Downside Up

In Downside Up, Jane Thornley delivers a thrilling page-turner that had me up late, frantically turning pages, trying to figure out who the killer was.

Summary:

Jenna Elson had a troubled childhood, which she escaped from at every chance she could. When she was young, with Aunt Clair’s urging, and to Uncle Dan’s chagrin, it took the form of “roofing”—scaling Marlytree Terrace, where they lived, and spying on the lives of the people below. Now that she’s older and found her escape by traveling the world, Jenna finds herself drawn back to London, and things have changed.

To start with, Uncle Dan is dead, and though it was ruled accidental, Aunt Clair seems to think it was murder. To make matters worse, Aunt Clair has enlisted the help of two young men—Jake the gardener and Harry/Henry the tech wiz—and immediately starts making changes to the house.

But not everything’s changed. Jenna had thought her roofing days were past her; she was wrong. She revives her childhood game with help from her aunt to try to uncover her uncle’s killer. The suspect: Brian Dunn, an artist with a penchant for brutal nude slasher paintings.

Things become even more complicated when Jenna takes a dive through the skylight of one Nicholas Hewitt, a handsome actor with a killer voice—potentially literally. After sustaining a mild concussion, Jenna wakes to find her memories scattered and fragmented. All she knows for sure is that it’s vital to regain her memories, because that night holds the key to uncovering the truth behind her uncle’s death. And one thing’s for certain: the killer’s not done yet with the residents of Marlytree Terrace.

The Good:

- The storytelling is fantastic. There’s a wonderful blend of description rooting you firmly in each scene and character voice and action. The plot unfolds naturally, in a way that keeps the reader engaged but constantly guessing. I’m usually pretty darn good at figuring out the killer in mysteries, but I was slightly off. I mean, I was almost right. Sort of. Okay, I’d give myself 50 points, and the other 50 points I’d give to Jane Thornley for stumping me (unfortunately for her, just like Whose Line Is It Anyway, the points don’t matter).

- The characters. There was not a single bad character in this story, each with their own unique voices and depth of character, right down to the dog, Mac, who almost seemed hellbent, in his own way, on solving his master’s murder. Jenna is a strong, independent lead who is extremely relatable. Oftentimes in the story, she was thinking what I was thinking. The whole cast has a way of growing on you, especially Aunt Clair. There’s much more to her character than meets the eye, and I loved the way her character unfolds throughout the book.

- The mystery was very well done. There were just enough clues and just enough red herrings (but not the annoying sort). Like I said, I’m pretty good at guessing, in general, but I only got partial credit for this one. Definitely did not predict the ending. I wasn’t thrilled with the motive, either, as it felt sort of weak, but people like that do exist, and I don’t have to like them, either. So it was believable, at least.

- Can we talk about that romance, though? This isn’t a romance book, not by any means, and Jenna isn’t looking for love. I mean, she’s successful in her career, has all the money she needs, isn’t looking to be the “perfect little wife.” She tried dating, found it wasn’t for her, and decided to focus on her career. But she falls into romance, sort of literally. I’m not saying it’s love (and neither is she), but there’s a definite attraction there. She’s built up this ideal of him in her head, and is not at all surprised to find that he doesn’t live up to the dream hunk she’s fantasized about, but that’s real life, isn’t it? There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, I loved every minute of it.

- IT’S A TRILOGY. Sorry, but the crushing realization that I’d have to rejoin the real world and leave Marlytree Terrace came crashing down around me as I read the last page. But huzzah! All hope is not lost. It turns out that there will be two more books, and I, for one, cannot wait.

The Bad:

- There were a few things, when all was said and done, that had me shaking my head, trying to figure out why someone didn’t discover X, Y, Z sooner. There were definitely a few moments where it seemed like mere convenience that the police didn’t turn up certain things when they obviously should have. The biggest one it opens with is Uncle Dan’s murder (an autopsy should have raised suspicions about homicide versus accidental for a halfway decent coroner). There’s another big one toward the end that raised red flags and had me going, no way it wasn’t uncovered in the investigation. The lack of explanation in these instances annoyed the crap out of me, but weren’t so far out that they couldn’t be forgiven (and probably, they could have been explained in plausible manners; they just weren’t).

