The Blurb
This is a tale about how the events of one day have such catastrophic consequences on the future.
Hudson Bell is a consultant for the police. A former DI, he spends his days helping to find missing children.
May and her son go on a road trip to celebrate his birthday; Robert and Nadia buy their dream house by the sea.
But as each look to enjoy a new life, none of them can shake off what happened on that fateful day. One of them blames the others and will stop at nothing to seek revenge.
One accident and five lives changed forever.
A Lifetime Ago was published by Question Mark Press on 13th March 2020 and is available to purchase on Amazon UK and Amazon US.
My Review
Hudson Bell is a haunted man. He has been deeply affected by something that took place four years earlier - he left his job in the police, his relationship ended, friendships were damaged and despite counselling and therapy sessions he rarely gets a good night's sleep. And he is driven to help the police find missing children. Little Darren has been missing for two months and Bell is determined to find him. But he never expects the trail to lead where it does.
I loved Hudson. His heartbreak and grief comes right off the page, you sense his brokenness. He has, perhaps, chosen his current work as he is seeking some kind of redemption. We feel his anguish when cases don't go the way they should. May is another character carrying the weight of grief and pain and it's damaged her and her relationship with her young son. She is beautifully described. Jez,on the other hand, is a bit of light relief and I couldn't help but smile at some of his moments. The story is quite dark and needs some light now and then. Jez provides this, as does Laura to a lesser extent.
I enjoyed seeing the story, and back story, unfold from different perspectives, it's a really effective way to build and add layers to the plot. I also liked moving between the past and present, it kept me on my toes! There's a good pace and Ody successfully weaves everything together reaching a tense and bittersweet denouement. I actually found it quite sad, but glad there was maybe a chink of light for Hudson. An easy, effective and enjoyable read. It's dark though, and due to the subject matter, it might not be for everyone, but I really liked it and think Ody successfully explores the butterfly effect, the ripples through time from one single event.
The Author
Jim writes dark psychological/thrillers, Horror and YA books that have endings you won’t see coming, and favours stories packed with wit. He has written over a dozen novels and many more short-stories spanning many genres.
Jim has a very strange sense of humour and is often considered a little odd. When not writing he will be found playing the drums, watching football and eating chocolate. He lives with his long-suffering wife, three beautiful children and two indignant cats in Swindon, Wiltshire UK.
Author Social Media Links
Amazon
Thanks so much lovely for taking part in the tour today and sharing this review x
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure! xx
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