Mother Of Pearl

Brilliant book

As all her books, Maureen keeps you guessing. Just love her books.

As always a great read from maureen Lee

cant wait to read this book,i have read many by this author and look forward to enjoying this one too.i will order more.

Amy Curran was just 18, pretty as a picture and totally unworldly, when she met the love of her life, Barney Patterson, on the pier at Southport. It was a classic case of love at first sight and, within weeks, they had eloped, without a thought for anyone else. Barney's family was educated and wealthy, with a slightly unhinged mother whose hatred of Catholics was an obsession. Amy's family was very much working class with all of its members Catholics and with nothing in common with the Patterson's. When WW2 was declared, Barney immediately enlisted at Officer Training School and was sent to France where he was captured by the Germans and held in a prisoner of war camp until the end of the war. When he returned home, he was a completely different man from the cheerful boy who had married Amy. His attitude to Amy became more and more aggressive, ending with his accidental killing. Amy is sentenced to 20 years jail, so her daughter, Pearl is raised by Amy's brother and his wife, believing that her mother had deserted her and left the country. It's an undemanding story, good for the time when the reader wants a simple,easy to read tale.

Liked the story although Ms Lee can get maudlin sometimes.

Maureen Lee has done it again. This is a gem of a story. This is the story of Pearl who is dealing with the fact that her mother is being released from prison for killing her father after twenty years. Nobody knows other than very close family and friends where her mother has been for those previous years and Pearl has lived with her Uncle and Aunt. Maureen Lee shows us how Pearl is coping not just with the reappearance of her mother, but also dealing with living in the seventies and trying to find the path of true love when you have perhaps not had that shown to you throughout life.The intervening chapters between Pearls story is her mothers, Amy when she falls in love just before the outbreak of the Second World War, instantly with Barney Patterson. Her life changes along with Barney's and we see the story that leads up to Amy being convicted for murder of a man who helplessly loved her.Alternating between the war years and the early seventies is effectively done. Each section builds the story up and up and you continue to keep reading to find what drove Amy and also what is driving Pearl as she deals with her mother's reappearance in her life.The supporting characters are just as rich. Pearl's Aunt is infuriating in her dealing with her husband and her murderous sister in law and just wants to be seen to be behaving correctly. Cathy, Pearls' headmistress at the school where she works is also her mother's oldest and dearest friend. Her persona at school is nothing like the girl of the war years. Pearl's Grandfather and Great Uncle on her father's side also make an appearance throughout the book, in both Amy's story as well as her own.A great story and a book that draws the characters out and you in within pages and leaves you wanting more. Maureen Lee can deal so effectively with the War years and create a tale, but I feel she is just as good at the modern stories and perhaps there will be more novels like this in the future.

Great quality and price Maureen Lee book. I love her books, easy to read but not so easy to put down. Arrived on time, well packed and exactly as described

I love her books & this one didn't fail to keep me gripped. My only point was that I got confused with switching the years! I so admire the author being able to write such a story. Can't wait for next one.

Replaced a copy missing pages for my daughter, who loved the story, & will re-read it many times.

Excellent read, book in good state, prompt delivery