Title: Cuckoo

Author: Julia Crouch 

Sarah P’s pick

Rose and Gareth live an idyllic life in the English countryside with their school aged daughter Anna and new baby Flossie.  Then Rose’s oldest friend Polly calls from Greece to say her husband has died and Rose invites Polly and her two sons to stay with them, against her husband’s wishes.

Initially Rose takes care of everyone- cooking wholesome meals, looking after Polly’s children as well as Anna and Flossie, taking the kids to school.

Soon strange things start happening and Rose feels she is losing control of her home and family- was the cat really killed by a fox? Did Flossie really take those tablets accidentally? Why is Gareth spending time away from Rose?

People try to warn Rose about Polly but she keeps giving her the benefit of the doubt, remembering their shared and difficult teenage years. Rose seems unable to ask Polly to move on.

It seems Rose also has some secrets from her past that she wishes to keep.

The book is a little unsettling but keeps you interested and wanting to read more. You will wonder how well you really know someone.

I enjoyed the book until the last couple of chapters and found the ending unsatisfactory- why don’t you read it and see what you think?!