Day: Jan 30, 2020

PUBLISHERS BLURB 

A dark and emotive thriller which shines a light on the troubling issue of children in care, The Home marks the return of Sarah Stovell, author of the 2017 international bestseller Exquisite.

When the body of pregnant, fifteen-year-old Hope Lacey is discovered in a churchyard on Christmas morning, the community is shocked, but unsurprised. For Hope lived in The Home, the residence of three young girls, whose violent and disturbing pasts have seen them cloistered away.

As a police investigation gets underway, the lives of Hope, Lara and Annie are examined, and the staff who work at the home are interviewed, leading to shocking and distressing revelations … and clear evidence that someone is seeking revenge.

A dark and devastating psychological thriller, The Home is also a heartbreaking and insightful portrayal of the underbelly of society, where children learn what they live … if they are allowed to live at all.

MY REVIEW

On Christmas morning the staff at Hillfoot House, The Home, find two girls are missing. They report this to the police and are told they’ve been found, but one girl has been murdered. 

This is the tale of Hope, Annie and Lara. All three girls have had unimaginable trauma in their short lives, they’ve seen, heard and done more than any child ever should.

There’s the mystery of the murder, but also the events that have lead to this. A look into the lives of these three girls and their pasts and the care system too.  It’s not an easy read by any means as it deals with child prostitution, abuse, violence and murder. All told in such a way it’s so believable and utterly tragic. All credit to Sarah Stovell’s incredible writing.

It’s such a harrowing tale, full of emotions, love, anger, fear and utter despair at times and makes for an uncomfortable read. Beautifully written and so utterly compelling. It will grab you by the heartstrings and not let go. Heartbreaking and unforgettable. A 5* must read.

Thank you to Anne Cater and Random Things Tours for the opportunity to participate in this blog tour,  for the promotional materials and a free copy of the book. This is my honest, unbiased review.

 

You can buy a copy here:   https://amzn.to/36EEerU

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Sarah Stovell was born in 1977 and spent most of her life in the Home Counties before a season working in a remote North Yorkshire youth hostel made her realise she was a northerner at heart. She now lives in Northumberland with her partner and two children and is a lecturer in Creative Writing at Lincoln University. Her debut psychological thriller, Exquisite, was called ‘the book of the summer’ by Sunday Times.