A Tidy Ending: A Novel by Joanna Cannon

(Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!)

 

about book: (summary from Goodreads)

From the bestselling author of The Trouble with Goats and Sheep and Three Things About Elsie, a delightfully sinister novel about a married woman living a nice, quiet suburban life—but things aren’t always what they seem…

Linda has lived in a quiet neighborhood since fleeing the dark events of her childhood in Wales. Now she sits in her kitchen, wondering if this is all there is: pushing the vacuum around and cooking fish sticks for dinner, a far cry from the glamorous lifestyle she sees in the glossy magazines coming through the mail slot addressed to the previous occupant, Rebecca.

Linda’s husband Terry isn’t perfect—he picks his teeth, tracks dirt through the house, and spends most of his time in front of the TV. But that seems fairly standard—until he starts keeping odd hours at work, at around the same time young women in the town start to go missing.

If only Linda could track down and befriend Rebecca, maybe some of that enviable lifestyle would rub off on her and she wouldn’t have to worry about what Terry is up to. But the grass isn’t always greener and you can’t change who you really are. And some secrets can’t stay buried forever…

my thoughts:

As a huge fan of Joanna Cannon's, I was thrilled to receive a copy of her latest book, A Tidy Ending. I just knew that I was in for a treat. Her writing is superb, her storytelling is top notch, and her characters are unforgettable - what more could I want? So, I grabbed a cuppa, a biscuit or three, and dove right in. And, let me just say...WOW! I absolutely LOVED A Tidy Ending!!

Linda is married, works at the local charity shop, and obsessed with meeting a woman named Rebecca. She's the previous tenant of the house that Linda and her husband Terry recently purchased just down the street from their old house. Some of Rebecca's post was delivered to the house and Linda couldn't help but find herself rifling through it, especially the glossy magazine with all the beautiful photographs of glamorous homes.  She's convinced that Rebecca is meant to be friend and is determined to track her down. Meanwhile, her husband Terry has been acting rather shifty lately. He's lying about his work hours and not being forthcoming with anything anymore. Linda starts to get suspicious, especially, when the news starts talking about young local women being murdered. Hmm...could Terry be responsible? As Linda finds herself stalking Rebecca, she can't help but find herself paying a bit more attention to Terry and she's not liking what she finds out about her husband. Yikes! And, that is all I will write about this delicious mystery. It is a book you MUST read for yourself - it is so damn good!

A Tidy Ending is a slow burn type of story and that is what makes it a thrilling read. As you get to know Linda and her past, you can't help but jump to all sorts of conclusions. Then as you get to learn more about Rebecca and Terry, well, you can't help but jump to even more conclusions. Talk about twists and turns! I enjoyed trying to piece together whodunit and what it is they've done exactly. And the characters, you can't help but fall in deep with them - they are relatable, unlikeable, flawed to the nth degree, and just fascinating to read about. All in all, this story is just terrific. 

I would happily recommend A Tidy Ending to fans of Cannon and anyone looking for their next great read - you are going to LOVE this book! Check it out ASAP!!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

Three Things About Elsie by Joanna Cannon

I absolutely LOVED Cannon's novel, The Trouble With Goats and Sheep.  It was one of my favorite reads last year. So, when I heard about her new book, Three Things About Elsie, I knew I had to buy a copy ASAP.  Unfortunately, the book doesn't come out in the US until August - ack! Luckily, I was able to purchase it through Book Depository - hurrah!  I started it the other day and couldn't put it down. And now that its over, I miss the characters so much.

Here are three things about this book:

1.  This is the story of Florence, an elderly woman residing at Cherry Tree - a home for the elderly.  She's fallen and is waiting for someone to find her.  As she waits on the floor, she begins to wonder about a secret from her past and whether or not it will come to light.  She is also curious about the new resident, Gabriel Price - he looks exactly like a man she once knew, except that man drowned.  Also, her best friend Elsie isn't there to help her.  Where is she? She's always around Florence chatting with her about anything and everything.  The longer Florence lies on the floor, the more we learn about life at Cherry Tree and that huge secret she's kept locked away.

2.  This book. Oh. My. God.  I absolutely LOVED it!! Once I started, I just could not stop reading. I found myself swept away by Florence's story.  I loved getting to know her and her friends. I loved learning about her life before Cherry Tree and at Cherry Tree.  I loved the way the story weaved back and forth from present time to a few weeks back in time - showing us what led to Florence's fall. I also really enjoyed the way Cannon connected the characters, even the peripheral ones.  She wrote this story in such a clear and detailed manner, that it was so easy to imagine myself wandering around at Cherry Tree and listening in on the residents' conversations or breathing in the sea air during their trip to the seaside. I found myself captivated and enjoying every second I spent with Florence, Jack, and Elsie.

3.  There were some predictable moments in the book, but truthfully it didn't bother me. I was too busy learning about life at a home for the elderly.  The way the residents were treated, listened to, ignored, placated, etc..  The staff's attitude toward the elderly residents they saw day in and day out - the ways in which they watched them, kept track of them, put them on probation, threatened them with removal to a different residence for the elderly (the place that no one wants to go to - Greenbank), etc..  And the residents themselves - watching the telly, sitting in the Japanese garden, playing Scrabble, attending bingo games (basically, keeping busy any which way possible).  Reading about how when one of them passes away, their belongings are just thrown away and its like they were never even there.  Florence often wonders if anyone will miss her, will even notice she's gone.  She wonders if she should have married, had children, and lived a different life from the one she led.  She worries that her life has been meaningless.  Reading about her concerns made me think about my own life and my own family and how short it all really is, so we need to enjoy it and embrace it as much as we can. I will admit that I did cry whilst reading this book - specifically when a favorite character of mine passed away.  I just couldn't help but feel sadness when they were gone.  Of course, the book made me feel all the feels - it was just that good of a book.  I also can't stop thinking about the residents and staff at Cherry Tree - I wonder how they are and if they've made the changes that they were considering making.  I guess I'm just missing the story and wishing I were still reading it. I loved this book and look forward to re-reading it again and again.

And now, I'm off to finish The Death of Mrs. Westaway by Ruth Ware.  Happy Reading!!