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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
Enjoyable historical fiction with a hint of gothic horror.
Again though I felt it was too long, all the books I’m reading lately seem to go on and on forever!
I liked the story, the twists and turns and I didn’t guess the ending at all.
Worth a read
Again though I felt it was too long, all the books I’m reading lately seem to go on and on forever!
I liked the story, the twists and turns and I didn’t guess the ending at all.
Worth a read
From what I understand, this is the authors debut novel. An incredible achievement. Very realistic scene setting of 1837 London. A murder and investigation that kept me flipping the pages to find out what happens....Interesting and engrossing storyline, superb characters- fully developed and believable. Well done!
Short & sweet review until I’ve a full one up: If you were into “Alias Grace” by Margaret Atwood, you’ll love this novel. Set in the 1800s, a woman faces death for being an accessory to a crime that she claims to have known nothing about. What follows next illustrates how the justice system was corrupt back then, how certain elements of it will always be corrupt if we keep this standard of justice seeking & how it affected women & children of the time. It was a really engaging read & I ended up nearly filling the rest of my review journal (50 pages or so) of just notes on this novel for a review for next week.
I am a lover of Historical fiction especially Victorian London so when I read the synopsis of ‘The Unseeing’ I knew I had to read it. This is Anna Mazzola’s debut novel and I can tell you it certainly delivered.
The year is 1837 and Sarah Gale is sentenced to be hung, she is believed to have aid and abet James Greenacre in the death of Hannah Brown. Sarah Gale was having an on/off relationship with Greenacre and living with him in his home until he met Hannah. Hannah Brown was a spinster with a bit of money and business’s in her possession,until her body parts were found randomly around London.Greenacre a conniving man that he is only wanted Hannah for her money and threw Sarah out a few days before Christmas. A few days after Christmas Hannah Brown is gone and Sarah Gale is back in Greenacre’s bed. Sarah is adamant that she knows nothing about the disappearance or death of Hannah Brown, but no-one believes her.
Sarah Gale and a Women’s institute have requested Sarah to be pardoned as she is to be hung but is adamant she knows nothing. Edmund Fleetwood has been assigned the case, his job is to see if she will talk or if there is any new evidence. This is one of the most spoken about cases of the time and this could be the career break that Edmund needs, however Sarah Gale is still adamant that she knows nothing. Can this meek, pale women really be involved in a murder?
This book was amazing, I felt like I had been transported to London in 1837. The writing was so atmospheric, the descriptions of the sounds, the streets and the way the characters spoke just blew me away, and it was consistent throughout the book. The Unseeing is a slow burn book that drip feeds you information slowly and you start piecing it together like a jigsaw puzzle. I was definitely hooked and needed to know how Hannah had come to be in pieces around London and what was going to happen to Sarah. There is a twist and I didn’t see it coming whatsoever and was left shocked for some time.
This book is based on a true crime that happened in 1837 and is known as the Edgeware Murder. Sarah Gale and John Greenacre are the names of the actual people involved and the court scripts can be seen at the Old Bailey website. You can definitely tell that the Mazzola had knowledge of the justice system as it was very well researched. I loved that Mazzola managed to make a fictional book out of a true crime and it makes it even more intriguing to read. It does make you think of how the justice system failed a lot of people back in Victorian times.
I will definitely be reading anything else Anna Mazzola release and recommend this book you are interested true crime and historical fiction.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars
The year is 1837 and Sarah Gale is sentenced to be hung, she is believed to have aid and abet James Greenacre in the death of Hannah Brown. Sarah Gale was having an on/off relationship with Greenacre and living with him in his home until he met Hannah. Hannah Brown was a spinster with a bit of money and business’s in her possession,until her body parts were found randomly around London.Greenacre a conniving man that he is only wanted Hannah for her money and threw Sarah out a few days before Christmas. A few days after Christmas Hannah Brown is gone and Sarah Gale is back in Greenacre’s bed. Sarah is adamant that she knows nothing about the disappearance or death of Hannah Brown, but no-one believes her.
