Project and content management for Contemporary Authors volumes
WORK TITLE: Before I Let You
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE:
CITY: Shropshire
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: British
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Married; children: yes.
EDUCATION:Holds a master’s degree in psychology.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, novelist, and administrator. Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service, fire safety systems administrator.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
British novelist and thriller writer Jenny Blackhurst is a native of Shropshire, England, where she grew up and where she still lives. Blackhurst holds a master’s degree in psychology.
How I Lost You
How I Lost You, Blackhurst’s debut novel, concerns what happens when a woman who spent four years in a psychiatric facility for killing her baby makes a startling discovery when she’s released. Protagonist Susan Webster was convicted of killing her son, Dylan, in the midst of a severe case of postpartum depression. After being paroled, she has changed her name and moved to Shropshire, looking to start over. She is stunned, however, when she receives a photograph of a four-year-old boy with Dylan’s name on the back, leading her to believe that her son is still alive. She enlists the aid of Nick Whitely, a reporter investigating the disappearance of the medical examiner whose testimony was used to convict Susan. She also gets help from Cassie Reynolds, who was her best friend in the psychiatric facility. As Nick and Susan work to find out if Dylan is still alive, they uncover evidence that she may have been wrongly convicted through falsified evidence and testimony, and that it was somehow connected to her ex-husband’s past. More messages arrive, and escalating vandalism and violence occur, yet Susan knows she can’t back down if there’s even a chance that her son is still alive.
Blackhurst has noted how the emotions and circumstances surrounding the birth of her son. “There are a lot of mixed up feelings which come with the arrival of a new baby and I feel it’s definitely a time a woman can feel most vulnerable and suggestible. There are so many doubts that set in about your sense of identity and who you were before vs who you are now. I found it a very emotionally rich time which was incredibly conductive to writing,” she commented in an interview with Gillian Harner on the website Words with Jam.
In an interview on the website Crime Thriller Girl, Blackhurst remarked on how much of a unique experience it was for her to write a novel. “I’d had nothing to do with the writing world before I got the contract for How I Lost You, I wrote it in kind of a bubble, didn’t know any other authors and didn’t expect anyone to ever read it so going from that kind of isolation to suddenly everyone having an opinion on something you created out of your head is a big thing to take on board,” she said in the interview. Blackhurst also noted that the experience was almost enough to make her give up writing, but that finding a group of fellow authors revived her spirit. “Crime writers are amazing—it’s like having a huge support network and helped me to enjoy what I was doing and remember what I loved about writing,” she told the interviewer on the Crime Thriller Girl website.
In a Booklist review, Christie Tran called How I Lost You an “addictive read; a strong recommendation for those who like suspense tinged with a little romance.” A Publishers Weekly writer found it to be a “captivating if flawed first novel.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that the “mystery is engaging” and that the story deals with “multiple weighty themes—postpartum depression, the privileges of the wealthy, violence against women.”
Before I Let You In
The main characters in Blackhursts second novel, Before I Let You In, have been friends since childhood. Now in their thirties, Karen Browning, Bea Barker, and Eleanor Whitney are involved in their individual adult responsibilities. Married Eleanor cares for her two children, while single Bea dates frequently in her search for a match. Karen has a boyfriend and us an up-and-coming psychiatrist. The friends are protective of each other, but each carries private secrets that could endanger the friendship if the others found out. When a new patient of Karen’s, Jessica Hamilton, shows that she knows more personal information about Karen and her friends than she should, the lives of all these women are destined to change dramatically. It begins to look like they are being watched and stalked, with household objects mysteriously vanishing or being moved. Threatening emails arrive, but the alleged sender claims to know nothing about them. Jessica drops broad hints that she may be having an affair with Eleanor’s husband.
“Nothing, we quickly learn, is as it seems in this meaty psychological thriller,” commented Fiona McMahon in a Booklist review. Throughout the novel, Blackhurst’s “Her voice is clear and precise yet not intrusive. The sentences are straightforward, not flowery. Her attention to detail is excellent, and her foreshadowing so wily that I almost wanted to re-read the book to fully appreciate her art. It is rare the final pages surprise me. This book truly did throw in an unexpected twist,” stated Kati Barr-Taylor, writing on the website Crime Review. The author “enhances this briskly moving tale” concerning the “depths and limits of friendship with expert twists and subtle misdirections,” concluded a Publishers Weekly writer.
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, September 1, 2017, Christine Tran, review of How I Lost You, p. 52; March 1, 2018, Fiona McMahon, review of Before I Let You In, p. 24.
Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2017, review of How I Lost You.
Publishers Weekly, August 21, 2017, review of How I Lost You, p. 90; February 5, 2018, review of Before I Let You In, p. 42.
ONLINE
All about Romance, https://www.allaboutromance.com/ (June 20, 2018), review of How I Lost You.
Book Doodle, https://www.bookboodle.co.uk/ (April 17, 2018), review of The Foster Child.
Book Review Cafe, https://www.thebookreviewcafe.com/ (September 28, 2016), review of Before I Let You In; (October 23, 2017), review of The Foster Child.
Compulsive Reader, https://www.compulsivereaders.com/ (June 20, 2018), “Ask the Author,” interview with Jenny Blackhurst; (June 20, 2018), review of The Foster Child.
Crime Files, http://www.crimefiles.co.uk/ (June 20, 2018), biography of Jenny Blackhurst.
Crime Review, http://www.crimereview.co.uk/ (March 4, 2017), Kati Barr-Taylor, review of Before I Let You In.
Crime Thriller Girl, http://www.crimethrillergirl.com/ (September 2, 2016), “CTG Interviews: Jenny Blackhurst about Before I Let You In.“
Rosh Radia website, http://www.roshetc.com/ (March 24, 2015), interview with Jenny Blackhurst.
Words with Jam, http://www.wordswithjam.co.uk/ (September 24, 2015), Gillian Hamer, “Sixty Seconds with Jenny Blackhurst.”
Writing.ie, https://www.writing.ie/ (June 20, 2018), review of The Foster Child.
Jenny Blackhurst grew up in Shropshire where she still lives with her husband and children. Growing up she spent hours reading and talking about crime novels – writing her own seemed like natural progression. Inspired by the emotions she felt around her own son’s birth, How I Lost You is Jenny’s thrilling debut crime novel.
