The Heatwave
Author: Kate Riordan
Published by: Penguin Books
Pages: 375
Format: Paperback
My Rating ★★★★★
Published by: Penguin Books
Pages: 375
Format: Paperback
My Rating ★★★★★
The Heatwave is coming…
This summer’s perfect poolside reading- a captivating story of a long-buried family secret.
In Provence, under a sweltering sun, Sylvie returns to the crumbling family home of La Rêverie. In her hand is the letter that summoned her, and by her side is Emma, her youngest daughter.
Yet every corner of the house is haunted by the spectre of Elodie, her first child. Beautiful, manipulative Elodie, whose long-ago death the villagers still whisper about.
Sylvie has tried to put the past behind her. But like the spreading forest fires, memories of Elodie seem to be creeping ever closer.
Because there’s a secret Sylvie has concealed about what happened
This summer’s perfect poolside reading- a captivating story of a long-buried family secret.
In Provence, under a sweltering sun, Sylvie returns to the crumbling family home of La Rêverie. In her hand is the letter that summoned her, and by her side is Emma, her youngest daughter.
Yet every corner of the house is haunted by the spectre of Elodie, her first child. Beautiful, manipulative Elodie, whose long-ago death the villagers still whisper about.
Sylvie has tried to put the past behind her. But like the spreading forest fires, memories of Elodie seem to be creeping ever closer.
Because there’s a secret Sylvie has concealed about what happened
My thoughts
Sylvie hasn't been back to her crumbling French family home in years. Not since the death of her eldest daughter Elodie. Every corner of the old house feels haunted by memories of her - memories she has tried to forget.
But as temperatures rise, and forest fires rage through the French countryside, a long-buried family secret is about to come to light. Because there's something Sylvie's been hiding about what really happened to Elodie that summer.
The characters are fantastic, and each are individually complex and intriguing. Of course, Elodie in particular is bewitching. I was fascinated by her every move and reading about her childhood was both agonizing and morbidly fascinating.
Honestly, I loved this book so much! It opens with Sylvie receiving a letter that summons her to her old family home in the South of France, so her and her thirteen-year-old daughter Emma have to return to the place they left many years before.
Quite early on we realise that Sylvie had another daughter, Elodie, Emma's older sister. Elodie is never talked about and Emma knows very little about her but once they head back to La Reverie, their French home, Sylvie can feel her presence and is suddenly drawn back into the past and having to face up to it in the present.
I loved the writing, which is hugely gripping and atmospheric from the very first page. As the story builds, the narrative builds well and things slowly becomes more and more unsettling. It is such an addictive read. I was engrossed and constantly on the edge of my seat. I especially loved the chilling twists that take place in the second half of the book.
I love how dark the plot becomes. This book has a lot more depth than your average summer read but the storyline isn't so complicated that you can't pick it up and put it down without feeling lost, although I personally couldn't put it down at all and finished it in a couple of sittings.
The Heatwave very quickly lures you in, promising to be full of mystery and secrets and it doesn't disappoint. This is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year so far and I cannot recommend it enough! An absolute must-read for summer 2020.
Thank you again to Penguin and Michael J Books for sending me an advanced proof copy of this thrilling read.
Overall reaction:
Sylvie hasn't been back to her crumbling French family home in years. Not since the death of her eldest daughter Elodie. Every corner of the old house feels haunted by memories of her - memories she has tried to forget.
But as temperatures rise, and forest fires rage through the French countryside, a long-buried family secret is about to come to light. Because there's something Sylvie's been hiding about what really happened to Elodie that summer.
The characters are fantastic, and each are individually complex and intriguing. Of course, Elodie in particular is bewitching. I was fascinated by her every move and reading about her childhood was both agonizing and morbidly fascinating.
Honestly, I loved this book so much! It opens with Sylvie receiving a letter that summons her to her old family home in the South of France, so her and her thirteen-year-old daughter Emma have to return to the place they left many years before.
Quite early on we realise that Sylvie had another daughter, Elodie, Emma's older sister. Elodie is never talked about and Emma knows very little about her but once they head back to La Reverie, their French home, Sylvie can feel her presence and is suddenly drawn back into the past and having to face up to it in the present.
I loved the writing, which is hugely gripping and atmospheric from the very first page. As the story builds, the narrative builds well and things slowly becomes more and more unsettling. It is such an addictive read. I was engrossed and constantly on the edge of my seat. I especially loved the chilling twists that take place in the second half of the book.
I love how dark the plot becomes. This book has a lot more depth than your average summer read but the storyline isn't so complicated that you can't pick it up and put it down without feeling lost, although I personally couldn't put it down at all and finished it in a couple of sittings.
The Heatwave very quickly lures you in, promising to be full of mystery and secrets and it doesn't disappoint. This is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year so far and I cannot recommend it enough! An absolute must-read for summer 2020.
Thank you again to Penguin and Michael J Books for sending me an advanced proof copy of this thrilling read.
Overall reaction: