Only in Whispers by Jacqueline Grima #blogtour

I'm back! And delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for this great debut novel. My thanks to the author, Manatee Books Ltd and Tracy Fenton for my review copy. 

The Blurb:

A forgotten past

An uncertain future

A family hiding from the truth

When their mother is hospitalised with depression, Annie and her brother Matthew are fostered by their beloved Aunt Helen. Their family eventually reunited, the siblings begin a new life in Derbyshire with their mother and new stepfather.

Now in her thirties and separated from her husband, Annie is struggling to escape the past and move forward with her son. Haunted by memories of her childhood, she begins to realise that there may have been more to her time in foster care than her mother claims. Why did social services take her and Matthew away? Who can she trust to tell her what really happened?

As Annie finds out more, things take a sinister turn…has the life she’s lived so far been a lie?

Only in Whispers was published by Manatee Books Ltd on 28th June 2018.

My Review:

Every family has secrets. It's just some are bigger than others.

This was a change of pace from my normal reads - crime dramas that rattle along. Only in Whispers is classed as a psychological thriller, but is much more of a slow burner, but certainly no worse for that. 

Annie is facing a time of change in her life. She has separated from her controlling husband David, but her efforts to move on are thwarted to a degree by the huge part he still plays in her life. So I thought the story was headed in one direction (I deliberately hadn't re-read the blurb before I started it) but it took me to a completely different place. 

As well as these changes, Annie's much loved aunt is seriously unwell, her brother and his wife are having a baby, and Annie's cousin Catherine leaves her husband and comes to stay. In the middle of all this, Annie starts remembering things - fragments of moments from her childhood - which upset and confuse her. And she is determined to work out the truth. 

At first I thought it was odd that she was suddenly starting to remember things, but there are a lot of traumatic things happening and I know the mind can do strange things. The story also touches on Annie's mother's depression.

I kept reading late into the night as I was keen to find out what happened. The story has a large cast of relatable characters many of whom are hugely likeable, but one or two who really aren't very nice. The fact that I felt strongly about these characters shows how well they were written. I loved Annie's stepfather with his calmness and fierce loyalty to his wife. And if a man like Adam really exists, someone please introduce me!

This is a story about secrets, family, love and loyalty, and it is beautifully written. A very assured debut and I look forward to more from this author. 

You can buy Only in Whispers on Amazon UK. 

The Author:

Jacqueline Grima has recently completed an MA in Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University. Her creative work has appeared in a variety of publications and, in 2014, she was shortlisted for the Luke Bitmead Bursary Award. Only in Whispers is her first novel.

Follow Jacqueline on Twitter @GrimaJgrima and read her blog at www.jacquelinegrima.wordpress.com