Reviews

I loved the idea of a Tête-bêche book and it really picked my interest for this one. I personally liked the stories, especially the 1880s one based in England, but ultimately I found the main twists quite obvious and easy to work out. I still really enjoyed reading the book though as the stories are interesting enough, if a bit let down by the writing style at times.

bellaklimperauge's review against another edition

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adventurous relaxing medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I think the concept is fun and it's a nice easy read. In my opinion it doesn't give the book justice that most of the reviews here are from people who have only received one part of the story. It is nicely intertwined even though the first story reads like a bit of a penny dreadful. I really enjoyed the scene setting in both parts though I really felt the damp Essex and the hot California. Unfortunately the motive in the second story was as crystal clear as turnglass house.

There are still polio survivors even in developed countries and none of them restored their health completely. And in case you didn't get that part the Governor insults the president only because he has polio at least three times (I didn't even know he had polio before, why not have the character insult him as a cripple without mentioning the exact same illness every time) and why should a doctor specialising in eugenics be involved with a women with trauma. It wasn't a genetic psychiatric disease these people are so hung up about....

liter_ely's review against another edition

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fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

outsmartyourshelf's review against another edition

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dark mysterious slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.75

Set in the 1880s, it sees Dr Simeon Lee arrive at the house of his cousin, Parson Oliver Hawes. Oliver is ill but believes he is being poisoned & there doesn't seem to be any shortage of suspects: is it the two servants, one of whom provides the food that Oliver eats, or is it one of the townsfolk in the neighbouring village who speak of Turnglass House with disdain, or is it Florence Hawes? Once married to Oliver's brother, James, Florence killed him in a rage over another woman & she now lives behind a glass wall in Turnglass House. How would she get out though to commit the crime?

There are several references to the second half of the story which is set in 1930s California & involves the death of Oliver Tooke & the appearance of a book about a young doctor named Simeon Lee. This book is written as a tête-bêche novel - two intertwined stories where you can read one then the other or read alternate chapters. I didn't realise it when requesting, but this was only one of the two parts to the story so obviously that choice was not open to me, but I didn't enjoy the story enough to read the second part. I found it a bit hard-going for some reason, can't quite put my finger on what I didn't like. Many reviewers seemed to really like it though, so don't let me put you off as it's something different in today's book world.

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Simon & Schuster UK, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.

Content Warnings

jadesaunders72's review against another edition

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dark mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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