The Summer of Secrets by Sarah Jasmon
Publisher: Black Swan (Transworld Books)
Release date: 13 August 2015
Rating: **** and a half
Back cover blurb: One day she was there . . .and the next day, the day after the fire, she was gone. In the summer of 1983, when Helen is sixteen, the Dover family move in next door, at once making Helen's lonely world a more thrilling place. She is infatuated with the bohemian Dovers, especially the petulant and charming Victoria. But the summer ends suddenly one tumultuous evening, and the next day Helen wakes up to discover that the family have simply disappeared. What went wrong that summer's evening? Why does Helen feel like something terrible happened, but she can't remember what? Then one day, thirty years later, Victoria comes back.
Publisher: Black Swan (Transworld Books)
Release date: 13 August 2015
Rating: **** and a half
Back cover blurb: One day she was there . . .and the next day, the day after the fire, she was gone. In the summer of 1983, when Helen is sixteen, the Dover family move in next door, at once making Helen's lonely world a more thrilling place. She is infatuated with the bohemian Dovers, especially the petulant and charming Victoria. But the summer ends suddenly one tumultuous evening, and the next day Helen wakes up to discover that the family have simply disappeared. What went wrong that summer's evening? Why does Helen feel like something terrible happened, but she can't remember what? Then one day, thirty years later, Victoria comes back.
The Summer of Secrets is the Sarah Jasmon's debut novel, but you would have trouble believing this if you hadn't been forewarned. A deeply atmospheric novel with complicated teenage relationships, the Summer of Secrets is an accomplished novel.
The long hot summer of 1983; Sixteen year old Helen lives with her Father at the family home after her Mother left. She is bored and lonely during the summer break and is thrilled to discover the Dover family who have recently moved in to a nearby cottage.
Helen quickly becomes friends with Victoria Dover and her siblings. Their lives are a world away from Helen’s, chaotic and bohemian; Helen is drawn to the Dovers like a moth to a flame. Victoria is cool, daring and everything that Helen is not.
Their summer together is full of adventure; Helen has found her soul mate at last.
But then the Dovers disappear, Helen can only recall part of the evening before the Dovers left and she is sure something terrible happened but she can’t be certain.
Thirty years later Helen discovers that Victoria is showing some artwork at a gallery near to where she now lives.
Will Helen finally discover exactly what happened that summer and why the Dovers disappeared?
Or will it forever remain a mystery?
The Summer of Secrets is available to buy now from Amazon online and all good book shops.
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Thank you to the Curtis Brown Book Group who sent me an advanced copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.
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