charlotte northedge The People Before

[Mister Hobgoblin]

Jess, Pete and their kids have left their family home in Walthamstow and bought the Maple House, a large, imposing and run-down home in rural Suffolk. It seems that Jess was running away from something - perhaps an intruder she had disturbed in Walthamstow - but something at the Maple House doesn't seem right. Things move, doors that were locked seem to open themselves, and there are glimpses of something in the garden. 

 

This should be a twisty psychological thriller. Sadly, the title rather gives the game away. There is some tension right at the end, and the intrigue of how it al fits together, but the big reveal at the half way point will not surprise anyone. 

 

The novel is initially narrated from Jess's point of view, then switches to Jess's new friend Eve, and then back to Jess. This is all rather reminiscent of Fingersmith (Sarah Waters). It is fun, has some moments of humour as the reader is appalled by people behaving badly, and some of the cameo characters (e.g. the school mums, the architect) are a delight. Jess, though, is a drip and it is hard for the reader to feel any real sympathy for her predicament. 

 

The ending feels rather unsatisfactory - the bit where everyone is supposed to get their just deserts does not quite pan out. I'm undecided whether that is a strength or a weakness. 

 

This is not a perfect book, but there is something about it that is like a literary version of an ear worm. It just keeps popping back into my thoughts. That suggests some pretty good story telling technique at work.