Eloise Ford was a Small Pond person. And within that pond, she wasn't even a big fish...
The Blurb
Life as a missing person is absolute murder...
When artist Eloise Ford hears that human remains found in an abandoned mine are believed to be those of long-missing teenager Elizabeth King, the shock sends her reeling.
It can't be true. Eloise knows this for a fact because... she is Elizabeth King.
Now, her carefully curated life in Cornwall is falling apart. Her husband is acting strangely, her children aren't speaking to her and she can't sell a painting for love nor money. But much more worrying are the signs that someone knows exactly who she is... and why she had to vanish thirty years ago.
Eloise needs answers. Is her son's ex-girlfriend just plain annoying... or does she know something? Will the detection skills of the online 'Truth Seekers' group prove more than amateurish? What's the real story behind those village newcomers?
And just how far would she go to keep her family, her friends, and her fraudulent life, safe?
My Review
I enjoyed every page of this super book and was sorry when it reached it's satisfying conclusion, as I would have happily carried on reading.
The main character is Eloise Ford, who enjoys her life. She has good friends, a wonderful husband, and two children who have flown the nest. However, she is keeping a secret from the past. She used to be known as Elizabeth King, and when remains of a woman are found and they are thought to be Elizabeth, Eloise is the only one who knows that the remains aren't hers. It is at this point that Eloise's carefully constructed life in Cornwall begins to unravel.
The book is told from the alternating perspectives of Eloise and her son's girlfriend, Holly. Holly is a fabulous character, and whilst she has flaws of her own, is very likable. She is drawn into a true crime Facebook group called Truth Seekers UK, and some of the narrative is told via the posted messages in the group. This added another dimension to the story. It served to break up the prose whilst moving the story along perfectly. In addition, we are also introduced to other characters.
The book was well plotted, with some marvellous twists and turns which kept me guessing. The author's excellent writing style had me gripped throughout. It was perfectly paced for the genre, and it was easy to read and to become engrossed in the story.
I am now very keen to read other books by this author. This was a fabulous book to read. It is publishing today and I highly recommend it.
Other books available by Jo Jakeman are:
Book Details
ISBN: 9781408718421
Publisher: Constable
Formats: e-book and hardback
No. of Pages: 368 (hardback)
Purchase Links
About the Author
Born in Cyprus, Jo Jakeman worked for many years in the City of London before moving to Cornwall with her husband and twin boys. When she's not writing or reading, Jo walks the coastal paths and plots the fictional downfall of those who have wronged her.
She is the author of One Bad Apple.
You can also find Jo at:
(ARC and media courtesy of the publisher)
(all opinions are my own)
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