The majority of the story took place in Tall Chimneys (which was in England),an older boarding house turned summer home. Corry highlights the wartime thought that people didn’t know what the future held, so they grabbed opportunities that they normally wouldn’t have so rashly taken and reminds us that nobody was the same after the wartime experience. Elizabeth and Adeline’s story takes place during the second world war, when residents of the coastal village felt in danger of a German invasion. I loved Vera and Jessica and how quickly they rallied round Nancy when she moved away from London and didn't judge her despite the press activity. When the ending came and yet ANOTHER cliche “lesson” about the importance/value in raising children?

This book followed the same format, Nancy's present day story at Tall Trees and a story set during the war at Tall Trees with Elizabeth's relationships with her husband, evacuees and Mr Smith.This novel is told from the points of view of Nancy whose stepbrother Martin has just been imprisoned for murdering her mother and stepfather (Martin's father). Half the book is a World War 2 story in a more rural British area about a woman whose son goes off to war and takes in London evacuees and half the book is contemporary told from the young woman who is moving to her family's home after her stepbrother is imprisoned. The atmosphere was taut and chilling, with a great sense of impending doom in the modern day viewpoint. Honestly there’s not much I can say with the plot because the main plot ended quicker than the second plot.

It is a tightly written book where words are not wasted and you are left anxiously waiting to find out what happens next. The story really grew on me, particularly the war time aspect, and it all fitted together nicely in the end. Firstly, as others have said, the blurb makes zero reference to an entirely different POV that runs for half the book.

I love the strong female characters each leaving their own mark as they struggled to deal with the unimaginable problems which surround secrets and murder. The book is about Nancy, who’s step brother has just been charged with the murder of her mum and step dad. Even stranger that the latter actually was the weaker of the two by miles and I found myself groaning every time it changed back to the character of Nancy who had a ridiculously tenuous link to the WW2 storyline.