This book really grabbed my attention from the beginning to the end.
The story is Set in a suburban town named Sunnylake in California.
It's the 1950's when attitudes of the middle class white male meant a woman's place was in the home. It covers a number of topics
Racism, addiction & equal rights has yet to be discovered in Sunnylake.
Ruby the hired help finds Joyce Haney has disappeared from her home leaving her two children unattended.
On entering the kitchen she finds blood all over the floor.
This is a really intriguing mystery that you are compelled to keep reading.
There's a lot of racial tension running through the story which reminded me of The Help.
A good plot with some really good characters too.
Interesting &enjoyable read.

This debut novel was a surprise to read. Even though I do like a good mystery and crime novel this one gave me a bit of a run around for a large portion of the read. I like to think of myself as good at guessing who is the culprit and I kind of did after half-way through, but what I couldn’t get my head around until the end was how all the clues pieced together as they did point to other suspects as well. Which in my opinion makes for a great read.

One afternoon in the summer of 1959 in Sunnylakes California, Joyce Haney goes missing. Ruby Wright, the help raises the alarm after finding blood on the kitchen floor. The children are a mess and in distress, could one of them have seen something? When the police arrive Ruby is arrested, why? Because she’s the Help and a black woman.

As the leading detective tries to unravel the case, he realises that he needs the help of Ruby who knows all the secrets of Sunnylakes, a neighbourhood that presents itself as the ideal suburban lifestyle. However, Ruby is cautious as her family worry that a black woman shouldn’t be ‘getting into the business of white folks’. But as more disturbing facts come to light, (a wayward husband, a past boyfriend, a child’s corpse, jealous neighbours, and odd friendships) Ruby knows from whispered conversations that she needs to help find Joyce, the only woman in Sunnylakes that treated her as a friend.

The story is told from different perspectives, moving from the detective, the husband, the help and the victim. This provided a great vantage point to see where the characters and the story were heading thus providing a more rounded view.

The novel however, is much more than a crime mystery. Enveloped within are the prejudices and segregation of the times. I liked this diversity, as I felt it gave the story more substance.

The writing itself was just lovely, and the pace pitched steadily. It doesn’t feel dragged out or the events leading to the finale cut short. I have to admit there is some dialogue that amused me in the beginning, making me feel as though this was a much more light hearted mystery, but there are some poignant issues explored which gives you food for thought.

Every now and again, a book comes along that grabs you and pulls you in right from the get-go. The long, long afternoon certainly did that for me. This is a great read and a book I've already bought for others.

We find ourselves in 1950s Suburbia in a time when women stayed home and tended to the things women tended to and waited for their husbands to return from work. However, all is not well in one household, and we gradually get to unravel Joyce's story when one day she disappears from this so-called perfect place.

Mick, the detective on the case, enlists the help of Ruby to try and find out what's happened to Joyce. Ruby is a marvellous character and an unlikely detective in these times. A black woman from an area of poverty, she cleans the houses of these women and, as a result, has a more intimate knowledge of what's really going on.

I really enjoyed what followed as Ruby gets closer and closer to the truth, and we find out what's really been going on behind the beautifully hung drapes of these homes. In so doing, Ruby starts to discover her own identity and what's important to her.

This book felt reminiscent of The Help in some ways, and it highlights lots of inequalities prevalent at the time, yet it left me feeling upbeat and optimistic.

This one is a definite 5 stars and a book I'd happily recommend to others.

A great murder mystery. I loved the setting and the era, it was nice to read something from that time. I raced through this book and the characters and plot kept me engaged the whole way through. Would recommend.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. A good mystery is hard to beat and this one kept me guessing until the very end.
The story of Joyce is far from the picture perfect life that she appears to live. Her narrative plays an important part in setting the scene and filling in the blanks at different stages in the book. The narrative of Mick and Ruby and their relationship gives us good insight into the area of racism and indeed feminism at the time.
I absolutely loved this book and read it in a day because I just could not put it down. I loved the historical slant and the mystery side, it was gripping without any of the gore. Would definitely highly recommend, thank you NetGalley, Manila Press and Inga Vesper for the opportunity to read and review.

he Long Long Afternoon had been on my book shelf since last year and I had been longing to start but knew I had other novels to read first, so the sense of anticipation was off the scale. Once started I did not want to put it down as I entered the world of the 1950’s housewife, the race issue, a hot Californian summer, and a detective licking old wounds. It was a heady steamy mix that Vesper used to write a novel that managed to cover so many issues, yet maintain the essence of a good crime, mystery novel.

At its heart she gave us three characters, all widely different, all with different issues that affected their lives.

Joyce, housewife, mother of two, on the surface the devoted wife with all the trappings of a well off suburban 1950’s housewife. But what really lurked underneath was a deeply unhappy woman, traumatised by her upbringing and wrestling with something that Vesper slowly revealed that would shock us the reader.

Ruby, the help, the cleaner, young, and black who lived on the wrong side of town, who wanted more than she currently had. Vesper, got her character just right, gave her guts and determination, a conscience, a realistic vision of her life. I loved how Vesper used her to highlight the issues the black community faced, the derision and scorn poured on them by the wealthy suburban housewives, the don’t touch the children, use the same facilities, a real portrayal of society.