- There’s two other books and I don’t have them yet? I mean, this is seriously one-sided, but there’s not a whole lot I have to say that counts as a negative. Boo for not giving me more negatives? (Just out of spite, I’m taking back those 50 points from earlier for writing such a flawless book.)

Overall:

If, for some reason, you can only read ten books in 2018, I would recommend Downside Up be on the list. It’s a really quick, light read, fairly short, but lots of action and mystery packed into it. Once I started reading, I just couldn’t get enough, and I had to know who the murderer was and if my suspicions were true (they weren’t, so I guess I shouldn’t be rushing out to become a police officer, huh?). I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequels.

Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the eARC.
Jenna Elson left Toronto for London to join her aunt Clair after her uncle Dan has passed away. Aunt Clair doesn't believe her brother Dan died from hitting his head in a fall, she's certain he was murdered and suspects the killer is one of her neighbors.
Jenna, who as child spent a lot of her happiest times with her aunt and uncle, is determined to help aunt Clair solve the mystery. Clair is wheelchair bound and agoraphobic, so Jenna, who spent most of her time in London climbing the roofs above their home as an escape from her unhappy childhood, is once again going to be her aunt's eyes. They keep in contact by cellphone, while Jenna reports on the views from above as well as peeks into their neighbors' lives.
It's soon apparent there is a murderer on the loose; Uncle Dan was indeed murdered, more bodies pile up and Jenna is attacked on one of her surveillance trips. The attack affects her memory and while basically incapacitated, her aunt's 2 young male helpers (a gardener and a technological whizkid) take over in caring for Clair.
Jenna in the meantime has become close to 2 of the neighbors: the actor she has a crush on and the neighbor she first believed to be her uncle's killer. Her uncle's secrets come to light as she begins to realize the motivation for the killings is money.
This story is unique in it's setting; viewing London from above makes a welcome, thrilling change. The neighbors are an eclectic mix of eccentrics and the mystery itself engaging. This is the first in a 3-part series and I for one can't wait for the next one. Jenna is definitely a character I want to meet again, hopefully very soon.

This was a very cool book and a very promising trilogy opening. Jenna's "roofing" travels - and travails - and her "be my eyes" game for her wheelchair-bound Aunt make for a unique spin on the regular-girl-solves-mysteries theme. It's a bit "Rear Window meets a cozy mystery", but with a grittier feel than either descriptor suggests on its own. The writing is very good and I was sucked into the story - and the family drama underpinning it - from the opening pages. The characters are a melange of personalities and quirks, and there are so many layers to everyone's motivation that even when I saw something coming, it was quickly followed by some new element that shifted the questions and suspense in a new direction. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment!

Downside up by Jane thornley.
Jenna Elson has tried to escape her troubled past, but her uncle’s sudden death has brought her home to London.The police have ruled the death accidental but Jenna’s aunt is screaming murder. Wheelchair-bound and as formidable as ever, Aunt Clair urges Jenna to play their old game of “be my eyes” and search for clues from her childhood refuge far above the city streets.
Though Jenna knows every chimney and every dormer of those Victorian rooftops, the night landscape has changed. Renovations and skylights have made spying on the neighbours easier—even addictive—but navigating her old sanctuary has become treacherous: a killer lurks nearby and nowhere is safe.
a fantastic read. I loved the story and I tried to guess who it could be But i ended up with the wrong person. I liked the ending too. I do hope there is more to come. 5*.

A really quick, light read with lots of action and mystery packed into it
With an eclectic mix of eccentric characters and a dog this book will keep you throughly entertained from start to finish.
I will definitely be keeping an eye out for the sequels.