The Mystery of Yew Tree House by Lesley Thomson

 The Mystery of Yew Tree House 

by Lesley Thomson

My thanks to the author and publisher , Head of Zeus, for sending me a copy to review and to Rachel's Random Resources for inviting me to take part on the Publication Day Promo Blitz

Synopsis

EIGHTY YEARS OF SECRETS.

1940. At Yew Tree House, recently widowed Adelaide Stride is raising her two daughters alone – but it’s not just the threat of German invasion that keeps her up at night. She is surrounded by enemies posing

as allies and, while war rages, she grows sure that something terrible is about to happen.

A BODY THAT REVEALS THEM ALL.

2023. Soon after Stella Darnell begins her holiday at Yew Tree House, a skeleton is found in a pillbox at

the bottom of the garden. The bullet hole in the skull tells her that the person was murdered.

This triggers the unravelling of a mystery eighty years in the making. Stella will learn that Adelaide was right to worry – the fighting might have been happening abroad, but the true enemy was always much closer to home...

A unique take on the traditional murder mystery from critically acclaimed author, Lesley Thomson, for fans of Elly Griffiths, Val McDermid and Mari Hannah.

My Review

Although this is the ninth book in the series , it stands very well as a standalone novel if, like me, you have not read any of the earlier books. After never having read any book by Leslie at all , I was drawn in by her style of writing and the clever use of the dual timeline to build up the suspense as you turn the pages , involving some of the characters in both the past and the present day stories. It doesn't matter if you have never met Stella and Jack before as you soon have enough information to create images of them and understand how their relationship and the turning point that the holiday may prove to be link together.

This is a psychological mystery in a category of its own and I'm not afraid to say that I found it incredibly creepy and sinister a lot of the time and there are some characters that will make your skin crawl.

There are also moments when you will laugh at Stella and Jack, especially when they are not on the best of terms  and are occupying themselves in different rooms, neither taking responsibility for the children.. Jack is engrossed in a jigsaw whilst Stella is reading Piaget in order to learn about dealing with the twins. ( I was given a copy of one of one of Jean Piaget's books when my children were little and I can honestly say it didn't get read until a few years ago ). Any way that is by the by , because whilst Stella and Jack are occupying themselves the twins have sneaked off with the dog to  do some Detective work of their own.

When I have time I will read some of the earlier books in The Detective Daughter series and find out how the characters have developed over time.

About the Author

Lesley Thomson grew up in west London. Her first novel, A Kind of Vanishing, won the People's Book Prize in 2010. Her second novel, The Detective's Daughter, was a #1 bestseller and the resulting series has sold over 800,000 copies. Lesley divides her time between Sussex and Gloucestershire. She lives with her partner and her dog.

Purchase Link

https://geni.us/TMOYTHRRR