A slow moving story told by two different women.
Poppy has met an old flame at a party and is smitten with him all over again..
Her mother in law Betty is trapped in a loveless marriage.
A murder mystery with some twists.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book starts with such promise. It opens in the rush hour on the platform of busy London station. Various people are described, and mention is made of how their lives are about to change for ever.

We then jump back to a party which theatrical agent Poppy is attending.
Poppy must be one of the most annoying characters ever. She has a great job, family, husband who loves her, mother-in-law who lives with her and helps with childcare, she also has an elderly father who lives on his own. But all she seems to focus on is how hard her life is, so much work, so much responsibility, worrying about said family, not realising how much there is in her life that is positive.
At this party she encounters old flame Matthew, and then the trouble starts.

Alongside this is the story of Betty, the mother-in-law, now aged 70, who endured a controlling loveless marriage, which she felt she couldn’t escape from.
I’m a similar age to Betty, and the description of the 1960/70s does not ring at all true. The attitudes described were much more from the 50s, and Betty would never have put up with what she supposedly did.
I found the two main characters annoying and unbelievable, the plot predictable, and the end a relief.
This is the first Jane Corry that I have read – if this is typical of her style, I won’t be reading any more.

Thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Books (UK) for the opportunity to read this book.

Mistakes are made and the consequences play out in this domestic drama. The chats of Poppy and Betty are warm and likeable which sets the tone for the book . Make characters of Stuart, Jock and Matthew less developed, in my view, which makes it more difficult to appreciate their side of the story. In particular. I feel Stuart could be better articulated.

That said it all zips along at a fair pace and the dialogue is tightly crafted.

Lots of characters who were much more than they first seem. A murder mystery with lots of layers. Bettys story was the most interesting.

I enjoyed this book, but I wouldn't call it a thriller. At heart it is a domestic drama, a story about relationships – particularly marriages and perservering with them, for better or worse.

The book is told mainly from two perspectives, Betty's and Poppy's. I loved Betty, her resilience and strength in some pretty dire circumstances. And although Poppy didn't always make the best decisions, I did understand her motivations and have a fair bit of sympathy for her.

In terms of the plot, the first (much longer) part works well in gradually unfolding the events leading up to the death flashed-forward at the very start of the book, ending in a little twist as to exactly who is on trial. For me, the second part didn't work so well. I was waiting for a big reveal that never came; again, the focus seemed to be on resolving everyone's relationships rather than a clever plot twist, which is fine, but again moves this out of the thriller category in my view.

An interesting book and worth reading for some clear-eyed lessons about love and forgiveness (as well as a truly alarming picture of what life was like for women even as little as fifty years ago) but be aware that the thriller/crime aspects are minimal.

An easy to read but powerful story of love and loss told to us in chapters by Betty and Poppy, two very different women with secrets that are gradually shared.
When Poppy is surprised by her first love appearing back in her life she is quickly swept off her feet not realising the turmoil it will bring to her and her family, in particular Betty, her mother in law,
Betty has a hard and tragic past that no one realises until an event results in her penning her innermost thoughts to Poppy by writing a frank series of letters.
An absorbing story well told and worth a and even though I did guess where Betty's were leading towards the end.

An interesting read, although the main character was likeable, I actually found it difficult to warm to her. There were a few twists and turns at the end, and it kept me hooked right to the end. Well written and enjoyable.

A great read with complex and believable characters. The story flips between the present, where Poppy Page makes a huge mistake in becoming involved with her first love, and letters written by her mother-in-law Betty. These letters flesh out the realities, and difficulties, of Betty’s life and marriage.
I had tremendous sympathy for both characters and read in a day to reach the finale. Twists and turns and a deft writing style kept it moving space I will certainly look forward to reading more by this author.

A good psychological thriller told from two perspectives.

It took me a while to get used to the format of the book and the change from one perspective to the other but once I did the story had me hooked.
I would recommend to thriller fans.

Hi I received a copy of this book from Netgalley. Here is the blurb

In Poppy Page's mind, there are two types of women in this world: those who are faithful to their husbands, and those who are not. Until now, Poppy has never questioned which she was.

But when handsome, charming Matthew Gordon walks back into her life after almost two decades, that changes. Poppy makes a single mistake - and that mistake will be far more dangerous than she could imagine.

I had previously read another book by the same author 'I looked away' which I thoroughly enjoyed so was very much looking forward to reading this one when it became available. It did not disappoint! Although the story is completely different it does have similarities with the other book. Two stories are interwoven, and the chapters alternate between the two. One is about events which have happened in the past and the other is based in the current time period as events happen. There are definitely lots of twists to the story and I couldn't put the book down. If I had any criticism, it would be that the story did take a little while to get going and get me hooked. I will definitely be looking out for the other books that the author has written as I have enjoyed both books I have read. As I said the books are written in a similar style but hey, it works so why change it!

