Tideline by Penny Hancock

Genre: Thriller

Publisher: Simon and Schuster UK

Buy the book: Book Depository 

Source: I received an arc from the publisher

One winter's afternoon, voice coach Sonia opens the door of her beautiful riverside home to fifteen-year-old Jez, the nephew of a family friend. He's come to borrow some music. Sonia invites him in and soon decides that she isn't going to let him leave.As Sonia's desire to keep Jez hidden and protected from the outside world becomes all the more overpowering, she is haunted by memories of an intense teenage relationship, which gradually reveal a terrifying truth. The River House, Sonia's home since childhood, holds secrets within its walls. And outside, on the shores of the Thames, new ones are coming in on the tide...

When I received this book and read the backcover I wasn’t all to eager to read it. But once I started reading Tideline I was pleasently surprised. This story is wel written and the ending holds a big, but disturbing surprise.

The 15 year old Jez stops by the River House to borrow some music and that is when Sonia desides she wants to keep him there because he reminds her of an old lost love, Seb. While taking care of Jez and keeping him a secret for her family and friends, she is remembering her lost love which leads to a disturbing secret.

The biggest part of the story is told form Sonia’s point. The other narrator in this story is Helen, a friend of Sonia’s and the aunt of Jez, who gives the story a whole other feeling. While Sonia is busy keeping Jez a secret, Helen is busy being jealous of her sister since she is getting all the attention now her nephew is missing. So where Sonia is busy being all caring towards Jez, Helen is actually somewhat less caring about her nephew being missing. This is also what makes Sonia a likeabe character eventhough her actions.

Penny Hancock has written a story which holds a disturbing atmosphere which makes sure you flipping the pages to see what goes on in Sonia’s head.

While Sonia goes back and forth between the present and the past a big secret unfolds. I can’t help but love a story which surprises me this big eventhough it is quite the disturbing revelation.

This is a great debut and I am looking forward to Penny Hancock's next novel.

My rating: 4/5