Published by Trapeze on October 25, 2018
Pages: 255
Amazon UK
Goodreads
Let the dead stay dead.
Clara Marsh is an undertaker. She spends her solitary life among the dead and bids them farewell with a bouquet from her own garden. But Clara's carefully structured life shifts when she discovers a neglected little girl, Trecie, playing in the funeral parlour, desperate for a friend.
It changes even more when Detective Mike Sullivan starts questioning her again about a body she prepared three years ago, an unidentified girl found murdered in a nearby strip of woods. Unclaimed by family, the community christened her Precious Doe. When Clara and Mike learn that Trecie may be involved with the same people who killed Precious Doe, Clara must choose between her solitary but steadfast existence and the perils of binding one's life to another.
Clara's search for the girl pulls her into a spiralling series of events that threaten to endanger the few people Clara has grown to love - and finally brings her own tragic and long-buried past to the surface.
'an hypnotic debut... There's a quiet, almost stealthy quality to the writing...Clara is an astonishing character, and with language as blunt as the death she sees every day, she expresses herself with devastating simplicity.' -New York Times Book Review
*******
PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED AS TETHERED
✮ My Review ✮
What a little gem this was and such a refreshing aspect and character who told the storyline! I was intrigued by a story being told by an undertaker as I’ve not read anything like it before.
The last line of the first chapter and the last line of the chapter with the second body chilled me, I had a strong suspicion it was coming but still it got me. And then this story started to weave its magic on me and kept its hooks tightly on me as we read and learn.
There was something special about Clara, the MC, the undertaker. She is so innocent and almost doe eye. She leads a simplistic life after her childhood and shuts herself off from everyone. I felt for her in one bit when she overheard people talking about her that just made me so sad for her, but she didn’t want my sympathy. With her character, you get an insight to behind the scenes at an undertaker and the magic they weave on the departed, to get them to look how you would remember them. Can not even fathom how someone can do that job but she does it so well.
Like I mentioned the story had me gripped, as Detective Mike Sullivan still grieving from the loss of his wife, is relentless at his job and can not let sleeping dogs lie. His tenacity is what drives the book for me, still trying to solve a case of a little girl who died three years prior and probing Clara for information still.
Now as an avid reader you begin to see the signs of where the book is going to go. This never bothers me as I’m always so proud when I guess right (she still puffing her chest out). For me, it has and always will be the adventure and the journey we go on, how we get to the end and how the characters react. Here it was no different, I kind of knew where it was going, but it was the journey that Clara and Mike went on that had me compelled to get to the end. That is a sign of some awesome writing! I was fascinated by how this was all to play out and this book delivered with a shock and a punch!
What has been said so far on tour?
Espresso Coco says
The storytelling is lush with atmosphere, and I really warmed to Clara after a somewhat chilly start. It’s a book to savour, though I got through it in the course of a day, absorbed in the story.
Liz loves books says
The Unforgotten was an emotionally charged read, with a hugely compelling character in Clara and a melodic, melancholy feel to the writing that really brought you right into the centre of her world.
The Unforgotten is an enthralling read that will draw you in and keep you there. Clara is a great character, there is just something about her that has you championing for her. I really enjoyed this story and can’t wait to see what else the author comes up with.
Until next time xxx
Thanks to Tracy at Compulsive Readers for the tour invite and the author for a copy of their book in return for my honest and unbiased review
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
jenchaos76 says
My oldest wanted to be an undertaker for a number of years and finally settled on being a nurse. I think it takes very special people to do this job.
Zoe says
I think so. Hats off to them. And it takes a special person to be a nurse too