Sarah Gale and a Women’s institute have requested Sarah to be pardoned as she is to be hung but is adamant she knows nothing. Edmund Fleetwood has been assigned the case, his job is to see if she will talk or if there is any new evidence. This is one of the most spoken about cases of the time and this could be the career break that Edmund needs, however Sarah Gale is still adamant that she knows nothing. Can this meek, pale women really be involved in a murder?
This book was amazing, I felt like I had been transported to London in 1837. The writing was so atmospheric, the descriptions of the sounds, the streets and the way the characters spoke just blew me away, and it was consistent throughout the book. The Unseeing is a slow burn book that drip feeds you information slowly and you start piecing it together like a jigsaw puzzle. I was definitely hooked and needed to know how Hannah had come to be in pieces around London and what was going to happen to Sarah. There is a twist and I didn’t see it coming whatsoever and was left shocked for some time.
This book is based on a true crime that happened in 1837 and is known as the Edgeware Murder. Sarah Gale and John Greenacre are the names of the actual people involved and the court scripts can be seen at the Old Bailey website. You can definitely tell that the Mazzola had knowledge of the justice system as it was very well researched. I loved that Mazzola managed to make a fictional book out of a true crime and it makes it even more intriguing to read. It does make you think of how the justice system failed a lot of people back in Victorian times.
I will definitely be reading anything else Anna Mazzola release and recommend this book you are interested true crime and historical fiction.
I rated this 4 out of 5 stars
One thing I thought coming into reading this book was that it looked like a good old fashioned murder mystery story. Did it deliver that? Yes, yes it did, it really reminded me of the original Sherlock Holmes series, with extra hindsight. For historical fiction, it really honestly felt like it was being written in the past, not just set in it, which was super super cool.
I didn’t like the characterisation of Edmund very much though- he didn’t appeal to me the way Sarah and the deceased Hannah did. He didn’t seem to have a lot of substance to him, his purpose was solely to be Sarah’s lawyer and to have a wife and a family to juxtapose against Sarah’s living situation. He does get better towards the end, however, but his personal growth seems a little forced.
Sarah and James Greenacre’s relationship was odd, but intriguing at the same time - along with Sarah’s past, which just drew me more and more into the novel. Hannah and James were a little more mysterious, but Mazzola did a really good job of slowly unveiling the details of that throughout the story, as with the rest of the mystery elements of the novel.
Hannah. Oh, Hannah. I loved her. I’m not even sure why, normally I dislike or feel like the murder victim is useless, but she was really well painted by Sarah’s thoughts and stories. She didn’t sound like the usual kind of person that would be murdered (that is, if you disregard her status in society) but she was likeable in the strangest possible way - she was completely normal, like any other woman from the time.
Finally, the twist at the end. I really didn’t see that coming, at all. That was honestly, truly a surprise, I didn’t guess it and it made the story feel that much better. As well as this, finding out that it was based on actual historical events made me really, really happy. I love it when fiction has its roots in fact, especially when an author incorporates events into the central themes and plot of a novel.
The twist came a little bit too late though for me, it didn’t give the book room to reach a natural conclusion.
However, all in all, I did really enjoy this story, and it’s a 4 out of 5 from me.
I didn’t like the characterisation of Edmund very much though- he didn’t appeal to me the way Sarah and the deceased Hannah did. He didn’t seem to have a lot of substance to him, his purpose was solely to be Sarah’s lawyer and to have a wife and a family to juxtapose against Sarah’s living situation. He does get better towards the end, however, but his personal growth seems a little forced.
Sarah and James Greenacre’s relationship was odd, but intriguing at the same time - along with Sarah’s past, which just drew me more and more into the novel. Hannah and James were a little more mysterious, but Mazzola did a really good job of slowly unveiling the details of that throughout the story, as with the rest of the mystery elements of the novel.
