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 |  An informal group of writers who enjoy reading books & sharing feedback |
Justine stared at 8 Panama Row and felt a strong connection to it though didn't know why, because she would never live there, especially with six lanes of traffic in front of it. Alex, her opera-singer husband, continues to drive to their new home in Devon, away from London, away from Justine's stressful TV job where she no longer works. Now she will do nothing... nothing at all. The phone calls begin right away, threatening Justine to leave Speedwell House and go back to London. Who is this troubled woman who keeps calling? Why does she call her Sandy? And so begins the first thread of the story interweaving throughout this tale. Ellen's composition written for school, is yet another thread woven into this story. Who are the people she refers to? Justine is sure her daughter would never think up such names as Perrine, Lisette, and Allisande Ingray. And then there are the murders, blamed on the youngest sister, Perrine. Justine delves into a search of who these supposedly fictional characters really are. Figgy Pudding is the little Bedlington terrier Justine brings home from 8 Panama Row after curiosity gets the best of her about the place she feels a tie to. The dog breeder, however, appears to have no strong connections to the scheme of things going on. Ellen's friend George is expelled from school, though Justine--after much prying--finds out it was a cover-up. When Justine meets George, playing Monopoly with Ellen in her daughter's bedroom. Delightfully polite, he invites Justine to join them, commenting that it's a game for all the family, which pulled me in further with more questions. When Ellen announces she and George are engaged to be married once they have finished school, Justine is surprised, as her daughter is only 14. Ellen goes on to explain that George is gay and they care for each other very much and so they will get married, but not have a sexual relationship. They just enjoy being together and that's the important thing, Ellen tells her mother. So many layers in this story weaved their threads throughout, sometimes overwhelming me. I had to listen to this book, as the hard copy was unavailable, so perhaps if I'd read it, I might feel differently. The switching between the main story and Ellen's composition was fine, but adding George's composition, was a bit much to keep up with, at least in an audio version of the book. There's a lot going on in this book! I enjoyed this story somewhat, but it was a bit chaotic for me, especially after reading A Gentleman from Moscow, which I absolutely loved. This book won't make it to my Favorite Books list. It did, however, pique my interest, and so I continued through the drama within the tangled story threads, curiosity pushing me along to find out how it all ends. Stories are not always what they seem to be and I love a surprise, one I hadn't already figured out. A Game for All the Family proves to be exactly that... a game, though it seems to include all involved. I must say though, I felt it was a bit farfetched towards the end, in regards to Anne's death. If you crave the buzz of too much caffeine, this might be the book for you.  |
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