I had a lot of hopes for this book as I love the author. Wow it did not disappoint. I barely managed to put it down. I loved how you had the book from two different people ( Poppy and her mother in law) both showing how hard married life can be. The book is based on unfaithfulness which so many twists and done. Thoroughly enjoyed

A story from two different characters. It took me a little while to get into the story but I’m so glad I persevered. I enjoyed this and would recommend

At first I thought this was fairly standard fare of middle aged woman bored with her marriage who has an affair, but it was more than that. Betty and her daughter in law Poppy both narrate the story and with it enfolds the question of what makes a happy marriage. Both have had troubles and temptations and, as the story enfolds, we begin to understand the complexities and at times similarities which they have experienced. It is a bit of a slow starter but for me ended up quite a page turner.

This book seems slow to start but then it becomes clear that that is because it is setting the scene for a complex story. This is essentially a murder mystery which becomes gripping as the various family scenarios are described. We have the grandmother describing her marriage to her daughter in law by way of a letter explaining her role in events essential to the story. Then Poppy,mother and main character,describes her complex relationships with her parents,a former lover,Matthew, who is crucial to the tale and her husband and daughters. Then the climax approaches but it is not the expected outcome either. It only appears to be murder. Then,with the court case settled,there is the implication that there might be another explanation for what happened. This books gains momentum as it rolls along,being sure to keep its readers interested.

I Made A Mistake - another excellent thriller
Having read and awarded Jane Corry's previous book, I Looked Away, a well-deserved five stars, I am delighted to have the opportunity of writing an advance review of her next thriller, I Made A Mistake. The story unfolds with a sense of unerring certainty that something is going to go badly wrong. It's told from the point of view of the two main characters, Poppy and her mother-in-law Betty. Both women are each a product of their time. Poppy, while busy juggling career, marriage and home, is at times hapless yet resourceful, and yes, bad things do happen to good people but nothing is ever black or white as poor Poppy is caught up on a rollercoaster of events. Betty, on the other hand, tends to reflect on past mistakes and tribulations of her own life as she tries to help Poppy out of a seemingly hopeless situation. Totally believable with deft touches of colour and realism, the exciting ending was a complete surprise. Devious, convoluted but always engagingly human, this is another thoroughly compelling 5-star winner. Highly recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for supplying me with an advance copy.

I really enjoyed this book and read it deep into the night. I adored Betty and whenever I imagined her I thought of Betty white from the Golden Girls. I loved Poppy too but Betty has the grit. The characters are really rich and you really can see them and feel them so clearly. The plot whistles along at a great pace and there were no down spots or filler at all. I’ve read other Jane Corry books but this one is definitely the best by far. The plot is great with an ever escalating fear factor. You won’t regret getting this book but it will leave you wanting more from the author.

'I made a mistake' the new novel by author Jane Corry and I can honestly say I didn't make a mistake reading this book.
Poppy Page makes a mistake when she lets a lost love back into her life, some twenty years after he left it. Poppy is now married with children and her life is completely different to then, but what about her feelings.
The story is told separately from both Poppy and through a letter from her Mother in Law Betty telling Poppy of her younger life with her husband Jock. The letter tells her of her mistakes and regrets that she has kept secret all these years.

A very good read and my only mistake is not reading more from this author till now.

I would like to thank both Net Galley and Penguin UK for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This book follows the stories of two women, poppy and Betty. It is told through three different narratives; present day (takes place in a court room), Poppy’s story and Betty’s story. For me, it took a while to get to grips with the three strands as they were quite different and sometimes the transition between narration seemed a bit abrupt. I soon got used to the format though.

I was gripped by Betty’s story and found her character was portrayed well. I wasn’t as invested in Poppy, who was a bit one dimensional.

I enjoyed the details of Poppy’s agency and I would have liked to read more about the characters involved as they were entertaining and added a lighter side to an otherwise dark tale.

This book promised twists and turns and it definitely delivered these. On the whole, it was well written and the storylines were believable and sometimes relatable.

It was a fantastic read which had me hooked and I would certainly recommend it.



I received an advance copy of this book
From netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Great psychological thriller that keeps you hooked.

The different perspectives and how they converge make it stand out and I enjoyed reading about the relationships.

The secrets people keep and how you can never really know a person is key.

Fantastic read! The characters really came to life, I especially loved how Betty was portrayed throughout the book. This is a brilliant story about love and marriages throughout different generations, I’d definitely recommend