Jenny Blackhurst grew up in Shropshire where she still lives with her husband and children. Growing up she spent hours reading and talking about crime novels so writing her own seemed like natural progression. She is the author of How I Lost You and Before I Let You In.
Ask the Author
Jenny Blackhurst – Ask the Author
Jenny Blackhurst grew up in Shropshire where she still lives with her husband and children. Growing up she spent hours reading and talking about crime novels – writing her own seemed like natural progression. Inspired by the emotions she felt around her own son’s birth, How I Lost You is Jenny’s thrilling debut crime novel.
Welcome to Compulsive Readers Jenny and thank you for agreeing to answer my questions.
As you know I am a HUGE fans of both your books Before I Let You in and How I Lost You but for those readers who haven’t yet read them can you please explain a bit about each book?
How I Lost You is about a woman who has served 4 years in a psychiatric facility for murdering her son. Then on her release she receives a picture of a four year old child with her son’s name on the back…
Before I Let You In is about a group of women who have been friends forever with Karen at their head. Karen is a psychiatrist and the mother hen of the group and when one of her patients knows a bit too much about her and her friends she has to decide how far she will go to protect them…
Tell me about the reasons behind the book titles of your first two books – both have 4 words and both ending in You?
The first one is a boring story – I named the book Cradle and All then subsequently found out that some virtually unknown by the name of Patterson, also published by Headline, had beaten me to it. I was given some suggestions and liked How I Lost You.
Number two came about from the Al Wilson song, The Snake. It’s about an old story of a woman who takes in a dying poisonous snake, nurses it back to health and it bites her. As she lies dying she asks the snake why he would bite her after she saved its life and he says ‘you knew damn well I was a snake before you let me in.’ I was at a party when I heard it and scrawled the lyrics in eyeliner on a napkin – my book was basically conceived on a table at a party.
Are you writing a third book and if so what can you tell us about it?
I’m currently editing Book Three, called The Foster Child. It’s about a child who everyone says is evil because Bad Things happen to people who upset her. Imogen Reid works for Child Services and she is determined to prove that Ellie is just a messed up kid – until she gets on the wrong side of Ellie herself…
Both your books have wonderful quotes and recommendations from some of my favourite authors (Alex Marwood, Clare Mackintosh, Sharon Bolton, Helen Fitzgerald) do you get tongue tied or start fangirling when you meet some of these authors in real life?
I can’t talk to Sharon Bolton when I see her in person. I’m such a fan it’s ridiculous and I’m scared I’ll say something really stupid so I just avoid her. We were literally sat in the same room for an entire day recently and I just pretended I couldn’t see her. I’m sure she’s really lovely, maybe I’ll manage a smile next time I see her (then worry I have lipstick on my teeth).
Alex and I were introduced by our mutual agent so I didn’t get the luxury of avoiding her, but she is wonderfully easy to talk to and very funny. It was her book, The Wicked Girls, that made me want to submit to our agent so I feel like I owe her a debt of gratitude for that. Helen is a huge name and I loved The Cry so much but she was so lovely when I met her, it’s hard to fangirl too long when people are so down to earth. It’s weird with Clare because I love her books and I obviously know of her success but we started chatting just after she’d read How I Lost You – her book hadn’t even been released then and no one had heard of her yet. We kind of started the journey together and I’m ridiculously pleased for her and her success.
If I gave you 3 superhuman powers for a day what would you choose and why?
The power to write an amazing first draft in a day.
That Johnny 5 one where he reads books in about 30 seconds.
The one Samantha has in Bewitched where she wiggles her nose and the housework gets done.
What’s your favourite takeaway and are you a good cook?
Chinese is my favourite takeaway – probably because my husband hates it and so I don’t have it enough to get bored of it. I’m a reasonable cook – although I’m usually reading a book or watching Netflix while cooking and so dinner ends up slightly charred!
We’ve met a couple of times (Crime in the Circle and Harrogate) and something struck me as odd. In photo 1 you are pregnant and about 3ft 4″ tall and in photo 2 at Harrogate you’ve had your baby and you’ve grown 2 feet, can you please explain this?
Are you sure you’re not shrinking? (Also I wasn’t pregnant at Crime in the Court – I was drunk and bloated!)
whoops… embarrassed face… I meant you had just had your baby!
Do you have any disgusting habits or strange superstitions?
I always touch wood – boring but essential. If I’m doing a writer thing and I forget to wear my Pandora bracelet I convince myself something is about to go horribly wrong.
I’m not telling you my disgusting habits – you can’t keep a secret.
What are your plans for the rest of 2017?
1) Finish The Foster Child
2) Sleep
I didn’t want to bring this up but you mentioned it first in a private message – you have rather large boobs – where do you buy your underwear?
My latest haul is from Primark – they have some really good bras in big sizes! Asda is good, and if I’m feeling fancy, Bravissimo. For the interview will you put Agent Provoceteur and make me look classy?
Finally, I have a quick fire round and you have to tell me which you prefer:
A: Coffee or Tea? Tea
B: PC or Mac? Mac
C: Ketchup or Mustard? Ketchup
D: Cake or Pie? Cake
E: Sky dive or bungee jump? Sky Dive
F: Hardwood or carpet? Carpet
CTG Interviews: Jenny Blackhurst about BEFORE I LET YOU IN
September 2, 2016
Today I’m delighted to be joined by brilliant crime writer and all round fabulous person, Jenny Blackhurst. Jenny’s debut novel – HOW I LOST YOU – was a runaway bestseller, and with her second novel – BEFORE I LET YOU IN – just out as an eBook and coming out in paperback on 3rd November she’s kindly agreed to come into CTG HQ to let me grill her.
Welcome Jenny!
Your fabulous second novel BEFORE I LET YOU IN was published in eBook on the 28th August, can you tell us a little bit about it?
It’s the story of Dr Karen Browning, a psychiatrist who finds that her new patient knows a little more about her and her close knit group of friends than she should. Who is Jessica Hamilton? And what does she want from Karen and her friends? It explores the friendships women have and how they can sometimes be, let’s say less than healthy…
The relationship between Karen and Jessica is a rather complicated one (!) what inspired you to write about these great characters?
