Layah and Izzy are spending the summer in the Lake District with their mother, whilst their father is away for work (again). Staying in Rook Cottage which is owned by one of their mum's old college friends, Henry Westwood, the girls aren't looking forward to the summer and intend to take solace by working their way through the cake and scone menus of all the local coffee shops. However, sinister things start to happen, and Layah is determined to get to the bottom of what is going on. Why is their mum suddenly behaving so strangely? Where are the unusual feathers coming from? And what is the link between everything?
Over recent years, Eve has sent me many books to review so being able to review her first novel feels like a real privilege and I have to say that I wasn't disappointed. In fact, I found it difficult to believe that The Bird Singers was Eve's first novel! The plot grips from the beginning and instantly creates tension and anticipation which contrasts perfectly against the time of year and the lazy lanes of the village. The lure of the plot is thoroughly engaging and the drip of information is tantalising and utterly gripping!
The addition of a sub-plot, woven in throughout the main story, and identifiable by the slightly greyer pages and italic writing, only adds to the mystery and darkness that oozes from the pages and means you are constantly trying to decide how the two plots are connected.
Strong characters (I love Layah's determination and completely connect with Izzy's bookishness!), polish heritage, mythology, family, food (I craved scones whilst reading this!) and bravery shine through in this stunningly captivating debut novel which is guaranteed to be a huge hit with it is released in February - it will definitely be on my recommendations display in Waterstones Newcastle!
The Bird Singers is a beautifully woven story and I couldn't put it down.
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