Hannah. Oh, Hannah. I loved her. I’m not even sure why, normally I dislike or feel like the murder victim is useless, but she was really well painted by Sarah’s thoughts and stories. She didn’t sound like the usual kind of person that would be murdered (that is, if you disregard her status in society) but she was likeable in the strangest possible way - she was completely normal, like any other woman from the time.
Finally, the twist at the end. I really didn’t see that coming, at all. That was honestly, truly a surprise, I didn’t guess it and it made the story feel that much better. As well as this, finding out that it was based on actual historical events made me really, really happy. I love it when fiction has its roots in fact, especially when an author incorporates events into the central themes and plot of a novel.
The twist came a little bit too late though for me, it didn’t give the book room to reach a natural conclusion.
However, all in all, I did really enjoy this story, and it’s a 4 out of 5 from me.
Despite my patchy reading of historical crime fiction, I heard Anna Mazzola talk about her debut at this year’s CrimeFest convention in Bristol, and was suitably intrigued by this fictionalisation of a true murder case from the Victorian period. The Edgeware Road Murder of 1837 which led to many a lurid story in the popular press, resulted in Sarah Gale being convicted of aiding and abetting James Greenacre in the murder of his fiancée Hannah Brown. Gale refused to give a full testimony, simply stating that she knew nothing. Frankly, having been bored witless by other non-fiction accounts of Victorian murder cases e.g. The Suspicions of Mr Whicher, hopes were high that the story of Sarah Gale would draw me in…
From the very beginning I found this an intelligent, detailed and emotionally engaging read. Mazzola’s characterisation of Sarah in particular was incredibly powerful, showing a woman struggling with the secrets that she chooses not to expose in open court, and thus willingly forfeiting her right to a fair trial. As the plot unfolds, and Edmund Fleetwood investigates her case further to commute her sentence, it becomes abundantly clear why she has adopted such a closed and taciturn demeanour during her trial. Mazzola controls the pace of Fleetwood’s uncovering of Sarah’s motivations and actions beautifully, and the characterisation of both is perfectly drawn throughout. Sarah exudes a natural dignity that makes her appear rather closed down from natural emotion, and I liked the way that layers of her character are revealed gradually, with her fierce loyalty to both her sister Rosina, and her young son George, shaping her reluctance to reveal her suspected involvement in the murder of Hannah Brown. Mazzola neatly swings our own perception of her back and forth, with us constantly questioning her innocence or guilt in this heinous crime, and cleverly uses the, at times, witless Fleetwood to echo the doubts of the reader as he tries to unpick the mystery that is Sarah Gale, and in the process exposing some of his own family’s unsavoury secrets…
Mazzola’s depth of research is constantly in evidence, but never to the detriment of her ability for natural storytelling. You can positively taste, smell and feel the fear that inhabits Newgate prison, where Sarah is incarcerated. The utter despair or false bravado of her fellow prisoners is portrayed wonderfully, and the rundown and unhygienic confines of this disease-riddled gaol enfolds the reader in a foul miasma. A particular enjoyment of this book is the way that Mazzola incorporates the less politically correct attitudes exhibited in relation to women from the press, the courts and in wider society itself, neatly summed up by one quote from Fleetwood’s father; “Remember that, while women are often very good liars, they are generally less capable of independent and complex thought” and that women are generally more susceptible to loose morality and scurrilous crime. The book is peppered with references to the unfairness of the legal system when women are in the dock, and how the punishments meted out to them are more harsh in relation to the crimes committed, and more often than not leading to convictions on the flimsiest of evidence.
So all in all, a brilliantly researched, emotional, perceptive, and utterly engaging slice of Victorian crime fiction. It skilfully manipulates the reader’s responses to the accused, Sarah Gale, by using the reactions of Edmund Fleetwood who is emotionally drawn to both her, and the seeming travesty of justice against her, as well as painting a visceral and realistic picture of the period itself. Highly recommended.