A walk to Tesco! I can’t drive so I do a lot of walking with my son who is two now and while he naps in the pushchair I create characters in my head. I loved the idea of a relationship where the normal roles you would expect to see are reversed – Karen is usually very in control – as you see from her relationships with her friends – and so I enjoyed having Jessica take her out of her comfort zone. I guess I saw Jessica as a psychopath and Karen as a control freak and I wanted to put them up against each other to see who came out on top.
Your debut novel, HOW I LOST YOU, was a Number 1 Kindle bestseller, can you tell us how you found the experience of being a debut author?
I’d had nothing to do with the writing world before I got the contract for How I Lost You, I wrote it in kind of a bubble, didn’t know any other authors and didn’t expect anyone to ever read it so going from that kind of isolation to suddenly everyone having an opinion on something you created out of your head is a big thing to take on board. There was a point where I thought ‘I never want to do this again’. Then I got more involved with other authors and my experience completely changed. Crime writers are amazing – it’s like having a huge support network and helped me to enjoy what I was doing and remember what I loved about writing.
And, coming back to BEFORE I LET YOU IN, how did you find the writing process the second time around and can you tell us a bit about how you like to write?
The actual writing process was so much harder – it’s a different ball game when you’re writing for a contract rather than for yourself. With How I Lost You I never had any worries or insecurities – I thought it would stay as a Word document on an old laptop so it didn’t occur to me to worry about what others might think. A second book comes with so much more pressure – more so when people enjoy your debut and say they can’t wait for the next! Saying that I feel like I’ve learnt so much since How I Lost You was published that I really enjoyed putting those things into practice for my second.
I use Scrivener to write now – it’s an amazing tool and now that it integrates with Scapple and Aeon it has everything I need. I plotted Before I Let You In out before I wrote it but it wasn’t until the end that I realised it wasn’t the story I’d set out to write – without giving too much away the real story behind the words shone through in the last few chapters. That was a real epiphany in Tesco café so despite my gruelling plotting I had to rewrite about 50% of the book!
What’s your approach to research – do you research things up front or wait until the story is written and check facts then?
Up front usually – procrastination is my worst habit when I’m writing so if I think something needs checking I’m straight to Amazon to buy the books or Google to look for answers. With my third I’m trying to curb the habit – I’m making use of the notes tool in Scrivener so I can avoid pulling myself out of the writing, and I find myself typing @look this up@ in the manuscript fairly often now.
As a reader (and a writer) what do you love most about the crime fiction genre?
I love the whydunnit. You can give me any character as your villain but I want to know what drove them to their actions. I think that’s why I lean towards psychological thrillers; procedurals are quite often about the who. Having said that I love a good procedural when the mood takes me.
And what books, aside from your own, would you recommend as must-reads?
There are SO many. This year has been brilliant for books – I’ve particularly loved Lie With Me by Sabine Durrant, The Darkest Secret by Alex Marwood, Willow Walk by Susi Holliday and He Said/She Said by Erin Kelly. Little Black Lies by Sharon Bolton was amazing, I See You by Clare Mackintosh, You Sent Me A Letter by Lucy Dawson and What Goes Around by Julie Corbin. Also I’ve just finished Local Girl Missing by Claire Douglas and that was great. Can I keep going? I could talk about books all day…
Finally, what does the rest of 2016 have in store for you?
I have a book to write! The mysteriously titled Book Three is underway… And more reading of course.
24th March 2015
Interviewing Jenny Blackhurst
When I come home from work I am always really, really excited to see what post I have received because sometimes, in those non-descript brown packages, are little treasures. This was the case when I opened one a little while ago and found Jenny Blackhurst’s How I Lost You inside. It was a stunning advance copy, with a Polaroid of a boy stuck on the front and a name and address underneath. I started reading Susan Webster’s story straight away – what really happened to her son Dylan? – and when I finished I promptly gave it to Mother dearest as she shares my love of crime fiction. She devoured it just as quickly and loved it as much as I did. It’s a brilliant novel with engaging, extraordinary characters and a plot that just won’t stop (who needs a booty when you have a page turning plot?). When I asked Jenny if I could interview her, and she agreed, I did do a little dance of joy.
The interview is under the cut and a fascinating insight into a book which is going to be massive. Enjoy!
As a main character, Susan was incredibly interesting – I wanted to know so much more about her and her past (and I wanted her to win!). How did you go about creating her?
With How I Lost You, the situation came to me first, and I set about creating Susan afterwards. I wanted her to be someone who had never had to experience any problems in her life, which is why she comes across a little too trusting at times, and certainly naïve. She wants to believe the best in others because she’s never been hurt. Then she loses her mother and Dylan in the space of twelve months and when we meet her she is essentially broken, but hopeful. The worst has happened and she’s survived, I’m not sure she cares what happens now.
I love Susan’s relationship with Cassie and the backstory of how they met and became friends. How did you go about creating Cassie’s character?
Cassie is my favourite character! She was so much fun to write. I knew I wanted her to be the total opposite of Susan, and someone Susan would never usually associate herself with in her ‘old’ life. I wanted to use Cassie’s character to show that actually, there are grey areas in life and people are not all good or all bad – she’s done bad things but essentially she saved Susan’s life. I pictured her to be a bit like Becky MacDonald from Corrie – in fact if HILY ever made it to the screen I’d love Katherine Kelly to play Cassie.
How I Lost You is such a tightly plotted novel which left me as the reader guessing and speculating until the denouement. Did you plot your novel meticulously before you started or did vital elements of your story change as you wrote?
I didn’t do any plotting beforehand for this one, as I was never writing for publication. I started How I Lost You while I was on maternity leave, the shop I managed went into administration and in the space of four weeks I went from a retail manager, always organised and in control to an unemployed new mum who couldn’t even control when I slept! Writing was something that was just for me. The lack of planning and plotting meant a LOT of editing and plot changes before I decided to show it to anyone.
Your supporting characters are extremely well thought out and rounded. Is it easier for you to create these secondary characters as opposed to the main protagonists?
It hadn’t really occurred to me before, but I suppose it is easier in some ways, and harder in others. The secondary characters don’t have to hold your attention for pages and pages, they get to do their important bits and go back ‘off-stage’ if you like, whereas Susan has to convince you to follow her on a whole journey. It’s also harder for the same reason – they don’t get a huge backstory to convince you that they are ‘real’, you get much less time to relate to their motives.
You set How I Lost You in two different time lines and it reads like a story within a story. Why did you choose to structure your novel in this way?
