Last year I chanced to read "The Turn of the Key" and was well impressed by the same. This year I got my hands on this book. Did it impress me is another thing for discussion?
Hal, a tarot card reader is going through a hard phase in her life. The unexpected death of her mother threw her off track. One fine day, she receives a letter conveying the death of her grandmother. But is that really her grandmother? She has not seen any of her family members since then. What if it is a case of mistaken identity? She decides to try her luck by going as she is in dire need of money. What if there is something that is bequeathed to her? But nothing seems as it is once she lands at the house as there are secrets lurking at every corner of the house among the people. What happens at the house? Is this her true family? Is she accepted back to the house? these form the remaining plot.
The writing is simple and interesting but the story seemed stretched unnecessarily. I guess 50 pages lesser towards the second half would have made the book more crispier. I loved the suspense in 'The Turn of the Key" but here I felt the same feeling was missing. Three quarter portion into the story I was able to deduce what was going to happen. Every character was imbibed with a doubt element and I felt there were too much of red herrings making me irritated. The core story and plotline was very good but the treatment old.
Overall, I felt it was a good story hindered by a confused treatment. A good one time read for mystery lovers.
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