Up Close by Henriette Gyland

Too close for comfort…

When Dr Lia Thompson’s grandmother dies unexpectedly, Lia is horrified to have to leave her life in America and return to a cold and creaky house in Norfolk. But as events unfold, she can’t help feeling that there is more to her grandmother’s death than meets the eye.

Aidan Morrell is surprised to see Lia, his teenage crush, back in town. But Aidan’s accident when serving in the navy has scarred him in more ways than one, and he has other secrets which must stay hidden at all costs, even from Lia.

As Lia comes closer to uncovering the truth, she is forced to question everything she thought she knew. In a world of increasing danger, is Aidan someone she can trust?

My Thoughts

Really enjoyed this book. A bit of suspense, a mystery and a romance too – all the things I love in a novel.

It took me a little while to warm to the main character, Lia, but as I got to know her better and understand her, I did feel a real empathy for her. This was actually quite refreshing as I felt Lia was a very realistic character – just like in real life, it takes time to get to know someone and not until you know them properly, can you form a balanced opinion of them.

Aidan had several layers to his character too and although I was sure I could trust him, the way the plot unravelled had me questioning his actions.

The plot revolved around military issues; the impact of going to war and the after effects which had obviously been well researched by the author. There were other aspects woven into the plot too, which keeps the reader guessing and trying to put together the pieces to solve the mystery. The clues are there, some more subtle than others, together with a twist at the end. I don’t want to say much more for fear of spoiling the plot but for those who enjoy romance and suspense, this is one I’d highly recommend and will certainly look out for future novels by this author.

Links for Henriette Gyland