I wanted people to see for themselves what had happened, rather than have it ‘told’ through dialogue from one character to another, so I wrote the end scenes from the past as part of the original book. My editor liked these scenes but wanted to know more about Jack, and how he became who he was, so I suggested I write his whole story from the beginning, which I had a great time with- I loved exploring in depth what made him who he became.
Because of this duality, a lot of the story is set in the past in the 1990s (the decade I still like to believe was only ten years ago) and in these scenes you slowly reveal the horrors that certain characters committed while at University. What made you decide to have University be so impactful?
I think University can be a real changing point for people. You are away from home, and actively encouraged to behave badly in some respects with hazing and Fresher’s Week initiations. It can be a time of great vulnerability and leaves us more susceptible to people like Jack. There has been a case recently at the prestigious Vanderbilt University which demonstrates this perfectly – boys who are made to feel they are indestructible and that regular rules don’t apply to them because they are wealthy and good at sport which led to some heinous actions.
You obviously did a lot of research in the book – especially with puerperal psychosis. How did you go about researching puerperal psychosis and were there things you really wanted to include in the book that you couldn’t?
It was an episode of This Morning which brought puerperal psychosis to my attention. There was an interview with a lady who had been absolutely convinced that her baby was trying to kill her, and I just felt such sadness for this woman and how confused and terrified she must have been when her own mind turned against her. I had to know more about the condition so I spent hours reading articles and medical journals on the net. Having just had my first baby I had a lot of new mum friends and I had my own experiences of how intense that time can be, and I spent hours reading other women’s stories on forums because I wanted to do the condition justice for those people who have suffered with PND – I didn’t want people thinking for one second that I’d trivialised it for the sake of entertainment. There wasn’t anything I didn’t feel I could include – as I mentioned I was writing for myself and never expected anyone to read it, so I was quite open and honest and I’m happy that a few people who have suffered from PND have contacted me and told me how much they identified with the themes in the book.
People are loving How I Lost You but when you reread your work are you tempted to make changes or are you happy it’s out there?
Oooh, that’s a tough one! Firstly, I haven’t read it since I submitted it for the final time because it’s too late now anyway. However, with it being my first book, for the first few weeks whenever someone said anything negative about it I definitely wanted to pull it back and change it. If I’d been self-published I probably would have been rewriting every time I got a review! Luckily there have been way more people who have been in touch to say they love it, my skin has thickened substantially and I’ve actually been grown up enough to learn from the negatives. I’m sure all authors with the benefit of hindsight would make changes but you’ll still never please every reader, so all in all I’m very happy with how it’s been received.
Can you tell us all a little about your writing process? Are you a pen and paper sort of person?
Absolutely. I mean I could never write a whole novel longhand but I love the way the words flow when I’m writing on paper, and how connected to the story I feel. I hope that doesn’t sound really corny! I’m still finding my way with regards to a ‘process’, the first time I had a newborn baby so I wrote with one hand and changed a nappy with the other! This time I have a newborn and a three year old so I’m changing nappies with one hand, pouring juice with the other and trying to write with my feet! Maybe my third book I’ll be left alone to write!
Have you already decided what you will be writing next? And if you have, please tell us in great detail (with spoilers) all about your next book’s plot.
I’m working on something new but I haven’t even told my mum what it is yet. When I find out where it’s going you’ll be the first to know.
I am going to hold Jenny to that!
I hope you all enjoyed reading that as much as I did writing it. How I Lost You by Jenny Blackhurst is published by Headline. It’ll be in all good and evil shops on the 23rd of April 2015 and I urge you all to read it.
All photography is my own except for the author photo of Jenny herself. For that one credit goes to Jenny Blackhurst.
Thursday, 24 September 2015
60 Seconds with Jenny Blackhurst
By Gillian Hamer
Jenny Blackhurst rediscovered her childhood love of writing after the birth of her son in 2011 and wrote her first novel between feeds and nappy changes. Jen has a Masters degree in Psychology, and when she isn’t writing works as the Fire Safety Systems Administrator for Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service. She is currently working on her second novel, which is also a psychological thriller after the amazing success of her debut release, How I Lost You.
Tell us a little about you and your writing.
I started writing How I Lost You after being made redundant in 2011 but have always loved both reading and writing. My favourite genre is crime and I am constantly thinking ‘what if’ in my day to day life.
It’s a popular genre at the moment, but why did you choose to write crime thrillers?
It’s the genre I read most in so it was a natural choice for me. If I try to write anything else it usually ends up turning to crime so it’s obviously where my first love lies!
Who are your crime author heroes?
I started my love of crime with Patricia Cornwell when I was about 11 years old but recent inspiration has come from Alex Marwood, Sharon Bolton, Mo Hayder and ultimately Sophie Hannah.
You say your own pregnancy inspired the plot of How I Lost You – how did that come about?
There are a lot of mixed up feelings which come with the arrival of a new baby and I feel it’s definitely a time a woman can feel most vulnerable and suggestible. There are so many doubts that set in about your sense of identity and who you were before vs who you are now. I found it a very emotionally rich time which was incredibly conductive to writing.
Does your Masters degree in Psychology assist in writing thrillers – and how?
Psychology is essentially the study of the mind and behaviour which is enthralling for a crime writer. Why people behave the way they do, nature vs nurture and how different people respond to stresses, and of course how our past shapes our future. It’s fascinating.
What’s the best thing about being a writer?
There are so many great things! My favourite is being part of a world I used to be a spectator in – crime writers are the most friendly people (maybe it’s because we spend so much time killing people off!) Attending Crimefest and sitting on panels with ‘real’ authors, being paid for something I would be doing anyway…the list really is endless.
And the worst?
The Fear. Is this any good? This is fantastic! This is the worst thing ever written. Ok, this might turn out alright…
Where do you write?
Anywhere and everywhere. With a four year old and a one year old I can’t afford to be precious about where I write. I’m very productive in Tesco café and I love a long train journey. The hardest place I’ve tried to write was a soft play barn. Those places are carnage.
Which 3 books would you take to a desert island?
Just 3? Can’t I take my kindle?!? Okay, Strangers by Dean Koontz, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by JK Rowling and The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton.
What are your future writing plans?
Hopefully to keep writing! I’m working on book 2 at the moment which is a psychological thriller but eventually I’d like to explore the genre further as well as try my hand perhaps at another genre completely, maybe horror or young adult. Essentially I just love to write and just want to keep learning the craft and improving.
