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3.86 AVERAGE
3.86 AVERAGE
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail
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The year is 1960. Twins Duncan and Maisy are awoken in the middle of the night when their father decides to have their mother placed in an asylum. Soon after, they are both sent to live with their grandmother at her country house, Nightingales. Grandmother isn’t exactly the wonderful caring kind and leaves the twins’ care to the capable hands of her housemaid. Duncan and Maisy are left to explore and grow, until one day Duncan doesn’t return home. Could he have been taken by the mysterious woman in the wood?
The Woman in the Wood is Lesley Pearse’s 25th book and her experience truly shows. If you think the author may have exhausted topics to write about and deliver anything less than fresh, you’d be awfully mistaken. I’ve only read one book by her so far and while this one is decidedly darker than the one I read previously, it offers everything you could possibly hope for. From crime and family drama to a little dash of quite innocent romance, the author manages to blend everything together seamlessly.
Obviously, there’s a mystery to solve and the tension is palpable throughout as Maisy edges ever closer to danger in a desperate attempt to try and figure out what happened to her brother. This is a bit of a slow starter but the author carefully builds up the action until you find yourself trying to flip the pages faster and faster.
Lesley Pearse delivers some excellent characterisation. Each and every one of these characters came across as utterly realistic and believable, from the stiff upper lip of the grandmother to the mysterious woman in the wood. The story itself takes a dark and twisted turn and may make for some uncomfortable reading to some readers. I was hooked from start to finish and couldn’t put it down.
All in all, a well executed mystery with quite the satisfying ending.
The year is 1960. Twins Duncan and Maisy are awoken in the middle of the night when their father decides to have their mother placed in an asylum. Soon after, they are both sent to live with their grandmother at her country house, Nightingales. Grandmother isn’t exactly the wonderful caring kind and leaves the twins’ care to the capable hands of her housemaid. Duncan and Maisy are left to explore and grow, until one day Duncan doesn’t return home. Could he have been taken by the mysterious woman in the wood?
The Woman in the Wood is Lesley Pearse’s 25th book and her experience truly shows. If you think the author may have exhausted topics to write about and deliver anything less than fresh, you’d be awfully mistaken. I’ve only read one book by her so far and while this one is decidedly darker than the one I read previously, it offers everything you could possibly hope for. From crime and family drama to a little dash of quite innocent romance, the author manages to blend everything together seamlessly.
Obviously, there’s a mystery to solve and the tension is palpable throughout as Maisy edges ever closer to danger in a desperate attempt to try and figure out what happened to her brother. This is a bit of a slow starter but the author carefully builds up the action until you find yourself trying to flip the pages faster and faster.
Lesley Pearse delivers some excellent characterisation. Each and every one of these characters came across as utterly realistic and believable, from the stiff upper lip of the grandmother to the mysterious woman in the wood. The story itself takes a dark and twisted turn and may make for some uncomfortable reading to some readers. I was hooked from start to finish and couldn’t put it down.
All in all, a well executed mystery with quite the satisfying ending.
Não desgostei, mas foi o mais fraquinho dos que já li da autora - 3.5⭐
Visit locations in the novel - The Woman in the Wood
Heartbreaking and emotional on so many levels. There’s everything you’d expect from a Lesley Pearse novel – emotions, intrigue, mystery and a cracking good story with full bodied characters. I can’t imagine the terror of seeing your mother torn from the family home, put into an asylum, growing up with little love and affection. The country during WW2 was a time for stiff upper lips and resilience but this is something else, and it ‘s a very emotional journey. The plot is tightly woven, sprinkled with mystery and suspense and peppered with uncertainty, emotions and the unknown depths of the New Forest.
The New Forest feels like a world in itself – separated from the rest of the world and the atmosphere and sense of foreboding and mystery are built up with Pearse care and attention. The woman who lives in the woods, who is suspected of many things was a great central character. The 1960s setting built up walls and expectations of a strained and troubled time.
There are so many interesting family dynamics in this story that really drew me in. It was a very emotional read and a new Lesley Pearse classic. Highly recommended.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Fifteen year old twins Duncan and Maisy Mitcham are woken in the middle of the night only to discover that their mother is being taken away to an asylum. According to their father it's the best thing for her.
Within a few days of their mother leaving Duncan and Maisy are being sent to live with their cold hearted grandmother at Nightingales which is located deep in the New Forrest countryside. Their grandmother is not kind, loving or caring towards them and she leaves them to do as they pleased as long as they left her alone. Janice the housekeeper was the opposite of their grandmother, she was warm, caring and always baking them scrumptious treats.
Being allowed to do as they wanted, Duncan and Maisy often went off on their own riding their bikes into the woods and enjoying their own adventures and meeting some of the local kids. Only one day Duncan goes off on his own and doesn't return for dinner that night. Their grandmother shows no care or worry, but as the days pass and then weeks, Maisy knows something isn't right, especially when the police have no clues as to where he might be. Maisy believes the only person who may know where her brother is could be Grace Deville. Grace lived in the woods on her own and despite the rumors about the woman she and Duncan had become rather friendly with one another. Did Grace know where or what had happened to Duncan?
You know a book is good when it rests on your mind for a few days. But a BRILLIANT book makes you want to tell everyone about it and you wish they'd start reading it straight away. Yes, you've guessed it, I REALLY enjoyed this book, so what are you waiting for, go grab a copy and start reading, you know you want to. Highly recommended.
Within a few days of their mother leaving Duncan and Maisy are being sent to live with their cold hearted grandmother at Nightingales which is located deep in the New Forrest countryside. Their grandmother is not kind, loving or caring towards them and she leaves them to do as they pleased as long as they left her alone. Janice the housekeeper was the opposite of their grandmother, she was warm, caring and always baking them scrumptious treats.
Being allowed to do as they wanted, Duncan and Maisy often went off on their own riding their bikes into the woods and enjoying their own adventures and meeting some of the local kids. Only one day Duncan goes off on his own and doesn't return for dinner that night. Their grandmother shows no care or worry, but as the days pass and then weeks, Maisy knows something isn't right, especially when the police have no clues as to where he might be. Maisy believes the only person who may know where her brother is could be Grace Deville. Grace lived in the woods on her own and despite the rumors about the woman she and Duncan had become rather friendly with one another. Did Grace know where or what had happened to Duncan?
You know a book is good when it rests on your mind for a few days. But a BRILLIANT book makes you want to tell everyone about it and you wish they'd start reading it straight away. Yes, you've guessed it, I REALLY enjoyed this book, so what are you waiting for, go grab a copy and start reading, you know you want to. Highly recommended.
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes