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lisa_bee88's review
3.0
3.5 stars.
'A Stranger in My Street' tells the story of Meg Eaton, a young woman who lives in Perth during WWII. As if it isn't enough that the country is at war, and her boyfriend Peter died in battle, now there has been a murder in the neighbourhood; which Meg and Tom, Peter's brother, find themselves knee deep in.
I found this historical, romantic mystery highly enjoyable.
'A Stranger in My Street' tells the story of Meg Eaton, a young woman who lives in Perth during WWII. As if it isn't enough that the country is at war, and her boyfriend Peter died in battle, now there has been a murder in the neighbourhood; which Meg and Tom, Peter's brother, find themselves knee deep in.
I found this historical, romantic mystery highly enjoyable.
ljm57's review
3.0
A debut novel by an author who is a lawyer specialising in medical law & has a postgraduate degree in medical history. She has managed to write a book that combines all these interests. It is a murder-mystery, liberally sprinkled with war time romance; a very easy read. What I enjoyed most was the setting in Perth in 1943 - the fashions, the descriptions of architecture, the entertainments, family life & of course, Perth itself.
shelleyrae's review
4.0
A Stranger in My Street is an enjoyable novel that blends mystery, romance and wartime history. It is a hot summer evening in 1943 when Meg Eaton and Captain Tom Legrange discover the body of Mrs Doreen Luca in an air raid shelter. It is assumed her husband, home on leave, one of 'those' passionate Italians, stabbed her in a fit of jealousy and rage but neither Meg nor Tom are so sure. Despite their awkward relationship, the pair are caught up in a desire to solve the mystery of her death which leads them from Meg's quiet suburban neighborhood to the dance halls of Perth amongst the rowdy American servicemen.
Though A Stranger in My Street has a mystery at its core, it is more than a simple who-dunnit. Burrows has created a novel rich with history, romance and interesting themes. The novel is well paced and
the characters are appealing.
A twenty one year old stenographer who lives with her widowed mother and sister, Meg Eaton lost her lover in combat and has been grieving for the last eighteen months. The unexpected appearance of Captain Tom Legrange, her boyfriends older brother, and the discovery of her murdered neighbour is the catalyst for Meg's recovery. Meg is sweetly naive, which is typical of the time, yet has a steady core of intelligence and resilience that gives her character depth.
The former Rhodes Scholar, member of Perth's social elite and older brother of Meg's deceased lover, Captain Tom Legrange is an enigmatic character haunted by his POW experiences, painful wounds and secrets he struggles to hide. Despite his engagement to a society darling, he is drawn to Meg's optimism and innocence which contrasts with his own tortured darkness.
The mutual attraction that develops between Meg and Tom is complicated not only by their connection to Peter but by their individual circumstances, they are opposites in social status, and worldly experience. The romance is built up slowly over the course of the novel but is contained within the story so that it doesn't overwhelm the plot.
World War II had a significant impact on Australia, despite being far from the front lines. The usual privations of wartime such as rationing, shortages and blackouts were in effect, women were pressed into employment in greater numbers, Germans, Italians and Japanese were interred in camps as 'enemy aliens' while hundreds of thousands of men went to war and never returned, and those that did were often badly injured and suffering shock. For some, particularly those in capital cities like Perth the general deprivations of war were mitigated by the presence of thousands of American servicemen, who introduced economic and social change. Burrows integrates the social and cultural circumstances of the period seamlessly into the novel with vivid and authentic detail.
I particularly enjoyed the setting for this novel, largely because of my familiarity with the city of Perth. Meg strolls through the Stirling Gardens, passes The Swan Brewery and gazes out across the Swan River and though it has been more than twenty years since I was last there, images of the landmarks mentioned flashed through my mind. I admit to knowing little about the city during wartime though and was impressed with how Burrows captured the atmosphere of the period with interesting details.
