Book Reviews: Tendrils of the Past by Anthea Fraser

My Rating: 2.5 ⭐

It has been fifteen years since the bodies of Charles and Saran Drummond were discovered in their home with their two young daughters, Abby and Mia, asleep upstairs. It was presumed that Charles had strangled Sarah before stabbing himself to death. The children were taken in by their grandparents who promptly relocated, changed the girls’ surnames to avoid public attention and told them that their parents died in a car crash.

But now, after a freak accident at work Mia starts getting flashbacks from her childhood – memories similar to the one her sister Abby has been experiencing. When their grandmother finally shares the truth about what happened to their parents, it is evident that their memories are from that fateful night. When a journalist spots the girls’ grandmother at a seniors’ hotel, the renewed interest in the case fuels the search for new facts and witness statements.

The narrative takes us back and forth between past and present and as the story progresses we get to know the events that led to the night of Charles’ and Sarah’s death. What truly happened that night? Is their parents’ killer still out there? Are Abby and Mia in danger?

Tendrils of the Past by Anthea Fraser has all the components for a gripping thriller – a heinous crime and suppressed memories, secrets and lies and a multitude of characters who are connected to the crime and/or the perpetrator. The writing is good and I liked how the author creates a complex web of connected characters. Unfortunately, this story held absolutely no suspense for me. The culprit was rather obvious from early on and the twist at the end was predictable (if you follow the narrative carefully), there wasn’t much of a pursuit for the perpetrator till the last quarter of the novel and the ending was convenient and gives no satisfaction whatsoever. I had hoped for a gripping and suspenseful read but was more than a tad disappointed with this one.

Many thanks to Severn House and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this novel. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This book is due for release on January 03, 2023.