The Lie of the Land

The mystery aspects of this novel seemed so minor initially that I was really surprised by the ending. The final few chapters were a rollercoaster! More twists than the average crime thriller... What had befallen characters in the past (and how who was connected to who) were easy to work out, but what actually took place in the present of the plot... Yes, I didn't see that coming! And it was pretty nerve inducing, I'll say.

Before this dramatic conclusion, The Lie of the Land feels like a mostly character driven novel, with a fantastic cast of secondary characters, alongside the focus on the Bredins, a dysfunctional family unable to afford a divorce after the 2008 financial crash. The Bredins make the much disputed decision to move from London to middle-of-nowhere Devon. The book follows Lottie is easy to sympathise with, while her soon-to-be ex-husband Quentin is much harder to like. Lottie's eighteen year old son Xan is also very well realised and believable as a teenager.

The novel pivots on the urban/rural devide, issues of class, betrayal and cruelty. It feels very genuine as a work of fiction centered in contemporary Britain.

There are perhaps one to many subplots going, but I loved Sally, a health worker and visitor in this rural, deprived area. Her personal struggles and professional life were fascinating and heartbreaking, and I think she could have had a whole book to herself.

I loved Craig's acknowledgements at the end, especially the author's point that the fictional family in no way resemble her own real family! It's funny that she had to say that. It's also interesting that Craig apparently brings characters from past novels back in newer works. This is the first book I've read by her (and definitely won't be the last!) and so it'll be interesting to see who reappears as I read more.