Twitter: @jennyblackhurst
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/authorJennyBlackhurst
Before I Let You In
Fiona McMahon
Booklist. 114.13 (Mar. 1, 2018): p24.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
Before I Let You In. By Jenny Blackhurst. Apr. 2018.352p. Atria/Emily Bestler, paper, $16 (9781501168840); e-book, $11.99 (9781501168857).
In the post-Gone Girl era, unreliable narrators are quickly becoming the new normal. Englishwomen Karen, Eleanor, and Bea have been best friends since primary school. They've maintained a close relationship despite taking different paths. Eleanor has become a wife with a family; Bea is single; and Karen has a boyfriend and a promising career in psychiatry. Nothing can come between them until Jessica Hamilton becomes Karen's patient. After Jessica's arrival, the women's worlds start to unravel. Eleanor begins to misplace everyday items, causing her husband and herself to question her sanity. Bea is being stalked by someone who knows all about her traumatic past. Karen is trapped with truths that no one will believe. Nothing, we quickly learn, is as it seems in this meaty psychological thriller, which was published in the UK in 2016 and, like Blackhurst's How I Lost You (2017), racked up massive ebook sales before appearing in print in the U.S.--Fiona McMahon
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
McMahon, Fiona. "Before I Let You In." Booklist, 1 Mar. 2018, p. 24. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A532250837/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e1df17fb. Accessed 28 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A532250837
Before I Let You In
Publishers Weekly. 265.6 (Feb. 5, 2018): p42.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Before I Let You In
Jenny Blackhurst. Atria/Bestler, $16 trade paper (352p)-ISBN 978-1-5011-6884-0
British author Blackhurst's engrossing second novel (after 201J's Howl Lost You) focuses on 30-somethings Karen Browning, Bea Barker, and Eleanor Whitney, who have been close friends since childhood and all live in the same unnamed English town. Eleanor, who's married, juggles the responsibilities of caring for two children. Bea, who's single, likes to talk about her various dates. Karen, a psychiatrist who lives with her boyfriend, is the group's anchor and fiercely protective of her friends. But each woman harbors secrets they can't share for fear these private matters would ruin the friendships. Their bonds are tested when Jessica Hamilton, a new patient of Karen's, seems to know intimate details about each woman and hints that she's having an affair with Eleanor's husband. Soon, odd things start to happen to the three: objects are moved from their houses and they receive damning emails, but the supposed sender denies writing them. Blackhurst enhances this briskly moving tale about the depths and limits of friendship with expert twists and subtle misdirections. (Apr.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Before I Let You In." Publishers Weekly, 5 Feb. 2018, p. 42. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A526810374/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=44d2c76d. Accessed 28 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A526810374
How I Lost You
Christine Tran
Booklist. 114.1 (Sept. 1, 2017): p52.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
How I Lost You. By Jenny Blackhurst. Oct. 2017. 384p. Atria, paper, $16 (9781501168826); e-book, $11.99 (9781501168833).
Four years ago, Susan Webster was convicted of smothering her baby, Dylan, in a fog of postpartum psychosis. Now paroled from Oakdale Psychiatric Facility, she's changed her name and moved to a Shrop-shire village to rebuild her life. But her comforting anonymity is shattered when she receives a picture of a four-year-old boy in the mail with a message that Dylan is still alive. Then Nick Whitely, a reporter investigating the disappearance of the medical examiner whose testimony helped convict Susan, appears at her door. Desperate to grasp any hope that she hasn't killed her son, Susan persuades Nick to help her investigate the possibility that Dylan is alive. As they peel back the layers of the medical examiner's disappearance and the questionable defense presented by Susan's attorney, they find startling connections to her ex-husband's past. Susan's engaging character and the story's well-crafted twists make this an addictive read; a strong recommendation for those who like suspense tinged with a little romance.--Christine Tran
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Tran, Christine. "How I Lost You." Booklist, 1 Sept. 2017, p. 52. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A509161596/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=39fd4f31. Accessed 28 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A509161596
How I Lost You
Publishers Weekly. 264.34 (Aug. 21, 2017): p90.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
How I Lost You
Jenny Blackhurst. Atria/Bestler, $16 trade paper (384p) ISBN 978-1-5011-6882-6
Susan Webster, the narrator of British author Blackhurst's captivating if flawed first novel, believes that she's guilty of smothering her three-month-old son, Dylan, to death in a fit of postpartum depression, even though she has no memory of doing so. After spending nearly three years at the Oakdale Psychiatric Facility, she's paroled and given a new name. Shortly after she settles in Ludlow, Shropshire, someone mails her a photo of a smiling young boy with the name Dylan written on the back. Scared and confused, Susan enlists the aid of Cassie Reynolds, her best friend from Oakdale, and reporter Nick Whitely to reexamine the crime. As Susan looks into her past, she realizes how little she knew about Mark, her ex-husband and the child's father. The danger to Susan escalates as the truth slowly reveals itself, but the plot goes off the rails under the weight of the implausible actions of several key characters, some of whom aren't who they seem to be. Agent: Laetitia Rutherford, Watson, Little (U.K.). (Oct.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"How I Lost You." Publishers Weekly, 21 Aug. 2017, p. 90. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A501717304/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=598837a3. Accessed 28 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A501717304
Blackhurst, Jenny: HOW I LOST YOU
Kirkus Reviews. (Aug. 1, 2017):
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Blackhurst, Jenny HOW I LOST YOU Emily Bestler/Atria (Adult Fiction) $16.00 10, 10 ISBN: 978-1-5011-6882-6
A woman convicted of killing her baby comes to believe he's still alive and finds herself at the center of a vast revenge plot that nearly ruins her life in this debut novel.Susan Webster has spent four years in a psychiatric facility after being found guilty of killing her 3-month-old son, Dylan. But Susan, who has legally changed her name and moved to a remote village, has no memory of the murder. So when a photo showing a 4-year-old boy with the name "Dylan" on the back shows up at her door, she's unsure if it's someone sending her a message about the real fate of her son or a vigilante out to punish her further. As she's targeted by more and more inexplicable vandalism and messages, she and two friends set out to find the truth. The novel deals with multiple weighty themes--postpartum depression, the privileges of the wealthy, violence against women--but none are explored to their full potential. The book is packed with multiple threads and many characters, hopping back and forth in time until all the pieces come together. Although the mystery is engaging, the characters are largely one-dimensional; Susan is gratingly vain and quick to judge other women on sight, but this pronounced trait doesn't build to anything or contribute to her story. The narrative is uneven and could have benefited from a tighter, more controlled focus on one or two of the many intersecting motivations that bring the story to a close. Less thriller than soap opera.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"Blackhurst, Jenny: HOW I LOST YOU." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Aug. 2017. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A499572811/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=bf725165. Accessed 28 May 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A499572811
Before I Let You In
by Jenny Blackhurst
Even though Karen is an experienced psychiatrist, nothing could prepare her for the day she opens her door to Jessica.
