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jennmcclafferty's review against another edition
dark
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
4.0
jennbliven's review against another edition
4.0
Yikes. Stayed up late to finish this one and let's just say it took me awhile to fall asleep after the ending! (It was a good book to distract from the pandemic, which is what I'm looking for right now.)
toofondofbooks's review against another edition
5.0
The Rumour is a novel about the damage that gossip can do, and also about whether people who’ve done a terrible thing as a child can ever be allowed to make a new start as an adult. This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2018 and I finally got to read it this week and it was everything I hoped it would be, and more!
I was gripped by The Rumour from the opening pages! It was unsettling to be reading, and sitting in judgement, of the women at the school gates gossiping about a rumour one of them had heard that child killer Sally McGowan was living in their midst whilst at the same time immediately wanting to know whether this was true or not! At heart there is maybe something in all of us that can’t resist salacious gossip and this book really plays to that.
The novel also explores very cleverly the repercussions of the gossip in the town too. A woman is falsely believed to be the killer and her life is left damaged by the rumour. Other women who are of a similar age as Sally McGowan are looked at with suspicion. It must be horrible to feel in danger when you’re innocent. It also made me think about what it must be like to have done something so awful as a child and to have served your time and to be deemed to be rehabilitated but then it’s always there. Even with a new identity the media, and the gossips, will never quite leave it alone.
I really liked Joanna in this novel, although I did find her a little naive at times, she was clearly someone who wanted to do the best for her son and to make a life for herself in this town they’ve recently moved to. She tries to make friends with some other mums in order to help her son make friends, which is how she ends up fuelling the gossip with her own take on the rumour.
Lesley Kara captures small town mentality so perfectly. I grew up in a smallish town where everyone knew everyone else’s business. Gossip was right around the town before the subject of the gossip would even know about it. I found it so claustrophobic as I got a bit older and I’m glad not to live there anymore. The Rumour really captures how gossip spreads in small towns, and also the reasons why people gossip. Often no harm is meant but that doesn’t mean no harm is caused.
The Rumour is full of red herrings, and this makes for such a rollercoaster of a read. I loved that when I thought I had it all worked out there was a sting in the tail. The Rumour is a brilliant, fast-paced and unputdownable novel and I’m already thinking that it is highly likely to be on my best books of 2019! It was that good!
I was gripped by The Rumour from the opening pages! It was unsettling to be reading, and sitting in judgement, of the women at the school gates gossiping about a rumour one of them had heard that child killer Sally McGowan was living in their midst whilst at the same time immediately wanting to know whether this was true or not! At heart there is maybe something in all of us that can’t resist salacious gossip and this book really plays to that.
The novel also explores very cleverly the repercussions of the gossip in the town too. A woman is falsely believed to be the killer and her life is left damaged by the rumour. Other women who are of a similar age as Sally McGowan are looked at with suspicion. It must be horrible to feel in danger when you’re innocent. It also made me think about what it must be like to have done something so awful as a child and to have served your time and to be deemed to be rehabilitated but then it’s always there. Even with a new identity the media, and the gossips, will never quite leave it alone.
I really liked Joanna in this novel, although I did find her a little naive at times, she was clearly someone who wanted to do the best for her son and to make a life for herself in this town they’ve recently moved to. She tries to make friends with some other mums in order to help her son make friends, which is how she ends up fuelling the gossip with her own take on the rumour.
Lesley Kara captures small town mentality so perfectly. I grew up in a smallish town where everyone knew everyone else’s business. Gossip was right around the town before the subject of the gossip would even know about it. I found it so claustrophobic as I got a bit older and I’m glad not to live there anymore. The Rumour really captures how gossip spreads in small towns, and also the reasons why people gossip. Often no harm is meant but that doesn’t mean no harm is caused.
The Rumour is full of red herrings, and this makes for such a rollercoaster of a read. I loved that when I thought I had it all worked out there was a sting in the tail. The Rumour is a brilliant, fast-paced and unputdownable novel and I’m already thinking that it is highly likely to be on my best books of 2019! It was that good!
belinda1979's review against another edition
5.0
Really enjoyed this book, it leaves you guessing right up until the end.
abookwormwithwine's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My experience with The Rumour (or The Rumor in the US) by Lesley Kara was an interesting one, mostly down to me listening to the US version of the audiobook but owning the UK copy of the physical book. I have no idea how this happened, but it was certainly an experience following along in a book with English words and hearing them replaced with American words. No matter though as the point still got across just fine, and I loved this pacy read full of twists! I couldn't put it down and I basically ended up listening to it in one sitting thanks to this. I can hardly believe this is a debut, and you better believe I now have all of Kara's books on my TBR.
Karissa Vacker & Olivia Mackenzie-Smith narrated the audiobook version I listened to, and they were both fantastic. I love Vacker anyway, and I was glad she narrated Sally while Mackenzie-Smith narrated a handful of anonymous chapters. This gave the book a very creepy vibe that kept me guessing, and there were a lot of red herrings to the point where I had no idea what would happen. That last chapter was a bit of a doozy as well, and I was not only shocked by every single twist, but most of them left me gasping or with my jaw on the floor. There was a large pool of suspects and while we don't get to know everyone all that well, I didn't have any issues keeping track of the who's who bit. This was a great, quickly-paced read and it would make for a lovely beach/poolside read!
Karissa Vacker & Olivia Mackenzie-Smith narrated the audiobook version I listened to, and they were both fantastic. I love Vacker anyway, and I was glad she narrated Sally while Mackenzie-Smith narrated a handful of anonymous chapters. This gave the book a very creepy vibe that kept me guessing, and there were a lot of red herrings to the point where I had no idea what would happen. That last chapter was a bit of a doozy as well, and I was not only shocked by every single twist, but most of them left me gasping or with my jaw on the floor. There was a large pool of suspects and while we don't get to know everyone all that well, I didn't have any issues keeping track of the who's who bit. This was a great, quickly-paced read and it would make for a lovely beach/poolside read!
recovering_my_sparkle's review against another edition
5.0
Never would have predicted the end!! I, like the main character, ended up suspecting everyone but the actual person. First time in a long time that I’ve gasped when I reached the twist
laurenlethbridge's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
namitakhanna's review against another edition
5.0
Joanna , a single mother, has moved back to small beach town Flinstead with her son Alfie for a fresh new start. Trying to fit in with the other moms she engages in a little gossip and mentions that a famous child killer is living under a new identity in town to one of her friends in her club. The rumor catches on and it spreads like wildfire and things start spiralling out of control rapidly.
The Rumor is an intriguing debut by Lesley kara. Written in short chapters with plenty of twists and turns , red herrings along the way and an unexpected ending made it a gripping addictive read
I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/
The Rumor is an intriguing debut by Lesley kara. Written in short chapters with plenty of twists and turns , red herrings along the way and an unexpected ending made it a gripping addictive read
I would like to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.
This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/