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Monday 15 August 2016

Jenny Blackhurst – How I Lost You

review by showhost
Well she certainly lost me!!  Alex Marwood said ‘fast-moving and unputdownable’ – sorry but I don’t agree.  Mid to end of the story I was totally confused as to who was who and actually couldn’t care less by then, I just wanted it to end.  Characters had nicknames which were sometimes used and sometimes not, the main character Susan or was it Emma was so pathetic you wanted to slap her. 
Susan Webster was convicted of killing her twelve week old son, Dylan, the verdict was post natal depression.  After serving only three years in a psychiatric hospital she is out on parole having given herself a new name - Emma Cartwright (which is hardly referred to in the book).  Her best friend is Cassie, also a murderer, who befriended her whilst she was in prison/hospital and saved her from suicidal tendencies.. Emma/Susan lives in a small town in Shropshire. with a relatively small population, in which to hide.
Four weeks after her release, certain events have Susan beginning to believe that Dylan is, in fact, still alive (starts off with a photo of a four year old boy and on the back the name and dob of her supposed dead baby). A journalist turns up at her door out of the blue – how did he know where she lives with this new identity (I’d be worried straight away).  She immediately trusts this journalist Nick, (handsome with muscles of course)  Cassie doesn’t trust the journalist and becomes a little jealous.  But other items of Dylan start to turn up – like his blanket which her dad had, so Susan thought.  Her dad whom she hadn’t spoke to since going in prison.  She obviously turns to Nick and not Cassie for support and help.  She goes to see the solicitor who represented her during her trial as they find evidence which wasn’t brought up during the trial.  Some of the witnesses are gone.  Her solicitor isn’t now the friendly person she was but on the way out she meets one of the associates of the firm and imagines going on a date with him....( example of M&B adjectives: "He smells expensive, tailored Armani suit well built, and his face has been chiselled by a steady hand").  Her house is trashed so she goes to live in Nicks house.  When his house is broken into they go to live in a Travelodge.
How did neither her or her husband at the time, take one last look at their deceased baby child.  Your baby is dead – you smothered him.  Oh ok then.  I don’t remember doing it but if you say so.  There was too many unbelievable events and the sheer volume of names & nicknames, especially when it goes back in time to the 90’s was totally confusing.  I definitely won’t read another by this author.

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