Book Review: A Place For Us – Part 1, by Harriet Evans

The day Martha Winter decided to tear apart her family began like any other day…

I would like to start by thanking Headline Publishing for approving me for a review copy on Net Galley, in return for an honest review. This review is for Part One in the four-part serialisation.

We are introduced to the Winter family and the family homestead of Winterfold, with chapters told from each different person’s point of view.

Martha Winter is the Mother & Grandmother, the pillar of the family that has always done her best to keep everyone together. But she has a secret, and it’s time for everyone to know. She invites the family to her 80th birthday party, with note that a special announcement will be made…

This first part is really about setting up the main story and introducing the characters. It is slow moving, but it somehow feels appropriate when reading it, rather than dragged out.

We hear about each member of the Winter family in turn, about beautiful childhoods spent growing up in Winterfold and their close-knit relationships. But now, they are all grown up and living their (very separate) lives. While they clearly care for one another and remember their childhoods fondly, things have obviously changed, and it seems like everyone has their fair share of secrets, not just Martha.

Not much happens in the way of the main storyline at all, but I think with the book being serialised, Evans takes this opportunity to really set up the back story and get you to know each character. Normally, the absence of any major story advancement might annoy me, or feel like it was lacking something, but Evans really pulls this off well. The tension builds steadily but surely throughout the book, and with so many lies, secrets and half-truths – all barely more than hinted at – it really keeps you gripped.

The only real reveal is made right at the very end; leaving you open-mouthed and begging for the next instalment!

I’m giving it four, lovely stars for now, and I’m hopeful it has every potential to move up to five with the upcoming releases.

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