Preface to Yorkshire Book Club (A1)
Finding a book to start Yorkshire – God’s Own County book club proved to be an interesting challenge.
Should we opt for a tried and tested author who was already popular and well known? Should the genre be the most popular and frequently read or should we opt for something different and challenging?
Initially it was decided to have at least one link to the county and in this case it was clearly Scarborough and the setting for this weeks book.
So a top selling, tried and tested author Charlotte Link offers us all ‘The Other Child’.
Charlotte is not yet particularly well known in the UK but has sold over 16 million books in her home country of Germany. This is her first book to be translated into English but it could be the first of many. Much of her psychological suspense work has been the focus of television adaptations and with the UK appetite for Scandinavian TV products we may be getting the German versions shortly.
Yorkshire God’s Own County Book Club Opinion
Throughout the 400 plus tight pages the attention is held by a range of characters. The strongest participants in this ‘who done it’ are the women that despite their varying backgrounds cope with the Yorkshire environment if not the pressure of the plot.
Bella are quoted on the cover as saying ‘High suspense. A book to read in one go’. Whilst I could not disagree the size and complexity of the book was not one to skip through and it took me longer than one day to finish the story.
It is not a blood and thunder murder mystery and there is little or no foul language but the characters are crafted to hold your interest until the end.
There is a very clever ‘flash back device’ that fits neatly into the plot that links the war time evacuation of children from London to the relative peace of Scarborough. Enough about the plot you want to read the book for yourself.
Book Club Type Questions for Consideration
In what ways, if any can you tell that this is a translation? Does the author have any empathy for Yorkshire?
Are the women more powerful than the male characters and what do you think about the main detective inspector.
Would you recommend this book to other readers or your close friend and for what reasons.
Do not fret there is no test or exam on these questions! Just read ‘The Other Child’ for your own pleasure and amusement.
Footnotes
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Currently available in Hardback and Kindle that can be accessed at amazon by clicking on the cover or link above.