Review Of The Obituary By Miranda Rijks

Written by Margaret James in Books on 03 Feb 2019 | Views: 29

Review Of The Obituary By Miranda Rijks

When Laura Swallow’s sister dies on a busy road, at first Laura accepts it was a tragic accident. 

Laura is coping with the aftermath of divorce. She is doing her best to get back into the world of work, to be a good single parent to a demanding teenage daughter, and hoping that one day she might find herself in a rewarding new relationship. She does well in her new job as an estate agent – so well, in fact, that she’s told she is in line for a directorship. So she’s putting her life back together. She’s even dating again and is enjoying going out with Ben, a doctor at the local hospital.

Then everything starts to go wrong. It begins with a post on Facebook announcing Laura’s death, which freaks out her daughter Mel and puzzles Laura, too. Perhaps a Facebook user has got Laura confused with somebody else? A former school friend turns up, books a viewing at a house where he and Laura meet alone, makes a clumsy pass at Laura, is rebuffed, and then her employer receives a letter accusing Laura of making a pass at a client. Laura’s boss is furious and chooses to believe Laura is the guilty party.

Laura is suspended from work, but her friends Jenny and Anna rally round, seems more than willing to help her through this difficult time. But who is so determined to make Laura’s life so difficult? Why would her ex-husband Ian, now with a new partner and the father of a baby boy, want to hurt his ex-wife? Why would a former school friend want to get Laura sacked, even if she wasn’t very kind to him when they were still children? What about Laura’s new friend Ben – is he genuinely looking for love, or is he a devious manipulator, a serial dater, or even a rapist? 

The story is written in the first person present tense, which helps to rack up the tension. The reader knows no more than Laura does, and I desperately wanted to know who was so keen to hurt Laura. I felt her growing panic and fear to the extent that when I was reading this novel late at night I actually got out of bed and went downstairs to double-check I had locked the front door. 

I was gripped by this fast-paced story, which reminded me how easy it might be to convince a sane, rational person that he or she is, in fact, going mad. I raced through the final chapters so I could find out who was so anxious to hurt or maybe even kill Laura – but why? 

This is a fabulous debut by an exciting new novelist. 

Support Reviewspot by browsing the products below

Like this post? Share it with your friends

CLARITY -An all natural voice spray

Clarity Voice Spray

Available in great tasting Elderberry or Honey and Lemon flavours.

Directions for use:

Shake before use. Spray into mouth. Use as often as required... Suitable for vegetarian use.

Ingredients:

Water, Glycerine, Aloe Vera, Flavour of choice (Elderberry Juice or Honey* Lemon juice)

Rose Cider Vinegar* and natural flavours* (extracts of liquorice, ginger, sage, thyme, rosehip, elderflower)

*organic ingredients used.

Made in the UK.

Give your voice clarity

Available to buy from Amazon in flavours Elderberry and Honey and Lemon

successfulsinging.com

Our goal is to provide our singing community with quality products and resources to help get the most from their singing.

Over 215 FREE videos too, including singing lessons, scales, breathing exercises etc.

Subscribe below

 

Three uplifting and spellbinding escapist historical romances.

Available on Kindle to buy from Amazon

Quizspot, a world of quizzes at your fingertips!

Why not test your knowledge and have

some fun at the same time?

Click here to go to website.

Creative Writing Student Handbook - Margaret James

Amazon review: a wonderful book, full of practical, useful tips.

If you're thinking about doing some creative writing this winter,

our 5* handbook will inspire you and give you confidence.

Available to buy from Amazon

The Final Reckoning

The Final Reckoning is an atmospheric, twisty thriller set in the peaceful (or maybe not so peaceful) Herefordshire countryside.

When Lindsay Ellis was a teenager,  he stumbled across the dead body of her boyfriend Simon’s father, who had been battered to death.

Someone in the village knows who murdered Simon's father, and why.

Does the actual killer suspect Lindsay also knows the identity of the murderer, and is Lindsay now in great danger, too?

Available to buy from Amazon