Day 6 sees the blog tour bus for ‘What Alice Knew’ by T.A.Cotterell, stop here; TWG! As soon as this book came through my letterbox, my curiosity went through the roof. At that time, I couldn’t read the book straight away and had to make do with reading the very first page until I could wangle it into my list. Big mistake! Luckily I am sharing my review with you so you can find out why ;).
Blurb.
Alice has a perfect life – a great job, happy kids, a wonderful husband. Until he goes missing one night; she receives a suspicious phone call; things don’t quite add up.
Alice needs to know what’s going on. But when she uncovers the truth she faces a brutal choice. And how can she be sure it is the truth?
Sometimes it’s better not to know.
What does TWG think?
Why was it a big mistake to read the first page, even though I knew I couldn’t read the book until I could wangle it on my list? Because, all I did after reading that very first page was think about the book, despite being occupied with others! It was a big mistake of mine because I wanted to keep on reading but I had to put it down! That’s all it took to hold my attention; one little page..
This review will probably be one of THE hardest reviews that I have ever had to write. Not because I don’t know what to write, I do; but due to the complexity of the storyline, as well as interlaced circumstances, I need to be really careful not to give anything away. For me, ‘What Alice Knew’ has a pretty spot on blurb as it tells you a hint of information and that’s it. Nothing else. Not even any little pieces of information that might have you trying to work things out. All blurbs should be like this one because it allows you to find every vital thing out for yourself as you read.
As readers, we follow Alice’s life. As far as she was aware, her marriage and her lifestyle were perfect. Alice believed she knew her husband inside and out, and was even telling those close to her, how their relationship was solid and built on honesty. But is it? Is it really?
I’m going to be honest, ‘What Alice Knew’ had me rather frustrated! Just as I was trying to work out what Alice knew and where the story might be heading, the storyline got whacked with a curveball and I was left thinking ‘what the hell happened there?!’. Not a negative comment in the slightest as the author has obviously set out to make his readers think and question everything. That most definitely was the case with myself.
One piece of advice before you begin reading, switch off phones or put them to mute and make sure you do not have anything distracting you from reading. You will need to focus solely on T.A.Cotterell’s gritty writing. If you don’t, you might miss the slightest piece of information that may be needed later on the storyline. Plus, it’s a fantastic book so I don’t see why you wouldn’t focus your attention on it!
‘What Alice Knew’ had me hooked, completely gripped! The power and intensity of T.A.Cotterell’s words do not let up until you reach the end of the book. With such consistent writing, a gritty storyline and characters whose personalities change far quicker than a chameleon’s skin, you’re quite likely to end up under T.A.Cotterell’s spell. Incredibly clever, ‘What Alice Knew’ does not shout a debut novel. But guess what folks, it is. I am rather looking forward to what the author comes up with next!
A nail-biting, gripping page turner that will have you questioning everything you’ve ever known. Brilliant!
Huge thanks to Becky Hunter and Penguin Random House.
‘What Alice Knew’ by T.A.Cotterell will be released on Kindle on the 1st December 2016. You can pre-order it from Amazon UK | Amazon US
The paperback version will be published in April 2017 and is available to pre-order right NOW from Amazon UK
The Writing Garnet 
Great review, that’s it’s, I’m starting this one today!
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