Today it's my turn on the BlogTour Blood Orange by Harriet Tyce. It's a psychological thriller with a wicked punch and one that leaves the reader with food for thought.
About the Author
Harriet Tyce grew up in Edinburgh and studied English at Oxford University before doing a law conversion course at City University. She practised as a criminal barrister in London for nearly a decade. She is currently doing a PhD in Creative Writing at the University of East Anglia. She lives in north London. Blood Orange is her debut novel.
Follow @harriet_tyce @Wildfirebks @headlinepg on Twitter,
Visit harriettyceauthor.com
Buy Blood Orange
About the book
Alison has it all. A doting husband, adorable daughter, and a career on the rise - she's just been given her first murder case to defend. But all is never as it seems...
Just one more night. Then I'll end it.
Alison drinks too much. She's neglecting her family. And she's having an affair with a colleague whose taste for pushing boundaries may be more than she can handle.
I did it. I killed him. I should be locked up.
Alison's client doesn't deny that she stabbed her husband - she wants to plead guilty. And yet something about her story is deeply amiss. Saving this woman may be the first step to Alison saving herself.
I'm watching you. I know what you're doing.
But someone knows Alison's secrets. Someone who wants to make her pay for what she's done, and who won't stop until she's lost everything....
It sure is a humdinger of a plot. Even after the last page I wasn't sure who was guilty and which one of the characters just carried a certain element of guilt. There were so many aspects to this story that were intriguing I'm not sure I know where to start, which is certainly a sign of a good read.
Alison is a bit of a mess. She has a successful career and a beautiful family, and yet she is having sexual encounters with a colleague and spends a lot of her time drunk as a skunk. She doesn't spend a lot of time worrying about her husband or young daughter, whilst she is getting her jollies.
The first instinct is to see Alison as the bad guy, however there is something likeable about her, despite the mess and all her failings. As the story progresses the reader knows there is something off, something dark just lurking in the shadows. The question is whether she will be able to recognise the reality of her situation before it's too late.
Tyce brings two important topics into the storyline. It's done in such a subtle way that it may go under in the viciousness of some the scenes or in the skewed boundary lines of some of the scenarios. One of those topics is consent and the comprehension of what consent means. The other is the insidious nature of abuse and the fact everyone can fall prey to an abuser.
I enjoyed the fact Alison wasn't really completely good or bad. The author writes her with a refreshing sense of authenticity, she is human and makes mistakes. It doesn't mean she loves her child any less or defends her clients to anything other than her full capability.
It's a psychological thriller with a wicked punch and one that leaves the reader with plenty of food for thought.
Buy Blood Orange at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer. Publisher: Wildfire; pub date 21 Feb. 2019
Thanks for the great Blog Tour support Cheryl x
ReplyDelete