The Trumpet-Major by Thomas Hardy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a re-read of the novel by me, having had fond memories of it for many years since it was a set book in school. I was in my younger teens back then, but several decades later it was a surprise to discover how much of the story I had forgotten completely. Not only that, but it was clear to me now how much of the plot I’d misunderstood. The setting of the novel during the imminent threat to Britain from Napoleon Bonaparte and his forces just across the English Channel was something thrilling to me back in the 1960s and now. However, the various comings and goings, the frequent confusion of Anne Garland’s affections and the rivalry for her hand in marriage, were not scenarios I recalled at all.

Hardy keeps the reader waiting for the solution to Anne’s romantic confusion and final decision until the last few pages. Along with many other readers I found that to be a disappointment, but it did seem to fit in with her naivety, notwithstanding, her later statement about being a mature woman able to make sensible decisions. We have the older brother, John Loveday, dependable and painfully honourable as the trumpet-major, declaring his devotion and love for Anne early in the novel. His rival brother, Bob, an able seaman, appears to have led the typical sailor’s life with many a broken-hearted woman in various sea ports. Apart from these two men there is the dastardly Festus Derriman, nephew of the local farmer and rich ‘squireen’, who is determined to win Anne over and into his bed.

The wonderful descriptions of several members of the local rustic community, as well as the events as they unfold, are a real pleasure. They are entertaining and interesting, conveying the settings and conversations as authentically as I needed to offset the frustration I felt with Anne and her constant change of heart. A small anomaly in this Thomas Hardy novel is the amusement to be found in a few of the situations, admittedly often at the expense of the bucolic group that is the yeomanry army. This is another great read from the pen of Thomas Hardy, but not quite as satisfying, for me, as his later novel The Mayor of Casterbridge.


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Promise Me by Harlan Coben
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is my third thriller by Harlan Coben and, although I find the plots incredibly intriguing, I am aware that one could become quite inured to some of his horribly sadistic and nightmarish characters, who represent his evil criminals. In Promise Me we find Myron Bolitar making an unwise commitment, to two impressionable young women that is bound to go wrong, and it does of course! The two partners to Bolitar, Esperanza and Win, were interesting and quite fascinating. Win was particularly weird and very scary; the man you’d want on your side throughout the investigation.

The chase that follows becomes very complicated and I found most of it tedious to follow. The conclusion was quite stretched and, for me, difficult to accept as realistic. Even so, some of the scenes were a compelling read and Harlan Coben’s imagination is mind-boggling at times. For example, there is a chase through Livingston, Bolitar’s home ground that becomes both captivating and exciting, and at the same time quite mundane.
Overall I found this novel to be least enjoyable of Coben’s so far but there are many more to read, so who knows?


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Just One Look by Harlan Coben
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I found the story of Just One Look included a quite complicated plot involving the family of Grace and Jack Lawson who seem to be threatened by ruthless and criminal powers; but for what reason remains unclear for most of the book. It all originates through a mystery photograph that Grace finds in a pack of holiday photos she collects from a local store. Her husband disappears after he sees it, and suddenly her whole life is turned upside down, drawing in a terrible incident from her own past.
The evil characters in the story are ruthless and terrifying, such as Eric Wu, but apparently frightening characters, like Vespa and Cram, become devoted defenders of Grace and her children. Realistic but frightening scenarios and conversations litter the whole story and leave the reader breathless at the end. There are plenty of unexpected twists and turns, and some of the characters were intriguing and realistic.
Some of Harlan Coben’s expressions lend even more to the realistic descriptions of his characters, such as the thoughts of Grace, as a mother of two children and as an artist:
‘Being a mother… was a lot like being an artist - you are always insecure, you always feel like a phony, you know that everybody else is better at it than you.’
On the whole Just One Look is a gripping and enjoyable read; both enigmatic and entertaining. While it is a mystery it is definitely not a cosy one, and with a conclusion that leaves you amazed.


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