A Dark Dividing

Sarah Rayne grips you and won't let go. The way she goes back and forth in time is fascinating and so are the subjects she delves into.

Before even finishing this book I started to order more Sarah Rayne books and would order the author's other books under another name if I knew who it was! The story is unique. You never can guess where it is going which is a makes for a truly exciting read. I atmosphere is dark and intriguing. I highly recommend it for anyone who appreciates both a good story and literature grade writing.

What are the connections between two sets of conjoined ("Siamese") twins born eighty years apart and a ramshackle onetime workhouse named Mortmain (Dead [Man's} Hand)? These are the questions that down-and-out reporter Harry McGlen ends up answering after his editor assigns him to do a story on the enigmatic photographer Simone Marriot (née Alexander). In this elegant and atmospheric thriller, Sarah Rayne shifts effortlessly among multiple viewpoints (the mothers of both sets of twins, Harry, and Simone, among others) without ever losing the thread of her complicated story, and keeps the reader turning the pages until the satisfying ending, which is the most difficult trick of all, since I find that books that start out with promising premises such as this one often fall flat at the end. If you enjoy this book I would also recommend Thomas Cook and Robbert Goddard, who write a similar type of fiction - suspense tinged with a nostalgic sadness and often with an all too natural (as opposed to supernatural) horror.

This is the second book I've read of Sarah Rayne's and I'm addicted! She writes in way that reveals a mystery in both the past and present, both of which are somehow linked and culminating into a nail biting climax. She also reveals many facts through the different characters' viewpoints that will keep you guessing. Her characters in this book are all interwined even though there is a 100 year gap in between them. The parallels and links are that there are 2 sets of conjoined twins, the two mothers who were both not in love with their husbands and an eerie house called Mortmain. When you start this book be prepared to set aside some time as the characters are so captivating and interesting that you just have to keep reading on to find out what happens. As in the Tower of Silence, the book does feature a mentally unbalanced character or two, and knowing their motives will keep you on the edge of your seat! I'm still thinking about the chartacters and storyline and I finished the book a few days ago.

At the turn of the century, Charlotte Quinton gave birth to conjoined twins, Viola and Sorrel. But before society had the opportunity to ridicule the `freaks', they passed on. Eighty years later, another set of conjoined twins were born to Melissa Anderson, whose husband was willing to exploit them for the sake of his political campaign. In order to escape the clutches of Joe Anderson, Charlotte runs with the twins to a remote part of Norfolk. The events that follow will finally lead the characters in the book to a dilapidated mansion built in the 1700s called Mortmain - Dead Man's Hands. It is the connection that ultimately binds them all. Sarah Rayne has created a dark and chilling atmosphere in this gripping psychological suspenseful novel. Author writes fluidly with titillating drama that will keep your hands attached to the book like magnet, ready to devour the pages when opportunity arises. I am glad I went with my instincts to read the book as it fulfilled its promise of a terrific tale full of madness and mayhem. Days after i have turned the last page, Charlotte, FLoy, Edward, Viola, Sorrel,Roz/Rosie, Melissa, Joe, Simone and Sonia are still lurking in the corners of my mind. Please ensure that you have tossed aside all your other obligations and responsibilities before you start this piece because when you are halfway through, you will not be able to stop...for anything. -Suhainah Wahiduddin -