Review
From the moment psychiatrist Dr Karen Browning meets Jessica Hamilton, she feels uneasy. The young woman is clearly trying to shock with her declaration of having sex with a married man. But there is more. Her antipathy for Karen oozes from every pore, and she seems to know all about Karen and her life. Jessica’s hatred for her lover’s wife is increasingly worrying. And her ability to twist Karen’s questions and statements to suit her own agenda leaves the psychiatrist reeling, disturbed.
Bea and Eleanor, Karen’s best friends, are going through their own problems. Eleanor has just had a baby and can’t pull herself together. Bea is feeling inadequate in her man-free, boring-job life. But they are still finding time to organise a surprise birthday party for Karen. With an unexpected promotion and a surprise birthday party in the offing, Karen will soon be reaping the rewards of her dedication to her work and kindness to her friends.
But life is not perfect. Michael, Karen’s long-term partner is never with her at the weekends. Worse, she can’t share the reality of his absence with her best friends. But that is soon to be the least of her problems when she sees Jessica with Adam, Eleanor’s husband …
The worst thing about reading a book by a debut author is it might be good. It might be so good that you want to crack open another of that author’s books before coming up for air. Instead, you are obliged to wait, hoping the author doesn’t go back to his or her day job. Before I let You In is one of those books. Jenny Blackhurst is one of those authors.
The chapters swing between Karen, Bea, and Eleanor in the past tense, third person point of view, and the criminal in the past tense, first point of view. The frequent point of view changes push the story forward. Adding to the intrigue and suspense are occasional short chapters written in the style of interview transcripts between Karen and presumably another psychiatrist. These are written in the present tense, and with atmosphere pouring from the transcribed dialogue, the reader senses impending tragedy from the opening scene.
Karen, Bea and Eleanor are three close friends with three distinct lives. Although their voices, at times, are a little similar, Blackhurst has nailed their thoughts and behaviour artfully. We know, or we are, those people. We know or feel what they are going through. She peels off their layers with tantalising subtlety. Moreover, she portrays the criminal beautifully as a multi-faceted diamond throughout her internal and external degeneration. She shows, with finesse, the criminal’s turmoil, leaving the reader wondering how far this person will go.
I enjoyed Blackhurst’s writing style. Her voice is clear and precise yet not intrusive. The sentences are straightforward, not flowery. Her attention to detail is excellent, and her foreshadowing so wily that I almost wanted to re-read the book to fully appreciate her art. It is rare the final pages surprise me. This book truly did throw in an unexpected twist.
That is not to say there were not shortcomings. I would like to have seen more depth in Karen’s moments in the psychiatrist’s chair. I felt this side of her was well researched but slightly superficial. Also, there was a lack of sense of time and place. The milieu did not stand out; it took me about half the book to appreciate we were in Shropshire. And although, at times, I had the impression the plot was over a short time-frame, at others I was unsure if the gap between events was days, weeks or months. However, these points did not destroy my overall pleasure, because even with the timing issue, Blackhurst made this a fast-paced suspense novel by her liberal use of that critical ingredient – suspense.
I am sure if I were to meet a knife-wielding killer in real life, I would run for my life, screaming. Unfortunately, when I meet him in a story, he is more likely to make me roll my eyes than break out in a sweat. Even if the blurb tells me I will not be able to turn the light out when I close the book. But little events; objects disappearing, a feeling of being watched, inexplicable noises, disturbing conversations, awkward questions and glimpses of desperation and deviant behaviour, those will have my pulse racing. Because they are relatable, disturbing and real. I have experienced many if not all of them, as have most readers. Throw those events in from the first page and keep hitting the crescendo button, and the suspense is exceptional.
For readers who crave suspense; feast on Before I Let You In. It is a gourmet meal, and for me, far more satisfying than The Girl On The Train, because added to the suspense, this author made me care about her flawed and, in certain cases, hateful characters. Congratulations, Jenny Blackhurst, I am going to charge up my Kindle and download your e-novel, How I Lost You, hoping this book is not a one-off.
Reviewed 04 March 2017 by Kati Barr-Taylor
Before I Let You In by Jenny BlackHurst #Review
5 Replies
Book description
Karen is meant to be the one who fixes problems.
It’s her job, as a psychiatrist – and it’s always been her role as a friend.
But Jessica is different. She should be the patient, the one that Karen helps.
But she knows things about Karen. Her friends, her personal life. Things no patient should know.
And Karen is starting to wonder if she should have let her in . . .
Before I Let You In has to be one of the best psychological thrillers I have read this year, it literally took my breath away. Jenny BlackHurst has written a very original and twisted tale that left my heart racing I’m pleased to say. Karen, Bea and Eleanor are the best of friends and have been since childhood, they know each other inside out or so they believe. When Karen a psychiatrist starts treating Jessica, a girl who seems to know things about Karen’s personal life and that of her friends things take a sinister turn. Little does Karen know, but Jessica is the catalyst that sets off a chain of events that will test the three woman’s friendship to the limits.
I found the three woman an intriguing bunch,they appeared to be the best of friends,the type who support each other in a crisis, they’ve been there through good times and bad, but appearances can be deceptive, and as the author explores the bonds of friendship you realise things aren’t quite as they seem, after all what friends keep secrets from each other? and why would you? As the plot progressed and took a dark and dangerous turn I couldn’t help but become completely wrapped up in what was happening to the three friends, and on many occasions I found my heart in my mouth as a sense of foreboding radiated from every page. The story is told from the perspectives of the three women, which really helped me to connect with them and I found myself totally immersed in their story. All of the women had flaws, but for me this made their characters all the more credible.
