- Hardcover: 400 pages
- Publisher: Michael Joseph (27 Jun. 2019)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0718189337
- ISBN-13: 978-071818933
Synopsis
When her husband returns shell-shocked and broken from the Great War and his mother makes her life a misery, Betty Wellow discovers how bitter and hard life can truly be. But it is not until a devastating storm sweeps through their small fishing village and endangers her life, that she sees her chance to escape – and takes it.
Fleeing to Bristol, she changes her name to Mabel Brook and takes a position as a maid. But tragedy strikes once more after the sudden death of her mistress and she is cast back onto the streets.
Penniless and alone Mabel suffers a brutal attack before being rescued by a psychic named Nora Nightingale. There she gets her first taste of those who receive messages from the dead and realises she may have this gift herself.
But it isn’t long before Mabel receives her own message and is forced back to the very place she has escaped. A place of heartbreak and perhaps even murder – but Mabel realises that to secure her future she must confront her past one last time.
Review
You’ll Never See Me Again is the twenty seventh novel from the brilliant Lesley Pearse. Set in the years during and after the Great War, this is an engaging and thrilling piece of historical fiction with a strong and courageous heroine. Betty is only sixteen when she marries Martin but after he returns from the War injured and shellshocked, he is no longer the man she married; he doesn’t even recognise her. They move in with his mother, Agnes, who treats Betty appallingly, taking most of her wages off her and treating her like a maid. During a terrible storm Betty makes a flash decision to disappear, and Betty becomes Mabel. It’s never easy to outrun your past, and it can catch up with you when you least expect it.
Lesley Pearse is a masterful story teller, with a long list of published novels, so when I pick up one of her books I know it is going to be an engaging read, with wonderful prose and a set of characters that engage with the reader. I loved Betty’s story, her courage at such a young age to leave behind her abusive mother-in-law, the only home she has known and start a new life. Leaving her husband behind was not a decision she took lightly but I found as a reader I didn’t judge her for it, I really became invested in her story and wanted her to find the happiness she deserved. Betty is inherently a good person, she is kind, caring but vulnerable as she always sees the best in people and could be taken advantage of. When she realises she has a ‘gift’ her morals and good nature stop her from benefiting at others expense.
With this book being set during and just after the Great War there is attention to the cultural and social history of the period that brings out the difficulties felt by those at home, the men fighting and the German POW’s. Contextually this backdrop sees some of the characters dealing with war injuries, the reality of shell shock, ex soldiers having to beg to survive, the prejudice against the German POW’s and the Spanish Flu that comes to Britain through the soldiers coming home. It was a difficult period for all concerned, some resorted to desperate measures, and it is these decisions at the heart of this book.
You’ll Never See Me Again is a fantastic read that hooks you from the first page. You are compelled to read Betty’s story, wanting her to find happiness and a good life for herself. Along the way there are a few twists and turns that add to the intrigue and suspense of the book and keep you turning the page. There is no doubt of Lesley Pearse’s skill as a writer, and I have no doubt this will be another bestseller. Beautifully written, with attention to historical detail, characters that you engage with, and a lot of drama and suspense, this is an amazingly good read.
I would like to thank Penguin/Michael Joseph for my copy of this book in return for an honest review.
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