A book destined for the Big Screen
Blurb
Picture the scene – an idyllic resort on the island of Réunion. Martial and Liane Bellion are enjoying the perfect moment with their six-year-old daughter. Turquoise skies, clear water, palm trees, a warm breeze…
Then Liane Bellion disappears. She went up to her hotel room between 3 and 4pm and never came back. When the room is opened, it is empty, but there is blood everywhere. An employee of the hotel claims to have seen Martial in the corridor during that crucial hour.
Then Martial also disappears, along with his daughter. An all-out manhunt is declared across the island. But is Martial really his wife’s killer? And if he isn’t, why does he appear to be so guilty?
My Review
Black Water Lilies was my fav read of 2016, no question and I did read over 300 books…
So when I saw that MB was about to release another through Orion I hopped over the NetGalley for an early read just because I could. I was heading to France for Easter and what better place to read a book by one of France’s most popular writer?
I was at page five and I didn’t like it. I have this rule that I live by. If I don’t get past page five I give up. There are just too many other books. But that day sitting on a beach in St Cast I learnt a lesson, a huge lesson because this is just one of those books. Trying to analyse my initial reaction I think I got confused. Black Water Lilies is set in Normandy and, as I’d never heard of Renunion I assumed I was in French France and not the Indian Ocean. It took me a while to wrap my head around the cultural and indeed writing differences but when ‘I finally got it’ the pages flew by.
The recent influx of psychological kitchen sink thrillers isn’t my bag. I usually guess and, after I’ve guessed I get bored. This is well plotted, highly unusual and the ending is sublime, more than sublime. I loved the ending so much that I can already see it translated over to the big screen. If ever there was a book that would make a fantastic movie this is it. It has everything. Great writing. A cracking plot. Romance. Murder. Relationships. A French African Miss Marple…
Jenny O'Brien HQ 