Familiar Strangers by Jackie Walsh @JackieWalsh_ie @botbspublicity @herabooks #bookreview #familarstrangers

Happy Friday all!

I have read so many wonderful debuts this year and today I have a review for another one! Thank you so much Sarah for my invitation to this tour!🧡

My Thoughts

𝒮𝓊𝓈𝓅𝑒𝓃𝓈𝑒𝒻𝓊𝓁. 𝒞𝑜𝓂𝓅𝓊𝓁𝓈𝒾𝓋𝑒. 𝐼𝓃𝓉𝓇𝒾𝑔𝓊𝒾𝓃𝑔.

Jackie Walsh’s debut was addictive, compelling, and suspenseful. Becca is 27 and hasn’t quite figured out what she wants to do with her life. Her loving mother suffers from early onset Alzheimer’s and it has obviously had a huge impact on Becca and her family. One day when Becca was visiting her mother at the care facility her mother tells her “you’re not my daughter, I took you.“ that’s it one lucid moment that might change everything. Becca doesn’t know what to think, but when a woman is murdered who had been looking for her, A complete stranger, she begins to wonder, was there some truth behind my mom’s words? And if so who am I?

This book had a bit of a whodunit vibe for me, the mystery of who killed Katie Collins (the stranger). Becca was a likable flawed character. Yes she made some questionable choices, but don’t we all? I also really liked how clever it was to have Becca’s mom Nancy make this major revelation, but never be able to explain it. There was a feeling of tension and urgency throughout the story that kept me frantically turning those pages. I felt for Becca, can’t even imagine thinking you aren’t who you think you are. I was really happy she had Jeff by her side throughout the book, and in my mind they end up getting together and living happily ever after.

This was a well told, well paste, compulsively readable story. And impressive debut and I am looking forward to seeing what is next from Jackie Walsh.

*** many thanks to Hera Books for my copy of this book ***

About the Book

‘I took you, Becca. You’re not my daughter.’

Since Becca Wall’s mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s, every day Becca loses a little more of the loving, caring mother who would do anything for her only daughter. But when one day Nancy Wall confesses that Becca is not her child, Becca’s world falls apart.

Becca tells herself that the words are just a cruel symptom of Nancy’s illness; after all, she has her birth certificate, and pictures of herself as a newborn along with her Mom, Dad and older brother, Danny. Becca tries to forget, to get on with her life – until the day the police question her about the whereabouts of a missing woman, Katie Collins.

Katie has disappeared without a trace, telling her husband that she is leaving to find Rebecca Wall. But Becca doesn’t know Katie, so it’s a case of mistaken identity – isn’t it? But as Becca discovers why Katie was desperate to find her, the lies that Becca has always believed come crashing down. Soon, it’s clear that someone knows the truth – and that they’ll stop at nothing to keep their secrets…

An addictive, fast-paced psychological thriller with a shocking twist that will leave you gasping. Fans of The Girl on the Train, The Wife Between Us and T.M Logan will be gripped until the very last page.

About the Author

Jackie Walsh lives in Dublin with her husband Paul and dog Layla. After years spent building her own business, she decided to take time out and pursue her interest in writing. With a lot to learn, she spent years attending classes and writing groups, going to festivals and launches, writing and rewriting, until eventually sending her words out into the world. Now she is thrilled to have landed a publisher. Especially Hera Books, a new company headed by two women who have years of experience and love a good story.

Jackie is a member of the Irish Writers Centre, The Irish Crime writers group and proof that perseverance can work.

Social Media Links:

Twitter: @JackieWalsh_ie