From the very beginning I found this an intelligent, detailed and emotionally engaging read. Mazzola’s characterisation of Sarah in particular was incredibly powerful, showing a woman struggling with the secrets that she chooses not to expose in open court, and thus willingly forfeiting her right to a fair trial. As the plot unfolds, and Edmund Fleetwood investigates her case further to commute her sentence, it becomes abundantly clear why she has adopted such a closed and taciturn demeanour during her trial. Mazzola controls the pace of Fleetwood’s uncovering of Sarah’s motivations and actions beautifully, and the characterisation of both is perfectly drawn throughout. Sarah exudes a natural dignity that makes her appear rather closed down from natural emotion, and I liked the way that layers of her character are revealed gradually, with her fierce loyalty to both her sister Rosina, and her young son George, shaping her reluctance to reveal her suspected involvement in the murder of Hannah Brown. Mazzola neatly swings our own perception of her back and forth, with us constantly questioning her innocence or guilt in this heinous crime, and cleverly uses the, at times, witless Fleetwood to echo the doubts of the reader as he tries to unpick the mystery that is Sarah Gale, and in the process exposing some of his own family’s unsavoury secrets…
Mazzola’s depth of research is constantly in evidence, but never to the detriment of her ability for natural storytelling. You can positively taste, smell and feel the fear that inhabits Newgate prison, where Sarah is incarcerated. The utter despair or false bravado of her fellow prisoners is portrayed wonderfully, and the rundown and unhygienic confines of this disease-riddled gaol enfolds the reader in a foul miasma. A particular enjoyment of this book is the way that Mazzola incorporates the less politically correct attitudes exhibited in relation to women from the press, the courts and in wider society itself, neatly summed up by one quote from Fleetwood’s father; “Remember that, while women are often very good liars, they are generally less capable of independent and complex thought” and that women are generally more susceptible to loose morality and scurrilous crime. The book is peppered with references to the unfairness of the legal system when women are in the dock, and how the punishments meted out to them are more harsh in relation to the crimes committed, and more often than not leading to convictions on the flimsiest of evidence.
So all in all, a brilliantly researched, emotional, perceptive, and utterly engaging slice of Victorian crime fiction. It skilfully manipulates the reader’s responses to the accused, Sarah Gale, by using the reactions of Edmund Fleetwood who is emotionally drawn to both her, and the seeming travesty of justice against her, as well as painting a visceral and realistic picture of the period itself. Highly recommended.
After the horrendous murder, and butchering of Hannah Brown; it is up to Edmund Fleetwater to discover whether the angelic Sarah Gale could really have been a part of it. But she is keeping secrets, she is keeping faith.
I received a copy of The Unseeing from NetGalley.
This was a nice read.
It is a very well-written book, it's tone and content is very suited to the 1830's London in which it's set.
As a historical book, it is very easy to read, and fall into. There is a lovely description of every person, place, and daily occurrence. Mazzola's writing style makes everything ring very true.
You start with a murder, and the two convicted parties - Sarah Gale, and James Greenwood, who are found guilty of killing Hannah Brown; of dismembering her body, and hiding it from the police. For these crimes, they are both sentenced to hang.
Because of pressure from certain groups, and the high media interest in the case, lawyer Edmund Fleetwood has been assigned to discover whether Sarah's sentence is suited, or if she is innocent.
There is the slow unravelling of Sarah's life, the difficult circumstances that brought this gentleman's daughter to London; the struggle that she and her sister had, now society wouldn't support them.
She refuses to say anything about Hannah Brown's murder, but Edmund starts to piece together the truth of the situation; of a man prone to violence; the wife-beating that is widely ignored; how a woman cannot build herself back up, after a man has cast her out.
The not-so-good.
I found the book very repetitive. Both in the sense that characters would think something; say something; then have a secondary character say it back to them, all on the same page. Also, the feeling that no progress was being made.
The parts where you saw flashbacks of Sarah's life were very interesting; but the rest of the book was just a cycle of Edmund asking questions; Sarah avoiding answers; Edmund's father being over-bearing; and Edmund's wife feeling ignored.
I felt the book could have been half the length. There were times I would pick it up to start reading, and have to flick back a few pages, because I was sure that I'd already read this part. Nope, just repeating and reiterating.
