Review: A STRANGER IN THE FAMILY, Robert Barnard

• this edition published in 2010 by Allison & Busby
• ISBN 978-0-7490-0822-2
• 255 pages

Synopsis (Amazon)

Kit Philipson has always felt like something of a stranger in his family. Growing up as the only child of professional parents in Glasgow, Scotland, he had every advantage. His mother was a teacher; his father, a journalist, escaped from Nazi Germany at the age of three on one of the 1939 Kindertransports. But on her deathbed, Kit’s mother tells him he was adopted and that his birth name was Novello. Soon, vague memories of his early life begin to surface: his nursery, pictures on the wall, the smell of his birth mother when she’d been cooking. And, sometimes, there are more disturbing memories—of strangers taking him by the hand and leading him away from the only family he had ever known.

A search of old newspaper files reveals that a three-year-old boy named Peter Novello was abducted from his parents’ holiday hotel in Sicily in 1989. Now the young man who has known himself only as Kit sets out to rediscover his past, the story of two three-year-old boys torn from their mothers in very different circumstances. Kit’'s probing inquiries are sure to bring surprises. They may also unearth dangerous secrets that dare never be revealed.

With sharp wit and deep insight, Robert Barnard sweeps away all preconceptions in this powerful study of maternal love and the danger of obsession.

My Take

After the death of his adoptive mother Kit Philipson decides to contact his birth mother to see what she can tell him about how he came to be adopted. By the time he meets her Kit knows that he was abducted while on holiday with his family at the age of 3. His welcome by his birth mother is effusive but that by her children is very guarded.

Kit comes to suspect that he was abducted to order, and that his adoptive father possibly knew more than he ever told. His search for the truth takes him to Leeds, to Vienna, and to Sicily.

An interesting if not particularly believable plot, with some quite nasty characters.

An author I should read more by.

My rating: 4.4

I've also read
4.1 THE KILLINGS ON JUBILEE TERRACE

About the author 1936-2013
He was a prolific writer, creating more than 30 published works during his life. These also included several non-fiction works which studied other authors, including books on the Bronte sisters. His writing style was very varied, and over the course of his books he changed his style from light and humour-filled, to exploring the darker side of human psychology. In wider society he was noted for his cheerfulness, and he had a sharp wit. He was a member of the Crime Writers’ Association, and spoke at many conventions and conferences for writers and their fans. Read more

Review: THE KILLINGS ON JUBILEE TERRACE, Robert Barnard - audio book

• originally published 2009
• Narrated by Gordon Griffin
• length 7 hours 15 mins
• source: my local library 
• Available from Isis Publishing 

Synopsis

Meet the cast of Jubilee Terrace, one of the most popular soap operas on British television.
Recently, however, long-standing cast member Vernon Watts, died suddenly of a heart attack. Terrible as his death was, the production team was quick to make the most of the opportunity.

As news of Vernon's demise spreads, the show's bosses decide to bring back an old character. The infamous Hamish Fawley is all set to return, despite the disapproval of the cast. But when a suspicious letter emerges raising questions about Vernon's death and an arson attack kills two more of the cast, it would appear something sinister is afoot.

The script-writers are clearly not the only ones capable of killing off characters...

My take

An interesting plot, but the audio version is made all the more confusing by the fact that there are two sets of characters: the actors in the soapie, and the characters themselves. Some of the actors prefer their soapie personas.

I think the author struggled with this duality. The plot idea was a good one but juggling with about 20 personalities must have been a real challenge. The plot gets an extra twist when one of the people thought to have been killed in the arson attack reports for work as usual and the reader has to cope with some huge very red herrings.

Gordon Griffin the narrator does an admirable job with the voice differentiations required.

The detective in THE KILLINGS ON JUBILEE TERRACE is Charlie Peace, although interestingly Fantastic Fiction does not include it in the Charlie Peace series - surely an oversight..

My rating: 4.1

Mini -reviews of other books by Robert Barnard

A LITTLE LOCAL MURDER, publ. 1976, my rating 4.0
Radio Broadwich comes to Twytching to do a documentary about the town. Debra Withens, the town chairman's wife, assumes she will be pivotal in choosing who will be interviewed. Alison Mailer on the other hand is just as determined to be the determiner. Suddenly accusing letters are delivered to the locals and then there is death. A rather enjoyable cosy, well read by Christopher Scott. Police Inspector George Parrish makes an interesting central investigator.

DEATH OF AN OLD GOAT, publ. 1977, my rating 3.7
The very elderly Professor Belville-Smith from Oxford is contributing to the education of antipodean students of English with a lecture tour to Australia. Basically he is delivering the same lectures for which he gained a reputation 50 years ago. However someone at Drummondale, an outback New South Wales university town obviously doesn't like him and he ends up dead in his motel room with his throat cut from ear to ear. Local police inspector Royle has to interrupt his weekly schedule of local cuckolding to investigate the death.  This was Barnard's first novel and apparently based on a sojourn he had in Australia. It is semi-satirical and contains some very unkind observations about Australian life in general. It evoked both annoyance and cultural cringe in me.