A Stranger in My Street is an entertaining debut from Australian novelist Deborah Burrows that is sure to appeal to a wide audience
Though A Stranger in My Street has a mystery at its core, it is more than a simple who-dunnit. Burrows has created a novel rich with history, romance and interesting themes. The novel is well paced and
the characters are appealing.
A twenty one year old stenographer who lives with her widowed mother and sister, Meg Eaton lost her lover in combat and has been grieving for the last eighteen months. The unexpected appearance of Captain Tom Legrange, her boyfriends older brother, and the discovery of her murdered neighbour is the catalyst for Meg's recovery. Meg is sweetly naive, which is typical of the time, yet has a steady core of intelligence and resilience that gives her character depth.
The former Rhodes Scholar, member of Perth's social elite and older brother of Meg's deceased lover, Captain Tom Legrange is an enigmatic character haunted by his POW experiences, painful wounds and secrets he struggles to hide. Despite his engagement to a society darling, he is drawn to Meg's optimism and innocence which contrasts with his own tortured darkness.
The mutual attraction that develops between Meg and Tom is complicated not only by their connection to Peter but by their individual circumstances, they are opposites in social status, and worldly experience. The romance is built up slowly over the course of the novel but is contained within the story so that it doesn't overwhelm the plot.
World War II had a significant impact on Australia, despite being far from the front lines. The usual privations of wartime such as rationing, shortages and blackouts were in effect, women were pressed into employment in greater numbers, Germans, Italians and Japanese were interred in camps as 'enemy aliens' while hundreds of thousands of men went to war and never returned, and those that did were often badly injured and suffering shock. For some, particularly those in capital cities like Perth the general deprivations of war were mitigated by the presence of thousands of American servicemen, who introduced economic and social change. Burrows integrates the social and cultural circumstances of the period seamlessly into the novel with vivid and authentic detail.
I particularly enjoyed the setting for this novel, largely because of my familiarity with the city of Perth. Meg strolls through the Stirling Gardens, passes The Swan Brewery and gazes out across the Swan River and though it has been more than twenty years since I was last there, images of the landmarks mentioned flashed through my mind. I admit to knowing little about the city during wartime though and was impressed with how Burrows captured the atmosphere of the period with interesting details.
A Stranger in My Street is an entertaining debut from Australian novelist Deborah Burrows that is sure to appeal to a wide audience
rjgrovesauthor's review
5.0
This was Deborah Burrows's debut novel, and my second read of her books. It was a beautiful, intense read that never had a dull moment. The characters are well developed and we get to know them more as the book goes on. It's a very intriguing read and I recommend it. I'll definitely be reading more of her books.
lunasmaria's review
5.0
As a Perth resident and amateur historian this book was fantastic, every street is accurate and the scenery is set so beautifully. My 5 stars comes mostly from the sheer realism Deborah Burrows creates.
In regards to a romance this book was so wonderful, it's certainly not insta-love though it's very gripping.
Admittedly I lost interest in the mystery, I was surprised with the resolution, but I think I lost focus because I was so enamoured with Meg's story.
In regards to a romance this book was so wonderful, it's certainly not insta-love though it's very gripping.
Admittedly I lost interest in the mystery, I was surprised with the resolution, but I think I lost focus because I was so enamoured with Meg's story.
margreads's review
4.0
Like most readers, I have my favourite types of books. For example, tell me a book is set in either World War I or World War II then I will certainly consider whether it might be something that I might want to read. Tell me that book is set in my home town of Perth then I will have to do more than that! Of course, that bring it's own dangers. What if the representation of the city feels off? Luckily, that wasn't an issue here.
Perth is a city that has been invaded, mostly by the American servicemen who have been based there as a flying base and also, to a certain degree, as a deterrent to a Japanese invasion. With them the US service men bring hard to find goods that can be sold on the black market, money and good times, especially for the young ladies in town. They look good in their uniforms, and they know how to show a lady a good time with music and dancing and more!
To read my full review head to
http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2012/07/sunday-salon-stranger-in-my-street-by.html