Eva is blissfully content with life. She has a fulfilling career in her job as a midwife and a happy marriage to the man of her dreams who clearly adores her. Her contented existence is thrown into complete turmoil when, early one morning, her beloved husband Jackson is swept out to sea whilst fishing on the Dorset coast. It seems that in one fell swoop, all of her hopes and dreams have been washed away into the cold, white water.
| A Single Breath by Lucy Clarke | |
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| Category: General Fiction | |
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Reviewer: Louise Jones
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| Summary: A young widow travels to Tasmania in the hope of connecting with her husband's family. Secrets and lies are revealed which cause her to question everything she ever knew about the man she loved. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 416 | Date: March 2014 |
| Publisher: Harper | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 978-0007481361 | |
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Wracked with grief and desperate to maintain a connection with Jackson, Eva decides to take a spontaneous trip to Tasmania, Jackson’s childhood home, to meet his father Dirk and brother Saul. Rather than the warm welcome she expects, she receives a cool reception from the family who seem keen for her to return home. It soon becomes clear to Eva that the family are trying to prevent her from finding out the truth about Jackson; secrets that will make her question everything she thought she knew about him.
A Single Breath is a perfectly-packaged slice of pure escapism, set in a beautiful location; the coast of a remote Tasmanian island. The plot is fast-paced and the characters well drawn and likeable. As the narrative continues, the revelations about Jackson’s life come thick and fast, with something new to discover with each chapter. Every detail of the story, no matter how small, is woven into the plot at some point, so it pays to be alert and notice every little clue in order to unravel the mystery surrounding Jackson.
It is easy to warm to the protagonist Eva and sympathise with her plight. She seems beset by tragedy from the outset and the author does her level best to keep it that way, throwing various obstacles and bombshells in her way on her search to discover the truth. Happily for Eva, she has the support of good friends who help her through her harrowing journey of discovery and I really enjoyed reading about the relationships and developing friendships in the book.
The story has a strong sea theme throughout, with plenty of references to fishing, swimming and diving. The book transported me to another place and I could feel the warm sun on my skin and the waves lapping at my toes as I read...
A Single Breath is a perfect holiday read and whilst parts of it will require the reader to suspend their disbelief, it keeps you hooked throughout. I imagine that the Tasmanian Tourist board will be overjoyed by the inevitable upsurge in flights and holidays to the country!
If you enjoy this, then you will love The Sea Sisters, also by Lucy Clarke - another beautifully written piece of escapist fiction featuring exotic locations.
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You can read more book reviews or buy A Single Breath by Lucy Clarke at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy A Single Breath by Lucy Clarke at Amazon.com.
A Single Breath by Lucy Clarke is in the Top Ten Women's Fiction Books 2014.
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