Edmund would get excited that he was making progress, but when he stated what he had discovered, and what he was thinking (in his lawyerly way) it was in no way different to his assumptions at the beginning of the book.
It is only in the last fifty pages that the truth comes to light. It is somewhat satisfactory, and in keeping with the tone of the book; but I wasn't doing cartwheels.
The cast of characters were good, and interesting for the most part. They all have their secrets, and ambitions. I liked that they didn't spell out the reasons for their actions, just because the main character is interrogating them.
But our main character, Edmund, is a wet sop. He is a weakling. He blames his father for controlling his life, but makes no effort to break free (until the very very end of the book). He is a creature of another man's ambition, all the while he is pretending to be independent.
As a lawyer, he is very picky about his clientèle - they must not oppose his strict morals, and he would rather waste his time away, passively waiting for perfect cases to fall into his lap, rather than pro-actively seek them.
He's not a bad character per se, and he provides a logical narration; but I felt he wasn't interesting enough to be one of the main focusses of the story.
I received a copy of The Unseeing from NetGalley.
This was a nice read.
It is a very well-written book, it's tone and content is very suited to the 1830's London in which it's set.
As a historical book, it is very easy to read, and fall into. There is a lovely description of every person, place, and daily occurrence. Mazzola's writing style makes everything ring very true.
You start with a murder, and the two convicted parties - Sarah Gale, and James Greenwood, who are found guilty of killing Hannah Brown; of dismembering her body, and hiding it from the police. For these crimes, they are both sentenced to hang.
Because of pressure from certain groups, and the high media interest in the case, lawyer Edmund Fleetwood has been assigned to discover whether Sarah's sentence is suited, or if she is innocent.
There is the slow unravelling of Sarah's life, the difficult circumstances that brought this gentleman's daughter to London; the struggle that she and her sister had, now society wouldn't support them.
She refuses to say anything about Hannah Brown's murder, but Edmund starts to piece together the truth of the situation; of a man prone to violence; the wife-beating that is widely ignored; how a woman cannot build herself back up, after a man has cast her out.
The not-so-good.
I found the book very repetitive. Both in the sense that characters would think something; say something; then have a secondary character say it back to them, all on the same page. Also, the feeling that no progress was being made.
The parts where you saw flashbacks of Sarah's life were very interesting; but the rest of the book was just a cycle of Edmund asking questions; Sarah avoiding answers; Edmund's father being over-bearing; and Edmund's wife feeling ignored.
I felt the book could have been half the length. There were times I would pick it up to start reading, and have to flick back a few pages, because I was sure that I'd already read this part. Nope, just repeating and reiterating.
Edmund would get excited that he was making progress, but when he stated what he had discovered, and what he was thinking (in his lawyerly way) it was in no way different to his assumptions at the beginning of the book.
It is only in the last fifty pages that the truth comes to light. It is somewhat satisfactory, and in keeping with the tone of the book; but I wasn't doing cartwheels.
The cast of characters were good, and interesting for the most part. They all have their secrets, and ambitions. I liked that they didn't spell out the reasons for their actions, just because the main character is interrogating them.
But our main character, Edmund, is a wet sop. He is a weakling. He blames his father for controlling his life, but makes no effort to break free (until the very very end of the book). He is a creature of another man's ambition, all the while he is pretending to be independent.
As a lawyer, he is very picky about his clientèle - they must not oppose his strict morals, and he would rather waste his time away, passively waiting for perfect cases to fall into his lap, rather than pro-actively seek them.
He's not a bad character per se, and he provides a logical narration; but I felt he wasn't interesting enough to be one of the main focusses of the story.
This book is based on the true story of the murder of Hannah Brown who it is alleged was killed by her fiancé James Greenacre and his previous partner Sarah Gale. Hannah was murdered during Christmas and was then dismembered by James Greenacre and parts of her body turned up for the next few months as they were found in canals, and reed beds. It was alleged that Sarah Gale helped Greenacre to cover up the killing and dismemberment of Hannah for which the punishment was to be hanging for them both. This book focuses on a young man called Edmund Fleetwood who has been given the task of looking into the Sarah's case after she and others called for mercy given that she has a small child and actually had nothing to do with the murder or the cover up.
