I asked to review "Manderley Forever" because I did not know much about Daphne du Maurier. I knew she was the author of "Rebecca," which I have not read, but have seen and enjoyed the film many times.
The book was good. I was pleasantly surprised by the ease and …more conversational style of the author's narrative. She obviously did a great deal of research for the work.
I would have liked a little more information about a few of the details she shared (like the bullying incident early on; why was du Maurier treated that way? Just because she was French? Was there anti-French sentiment in England at that time?), but it may have been hard to come by some of that information.
Overall, I was pleased with the book, and I would certainly recommend it to others. (less)

The book started slowly for me, and I never fully felt invested after. The title character had a lot of pluck, which is what saved the novel for me, but it's a slow read.

Fiona Barton's "The Widow" is a debut novel. Taking into account Barton's newness in the psychological thriller genre, the book is engaging, but has a few troublesome areas.

The novel has a respectable plot that moves quickly. Barton also creates memorable and sympathetic …more characters. However, the author often abruptly shifts in time from 2006, when two-year-old Bella Elliot is kidnapped, to 2010, when Glen Taylor, the accused, dies. The book focuses more on how Taylor's widow, Jean, handles the aftermath of Glen's dishonesty. The jumps in time spoil some of the fun in finding out what happens to the characters. (less)