Finders, Keepers

by Sabine Durrant

[zooloo1983]

Ok, not sure where to start! This book is a dark tale of manipulation and obsession with so many secrets. some not so shocking, some completely shocking. I’m not even sure if I liked anyone in the book bar, Max!

Verity is living in her house, where she has done for basically her whole life, she was a career to her mother before she died and her younger sister left home. However, she becomes obsessed with her neighbours.

Ailsa and Tom move in next door with their 3 children, moving away from something that happened in their previous home. A new project comes to their minds as they try to wear Verity down with her home.

At first, I began to wonder about Verity and Ailsa and their friendship. You are made to not like Tom from the get-go as he confronts Verity on her doorstep about the state of her garden. Ailsa appears to try and placate things but I was never quite sure how much manipulation was from Tom or off her own back. She was a woman who was after what she could get, not actually sure if I would have classed her a friend. Verity has an unhealthy obsession, she likes to have the upper hand and she an air of grace around Ailsa until Ailsa enters her house one day. Then things start to change and the somewhat fragile friendship changes.

With an opening that teased some events and current situations, we are taken back to Verity and Ailsa meeting and their story to the fateful event. Many things are alluded to and you aren’t quite sure of them until you take a step back and ponder, then things make a lot of sense. This is a somewhat slow burner, secrets and information are teased out, it takes time to trust someone and you can get a sense of this here. Verity always made to feel like a burden, embarrassed by everything becomes Ailsa project as they try to sort out her house. But again, who benefits from Ailsa actions?

This is about building trust and revealing back the layers to each other. That takes time and Finders Keepers takes that time, it took me a while to get into the story because of the slow pace but I appreciate the effort the author has taken to build up this story. We get to know most of the characters but through Verity’s eyes, unreliable? I would say so and I love that she even admits this! Without realising you care about who she does, and dismiss who she dismisses. I know I wouldn’t want to live in the house next door!!

This was my first foray with Ms Durrant, and the way she takes her time to look into someone’s mind has intrigued me. I am not sure what made anyone tick, but the evidence is damming. People are just not nice!!! They will use and abuse for their own gain and it’s safe to say that’s what happens here. Shocks are thrown in along the way, but they are relevant and show us what makes these people tick. Things did not pan out how I thought it would, unfortunately reading one review revealed something without realising (I hope) and I saw a new direction for this book.

It was very twisty and clever, and then when you get to the unsuspecting end, well all I can say is well played Ms Durrant, well played.