Title: The Godmother
Author: Hannelore Cayre
First published March 9, 2017
192 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9781770415430 (ISBN10: 1770415432)
Rating: 3.75
Overview
The Godmother by Hannelore Cayre, the inspiration for the hit movie Mama Weed, is a thrilling crime fiction novel that follows the story of Patience Portefeux, a fifty-three-year-old interpreter who is struggling to make ends meet. After her husband’s sudden death, Patience finds herself juggling the expenses of her daughters’ education and her mother’s nursing home bills.
When Patience discovers a set of police wiretaps that reveal a massive drug deal, she decides to take matters into her own hands. In an exhilarating turn of events, Patience infiltrates the drug cartel and becomes The Godmother.
With its gripping plot and well-crafted characters, The Godmother is a must-read for fans of crime fiction.
About the Author
She has many talents – not only is she skilled in criminal law, but she also excels in the art of film directing. However, her true passion lies in writing.
Editoral Review
In her debut novel, The Lamplighters, Emma Stonex explores themes of loss, love, and the mysteries of the sea. Stonex beautifully weaves together multiple perspectives to create a hauntingly mesmerizing story that will leave readers both satisfied and spellbound.
Set in Cornwall in 1972, The Lamplighters centers around the disappearance of three lighthouse keepers, Arthur Black, Bill Walker, and Vincent Bourne, who vanished without a trace from the remote Maiden Rock lighthouse. The story jumps back and forth between the present day, as a journalist investigates the disappearance in search of answers, and the past, as the three men navigate the challenges of life on a lighthouse together.
Stonex’s writing is nothing short of phenomenal, with vivid descriptions that transport readers to the rugged coastline of Cornwall. She masterfully creates three distinct and deeply flawed characters, each grappling with their own demons and personal challenges.
The novel explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and personal sacrifice, as the keepers struggle to maintain their sanity and relationships while living in isolation in a harsh and unforgiving environment. The pacing of the novel is spot on, with Stonex expertly building tension with each passing chapter.
The mystery of the keepers’ disappearance hangs over every moment of the story and the twist at the end is both unexpected and satisfying. Overall, The Lamplighters is a beautifully crafted and haunting debut that will stay with readers long after they turn the final page.
However, the novel does have some weaknesses. The multiple perspectives can be confusing at times, and some readers may struggle to keep track of the different timelines.
Additionally, the characters’ backstories are not always fully fleshed out, which may leave some readers feeling somewhat disconnected from them. Despite these minor flaws, The Lamplighters is a must-read for fans of literary fiction and mystery novels alike.
Stonex has created a story that is both haunting and breathtakingly beautiful, with a cast of characters that feel painfully real. The novel is a reminder that the sea has always held a certain mystery and allure, and that it can be both a place of refuge and of untold danger.
For these reasons, we highly recommend The Lamplighters to readers looking for a captivating and deeply moving story. We give this book a rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars.
