Undercurrents (Unabridged) [Audio Download]

The central character Henry Evans, an American, embarks on a journey to Warbling in England, on a quest to look for his lost love of twenty years before, Francesca Chisholm. He finds out that she has committed some terrible crime, and is drawn into the world of the inhabitants of Warbling, who all seem to have something to hide...

I was at first disappointed at the seemingly slow pace, but as I read on, was captivated by the beautiful, old-fashioned, effortless writing of the author. An author takes time to engage the reader into the lives of the characters and the setting in which they lived. There is certainly an undercurrent in the author's writing style, a sense of the ominous, whenever you turn the page.

The only criticism I have, is that I never felt passionately enough about any of the characters. The book is so removed from being over emotional that it prevents the reader from feeling strongly for the characters.

A compelling read nevertheless.

Fyfield cleverly intertwines the story of the book with letters written by Francesca from her prison cell, casting more mystery onto the truth behind the story. The problem I had with this book though was that it was somehow just boring... yes, there is suspense; yes, it is quite well written although the characters are a bit lacking in my view and the dialogue is sometimes a bit basic; yes, it is difficult to put down.

However, the story doesn't really go anywhere, it struck me as a good idea but an opportunity lost in the way it was written. When I finished the book I was disappointed. The overview on the back cover suggests a far more exciting perhaps psychological thriller, but this simply doesn't deliver. Looking at the reviews here, they seem to be quite mixed and I guess what one person finds an enjoyable read another may find boring. I wouldn't be able to recommend this book to anyone though.