Last but not least we had Mick, the detective, a fish out of water after a life in Brooklyn. Vesper gave him a wonderful vulnerability, a man making amends, a man with a broad outlook that brought him into conflict with those he encountered.

The heat of a summer, the simmering tensions of racial discontent and the disappearance of Joyce proofed a heady mix that Vesper used to her full advantage.

The voices of Joyce, Ruby and Mick came across loud and clear, as Vesper burrowed deep into their thoughts. My heart went out to Joyce, trapped, depressed, weighed down by expectation to be the perfect mother, the perfect wife, have the perfect home. A member of the Sunnylakes Women’s Improvement Committee, you would have expected she would have found support for her woes, but oh no, the committee sought to improve their lot in the kitchen , in the home, to better support their husbands and children. You wanted to scream and shout in frustration, until you took a breath and remembered the women’s movement wasn’t yet in full swing, men dominant in their role.

It was Ruby’s voice that sang to me more than another. Vesper captured her brilliantly, a black woman in a white world, sneered at, spat at, treated as a second class citizen. She had determination, guts and bravery that saw her strive to better herself, but also to find justice for Joyce her only white friend. Her collaboration with Mick, his sympathetic and broad minded approach was tinged with danger but they carried on regardless, intent on solving Joyce’s disappearance.

And of what of Joyce’s disappearance? This is where I believe Vesper excelled, that ability to weave the human aspects with the solving of a potential crime, the myriad of twists, the multiple suspects until the big reveal. It was a reveal that displayed the very worst of human nature, of jealousy, envy, of mental illness and downright spite. It showed the weaknesses of men, the need to have it all, and the inherent pressures on women and those in minority groups, a reminder of just how far we have come as a society.

The one thing I would say, is that the Long Long Afternoon would make the most amazing drama series. I cannot wait for what Vesper will deliver next.

Loved this! So good, so exciting, so gripping and great story. Can't wait to read more by this author - absolutely brilliant.

This was an interesting read but not particularly memorable one. The characters weren’t very well developed and the plot a little far-fetched.

It's 1959 where, in Sunnylakes, California, the skies are blue and it’s another scorching hot day. Joyce Haney disappears from her home, leaving behind a bloodstain on her kitchen floor. In the small suburban town, all fingers immediately point in the direction of Joyce's black hired help, Ruby Wright, but the mystery deepens as conflicting pieces of evidence emerge proving to be challenging for Detective Mick Blanke.

Suburban Sunnylake is well depicted by Inga Vesper in all its rather disturbing, secretive glory. The reader learns of the 1950's attitudes prevalent at that time, the middle-class white males all out at work while their wives are in their domestic roles, at home. The mystery itself is compelling and intriguing with some very disturbing revelations. The reader gets to know Joyce through the eyes of her husband, Frank, Ruby, her friends and from the woman herself, in glimpses of her that fateful day in August 1951. In an evocative story simmering with tension, I was enthralled from the start to the finale. An excellent début that you won't want to miss.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel at my request from Bonnier Books, Manilla Press via NetGalley and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

Yesterday I kissed my husband for the last time…” is the poignant opening line of this story which truly captures the political and social atmosphere of 50’s suburban America.

Under the perfectly manicured lawns, perfectly decorated houses, the handsome husbands and beautiful wives lurks the ugly reality of domestic life. This picture perfect scene is shattered when Joyce disappears leaving behind a husband and two small children. Their hired help, Ruby, tries to piece together what happened to her.

Women’s place in a male dominated society is beautifully drawn, especially the unlikely friendship between Joyce and Ruby, who are from the opposite ends of the social spectrum.

The suspense is maintained to the last page waiting to find out what happened to Joyce; a story that delves into sexism and racism around a clever literary crime novel..

The Long, Long Afternoon I set in 1959 California where women know their place and equal rights are a concept yet to be adopted. When Joyce Haney goes missing, leaving behind her two young daughters and a blood splattered kitchen, Detective Mick Blanke takes on the case and has a lot to prove in his new role after leaving his previous job in disgrace. All is not as it seems in this suburban environment, and the ‘help’ Ruby knows a lot more than her employees give her credit for.
I was gripped from the very start of this book, but unfortunately the momentum did not continue throughout and having guessed the perpetrator quite early on, I was left quite dissatisfied at the end.

I loved everything about The Long, Long Afternoon. The characters, the intricate and satisfying mystery, the atmosphere, the historical pertinence... Every word of the rich prose and worldbuilding kept my nostalgic self immersed in the bygone era of the 1950's and I didn't want it to end. I miss it already.

5*

A gréât crime thriller full of twists and would be a fantastic series that I would happily read. I enjoyed the characters and the storyline

The Long, Long Afternoon by Inga Vesper – Published 4 feb 21

I would like to thank Netgalley, the author and the publisher for giving me an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

It is the summer of 1959, and the well-trimmed lawns of Sunnylakes, California, wilt under the sun. At some point during the long, long afternoon, Joyce Haney, wife, mother, vanishes from her home, leaving behind two terrified toddlers and a bloodstain on the kitchen floor.