I found this novel to be excellent and found it hard to believe that it's a debut novel! The pacing of the story was excellent with occasional tidbits dropped into the story from various people about what really happened to Hannah. The historical elements of the book really made me feel like I was in Victorian London, both in the streets with Edmund and then in the prison with Sarah. I honestly do not know how accurate these elements were but they felt so real to me as a reader which is honestly the most important part of reading an historical novel. I enjoyed that this was based on a true crime, but that Anna made it her own with her speculation about what might have happened without making it feel too like she had modernised the tale. I loved that everything including the way people spoke and interacted with each other felt so realistic.
You could definitely tell that the author is a person who knows about criminal law, everything in this book was laid out so well and precisely it did feel like a police procedural but set in Victorian times. As I was reading I noticed that she really did bring out the patriarchal nature of this time period, basically if you were a woman you had no actual power over your own actions. Now this could be useful for and against a woman in prison or being accused of a crime depending on how your lawyer used this. Along with this depth of knowledge of the time period and the laws Anna has also created some incredibly sharp characters that you just want to know more about.
Overall I cannot wait to read another book by this author!
*I received a copy of this book directly from the publisher in return for an honest review*
I found this novel to be excellent and found it hard to believe that it's a debut novel! The pacing of the story was excellent with occasional tidbits dropped into the story from various people about what really happened to Hannah. The historical elements of the book really made me feel like I was in Victorian London, both in the streets with Edmund and then in the prison with Sarah. I honestly do not know how accurate these elements were but they felt so real to me as a reader which is honestly the most important part of reading an historical novel. I enjoyed that this was based on a true crime, but that Anna made it her own with her speculation about what might have happened without making it feel too like she had modernised the tale. I loved that everything including the way people spoke and interacted with each other felt so realistic.
You could definitely tell that the author is a person who knows about criminal law, everything in this book was laid out so well and precisely it did feel like a police procedural but set in Victorian times. As I was reading I noticed that she really did bring out the patriarchal nature of this time period, basically if you were a woman you had no actual power over your own actions. Now this could be useful for and against a woman in prison or being accused of a crime depending on how your lawyer used this. Along with this depth of knowledge of the time period and the laws Anna has also created some incredibly sharp characters that you just want to know more about.
Overall I cannot wait to read another book by this author!
*I received a copy of this book directly from the publisher in return for an honest review*
If Charles Dickens taught us anything, it is that pre-Victorian London was rough. The divide between the haves and the have-nots was huge, and the opportunities for advancement rare. Women in particular suffered as they had no rights and even fewer opportunities. Sarah Gale is just one woman caught up in the hardships of the time. With no money, no husband, and no chance for a respectable job, there was not much she could do to keep a roof over her head and feed her child, yet her desire to do so condemns her in the eyes of society. Ms. Gale’s trial also shows the rampant misogyny that existed back then (and still exists?). The Unseeing is a damning story in that it confirms everything Dickens ever covered in his novels with the addition of being about a true crime. Drawing on actual transcripts and newspaper articles from the time, Ms. Mazzola shows that the misogyny women all around the world still face has been around for a very long time.
The Unseeing is a dark novel; in fact, everything about the story is gloomy. London itself hides under a layer of smog and pollution so thick that it often obscures the sun. The poverty levels of most of the residents of the city are appalling. The graft and corruption among those sworn to uphold the law makes your stomach turn. Then there is Newgate prison, that infamous bastion of depravity, cruelty, and all that was wrong with London society. Much of the novel occurs within its walls, lending its own air of gloom to the proceedings. Edmund faces his own challenges, including the very real threat of debtors’ prison, further compounding the misery. Yet all of this serves the purpose of underscoring just how bleak life was for people then. It is a reminder of how lucky we are in today’s society and how far we have come.
