Echoes of Time — Anne Allen

Betrayal, injustice and revenge echo down the years… 1940. Olive marries farmer Bill Falla. The Germans occupy Guernsey. All too soon Olive realises she's made a mistake. Her life changes when she meets Wolfgang, a German officer- but there's a price to pay. . . 2010. Natalie Ogier returns to Guernsey to escape an abusive relationship â€" only to be plagued by odd happenings in her beautiful cottage on the site of a derelict and secluded farm. Disturbing dreams, disembodied voices and uncanny visions from the past. She becomes increasingly ill at ease as someone else's past catches up with her own… Her only immediate neighbour, Stuart, is the grandson of the original owners, Bill and Olive. Thrown together in a bid to find out what really happened to Olive, can they each survive the repercussions of the past and move on? REVIEW ‘A powerful family drama packed full of mystery and intrigue. A stunningly good read.' A ‘Wishing Shelf' Book Review For the last three days I have been thoroughly immersed in Echoes of Time, a family saga set in Guernsey. Let me begin by saying how gripping this story is. Not only is the plot packed full of twists and turns, but the setting â€" and the characters â€" are lovingly described. There is, I think, nothing better than a novel written by an author who knows how to balance setting, speech and plot. So, what did I like? Well, the opening chapter, albeit very short, is a real ‘grabber'. I'm very fond of books which open with a ‘BANG!' and not with endless paragraphs of flowery prose. Well, trust me, this opens BIG, hooking the reader in… I also very much enjoyed the pacing of this novel. The chapters were surprisingly short for this genre and there's often a cliffhanger at the end of the chapters. So, although it is a family saga of sorts it is also very much a thriller and a mystery, and the style of writing reflects that. So, would I recommend this book? Yes, absolutely. And who to? Well, pretty much anybody and everybody. If you enjoy a good thriller, this is for you. If you enjoy a complex family saga, this is for you. Or, if you simply love Guernsey, this is for you. A ‘Wishing Shelf' Book Review www.thewsa.co.uk