by then turning to her debut novel.  I am nothing if not full of helpful suggestions…

Into the Darkest Corner

Title: Into the Darkest Corner

Author: Elizabeth Haynes

Number of pages: 403

Started: 7 April 2012

Finished: 17 April 2012

Opening words:

Lancaster Crown Court


R-v-BRIGHTMAN

Wednesday 11 May 2005

Morning Session

Before:
THE HONOURABLE MR JUSTICE NOLAN

Mr Maclean: Would you please state your full name?
Mr Brightman: Lee Anthony Brightman.
Mr Maclean: Thank you. Now, Mr Brightman, you had a relationship with Miss Bailey, is that correct?
Mr Brightman: Yes.
Mr Maclean: For how long?
Mr Brightman: I met her at the end of October in 2003. We were seeing each other until the middle of June last year.
Mr Maclean: And how did you meet?
Mr Brightman: At work. I was working on an operation and I happened to meet her through the course of that.
Mr Maclean: And you formed a relationship?
Mr Brightman: Yes.
Mr Maclean: You said that the relationship ended in June. Was that a mutual decision?
Mr Brightman: Things had been going wrong for a while. Catherine was very jealous of the time I spent away from her working. She was convinced I was having an affair.
Mr Maclean: And were you?

Read a longer extract here.

See an excerpt from The TV Book Club about this book.

Plot summary:

Catherine has been enjoying the single life for long enough to know a good catch when she sees one. Gorgeous, charismatic, spontaneous – Lee seems almost too perfect to be true. And her friends clearly agree, as each in turn falls under his spell.
But there is a darker side to Lee. His erratic, controlling and sometimes frightening behaviour means that Catherine is increasingly isolated. Driven into the darkest corner of her world, and trusting no one, she plans a meticulous escape. Four years later, struggling to overcome her demons, Catherine dares to believe she might be safe from harm. Until one phone call changes everything.

What I thought:

I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to read this book. It has a somewhat sombre subject matter, domestic violence, and also one of those books that seems very hyped – it was even Amazon’s book of the year. Despite my scepticism, this was actually a very good book. I thought it was a well written novel and although it could have been a very depressing book, it actually wasn’t, perhaps because the main character never seemed like a “victim” – she showed a strength throughout regardless of the seemingly hopeless situation she was in.

It was an interesting lesson in properly listening to people, even if there are reasons to doubt them.