I love Anthea Fraser's novels and I'm not a fan of domestic thriller but this one kept me hooked and reading.
There's past and present, a pinch of paranormal, a past drama that could be murder and not suicide
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Some secrets won't let go . . . Is the truth about a devastating family tragedy finally about to be unveiled?

This book is straight up BANGING!

Tendrils of the Past

Anthea Fraser, is a literal genius and I am so here for it!

In true Fraser fashion, she takes family drama to a whole new level. This book is nothing short of suspenseful and throws in the perfect murder mystery! The characters are multi-dimensional and relatable . I devoured this book in one sitting and I am looking forward to what Fraser releases next!

Check out this teaser :

Tragedy strikes a quiet Dorset town when the bodies of Sarah and Charles Drummond are discovered in their home one morning while their two young children, Abby and Mia, sleep upstairs. The police seem certain that Charles killed his wife before taking his own life, and the girls' grandmother, Cicely Fairfax, makes sure that they are shielded from the horrific truth.

Until now. Sixteen years later, an accident at work leads Mia to have disturbing flashbacks to the night her parents met their untimely deaths. What did she see? What really happened that fateful evening? When Mia and Abby eventually share painful memories from the night that changed their lives forever, they get closer to uncovering the truth, and a dark secret from the past is finally revealed . . .

Suspenseful, heartbreaking and compelling. This book was so good, I even read it while I was working! Loved it and rate it 5 stars for sure!

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Interesting concept. Too many exclamation marks for me to fully get into the story. Yes, that's picky, but exclamation marks should be sparingly used, if at all.

Too many unlikely situations to contrive the plot along e.g. parents sent away from young child about to have @n operation… would never happen. Can’t give mor3 or it would be telling the plot but that incident allowed the next turn of events. Easy to predict what was going to happen.

I loved this book and raced through to find out the conclusion. I will be looking for more books by Anthea Fraser as it was a fast paced easy read.

4 stars

Tendrils of the Past by Anthea Fraser is a recommended domestic drama.

The bodies of Sarah and Charles Drummond are discovered while their two daughters, Abby and Mia, are asleep upstairs. It appears that Charles killed Sarah before taking his own life. Cicely Fairfax, the girl's grandmother, whom they go to live with after their parents demise, makes sure the incident is never discussed. She tells the girls their parents died in a car accident. When Mia falls at work and hits her head, she has flashbacks from the night her parents died. Abby and Mia begin to share their memories, and talk to Cicely and their uncle, while attempting to uncover the truth of what really happened.

The narrative alternates between the point-of-view of Sarah fifteen years ago and the present day. The girls are still close to their former nanny, Nina, who has some insight into their past. Once the girls begin to talk about their memories, they begin to realize that the answer the police came up with may not be the truth.

The writing is good in this domestic drama that moves along at a fast pace due to the limited page count. The characters are portrayed in a realistic manner and as individuals in both time periods. There aren't any great surprises, thrills or suspense in the novel, but the clues are there to solve the crime, which makes for an acceptable mystery. Following the clues, events of the past, and the memories of Abby and Mia makes for an entertaining mystery and a good way to pass an evening.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Severn House via NetGalley.
The review will be published on Barnes & Noble, Google Books, and Amazon.

Mia and Abby have always believed that their father Charles killed their mother Sarah before himself but is that what really happened? Mia's having flashbacks to that night 16 years ago. She knows something is off but what? Who can she trust? This moves back and forth in time to tell the story of this family tragedy. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. The plot is a tad trope-y but the characters are interesting and Fraser is a good storyteller.

2.5 ⭐

It has been fifteen years since the bodies of Charles and Saran Drummond were discovered in their home with their two young daughters, Abby and Mia, asleep upstairs. It was presumed that Charles had strangled Sarah before stabbing himself to death. The children were taken in by their grandparents who promptly relocated, changed the girls’ surnames to avoid public attention and told them that their parents died in a car crash.

But now, after a freak accident at work Mia starts getting flashbacks from her childhood – memories similar to the one her sister Abby has been experiencing. When their grandmother finally shares the truth about what happened to their parents, it is evident that their memories are from that fateful night. When a journalist spots the girls’ grandmother at a seniors’ hotel, the renewed interest in the case fuels the search for new facts and witness statements.

The narrative takes us back and forth between past and present and as the story progresses we get to know the events that led to the night of Charles’ and Sarah’s death. What truly happened that night? Is their parents’ killer still out there? Are Abby and Mia in danger?

Tendrils of the Past by Anthea Fraser has all the components for a gripping thriller – a heinous crime and suppressed memories, secrets and lies and a multitude of characters who are connected to the crime and/or the perpetrator. The writing is good and I liked how the author creates a complex web of connected characters. Unfortunately, this story held absolutely no suspense for me. The culprit was rather obvious from early on and the twist at the end was predictable ( if you follow the narrative carefully), there wasn’t much of a pursuit for the perpetrator till the last quarter of the novel and the ending was convenient and gives no satisfaction whatsoever. I had hoped for a gripping and suspenseful read but was more than a tad disappointed with this one.

Many thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due for release on January 03, 2023.

Thank you NetGalley and Severn House for the eARC.
An excellent, absorbing read centering around the horrid murder and suspected suicide of Sarah and
Charles Drummond 15 years previously, while their two young girls lay sleeping. We fast forward to today, when the two girls are teenagers and discover their dreams are similar: they both see their mother arguing with a man who's not their father. Is it wishful dreaming or the dreadful truth?
I loved this book by an accomplished author, going back and forth in time to end in a very satisfying way, I loved it! The cast of characters held my attention all the way...great story. Highly recommended.

Compelling Murder Mystery..
Brutal deaths from the past shape the future in this skilfully written mystery from a natural storyteller. The brutality of the killings of Sarah and Charles Drummond, at home with their two young girls asleep upstairs, was flabbergasting to their families. The case has long remained a mystery although Charles was blamed at the time. It seemed the only explanation but their daughters were never told the truth of that awful night. All of that is about to change. A cast of credible, and ultimately intertwined, characters populate this immersive and compelling murder mystery with a plot peppered with red herrings, twists and misdirection. This author has a talent of engaging the reader from the very offset and not letting go until that final unexpected reveal.