Behind the Olive Trees

 

She thought she'd found her lost past, but did she uncover all the secrets?


Melodie returns to her mother's house in Corfu for the first time since inheriting it. Only, she discovers it isn't empty. She finds someone has been living there; a girl who claims the property is hers.

Dismissing the claim, Melodie tries to enjoy her new life in the beauty of Corfu. The girl soon resurfaces and it becomes impossible to ignore her any longer.

About the author

 

Francesca Catlow loves to travel. Born and raised in the heart of Suffolk, Catlow has travelled extensively in Europe with her French husband and, more recently, their two young children. Of all the places she's been it is the Greek islands that have captured her heart. She visits as often as family commitments allow. 'The Little Blue Door' is Catlow's first novel - written during the lockdown of 2020 while feeding her baby in the early hours. She has previously written plays alongside being a lyricist and performer. Behind the olive trees is the second book in the series. To stay up to date please visit www.francescacatlow.co.uk.

My Review

I loved the first book in the series, 'The little blue door' and couldn't wait to read the sequel. 'Behind the olive trees' sees Melodie settling into married life with her husband Anton and step daughter Gaia. Her quest to discover more about her deceased mother's life, leads her to take in the squatter who has been occupying her mother's house. 

This book takes on a more chilling, psychological tone as the atmosphere becomes charged with danger. As odd things begin to happen, the discovery of who the cuckoo in the nest really is, comes as a shock not just to Melodie but also to the reader. Each page is overlaid with a tense, electrical charge that makes the reader both reluctant yet desperate to turn the page.

Just as things settle down into some kind of normality for Melodie and her new family, the book ends on an abrupt cliffhanger. Please tell me there is a third book in the series as I can't wait to read the next installment.