Jenna is trying to rebuild her life after a series of disastrous relationships.
Luke is struggling to provide a safe, loving home for his deceased partner’s young son, following a devastating tragedy.
When Jenna and Luke meet and fall in love, they are certain they can achieve the stability and happiness they both desperately need.
And yet, someone is watching.
Someone who has been scarred by past events.
Someone who will stop at nothing to get revenge…
Dark, unsettling and immensely moving, Quicksand of Memory is a chilling reminder that we are not only punished for our sins, but by them, and that memories left to blacken and sharpen over time are the perfect breeding ground for obsession, and murder…
Quicksand of Memory by Michael J Malone was published in paperback by Orenda Books on 14 April 2022, the ebook was published on 24 December 2021. My thanks to the publisher who sent my copy for review as part of this Blog Tour
I am a huge huge fan of Michael J Malone's books. He writes crime fiction with a difference. Whilst dealing with some of the darkest and most serious issues, he creates a stories that beguile and entrance his readers. His biggest strength is his ability to create characters who are often flawed and dysfunctional, yet always so very human. He creates back stories for these characters that can help the reader to understand the decisions that they take. However, he doesn't make them blame-free, he examines consequences and the far reaching effects of actions taken.
Quicksand of Memory is Luke and Jenna's story, but I think it's fair to say that the main character in this novel is Danny. Danny died years ago, but his influence remains.
Danny was a huge part of Luke's early years, their relationship was strained, for Danny was a manipulative man who was able to use his skills for his own good, and as the story progresses, we realise just how much of an impact his actions have made, on so many lives.
Luke feels that he's paid the price for the mistakes of his early years. He's trained as therapist and wants nothing more than to be a good father to Nathan; the son of his recently deceased girlfriend. The reader has no doubt that Luke's intentions are good and that he truly wants to leave the past behind. However, that past keeps catching up with him, and just won't let go.
Jenna hasn't had a great life so far. She has to care for a mother who is no longer the person she once was. Her only proper relationship ended in tragedy and she feels that seeing a therapist will help her. There's a spark between Luke and Jenna, and their relationship soon moves way past professional, and they are both invested in a potential new love.
Jamie is an outlier. He also visits Luke, seeking help for his personal issues, but there's more to Jamie that first appears and he also becomes a large part of Luke's life.
Quicksand of Memory is an incredibly well written story, the author's psychological insight into how damaged minds work is intoxicating in parts. Do damaged people always cause more damage? Malone looks at this question in depth, producing evidence from the past that will shock and stun the reader.
Memory is a strange thing. We all interpret our thoughts in different ways, we can all look back at an event and see different things and take contrasting ideas from just one event, or one person, seen by many, known by many, but what is the truth? Is our own truth correct? Can we change the way we see something? What if we learn something that totally destroys a long held belief? How does that change us as a person? Luke, and in parts, Jenna and Jamie all experience these things and each of them will deal with them in their own ways.
This is a novel that is often quite harrowing, always compelling and quite beautifully written. It's a crime story with such depth, with characters who have been carefully and sensitively created and subject matter that is both relevant and shocking.
Another masterpiece from a favourite author, and publisher. Wonderful. Just wonderful.
Michael Malone is a prize-winning poet and author who was born and brought up in the heart of Burns’ country. He has published over 200 poems in literary magazines throughout the UK, including New Writing Scotland, Poetry Scotland and Markings. Blood Tears, his bestselling debut novel won the Pitlochry Prize from the Scottish Association of Writers.
His psychological thriller, A Suitable Lie, was a number-one bestseller, and the critically acclaimed House of Spines, After He Died, In the Absence of Miracles and A Song of Isolation soon followed suit.
A former Regional Sales Manager (Faber & Faber) he has also worked as an IFA and a bookseller.
Michael lives in Ayr.
Twitter @michaeljmalone1
.png)
.png)
.jpeg)
.jpg)
No comments:
Post a Comment