I did not finish this book. It just felt very awkward from the outset as the author used menstruation to describe things and I found this a bit strange.

This book has quite a few different topics ..... drug addiction feminism racism to name a few and a twist I did not expect at times I did find some parts hard reading but overall the book is good

A mystery/crime novel set in late 1950s America, capturing perfectly the era in a well-written and compelling tale. Racial tensions, kitchen-sink wives and just a hint of the social breakthrough that was to come. A brilliant debut.

Vesper's writing is compelling. Language never gets in the way of the plot but the two work together to dramatic effect. Descriptive language creates characters and scenes that are instantly imaginable as though played out on a cinema screen. This is a mystery with breadcrumbs rather than twists and characters that have been given believable and distinct voices. Told, from three perspectives, you quickly find yourself drawn in. I found the placement of one or two of the "victim's" narrative to be a little clunky but that did not detract from an excellently woven book.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

The Long, Long Afternoon really gives a sense of time and place - and I loved that about this book. We’re steeped in the 1950’s suburban world of perfect housewives, dosed up on their happy pills, trapped in their blissful domestic lives, keeping a perfect home and looking their best at all times for their hardworking husbands. Meanwhile, they employ black maids for a pitiful wage, taking advantage of them and treating them appallingly.
Ruby Wright arrives to start her afternoons work at Joyce Hanley’s house, and instead finds her young daughter outside and a screaming toddler upstairs in her bedroom. When Ruby goes in to the kitchen, she is confronted with a room awash with blood and signs of a struggle.
When the police arrive, they arrest Ruby for murder. After all, she was the first person there - and she’s black.
Detective Mick Blanke takes on the case. It’s an interesting book, because not only is Mick solving the crime (with some considerable help from Ruby), he’s also showing the social divides in the USA at this time - rich and poor, black and white. He’s clearly not comfortable about the way that white people treat black people in Santa Monica, but he’s still not quite brave enough to call people out on their racism.
This is an engaging, quick read - or perhaps I read it quickly because I didn’t want to put it down. It’s a clever, unpredictable story. In all, it’s a book I’d recommend without hesitation!

When Ruby arrives at the Haney house to work her usual two hours of cleaning, she finds the two young children alone and a pool of blood on the kitchen floor. Joyce Haney has vanished and nobody seems to know where she’s gone. Once Ruby has convinced the detective in charge of the case, Mick Blanke, that she’s not involved, he enlists her help in uncovering the secrets of Sunnylakes.

I really enjoyed the Long, Long Afternoon. It takes a while to get going, and Joyce Haney isn’t the easiest character to like, but Ruby more than makes up for it. Her quirky attitude to life, and especially the men in it, gets you on her side from the start. Life is tough for her, but somehow she still manages to keep things together.

Somehow I found the ending both unexpected and obvious, if that makes any sense at all. Somehow it all comes together with a gripping climax, and the truth about poor Joyce Haney, and the secrets she kept, is revealed. A very enjoyable book.

A compelling mystery set in 1950s California which deals with race, class and gender issues. I enjoyed the atmospheric writing style and loved the fabulous front cover. However I was disappointed by the ending, it was a bit too over the top for my liking.

I enjoyed this book a lot and finished it in just a couple of days. It's a great premise for a start - a woman goes missing with suggestions that she has been hurt in what appears to be an idyllic setting.

The town's name, Sunnylakes, conjures up all the images associated with the stereotype of 1950s America - surburban idylls, happy housewives at home in spacious homes with lush gardens, but with secrets and miseries not far behind the scenes.

In the book, mother of two Joyce goes missing, leaving behind a pool of blood in her kitchen. Her "help", Ruby, shouldn't really care in some ways. What does the possible murder of a relatively privileged white woman have to do with her?

But it's clear that Joyce wasn't just another phony housewife. Instead she had felt some affinity with Ruby as they both come from the "wrong side" of the tracks. And as the book progresses, we learn that Joyce has suffered abuse in her childhood that presumably have harmed her mental health.

Ruby sets out to help Mick, the detective in charge of the case, get to the bottom of the mystery. Along the way we are treated to brilliant snapshots of what life is like for different groups of people in society. Ruby's boyfriend Joseph goes to a "committee" that he hopes will help liberate black people from racism, but it's only for me.

Meanwhile white women such as Joyce had their own committee aimed at liberating them from the idea that life should revolve around men. Black women such as Ruby wouldn't be welcome though.

Mick is a really interesting character too, his story trundling along as the plot develops. He's clearly in a slightly stultifying marriage, yet still loves his wife.

I really appreciated the fact that the author shunned all stereotypes in her writing of the characters. The women characters in particular are great. But also Mick, in treating Ruby like a human being at a time when most other cops would sooner shoot her than speak to her, is really well drawn.

It's a very good plot and, because everyone has secrets, it isn't easy to quickly tell what has happened to Joyce. I loved the way it ends and the last line is brilliant.

I would highly recommend it, and hope the author writes some more books soon!