Bonfire Memories

Bonfire Memories by Sally Quilford

Can't add a link as it is an Easy Read from DC Thomson, not available on Amazon, or anywhere else online I don't think.

This is one of the first four Easy Reads to be published, and it is the first in the Crime - Intrigue category. Set mostly in 1966 with a few bits from 1946, it follows wannabe journalist Cara who is interviewing Australian actor/film director Guy Sullivan who has unexpectedly turned up in the fictional village of Midchester. Cara falls for him almost immediately. But Guy has secrets, and is here to find out what happened to his long lost sister, who disappeared in Midchester just after the war. As bonfire night approaches, Cara begins to remember events from 20 years earlier, when as a child she witnessed something very odd. And then there's a murder...

This was a really enjoyable quick read. The plot is full of twists and turns, and Sally keeps you guessing throughout - who IS the sinister narrator in the 1946 sections? She skilfully leads you up all sorts of blind alleys, and like a little puppy I trotted after her up each one. The final reveal, when it came, was a genuine surprise. I've read several of Sally's pocket novels now, but this is definitely my favourite of the lot, and I would recommend it. You'll have to be quick to get out there and buy it in book form, as they'll only be in the shops another week or so. But Sally will no doubt e-publish it later which will be worth watching out for.