What I loved about this book was the fact every time I thought I knew where the novel was heading I got it wrong, Jenny BlackHurst throws in so many twist and turns to keep the reader on their toes. You know from the opening chapter something bad has happened, and I applaud the authors ability to keep the reader in suspense right up until the very last chapter, not a mean feat when writing a thriller, as some books I have read in this genre give too much away too early, and often leave me feeling slightly deflated.
I find Before I Let You In to be a compelling and a very disturbing read, the author explores some very credible flaws in the women’s friendship, jealousy, mistrust, and lies, which certainly made for a gripping read. I would highly recommend this book to “thriller lovers”, actually scrap that, I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a “damn good read”
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ out of 5
Print Length: 368 pages
Publisher: Headline (28 Aug. 2016)
How I Lost You
Jenny Blackhurst
Buy This Book
How I Lost You introduces readers to Susan Webster, a woman just released from a psychiatric institution for murdering her infant son. Susan is determined to make a new life for herself, so she goes to live in a village where no one knows her, changes her name to Emma Cartwright, and does her best to start over. But someone has other ideas. Within a month of her release, Susan receives a picture of a young boy, and the message on the back tells her it’s a picture of her son. But how can that be? Unfortunately, Susan has absolutely no memory of the day Dylan died. Her belief that she killed him comes from the testimony given at her trial, especially that given by Mark, her ex-husband, who discovered Dylan’s body. Could Mark be playing a cruel trick on her?
Over the next several weeks, it becomes clear that someone definitely has it in for Susan. The police aren’t the least bit helpful, despite the fact that her house has been broken into, strange packages have been left at her door, and Susan reports being certain someone is watching her. They chalk it up to village residents not being pleased that a convicted child killer has come to live in their midst. But Susan isn’t so sure that’s what is going on. What if everyone was wrong and she didn’t kill Dylan after all?
With the help of her best friend Cassie and a mysterious reporter with a secret agenda of his own, Susan begins to dig deep into what happened on the day Dylan supposedly died. What follows is a twisty tale of buried secrets and huge betrayals where absolutely nothing is as it seems, and no one can be fully trusted. I figured a few things out pretty early on, but there were a few twists that took me by surprise, and I definitely enjoyed watching Susan fight to uncover the truth.
Unfortunately, as indicated by my grade, How I Lost You does have its problems. First off, the reader is given to understand that Susan is living under an assumed name, and no one knows who she really is. Then, just a short time later, we discover this isn’t actually true. Susan just tells people her name is Emma Cartwright, but doesn’t seem to possess any of the documents necessary for pulling off such a deception. The police know who she really is, and Cassie, the friend she made while incarcerated, also knows the truth, so why is Susan so shocked to learn her identity isn’t a secret after all? This question niggled at me through most of the story, and, when the answer was finally revealed, it didn’t quite ring true.
The majority of the story is told in first person from Susan’s point of view. Some readers find this narration style somewhat limiting, as first person narration is often quite unreliable, but I don’t mind it, as long as the character’s voice feels authentic, which Susan’s does. What I did take issue with was Ms. Blackhurst’s decision to throw in several chapters that at first seem totally unrelated to the story at hand. She does manage to link them up eventually, but I found myself growing frustrated with the second storyline, even after I understood why it had been included.
Despite its flaws, I found How I Lost You completely engrossing. Parts of it were disturbing, but I like that in the mysteries I read. It’s not overly violent, which I know will be a plus for some readers. Susan is a deeply flawed heroine, but Ms. Blackhurst makes it easy to root for her, even when her actions are questionable.
This isn’t the best mystery I’ve read this year, but it’s also far from the worst. I enjoyed the hours I spent unraveling the web of deceit surrounding Susan, and I’ll definitely be on the lookout for more of Ms. Blackhurst’s work in the future.
Book Details
Reviewer:
Shannon Dyer
Review Date:
October 11, 2017
Publication Date:
10/2017
Grade:
B
Sensuality
Subtle
Book Type:
Mystery
The Foster Child – Jenny Blackhurst
When child psychologist Imogen Reid takes on the case of 11-year-old Ellie Atkinson, she refuses to listen to warnings that the girl is dangerous.
Ellie was the only survivor of a fire that killed her family. Imogen is convinced she’s just a sad and angry child struggling to cope with her loss.
But Ellie’s foster parents and teachers are starting to fear her. When she gets upset, bad things seem to happen. And as Imogen gets closer to Ellie, she may be putting herself in danger…
My Review: This is Jenny Blackhurst’s third standalone psychological thriller so I was very excited to get the chance to read an advanced copy of The Foster Child – thanks to Netgalley and her publishers Headline.
As a huge fan of psychological thrillers it’s always a pleasure to read a story which is different to all the others and keeps you guessing throughout. Any book featuring a creepy, spooky and troubled child is guaranteed to make me turn the pages, bite my acrylic nails and double lock the windows and doors.
Imogen Reid is the psychologist who has returned to her childhood hometown after a serious incident regarding a child under her care in her previous job. Full of remorse, guilt and determined to move on, her hometown of Gaunt brings nothing but unhappy and traumatic childhood memories.
Ellie is the 11 year old child whose family were killed in a house fire and is the “Foster Child”. Alienated, teased and bullied by the children of the town because bad things seem to happen around Ellie especially when she gets upset.
This is a really atmospheric, spooky and tense thriller which creeped me out and kept me guessing until the final chapters. Read this with the lights on and stay away from young girls chanting incantations.
About the Author: Jenny Blackhurst grew up in Shropshire where she still lives with her husband and children. Growing up she spent hours reading and talking about crime novels – writing her own seemed like a natural progression. This is her third novel.
You can read my interview with Jenny Blackhurst by clicking here
Read my reviews for How I Lost You and Before I Let You In
The Foster Child by Jenny Blackhurst
Article by Swirl and Thread ©.
Posted in Book Reviews | Crime/Thriller.
‘She’s got a new family now…’
Prepare yourself for this very creepy novel from Jenny Blackhurst.
The Foster Child tells the story of Ellie Atkinson, a little girl aged 11. Ellie has had a very tough childhood. She lost all her family in a house fire and with nobody to care for her, she ends up ‘in the system’ in a foster home. Ellie is socially awkward and has difficulty in making close friends with anyone. Unfortunately, children in this situation very often find themselves a target for the school bullies. Such is the case with Ellie. A new town, a new family, a new school make life extremely difficult for her and she slowly withdraws into herself, instigating further antagonism from her class mates.
