Title: I Looked Away
Author: Jane Corry
Publisher: Viking Books UK
[Synopsis]
Every Monday, 49-year-old Ellie looks after her grandson Josh. She loves him more than anyone else in the world. The only thing that can mar her happiness is her husband’s affair. But he swears it’s over now, and Ellie has decided to be thankful for what she’s got.
Then one day, while she’s looking after Josh, her husband gets a call from that woman. And just for a moment, Ellie takes her eyes off her grandson. What happens next will change her life forever.
Because Ellie is hiding something in her past.
And what looks like an accident could start to look like murder…
[My Review]
I Looked Away is an entertaining read – and one which is quite different to what I expected, having read the synopsis, but which I hugely enjoyed nontheless. Instead of being all about a lady charged with the murder of her grandson, as the synopsis suggests it might be, the story was much more about characters Jo and Ellie’s lives, covering different points in their lives, and what led to the day that Ellie’s grandson dies which we read about in the impactful opening chapter.
I loved reading about both characters, and though this book is a pretty easy read, there are some emotional and upsetting parts. I found the story about Jo’s life on the streets so interesting, and very sad – I’m aware that there are so many people unfortunately living on the streets in this country, but the book really drives home how difficult it is for homeless people, and how vulnerable they are – especially women. It makes for uncomfortable reading at times, but it’s a very interesting read, and it’s an effective way of trying to highlight their plight to readers.
There are a few surprises whick keep I Looked Away nice and twisty (just how I like my books!), and though I guessed one twist quite early on, it didn’t hamper my enjoyment as I raced through its pages. I really wanted to work out how certain characters were connected, and I felt like I’d really got to care about Jo and Ellie, despite Jo being a bit brash at times and making some bad decisions.
I really enjoyed My Husband’s Wife, also by Jane Corry [read my review here] and, having now really enjoyed I Looked Away, I’m looking forward to reading her other novels!
[Rating: 4/5]
Many thanks to Viking Books UK for providing a copy of this book on which I chose to write an honest and unbiased review.