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Sunday, 4 August 2019

#BlogBlitz One of Us by Rachel McLean


Today it's the Blog Blitz for One of Us by Rachel McLean. It's book 3 in The Village sreies and the sequel to Sea of Lies.
About the Author
My name's Rachel McLean and I write thrillers that make you think.What does that mean? In short, I want my stories to make your pulse race and your brain tick.

Do you often get through a thriller at breakneck pace but are left with little sense of what the book was really about? Do you sometimes read literary fiction but just wish something would damn well happen?

My books aim to fill that gap.

If you'd like to know more about my books and receive extra bonus content, please join my book club at rachelmclean.com/bookclub. I'll send you a weekly email with news about my writing research and progress, stories and bonus content for each book. And I'll let you know when my books are on offer.
About the book
‘Leave, or die.’
Jess Dyer has won safety for her sister-in-law Ruth and proved her worth as the leader of her refugee community.
Sarah Evans has stood up to her parents and discovered who she can trust.
But the villagers still aren’t welcome. When the local population expresses its anger, can Jess keep everyone safe? And can she hold it together as Steward when someone she loves dies?
And how will Sarah react when her new fiancee Martin receives death threats, telling him he must leave her, and their village?
One Of Us is a gripping thriller about belonging and acceptance. It’s the third book in the Village trilogy, and the sequel to Sea Of Lies.
Review
I've said this before about The Village series premise, but it's worth repeating, the reason it is so compelling is the fact it doesn't stray far from what could realistically happen. So, despite it being a dystopian setting it still has a sense of realism to it that rings true.

In fact when you consider what is going on in the Peak District at the moment with the threat of the Whaley Bridge dam bursting and a possible impending collapse, and the evacuation of over 6500 people from their homes, then this doesn't seem far-fetched at all. It's just on a bigger more national scale.

In this sequel to Sea of Lies, the women are still coming to terms with the aftermath of their kidnapping and the new relationships and members of their community. Not everyone is finding it easy to put the nightmare behind them.

This includes the rest of the villagers who are unwilling to accept newcomers into the fold. A slightly hypocritical stance seeing as the majority of them were once refugees who were accepted by others. When the government decides it's time for their version of dystopian bedroom tax or move out - the villagers will have to rethink their positions. I swear there is always some type of oppressive regime that survives a catastrophe. A bit like cockroaches.

The focus in this book is on Jess again and the strict rules and structure of life after a major catastrophe. I felt it could have done with a little more depth and less skittering around from one place and person to the next, but the premise keeps the story kicking above water.

It's an intriguing dystopian story with plenty of room for development and further books.

Buy One of Us (The Village Book 3) at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Buy at Amazon com. Buy at books2read.

Read my review of Sea of Lies and Thicker than Water by Rachel McLean.

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