Imogen Reid, a child psychologist with her own secrets to hide, returns back to her childhood home in Gaunt with her husband Dan. They have decided to swap the busy city lifestyle and embrace a more relaxed way of life by moving to the country. Imogen left Gaunt when she was fifteen. Now that her mother has passed away, Imogen has inherited the family home so it makes sense for them to upsticks and take on this new challenge. Imogen and Dan have been through some very tough times, so this change of pace is welcomed, but with some hesitation. Imogen has ghosts she must overcome before she can ever truly fit back in to life in Gaunt, but with Dan she intends to conquer these fears and start again.
Imogen gets a job with the public health service assisting with placements etc and she soon discovers that one of these cases is Ellie Atkinson. Imogen never really had a childhood so she has great empathy for Ellie’s situation and is very hesitant to listen to rumours that are circulating in the town about Ellie.
Imogen sets out to acquaint herself with Ellie and soon finds herself tangled up in something far bigger than she had ever anticipated.
Jenny Blackhurst has set the scene perfectly in this book. As a reader you really have very little idea of who the innocent party is.
Imogen Reid is conscientious to the extreme with her work and gets very wrapped up in Ellie’s case. She refuses to listen to the gossip that is following in Ellie’s trail, as comments about how strange she is arise. Certain people in the town start to fear Ellie and as bad stuff starts to happen, there is plenty of finger pointing in Ellie’s direction.
With a reference to Carrie White (1976 movie/1974 Stephen King book of same name) mentioned in the novel, in relation to Ellie’s disturbing behaviour, Jenny Blackhurst is obviously very aware that this is not a new theme in fiction. But there are many other themes explored throughout this novel, all dealing with very important issues that challenge the society we live in today. Jenny Blackhurst weaves all these into a creepy and sometimes uncomfortable read. Bullying is always a difficult topic to read about but add in the possibility of the occult and it makes for a very intriguing twist to a tale.
The Foster Child is a totally absorbing novel. I loved the short chapters. It gave the book a very ‘fast’ feel to it. Difficult to figure out whodunnit here folks!
Gripping, page-turning, fast-paced and highly engaging novel.
The Foster Child by Jenny Blackhurst #BookReview @JennyBlackhurst @headlinepg
8 Replies
Book description
When child psychologist Imogen Reid takes on the case of 11-year-old Ellie Atkinson, she refuses to listen to warnings that the girl is dangerous.
Ellie was the only survivor of a fire that killed her family. Imogen is convinced she’s just a sad and angry child struggling to cope with her loss.
But Ellie’s foster parents and teachers are starting to fear her. When she gets upset, bad things seem to happen. And as Imogen gets closer to Ellie, she may be putting herself in danger…
My review
I do love a creepy and disturbing psychological thriller and The Foster Child by Jenny Blackhurst fits the bill perfectly. When a child is portrayed in a book as someone evil and not to be trusted I always find the read somewhat more creepy, I think it’s because children are seen as sweet and innocent you never expect them to scare the life out of you, but Jenny Blackhurst has created a character who gave me the heebie-jeebies. From the start this book made for a chilling and genuinely disturbing read that took me by surprise at every twisted turn.
Rather like the book description for The Foster Child I’m not going to go into plot details I think the vagueness of the description helped to make this book all the more thrilling as you weren’t sure what to expect. From my first introduction to Ellie I wanted to believe in her and I found myself hoping that “the bad things happening” to the people who upset her were a coincidence rather than something far more disturbing. As the story progresses you can’t help but feel for Ellie, a child who is bullied relentlessly and “whispered about by children and adults alike.
Malice and discord bubble away throughout making every chapter chilling, I found myself becoming very anxious and increasingly unsettled as the author weaved her twisted tale. I’m very impressed by the author’s ability to create an imaginative and throughly creepy novel that messed with my over active imagination to such an extent that every creak, every noise in the house made me jump! The market is saturated with Psychological thrillers at the moment, but personally I think Jenny Blackhurst has done a fantastic job in making sure The Foster Child stands out, it’s unpredictable, compelling and genuinely disturbing. Definitely a book I would highly recommend as it kept me guessing right up to the last thrilling, heart stopping chapter.
17th April 2018
Book Review: The Foster Child by Jenny Blackhurst
What’s it about?
When child psychologist Imogen Reid takes on the case of 11-year-old Ellie Atkinson, she refuses to listen to warnings that the girl is dangerous.
Ellie was the only survivor of a fire that killed her family. Imogen is convinced she’s just a sad and angry child struggling to cope with her loss.
But Ellie’s foster parents and teachers are starting to fear her. When she gets upset, bad things seem to happen. And as Imogen gets closer to Ellie, she may be putting herself in danger…
My thoughts
Many thanks to the publishers for the ARC I received and my apologies for taking so flipping long to read it!
So what did I think about The Foster Child, it started off very well. The first few chapters enticed me in very easily, I loved the short chapters as I thought that made everything more pacy and tense and of course…just one more chapter often turned in to five.
With the chapters being told in turn by mostly Imogen and Ellie you get a good all round view, well you think you do, but what I found more scarier than Ellie, who wasn’t really that scary, was the small town mentality depicted in the book. The assumptions the characters make without real evidence was just scary because this shit happens in real life. The bullying Ellie experiences is utterly heartbreaking and you can only feel immensely for Ellie and I was so pleased for her that at least she can find some sort of comfort with her foster-sister Mary.
Well, I don’t know if it’s just me or if this happens to you too, but I find it somewhat difficult and awkward to review books when I’ve met the author (in this case more than once) and they’re not just a faceless name on a page. I didn’t love this book, I liked it though, but I’m not really into books with supernatural elements, however small a thread or misinterpreted, so this really is more about me and my preferences than Jenny’s skill as a writer, because I really really enjoyed Before I Let You In. So unfortunately I did spend a good third of this book rolling my eyes 🙁 That being said, I thought I had it sussed, and then discovered that I actually I didn’t but then I did a little…..the ending was a cracker!
I will still look out for Jenny’s books and will definitely read more of what she writes, in fact, I do have How I Lost You on the book shelf to be read.