View source for The Sudden Departure of the Frasers by Louise Candlish

{{infobox1
|title= The Sudden Departure of the Frasers
|sort= Sudden Departure of the Frasers
|author= Louise Candlish
|reviewer=Zoe Morris
|genre=Women's Fiction
|summary=Two couples, one house, and a great big mystery. This is an enticing summer read of juicy gossip and revelations.
|rating=5
|buy=Yes
|borrow=Yes
|pages=512
|publisher= Penguin
|date=May 2015
|isbn=978-1405919845
|website= http://www.louisecandlish.co.uk/
|video=
|cover=1405919841
|aznuk=1405919841
|aznus=1405919841
}}

When something is too good to be true, maybe it is. Christy and Joe Davenport have found the house of their dreams in the luxurious enclave of Lime Park Road, and are thrilled by the asking price. After all, properties rarely come up here and when they do, it’s for an eye-watering amount. Pretty soon, though, they’re left wondering. Why was this house so cheap? Why did the previous owners clearly invest so much in giving the place a fabulous finish only to move out straight after? And why won’t any of the neighbours talk about ''the situation'' which clearly went down?

I wondered whether ''The Sudden Departure of the Frasers'' might be a spooky book, but it’s not. Whatever happened did so in broad daylight, not in the dark shadows with mysterious bangs and alarming shrieks. The departure may have been sudden and surreptitious, but it wasn’t exactly scary or seedy. But regardless, the Frasers have gone and the Davenports are in. If only people could let sleeping dogs lie.

This book was a great read. Told with the alternating viewpoints of Christy and Amber, we see a story develop from two perspectives and while each initially has their own plot they do ultimately come crashing together. What I loved most was the way Christy judged Amber without knowing her, only to develop more and more of her traits as time went by. Despite their very different backgrounds, those two women were more similar than anyone might have imagined.

The moral of this story is all about modern living, the quest for the lifestyle you want, the job, the family, the relationships, the clothes, the jewellery. The way you can slick on a layer of gloss paint but it doesn’t automatically mean the cracks beneath will be hidden forever. It’s a clever story because while you’re reading about other people’s drama you can’t help but reflect on your own. It’s also a stonking great read that kept me hooked, but then gossip is my middle name, and it’s just that sort of book. The style even feels like it’s a close friend filling you in by text, or a neighbour bending your ear over the garden fence.

The mystery unravels at a slow but steady pace though a final twist towards the end left a bad taste in my mouth. That’s not because the story copped out or the writing took a turn for the worst, but because the actions of one character didn’t sit well with me. What a way to go, though, and days later I’m still thinking about it.
I’d like to thank the publishers for supplying this book. It was just my cup of tea and though it’s a long read to start with, I was still left wanting more.

[[The Good Girl by Fiona Neill]] and another book from the same author, [[What the Nanny Saw by Fiona Neill| What The Nanny Saw]] are also recommended if this book sounds good to you, the first another sort of mystery and the second a look at life on a street not a million miles from Lime Park Road.

{{toptentext|list=Top Ten Women's Fiction 2015}}

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