Our Holiday by Louise Candlish #paperbackbook #bookreview @louise_candlish

 

Our Holiday by Louise Candlish

Published by HQ

Publication Date: 4th July 2024

Book Description:

Charlotte and Perry long for summers at Cliff View, their gorgeous holiday home overlooking the turquoise waters of Pine Ridge. And now that city friends Amy and Linus have bought a property nearby, they plan lazy weeks of sun, sea and sipping rosé on Charlotte’s summerhouse veranda.

But there’s trouble in paradise…

A rising tide of resentment towards second-home owners is heading their way and small acts of criminal damage are escalating into something more menacing. By the end of the summer, families and friendships will be torn apart and Pine Ridge will be known for more than its sun-drenched beaches.

It will be known for murder…

My Thoughts:

I think most people, if they were really honest with themselves, would love to own a bolthole by the coast - especially when it's in a location as gorgeous as the Jurassic coast in the south of England. The fictional village of Pine Ridge is one of those places but with the divide between rich and poor widening,  resentment is building between the locals who cannot afford even the most basic of accommodation in the area, and the second home owners who rarely use their holiday homes except in the height of the season leaving them standing empty for months on end. This has led to a protest group being set up named NJFA (Not Just For August) - think of the 'Just Stop Oil' protestors and apply their methods to a local area where tourists flock. 

I found this book to be quite thought-provoking, and could see valid points made by both sides of the argument regarding second homes. Fortunately the storyline didn't get too preachy despite some strong opinions and dubious means of expression by certain characters. Boundaries between the locals and the younger generation of visitors blur as the book progresses, leading to the ultimate tragedy which features in the prologue. It soon becomes clear that someone was in the wrong place at the wrong time - but who they were and how it all came about is far from evident.

Between the over-privileged families who own the second homes and the struggling locals just making a stand to be able to live in the area they grew up, there are some interesting (and some quite obnoxious) characters. But would any of them deliberately want to take a life? The local detectives who are faced with sorting out the ensuing chaos certainly have a tricky task on their hands. 

This book proved to be an interesting study of human behaviour and a great whodunnit all rolled into one. The setting is so beautiful that you can understand why people want to live there, whatever their personal circumstances. The perfect book to pop in your luggage for your staycation.

About the Author:

Louise Candlish is the bestselling author of 16 novels and her books are published all over the world. Her book Our House was adapted into a major four-part ITV drama and won the 2019 British Book Awards Crime and Thriller Book of the Year.

She lives in a South London neighbourhood not unlike the one in her books, with her husband, daughter (when she's not at uni), and a fox-red Labrador called Bertie who is the apple of her eye.

For more book news (and doting pictures of Bertie, regularly updated!), catch her on Twitter @louise_candlish, on Instagram @louisecandlish or facebook.com/LouiseCandlishAuthor.