Ms. Mazzola does an excellent job blurring the lines between fact and fiction in her debut novel. Sarah’s story is not a happy one, and Ms. Mazzola does not fictitiously make it one. Instead, she uses her meticulous research to present a plausible scenario for Ms. Gale’s silence and condemnation. The moral dilemmas Edmund faces in his investigation is also timely, in that we are all facing similar dilemmas between speaking out against current injustices and remaining silent for fear of retaliation. Peeling back the layers of history, as Ms. Mazzola does, provides readers with opportunity to learn from past mistakes. The Unseeing is a great opportunity to do so.
The Unseeing is a dark novel; in fact, everything about the story is gloomy. London itself hides under a layer of smog and pollution so thick that it often obscures the sun. The poverty levels of most of the residents of the city are appalling. The graft and corruption among those sworn to uphold the law makes your stomach turn. Then there is Newgate prison, that infamous bastion of depravity, cruelty, and all that was wrong with London society. Much of the novel occurs within its walls, lending its own air of gloom to the proceedings. Edmund faces his own challenges, including the very real threat of debtors’ prison, further compounding the misery. Yet all of this serves the purpose of underscoring just how bleak life was for people then. It is a reminder of how lucky we are in today’s society and how far we have come.
Ms. Mazzola does an excellent job blurring the lines between fact and fiction in her debut novel. Sarah’s story is not a happy one, and Ms. Mazzola does not fictitiously make it one. Instead, she uses her meticulous research to present a plausible scenario for Ms. Gale’s silence and condemnation. The moral dilemmas Edmund faces in his investigation is also timely, in that we are all facing similar dilemmas between speaking out against current injustices and remaining silent for fear of retaliation. Peeling back the layers of history, as Ms. Mazzola does, provides readers with opportunity to learn from past mistakes. The Unseeing is a great opportunity to do so.
A true-crime fiction novel debut, “The Unseeing” is the story of Sarah Gale’s role in a vicious crime that fascinated London at the time. The Edgeware Road Murder shocked the public in the visceral and graphic manner the body was disposed of. Instead of leaving it to a footnote in the dark times of London, Author Anna Mazzola has brought it back into the light with her debut novel. Already published for over 6 months in the UK, it has been brought to the States by Sourcebooks Landmark. Clearly Mazzola has a real gift for this and hopefully will grace us with another book in a similar style as time goes on.
Typically not a fan of the true-crime fiction genre, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself readily enjoying “The Unseeing.” I did have a bit of trouble in the middle, when I thought everything had been wrapped up neatly, only to find that there was about 45% more book left. With a physical book, you have visual cue to let you know that there is more to come. I would compare it to a procedural crime show that seems to be solved at the 30 minute mark. You know something is going to happen, because it all seems too easy. One of the reasons I try to avoid true-crime fiction is that if the book is too slow or badly written, I have been known to simply google the crime in order to not leave anything hanging and move on. I can honestly say that I wasn’t heading for Google any time soon with this book. From character descriptions to plausible motivations and backstories, whether Mazzola chooses to stick to true-crime or makes the move to another section of historical fiction, I look forward to seeing her next move.
*This eBook was provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for honest feedback*
Typically not a fan of the true-crime fiction genre, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself readily enjoying “The Unseeing.” I did have a bit of trouble in the middle, when I thought everything had been wrapped up neatly, only to find that there was about 45% more book left. With a physical book, you have visual cue to let you know that there is more to come. I would compare it to a procedural crime show that seems to be solved at the 30 minute mark. You know something is going to happen, because it all seems too easy. One of the reasons I try to avoid true-crime fiction is that if the book is too slow or badly written, I have been known to simply google the crime in order to not leave anything hanging and move on. I can honestly say that I wasn’t heading for Google any time soon with this book. From character descriptions to plausible motivations and backstories, whether Mazzola chooses to stick to true-crime or makes the move to another section of historical fiction, I look forward to seeing her next move.
*This eBook was provided by NetGalley and Sourcebooks Landmark in exchange for honest feedback*