Hamm Court Book Club – Page 28 – For the enjoyment of friends, books and wine …

The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriaty

‘The Husband’s Secret is a staggeringly brilliant novel. It is literally unputdownable’ Sophie Hannah

At the heart of the top ten bestselling The Husband’s Secret by Liane Moriarty is a letter that’s not meant to be read . . .

Mother of three and wife of John-Paul, Cecilia discovers an old envelope in the attic. Written in her husband’s hand, it says: to be opened only in the event of my death.

Curious, she opens it – and time stops.

John-Paul’s letter confesses to a terrible mistake which, if revealed, would wreck their family as well as the lives of others.

Cecilia – betrayed, angry and distraught – wants to do the right thing, but right for who? If she protects her family by staying silent, the truth will worm through her heart. But if she reveals her husband’s secret, she will hurt those she loves most . . .

June 6
Christine 6
Jane 8
Sally 7
pauline 8
Janine 7
Janet 8
Rebecca 7
Elaine 7
Cai 7

Restless by William Boyd

It is 1939. Eva Delectorskaya is a beautiful 28-year-old Russian émigrée living in Paris. As war breaks out she is recruited for the British Secret Service by Lucas Romer, a mysterious Englishman, and under his tutelage she learns to become the perfect spy, to mask her emotions and trust no one, including those she loves most. Since the war, Eva has carefully rebuilt her life as a typically English wife and mother. But once a spy, always a spy. Now she must complete one final assignment, and this time Eva can’t do it alone: she needs her daughter’s help.

What happens to your life when everything you thought you knew about your mother turns out to be an elaborate lie? Ruth Gilmartin discovers the strange and haunting truth about her mother, Sally, during the long hot summer of 1976. For Sally Gilmartin is not what she seems at all. Russian by birth, she was recruited into the British Secret Service in Paris in 1939 and spent the war years as a spy. But once a spy, always a spy. Sally Gilmartin has far too many dangerous secrets, and she has no one to trust. Before it is too late, she must confront the demons of her past. This time though she can’t do it alone, she needs Ruth’s help. “Restless” is yet another tour de force from William Boyd. Exploring the devastating consequences of duplicity and betrayal, it is a thrilling novel that captures the drama of the Second World War and a remarkable portrait of a female spy. Full of suspense, emotion and history, this is storytelling at its very finest.

Janine 9

June 7

Rebecca 8

Trude 7

jane 7

Janet 7

Sally 8

Christine 9

Cai 8

This Boy by Alan Johnson

Alan Johnson’s childhood was not so much difficult as unusual, particularly for a man who was destined to become Home Secretary. Not in respect of the poverty, which was shared with many of those living in the slums of post-war Britain, but in its transition from two-parent family to single mother and then to no parents at all…

This is essentially the story of two incredible women: Alan’s mother, Lily, who battled against poor health, poverty, domestic violence and loneliness to try to ensure a better life for her children; and his sister, Linda, who had to assume an enormous amount of responsibility at a very young age and who fought to keep the family together and out of care when she herself was still only a child.

Played out against the background of a vanishing community living in condemned housing, the story moves from post-war austerity in pre-gentrified Notting Hill, through the race riots, school on the Kings Road, Chelsea in the Swinging 60s, to the rock-and-roll years, making a record in Denmark Street and becoming a husband and father whilst still in his teens.

This Boy is one man’s story, but it is also a story of England and the West London slums which are so hard to imagine in the capital today. No matter how harsh the details, Alan Johnson writes with a spirit of generous acceptance, of humour and openness which makes his book anything but a grim catalogue of miseries.

Elaine 5

June 8

Trude 5

Sally 7

Cai 7

Janine 8

Janet 7

Christine 6

Jane 7

Xmas pics!

Colin Fisher by E Miller & Z Stentz

The anonymous wearable but very trashy presents party……

And a short read if you want one:

Product Description

Colin Fischer is 14 and has Aspberger’s. Although he struggles to understand human emotions, he’s brilliant at logical deduction. Sherlock Holmes is his pin-up. When a gun fires into the ceiling of the school cafeteria, everyone blames Wayne, school bully and usual suspect. But Colin Fischer turns detective; only he spots a connection between the gun and some birthday cake. Only Colin can uncover the truth. A brilliantly entertaining read for anyone who loved The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time.

About the Author

Ashley E Miller and Zack Stentz are comic book fans who met online. They went on to form a hugely successful Hollywood screenwriting partnership working on X-Men and Thor and are slated to write the forthcoming Top Gun sequel. This is their first novel and is based on personal childhood experiences.

Christine, June, Elaine, Janine 8

Rebecca, Sally 7